2.3.0.11 Html 833 482 1 true 197 0 false 8 true false R1.htm 00 - Document - Document and Entity Information Sheet http://vale.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation Document and Entity Information false false R2.htm 0110 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Sheet http://vale.com/role/BalanceSheets Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets false false R3.htm 0111 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) Sheet http://vale.com/role/BalanceSheetsParenthetical Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) false false R4.htm 0120 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StatementsOfIncome Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) false false R5.htm 0130 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StatementsOfCashFlows Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) false false R6.htm 0140 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StatementsOfStockholderEquity Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) false false R7.htm 0150 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (deficit) (Unaudited) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StatementsOfComprehensiveIncome Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (deficit) (Unaudited) false false R8.htm 0201 - Disclosure - The Company and its operations Sheet http://vale.com/role/CompanyAndItsOperation The Company and its operations false false R9.htm 0202 - Disclosure - Basis of Consolidation Sheet http://vale.com/role/BasisOfConsolidation Basis of Consolidation false false R10.htm 0203 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation Sheet http://vale.com/role/BasisOfPresentation Basis of Presentation false false R11.htm 0204 - Disclosure - Accounting pronouncements Sheet http://vale.com/role/RecentlyIssuedAccountingPronouncements Accounting pronouncements false false R12.htm 0205 - Disclosure - Major acquisitions and disposals Sheet http://vale.com/role/MajorAcquisitionsAndDispositions Major acquisitions and disposals false false R13.htm 0206 - Disclosure - Income taxes Sheet http://vale.com/role/IncomeTaxes Income taxes false false R14.htm 0207 - Disclosure - Cash and cash equivalents Sheet http://vale.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalents Cash and cash equivalents false false R15.htm 0208 - Disclosure - Short-term investments Sheet http://vale.com/role/ShortTermInvestments Short-term investments false false R16.htm 0209 - Disclosure - Inventories Sheet http://vale.com/role/Inventories Inventories false false R17.htm 0210 - Disclosure - Investments in affiliated companies and joint ventures Sheet http://vale.com/role/InvestmentsInAffiliatedCompaniesAndJointVentures Investments in affiliated companies and joint ventures false false R18.htm 0211 - Disclosure - Short-term debt Sheet http://vale.com/role/ShortTermDebt Short-term debt false false R19.htm 0212 - Disclosure - Long-term debt Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermDebt Long-term debt false false R20.htm 0213 - Disclosure - Stockholders' equity Sheet http://vale.com/role/StockholdersEquity Stockholders' equity false false R21.htm 0214 - Disclosure - Pension plans Sheet http://vale.com/role/PensionPlans Pension plans false false R22.htm 0215 - Disclosure - Long-term incentive compensation plan Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan Long-term incentive compensation plan false false R23.htm 0216 - Disclosure - Commitments and contingencies Sheet http://vale.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingencies Commitments and contingencies false false R24.htm 0217 - Disclosure - Other expenses Sheet http://vale.com/role/OtherExpenses Other expenses false false R25.htm 0218 - Disclosure - Fair value disclosure of financial assets and liabilities Sheet http://vale.com/role/FairValueDisclosureOfFinancialAssetsAndLiabilities Fair value disclosure of financial assets and liabilities false false R26.htm 0219 - Disclosure - Segment and geographical information Sheet http://vale.com/role/SegmentAndGeographicalInformation Segment and geographical information false false R27.htm 0220 - Disclosure - Derivative financial instruments Sheet http://vale.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstruments Derivative financial instruments false false R28.htm 0221 - Disclosure - Subsequent Event Sheet http://vale.com/role/SubsequentEvent Subsequent Event false false R29.htm 0401 - Disclosure - Accounting Pronouncements (Policies) Sheet http://vale.com/role/AccountingPronouncementsPolicies Accounting Pronouncements (Policies) false false R30.htm 0501 - Disclosure - The Company and its operations (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/CompanyAndItsOperationsTables The Company and its operations (Tables) false false R31.htm 0505 - Disclosure - Major Acquisitions and Disposals (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/MajorAcquisitionsAndDisposalsTables Major Acquisitions and Disposals (Tables) false false R32.htm 0506 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/IncomeTaxesTables Income Taxes (Tables) false false R33.htm 0507 - Disclosure - Cash