Earnings Per Share (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2010		Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2010
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income	$ 1,726		$ 832		$ 3,587		$ 2,047
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(358)		(168)		(720)		(438)
Preferred dividends	0		(15)		0		(63)
Net income attributable to FCX common stockholders	1,368		649		2,867		1,546
Plus income impact of assumed conversion of 6.75% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock	0	[1]	15	[1]	0	[1]	63	[1]
Diluted net income attributable to FCX common stockholders	$ 1,368		$ 664		$ 2,867		$ 1,609
Weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding	947		915		947		888
Add stock issuable upon conversion, exercise or vesting of:
6.75% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock (in shares)	0	[1]	26	[1]	0	[1]	52	[1]
Dilutive stock options (in shares)	8		4		8		5	[2]
Restricted stock (in shares)	1		2		1		2
Weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding for purposes of calculating diluted net income per share (in shares)	956		947		956		947
Diluted net income per share attributable to FCX common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.43		$ 0.70		$ 3.00		$ 1.70
Mandatory convertible preferred stock dividend rate percentage					6.75%
Potential anti-dilutive additional shares of common stock (in shares)							3
Outstanding stock options with exercise prices greater than average market price of common stock	5		19		2		11
Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding stock options not in-the-money	$ 55.77		$ 37.78		$ 55.90		$ 38.77

[1] All outstanding 6¾% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock automatically converted on May 1, 2010, into FCX common stock.

[2] Potential additional shares of common stock that were anti-dilutive totaled approximately three million.