Employee benefits - Underfunded pension plans - Assets by category (Details) - Underfunded pension plans - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets by category
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 56	$ 21
Equity securities	1,411	1,188
Real estate	55	51
Loans to participants	3	3
Others	167	165
Total	3,726	3,273
Level 1
Assets by category
Cash and cash equivalents		3
Equity securities	1,409	1,186
Others	2
Total	1,618	1,347
Level 2
Assets by category
Cash and cash equivalents	56	18
Equity securities	2	2
Total	1,673	1,494
Level 3
Assets by category
Real estate	55	51
Loans to participants	3	3
Others	165	165
Total	435	432
Corporate
Assets by category
Debt securities	507	374
Corporate \| Level 2
Assets by category
Debt securities	507	374
Government
Assets by category
Debt securities	790	796
Government \| Level 1
Assets by category
Debt securities	156	116
Government \| Level 2
Assets by category
Debt securities	634	680
Fixed income
Assets by category
Investments funds	388	338
Fixed income \| Level 1
Assets by category
Investments funds	49	42
Fixed income \| Level 2
Assets by category
Investments funds	339	296
Investments in equity securities
Assets by category
Investments funds	137	124
Investments in equity securities \| Level 1
Assets by category
Investments funds	2
Investments in equity securities \| Level 2
Assets by category
Investments funds	135	124
Private Equity funds
Assets by category
Structured investments	212	213
Private Equity funds \| Level 3
Assets by category
Structured investments	$ 212	$ 213

The amount cash and cash equivalents contribute to 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 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_142_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount instruments representing debt (rather than equity) contribute to 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 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_142_c&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ 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 instruments representing equity (rather than debt) contribute to 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 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_142_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount investment funds contribute to 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 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph f
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_142_f&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount other types of assets not separately disclosed contribute to 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 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_142&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount real estate contributes to 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 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_142_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount debt that has been structured to meet a particular investment objective contributes to 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 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 142
-Subparagraph h
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_142_h&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ 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: