<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000820626</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>IMC GLOBAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IGL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001194723</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DUNN E PAUL JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>100 S. SAUNDERS ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAKE FOREST</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60045</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP, Finance and Treasurer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Cmm Stock, $1.00 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2004-01-02</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>10500.000</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>10500.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Cmmn Stck, $1.00 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2004-01-02</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>477.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>10.19</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>2523.000</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Non-qualified stock option (right to purchase)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>10.19</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2004-01-02</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>35000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0.00</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2014-01-02</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock, $1.00 par value</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>35000.0000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>35000.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Grant of 10,500 shares of restricted common stock which shall be attainable on January 2, 2007.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">Grant of 3,000 shares of restricted common stock of which one-third of these shares has vested and two-thirds shall be attainable
 on each of January 2, 2005 and January 2, 2006.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F3">One-third of these options will become exercisable on each of January 2, 2005, January 2, 2006 and January 2, 2007.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>E. Paul Dunn, Jr.</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

