Debt and Equity Transactions (Unaudited)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Debt and Equity Transactions [Abstract]
Debt and Equity Transactions	DEBT AND EQUITY TRANSACTIONS On February 14, 2013, FCX entered into an agreement for a $4.0 billion bank term loan (the Term Loan) in connection with the pending acquisitions of PXP and MMR. Borrowings of up to $4.0 billion under the Term Loan will become available to FCX upon the closing of the PXP and/or the MMR acquisitions to fund the cash portion of the merger consideration for both transactions, to refinance certain of PXP's and MMR's outstanding debt, or for general corporate purposes. At the time the PXP transaction closes, PXP will join the Term Loan as a borrower. The Term Loan will amortize in equal quarterly installments during the second, third and fourth years of the Term Loan in annual amounts equal to 10 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent, respectively, of the original aggregate principal amount, and the remainder will mature five years from the date of the first borrowing. At FCX's option, the Term Loan will bear interest at either an adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or an alternate-based rate (as defined under the Term Loan agreement) plus a spread to be determined by reference to FCX's credit ratings (currently LIBOR plus 1.50 percent or the alternate-based rate plus 50 basis points). FCX expects to select LIBOR for amounts borrowed at closing. Also on February 14, 2013, FCX and PT Freeport Indonesia entered into a new senior unsecured $3.0 billion revolving credit facility, which will refinance and replace FCX's existing revolving credit facility (scheduled to mature on March 30, 2016) upon completion of the pending acquisition of PXP. Interest on the new revolving credit facility will be determined by reference to FCX's credit rating (currently LIBOR plus 1.50 percent). At the time the PXP acquisition closes, PXP will join the revolving credit facility as a borrower. No amounts are currently available to FCX under the new revolving credit facility. At the closing of the acquisition of PXP, the new revolving credit facility will be available for five years in an aggregate principal amount of $3.0 billion, with $500 million available to PT Freeport Indonesia. The Term Loan and new revolving credit facility both contain customary affirmative covenants and representations, and also contain a number of negative covenants that, among other things, restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the ability of FCX's subsidiaries that are not borrowers or guarantors to incur additional indebtedness (including guarantee obligations) and FCX's ability or the ability of FCX's subsidiaries to: create liens on assets; enter into sale and leaseback transactions; engage in mergers, liquidations and dissolutions; and sell assets. The Term Loan and new revolving credit facility also contain financial ratios governing maximum total leverage and minimum interest coverage. On March 7, 2013, in connection with the financing of FCX's pending acquisitions of PXP and MMR, FCX issued $6.5 billion of senior notes in four tranches. FCX sold $1.5 billion of 2.375% Senior Notes due March 2018 (5-year notes), $1.0 billion of 3.100% Senior Notes due March 2020 (7-year notes), $2.0 billion of 3.875% Senior Notes due March 2023 (10-year notes) and $2.0 billion of 5.450% Senior Notes due March 2043 (30-year notes) for total net proceeds of $6.4 billion. Interest on these notes is payable semiannually on March 15 and September 15, commencing on September 15, 2013. FCX expects to use the proceeds from the senior notes, together with available funds from its Term Loan, to fund the acquisitions of PXP and MMR, including the payment of cash consideration for the acquisitions and the repayment of certain indebtedness. If the PXP acquisition does not close, FCX will be required to redeem all the outstanding 7-year, 10-year and 30-year notes at 101 percent plus accrued and unpaid interest. FCX recorded a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $45 million ($40 million to net income attributable to FCX common stockholders) in first-quarter 2013 for financing costs incurred for the terminated $9.5 billion acquisition bridge loan facility, which was entered into in December 2012 to provide interim financing for the acquisitions of PXP and MMR. In February 2012, FCX sold $500 million of 1.40% Senior Notes due 2015, $500 million of 2.15% Senior Notes due 2017 and $2.0 billion of 3.55% Senior Notes due 2022 for total net proceeds of $2.97 billion. These notes bear interest payable semiannually. On March 14, 2012, FCX redeemed the remaining $3.0 billion of its outstanding 8.375% Senior Notes due 2017, for which holders received 104.553 percent of the principal amount together with the accrued and unpaid interest. As a result of this redemption, FCX recorded a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $168 million ($149 million to net income attributable to FCX common stockholders) in first-quarter 2012. Consolidated interest expense (excluding capitalized interest) totaled $75 million in first-quarter 2013 and $99 million in first-quarter 2012. Capitalized interest totaled $18 million in first-quarter 2013 and $36 million in first-quarter 2012. On March 27, 2013, FCX's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.3125 per share, which was paid on May 1, 2013, to common shareholders of record at the close of business on April 15, 2013.

DEBT AND EQUITY TRANSACTIONS

On February 14, 2013, FCX entered into an agreement for a $4.0 billion bank term loan (the Term Loan) in connection with the pending acquisitions of PXP and MMR. Borrowings of up to $4.0 billion under the Term Loan will become available to FCX upon the closing of the PXP and/or the MMR acquisitions to fund the cash portion of the merger consideration for both transactions, to refinance certain of PXP's and MMR's outstanding debt, or for general corporate purposes. At the time the PXP transaction closes, PXP will join the Term Loan as a borrower.

The Term Loan will amortize in equal quarterly installments during the second, third and fourth years of the Term Loan in annual amounts equal to 10 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent, respectively, of the original aggregate principal amount, and the remainder will mature five years from the date of the first borrowing. At FCX's option, the Term Loan will bear interest at either an adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or an alternate-based rate (as defined under the Term Loan agreement) plus a spread to be determined by reference to FCX's credit ratings (currently LIBOR plus 1.50 percent or the alternate-based rate plus 50 basis points). FCX expects to select LIBOR for amounts borrowed at closing.

Also on February 14, 2013, FCX and PT Freeport Indonesia entered into a new senior unsecured $3.0 billion revolving credit facility, which will refinance and replace FCX's existing revolving credit facility (scheduled to mature on March 30, 2016) upon completion of the pending acquisition of PXP. Interest on the new revolving credit facility will be determined by reference to FCX's credit rating (currently LIBOR plus 1.50 percent). At the time the PXP acquisition closes, PXP will join the revolving credit facility as a borrower. No amounts are currently available to FCX under the new revolving credit facility. At the closing of the acquisition of PXP, the new revolving credit facility will be available for five years in an aggregate principal amount of $3.0 billion, with $500 million available to PT Freeport Indonesia.

The Term Loan and new revolving credit facility both contain customary affirmative covenants and representations, and also contain a number of negative covenants that, among other things, restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the ability of FCX's subsidiaries that are not borrowers or guarantors to incur additional indebtedness (including guarantee obligations) and FCX's ability or the ability of FCX's subsidiaries to: create liens on assets; enter into sale and leaseback transactions; engage in mergers, liquidations and dissolutions; and sell assets. The Term Loan and new revolving credit facility also contain financial ratios governing maximum total leverage and minimum interest coverage.

On March 7, 2013, in connection with the financing of FCX's pending acquisitions of PXP and MMR, FCX issued $6.5 billion of senior notes in four tranches. FCX sold $1.5 billion of 2.375% Senior Notes due March 2018 (5-year notes), $1.0 billion of 3.100% Senior Notes due March 2020 (7-year notes), $2.0 billion of 3.875% Senior Notes due March 2023 (10-year notes) and $2.0 billion of 5.450% Senior Notes due March 2043 (30-year notes) for total net proceeds of $6.4 billion. Interest on these notes is payable semiannually on March 15 and September 15, commencing on September 15, 2013. FCX expects to use the proceeds from the senior notes, together with available funds from its Term Loan, to fund the acquisitions of PXP and MMR, including the payment of cash consideration for the acquisitions and the repayment of certain indebtedness. If the PXP acquisition does not close, FCX will be required to redeem all the outstanding 7-year, 10-year and 30-year notes at 101 percent plus accrued and unpaid interest.

FCX recorded a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $45 million ($40 million to net income attributable to FCX common stockholders) in first-quarter 2013 for financing costs incurred for the terminated $9.5 billion acquisition bridge loan facility, which was entered into in December 2012 to provide interim financing for the acquisitions of PXP and MMR.

In February 2012, FCX sold $500 million of 1.40% Senior Notes due 2015, $500 million of 2.15% Senior Notes due 2017 and $2.0 billion of 3.55% Senior Notes due 2022 for total net proceeds of $2.97 billion. These notes bear interest payable semiannually.

On March 14, 2012, FCX redeemed the remaining $3.0 billion of its outstanding 8.375% Senior Notes due 2017, for which holders received 104.553 percent of the principal amount together with the accrued and unpaid interest. As a result of this redemption, FCX recorded a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $168 million ($149 million to net income attributable to FCX common stockholders) in first-quarter 2012.

Consolidated interest expense (excluding capitalized interest) totaled $75 million in first-quarter 2013 and $99 million in first-quarter 2012. Capitalized interest totaled $18 million in first-quarter 2013 and $36 million in first-quarter 2012.

On March 27, 2013, FCX's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.3125 per share, which was paid on May 1, 2013, to common shareholders of record at the close of business on April 15, 2013.