and Cash Equivalents (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalentsTables Cash and Cash Equivalents (Tables) false false R34.htm 0508 - Disclosure - Short-term investments (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/ShortTermInvestmentsTables Short-term investments (Tables) false false R35.htm 0509 - Disclosure - Inventories (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/InventoriesTables Inventories (Tables) false false R36.htm 0510 - Disclosure - Investments in affiliated companies and joint ventures (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/InvestmentsInAffiliatedCompaniesAndJointVenturesTables Investments in affiliated companies and joint ventures (Tables) false false R37.htm 0512 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermDebtTables Long-term debt (Tables) false false R38.htm 0513 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StockholdersEquityTables Stockholders' Equity (Tables) false false R39.htm 0514 - Disclosure - Pension Plans (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/PensionPlansTables Pension Plans (Tables) false false R40.htm 0516 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesTables Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) false false R41.htm 0518 - Disclosure - Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/FairValueDisclosuresOfFinancialAssetsAndLiabilitiesTables Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Tables) false false R42.htm 0519 - Disclosure - Segment and Geographical Information (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/SegmentAndGeographicalInformationTables Segment and Geographical Information (Tables) false false R43.htm 0520 - Disclosure - Derivative financial instruments (Tables) Sheet http://vale.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsTables Derivative financial instruments (Tables) false false R44.htm 0601 - Disclosure - The Company and its operations (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/CompanyAndItsOperationsDetails The Company and its operations (Details) false false R45.htm 0602 - Disclosure - Basis of Consolidation (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/BasisOfConsolidationDetails Basis of Consolidation (Details) false false R46.htm 0603 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/BasisOfPresentationDetails Basis of Presentation (Details) false false R47.htm 0605 - Disclosure - Major Acquisitions and Disposals (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/MajorAcquisitionsAndDisposalsDetails Major Acquisitions and Disposals (Details) false false R48.htm 06051 - Disclosure - Major Acquisitions and Disposals (Details Textuals) Sheet http://vale.com/role/MajorAcquisitionsAndDisposalsDetailsTextual Major Acquisitions and Disposals (Details Textuals) false false R49.htm 0606 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/IncomeTaxesDetails Income Taxes (Details) false false R50.htm 06061 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details 1) Sheet http://vale.com/role/IncomeTaxesDetails1 Income Taxes (Details 1) false false R51.htm 06062 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details Textuals) Sheet http://vale.com/role/IncomeTaxesDetailsTextuals Income Taxes (Details Textuals) false false R52.htm 0607 - Disclosure - Cash and Cash Equivalents (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalentsDetails Cash and Cash Equivalents (Details) false false R53.htm 0608 - Disclosure - Short-term investments (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/ShortTermInvestmentsDetails Short-term investments (Details) false false R54.htm 0609 - Disclosure - Inventories (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/InventoriesDetails Inventories (Details) false false R55.htm 0610 - Disclosure - Investments in affiliated companies and joint ventures (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/InvestmentsInAffiliatedCompaniesAndJointVenturesDetails Investments in affiliated companies and joint ventures (Details) false false R56.htm 0611 - Disclosure - Short-Term debt (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/ShortTermDebtDetails Short-Term debt (Details) false false R57.htm 0612 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermDebtDetails Long-term debt (Details) false false R58.htm 06121 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Details 1) Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermDebtDetails1 Long-term debt (Details 1) false false R59.htm 06122 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Details 2) Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermDebtDetails2 Long-term debt (Details 2) false false R60.htm 06123 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Details 3) Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermDebtDetails3 Long-term debt (Details 3) false false R61.htm 06124 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Details Textuals) Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermDebtDetailsTextuals Long-term debt (Details Textuals) false false R62.htm 0613 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StockholdersEquityDetails Stockholders' Equity (Details) false false R63.htm 06131 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity (Details 1) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StockholdersEquityDetails1 Stockholders' Equity (Details 1) false false R64.htm 06132 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity (Details 2) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StockholdersEquityDetails2 Stockholders' Equity (Details 2) false false R65.htm 06133 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity (Details Textuals) Sheet http://vale.com/role/StockholdersEquityDetailsTextuals Stockholders' Equity (Details Textuals) false false R66.htm 0614 - Disclosure - Pension plans (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/PensionPlansDetails Pension plans (Details) false false R67.htm 0615 - Disclosure - Long-term Incentive Compensation Plan (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlanDetails Long-term Incentive Compensation Plan (Details) false false R68.htm 0616 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesDetails Commitments and Contingencies (Details) false false R69.htm 0617 - Disclosure - Other Expenses (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/OtherExpensesDetails Other Expenses (Details) false false R70.htm 0618 - Disclosure - Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/FairValueDisclosuresOfFinancialAssetsAndLiabilitiesDetails Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Details) false false R71.htm 06181 - Disclosure - Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Details 1) Sheet http://vale.com/role/FairValueDisclosuresOfFinancialAssetsAndLiabilitiesDetails1 Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Details 1) false false R72.htm 06182 - Disclosure - Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Details 2) Sheet http://vale.com/role/FairValueDisclosuresOfFinancialAssetsAndLiabilitiesDetails2 Fair Value Disclosures of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Details 2) false false R73.htm 0619 - Disclosure - Segment and Geographical Information (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/SegmentAndGeographicalInformationDetails Segment and Geographical Information (Details) false false R74.htm 0620 - Disclosure - Derivative financial instruments (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsDetails Derivative financial instruments (Details) false false R75.htm 06201 - Disclosure - Derivative financial instruments (Details 1) Sheet http://vale.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsDetails1 Derivative financial instruments (Details 1) false false R76.htm 06202 - Disclosure - Derivative financial instruments (Details 2) Sheet http://vale.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsDetails2 Derivative financial instruments (Details 2) false false R77.htm 0621 - Disclosure - Subsequent Event (Details) Sheet http://vale.com/role/SubsequentEventDetails Subsequent Event (Details) false false All Reports Book All Reports Element vale_SubsidiaryOrEquityMethodInvesteeCumulativePercentageOwnershipAfterAllTransaction had a mix of decimals attribute values: 4 2. Element vale_VotingCapitalOfPrincipalConsolidatedOperatingSubsidiaries had a mix of decimals attribute values: 4 2. Element us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired had a mix of decimals attribute values: 4 0. Element us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage had a mix of decimals attribute values: 4 2. Element us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageRateRangeMinimum had a mix of decimals attribute values: 3 1. Element us-gaap_DebtInstrumentIncreaseAdditionalBorrowings had a mix of decimals attribute values: -6 -9. Element vale_AdditionalRemunerationPaid had a mix of decimals attribute values: 7 6. Element us-gaap_SubsequentEventAmount had a mix of decimals attribute values: -6 -8. Element us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage had a mix of decimals attribute values: 4 2. 'Monetary' elements on report '06051 - Disclosure - Major Acquisitions and Disposals (Details Textuals)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '06133 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity (Details Textuals)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. 'Monetary' elements on report '0616 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Details)' had a mix of different decimal attribute values. Process Flow-Through: 0110 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Sep. 30, 2010' Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Mar. 31, 2010' Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Dec. 31, 2009' Process Flow-Through: 0111 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) Process Flow-Through: 0120 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) Process Flow-Through: 0130 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Process Flow-Through: 0150 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (deficit) (Unaudited) vale-20110331.xml vale-20110331.xsd vale-20110331_cal.xml vale-20110331_def.xml vale-20110331_lab.xml vale-20110331_pre.xml true true