Investments in associates and joint ventures (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025 USD ($)
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 4,547
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 5,029
Alianca Geracao Energia S. A. [Member] \| Energy [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Energy
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	30.00%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance
Equity results in income statement	8
Dividends declared	(6)
Translation adjustment
Fair value remeasurement	238
Other
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 240
Alianca Norte Energia Participacoes S. A. [Member] \| Energy 1 [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Energy
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	51.00%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 74
Equity results in income statement	(16)
Translation adjustment	8
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 66
Anglo American Minerio De Ferro Brasil S A [Member] \| Iron Ore Solutions [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Iron ore
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	15.00%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 663
Equity results in income statement	121
Dividends declared	(145)
Other	10
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 649
Companhia Coreano Brasileira De Pelotizacao [Member] \| Pellets [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Pellets
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	50.00%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 75
Equity results in income statement	12
Dividends declared	(9)
Translation adjustment	10
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 88
Companhia Hispano Brasileira De Pelotizacao [Member] \| Pellets 1 [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Pellets
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	50.89%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 42
Equity results in income statement	6
Dividends declared	(8)
Translation adjustment	4
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 44
Companhia Italo Brasileira De Pelotizacao [Member] \| Pellets 2 [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Pellets
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	50.90%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 61
Equity results in income statement	4
Dividends declared	(3)
Translation adjustment	8
Other	5
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 75
Companhia Nipo Brasileira De Pelotizacao [Member] \| Pellets 3 [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Pellets
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	51.00%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 129
Equity results in income statement	21
Dividends declared	(10)
Translation adjustment	17
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 157
MRS Logistica SA [Member] \| Logistics [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Logistics
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	49.01%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 591
Equity results in income statement	137
Translation adjustment	76
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 804
Samarco Mineracao SA [Member] \| Pellets 4 [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Pellets
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	50.00%
VLISA [Member] \| Logistics 1 [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Logistics
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	29.60%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 341
Equity results in income statement	67
Dividends declared	(40)
Translation adjustment	42
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	410
Other [Member] \| Iron Ore Solutions [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	70
Equity results in income statement	3
Dividends declared	(1)
Translation adjustment	8
Other	(20)
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 60
PT Vale Indonesia Tbk [Member] \| Vale Base Metals [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Vale Base Metals
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	33.88%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 1,885
Equity results in income statement	(31)
Dividends declared	(12)
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	$ 1,842
Vale Oman Distribution Center [Member] \| Logistics 2 [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Business	Logistics
Ownership interest in associates and joint ventures	50.00%
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	$ 616
Equity results in income statement	33
Dividends declared	(55)
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	594
Equity Results In Associates And Joint Ventures [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Investments in associates and joint ventures, beginning balance	4,547
Equity results in income statement	365
Dividends declared	(289)
Translation adjustment	173
Other	(5)
Investments in associates and joint ventures, ending balance	5,029
Transfer to assets held for sale	238
Other Results In Associates And Joint Ventures [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Equity results in income statement	(583)
Equity Results And Other Results In Associates And Joint Ventures [Member]
IfrsStatementLineItems [Line Items]
Equity results in income statement	$ (218)

Adjustments for gains (losses) arising from a change in the fair value of investment property to reconcile profit (loss) to net cash flow from (used in) operating activities. [Refer: Investment property; Gains (losses) on fair value adjustment, investment property; Profit (loss)]

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 20
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=7&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_20&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AdjustmentsForGainsLossesOnFairValueAdjustmentInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of investments in subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates in an entity's separate financial statements. [Refer: Total for all associates [member]; Total for all joint ventures [member]; Total for all subsidiaries [member]; Investments in subsidiaries reported in separate financial statements]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 27
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 10
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=27&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_10&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of income or expense from subsidiaries, jointly controlled entities and associates that the entity does not separately disclose in the same statement or note. [Refer: Total for all associates [member]; Total for all subsidiaries [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 85
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_85&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_OtherIncomeExpenseFromSubsidiariesJointlyControlledEntitiesAndAssociates
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The place where an entity principally conducts operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 138
-Subparagraph a
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_138_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

+ Details

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

- Definition

The proportion of ownership interest in a joint venture attributable to the entity. [Refer: Total for all joint ventures [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 27
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 17
-Subparagraph b
-Clause iii
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=27&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_17_b_iii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 27
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b
-Clause iii
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=27&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_16_b_iii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph a
-Clause iv
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=12&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_21_a_iv&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ProportionOfOwnershipInterestInJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	dtr-2022:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The entity's share of the profit (loss) of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method. [Refer: Total for all associates [member]; Investments accounted for using equity method; Total for all joint ventures [member]; Profit (loss)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph e
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=8&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_28_e&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 23
-Subparagraph g
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=8&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_23_g&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2024-01-01
-Paragraph 82
-Subparagraph c
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2024-en-r&anchor=para_82_c&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2024-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ShareOfProfitLossOfAssociatesAndJointVenturesAccountedForUsingEquityMethod
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_DividendsDeclaredReceived
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_FairValueRemeasurement
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_IfrsStatementLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_TransferToAssetsHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration