Employee benefits - Underfunded pension plans - Assets by category (Details) - Underfunded pension plans - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Assets by category
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 21	$ 32
Equity securities	1,188	1,367
Real estate	51	44
Loans to participants	3	5
Others	165	195
Total	3,273	3,776
Level 1
Assets by category
Cash and cash equivalents	3	4
Equity securities	1,186	1,364
Total	1,347	1,773
Level 2
Assets by category
Cash and cash equivalents	18	28
Equity securities	2	3
Total	1,494	1,562
Level 3
Assets by category
Real estate	51	44
Loans to participants	3	5
Others	165	195
Total	432	441
Corporate
Assets by category
Debt securities	374	338
Corporate \| Level 2
Assets by category
Debt securities	374	338
Government
Assets by category
Debt securities	796	942
Government \| Level 1
Assets by category
Debt securities	116	141
Government \| Level 2
Assets by category
Debt securities	680	801
Fixed income
Assets by category
Investments funds	338	159
Fixed income \| Level 1
Assets by category
Investments funds	42	159
Fixed income \| Level 2
Assets by category
Investments funds	296
Investments in equity securities
Assets by category
Investments funds	124	400
Investments in equity securities \| Level 1
Assets by category
Investments funds		8
Investments in equity securities \| Level 2
Assets by category
Investments funds	124	392
Private Equity funds
Assets by category
Structured investments	213	294
Private Equity funds \| Level 1
Assets by category
Structured investments		97
Private Equity funds \| Level 3
Assets by category
Structured investments	$ 213	$ 197

The amount that cash and cash equivalents constitute of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Cash and cash equivalents; Plan assets, at fair value; Defined benefit plans [member]]

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_142_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_CashAndCashEquivalentsAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount that instruments representing debt (rather than equity) constitute of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Plan assets, at fair value; Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_142_c&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DebtInstrumentsAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfFairValueOfPlanAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount that instruments representing equity (rather than debt) constitute of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Plan assets, at fair value; Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_142_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_EquityInstrumentsAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount that investment funds constitute of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Plan assets, at fair value; Defined benefit plans [member]; Investment funds [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph f
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_142_f&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_InvestmentFundsAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount that other types of assets not separately disclosed constitute of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Plan assets, at fair value; Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_142&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_OtherAssetsAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount that real estate constitutes of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Plan assets, at fair value; Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_142_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_PropertyAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount that debt that has been structured to meet a particular investment objective constitutes of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Plan assets, at fair value; Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph h
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_142_h&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_StructuredDebtAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount that loan to participants constitute of the fair value of defined benefit plan assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_LoansToParticipantsAmountContributedToFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value of defined benefit plan assets, including funds not related to risk plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_PlanAssetsAtFairValueIncludingFundsNotRelatedToRiskPlans
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DefinedBenefitPlansAxis=vale_UnderfundedPensionPlansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_LevelsOfFairValueHierarchyAxis=ifrs-full_Level1OfFairValueHierarchyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_LevelsOfFairValueHierarchyAxis=ifrs-full_Level2OfFairValueHierarchyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_LevelsOfFairValueHierarchyAxis=ifrs-full_Level3OfFairValueHierarchyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfFinancialInstrumentsAxis=ifrs-full_CorporateLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfFinancialInstrumentsAxis=vale_GovernmentalBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfFinancialInstrumentsAxis=vale_FixedIncomeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfFinancialInstrumentsAxis=ifrs-full_EquityInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfFinancialInstrumentsAxis=vale_IfrsPrivateEquityFundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: