SALES - Disaggregation of revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Jul. 01, 2019
SALES
Sales		$ 3,170	$ 2,713	$ 8,116	$ 6,773
NGM
SALES
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners		38.50%		38.50%		38.50%
Disposed of by sale, not discontinued operations | Kalgoorlie
SALES
Percentage interest sold	50.00%
Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		$ 2,352	2,199	$ 6,120	5,644
Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		818	514	1,996	1,129
Operating Segments | North America
SALES
Sales		997	643	2,398	1,162
Operating Segments | North America | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		506	401	1,225	850
Operating Segments | North America | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		491	242	1,173	312
Operating Segments | North America | CC&V
SALES
Sales		137	108	348	313
Operating Segments | North America | CC&V | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		137	108	348	313
Operating Segments | North America | CC&V | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Red Lake
SALES
Sales			44	67	93
Operating Segments | North America | Red Lake | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			44	67	93
Operating Segments | North America | Red Lake | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Musselwhite
SALES
Sales		90	0	114	7
Operating Segments | North America | Musselwhite | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		90	0	114	7
Operating Segments | North America | Musselwhite | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Porcupine
SALES
Sales		154	123	420	201
Operating Segments | North America | Porcupine | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		154	123	420	201
Operating Segments | North America | Porcupine | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Éléonore
SALES
Sales		111	124	240	234
Operating Segments | North America | Éléonore | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		111	124	240	234
Operating Segments | North America | Éléonore | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Peñasquito
SALES
Sales		505	244	1,209	314
Operating Segments | North America | Peñasquito | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		14	2	36	2
Operating Segments | North America | Peñasquito | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		491	242	1,173	312
Operating Segments | North America | Peñasquito | Gold
SALES
Sales		238	54	541	80
Operating Segments | North America | Peñasquito | Silver
SALES
Sales		138	78	337	109
Operating Segments | North America | Peñasquito | Zinc
SALES
Sales		99	87	239	87
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Gold Subsegment [Member]
SALES
Sales		238	54	541	80
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Gold Subsegment [Member] | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		14	2	36	2
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Gold Subsegment [Member] | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		224	52	505	78
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Silver Subsegment [Member]
SALES
Sales		138	78	337	109
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Silver Subsegment [Member] | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Silver Subsegment [Member] | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		138	78	337	109
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Silver Subsegment [Member] | Silver streaming agreement
SALES
Sales		16	11	48	16
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Lead Subsegment [Member]
SALES
Sales		30	25	92	38
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Lead Subsegment [Member] | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Lead Subsegment [Member] | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		30	25	92	38
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Zinc Subsegment [Member]
SALES
Sales		99	87	239	87
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Zinc Subsegment [Member] | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | North America | Penasquito Zinc Subsegment [Member] | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		99	87	239	87
Operating Segments | South America
SALES
Sales		451	582	1,302	1,428
Operating Segments | South America | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		451	582	1,302	1,428
Operating Segments | South America | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | South America | Yanacocha
SALES
Sales		152	219	456	576
Operating Segments | South America | Yanacocha | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		152	219	456	576
Operating Segments | South America | Yanacocha | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | South America | Merian
SALES
Sales		204	188	584	542
Operating Segments | South America | Merian | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		204	188	584	542
Operating Segments | South America | Merian | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | South America | Cerro Negro
SALES
Sales		95	175	262	310
Operating Segments | South America | Cerro Negro | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		95	175	262	310
Operating Segments | South America | Cerro Negro | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Australia
SALES
Sales		639	559	1,627	1,563
Operating Segments | Australia | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		331	317	859	899
Operating Segments | Australia | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		308	242	768	664
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington
SALES
Sales		391	304	975	840
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		83	62	207	176
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		308	242	768	664
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington | Gold
SALES
Sales		348	266	874	721
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington - Gold
SALES
Sales		348	266	874	721
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington - Gold | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		83	62	207	176
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington - Gold | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		265	204	667	545
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington - Copper
SALES
Sales		43	38	101	119
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington - Copper | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Australia | Boddington - Copper | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		43	38	101	119
Operating Segments | Australia | Tanami
SALES
Sales		248	165	652	490
Operating Segments | Australia | Tanami | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		248	165	652	490
Operating Segments | Australia | Tanami | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Australia | Kalgoorlie
SALES
Sales			90		233
Operating Segments | Australia | Kalgoorlie | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			90		233
Operating Segments | Australia | Kalgoorlie | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			0		0
Operating Segments | Africa
SALES
Sales		433	388	1,059	1,051
Operating Segments | Africa | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		433	388	1,059	1,051
Operating Segments | Africa | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Africa | Ahafo
SALES
Sales		261	231	594	615
Operating Segments | Africa | Ahafo | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		261	231	594	615
Operating Segments | Africa | Ahafo | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Africa | Akyem
SALES
Sales		172	157	465	436
Operating Segments | Africa | Akyem | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		172	157	465	436
Operating Segments | Africa | Akyem | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Nevada
SALES
Sales		650	541	1,730	1,569
Operating Segments | Nevada | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		631	511	1,675	1,416
Operating Segments | Nevada | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		19	30	55	153
Operating Segments | Nevada | Nevada Gold Mines
SALES
Sales		650	492	1,730	492
Operating Segments | Nevada | Nevada Gold Mines | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales		631	483	1,675	483
Operating Segments | Nevada | Nevada Gold Mines | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales		$ 19	9	$ 55	9
Operating Segments | Nevada | Carlin
SALES
Sales			14		533
Operating Segments | Nevada | Carlin | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			14		533
Operating Segments | Nevada | Carlin | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			0		0
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix
SALES
Sales			21		196
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			0		52
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			21		144
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix | Gold
SALES
Sales			19		152
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix - Gold
SALES
Sales			19		152
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix - Gold | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			0		52
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix - Gold | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			19		100
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix - Copper
SALES
Sales			2		44
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix - Copper | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			0		0
Operating Segments | Nevada | Phoenix - Copper | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			2		44
Operating Segments | Nevada | Twin Creeks
SALES
Sales			12		222
Operating Segments | Nevada | Twin Creeks | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			12		222
Operating Segments | Nevada | Twin Creeks | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			0		0
Operating Segments | Nevada | Long Canyon
SALES
Sales			2		126
Operating Segments | Nevada | Long Canyon | Gold sales from dore
SALES
Sales			2		126
Operating Segments | Nevada | Long Canyon | Sales from concentrate and other production
SALES
Sales			$ 0		$ 0