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if greater than 6%.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseDividend percentage for preferred stockholders if greater than 6%12false0vale_ApprovalOfMinimumDividendvalefalsecreditdurationApproval Of Minimum 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amount16false0vale_ExtraordinaryPaymentOfInterestOnCapitalPerOutstandingSharesvalefalsecreditdurationExtraordinary payment of interest on capital per outstanding shares.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse0.1916340560.191634056falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse10falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse11falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse12falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse13falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse14falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse15falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse16falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryExtraordinary payment of 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conversion.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseNumber of treasury stocks used for conversion23false0us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalEquityComponentOfConvertibleDebtus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse13790000001379000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse10falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse11falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse12falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse13falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse14falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse15falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse16falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAdjustment to additional paid in capital resulting from the recognition of convertible debt instruments as two separate components - a debt component and an equity component. This bifurcation may result in a basis difference associated with the liability component that represents a temporary difference for purposes of applying Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. The initial recognition of deferred taxes for the tax effect of that temporary difference is as an adjustment to additional paid in capital.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Staff Position (FSP) -Number APB14-1 -Paragraph 12 falsefalseAdjustments in additional paid in capital stock conversion24false0vale_AdditionalRemunerationPaidvalefalsenadurationAdditional remuneration 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Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 12 -Paragraph 10 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 129 -Paragraph 4, 5 falsefalseNumber of converted shares27false0us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriatedus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition 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Earnings not paid out as dividends but instead reinvested in the core business or used to pay off debt. Unappropriated profit is part of shareholder equity. Also called Cumulative distributions or earned surplus or accumulated earnings or unappropriated profit.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 31 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 24 -Subparagraph a(4) -Article 7 falsefalseUndistributed retained earnings, comprising the unrealized income and expansion reserves28false0vale_PercentageOfMinimumAnnualMandatoryDividendvalefalsenadurationPercentage of minimum annual mandatory 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