Contingencies and Commitments (Unaudited)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments abd Contingencies	CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS Litigation. The following information includes a discussion of updates to previously reported legal proceedings included in Note 13 of FCX's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. Shareholder Litigation. In re Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Derivative Litigation, No. 8145-VCN, consolidated in the Delaware Court of Chancery on January 25, 2013. On March 18, 2013, the Delaware Court of Chancery granted the stipulation made by the parties to allow the plaintiffs in In re Freeport-McMoRan Derivative Litigation, No. CV2012-018351, consolidated in the Arizona Superior Court on February 6, 2013, to intervene in the consolidated Delaware action. On March 18, 2013, the Arizona plaintiffs agreed to seek a permanent stay of the Arizona actions, and on March 20, 2013, the Arizona Superior Court extended the stay until June 7, 2013. On March 21, 2013, the plaintiffs in the consolidated Delaware action informed the Delaware Court of Chancery that they will not seek a preliminary injunction barring either the PXP merger or the MMR merger. Stephen Blau MD Money Purchase Pension Plan Trust v. Moffett et al., No. 8384-VCN, Delaware Court of Chancery, filed March 5, 2013. On March 5, 2013, an additional derivative action challenging the MMR merger and the PXP merger was filed on behalf of FCX by a purported FCX stockholder in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The action names some or all of the following as defendants: the directors and certain officers of FCX, two FCX subsidiaries, PXP and certain of its directors, and MMR and certain of its directors and officers. The action alleges, among other things, that the FCX directors breached their fiduciary duties to FCX stockholders because they, among other things, pursued their own interests at the expense of stockholders in approving the PXP and MMR mergers. The complaint also alleges that some or all of the following parties aided and abetted the wrongful acts allegedly committed by the directors and certain officers of FCX, two FCX subsidiaries, PXP and certain of its directors, and MMR and certain of its directors and officers. The action seeks as relief, among other things, enjoining defendants temporarily and permanently from taking any steps to accomplish or implement the proposed PXP and MMR mergers under the terms proposed and requiring submission of the proposed PXP and MMR mergers to a vote of FCX stockholders, damages, and attorneys' fees and costs. This action has not yet been consolidated into the Delaware action. In re Plains Exploration & Production Company Stockholder Litigation, No. 8090-VCN, consolidated in the Delaware Court of Chancery on January 15, 2013. On March 22, 2013, the plaintiffs filed a brief in support of their motion for preliminary injunction which was filed on February 15, 2013. The Delaware Court of Chancery held a hearing on May 1, 2013, regarding the plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction. A ruling is expected in the near future. In re McMoRan Exploration Co. Stockholder Litigation, No. 8132-VCN, consolidated in the Delaware Court of Chancery on January 25, 2013. On March 21, 2013, the plaintiffs filed a brief in support of their motion for preliminary injunction which was filed on December 20, 2012. Langley v. Moffett et al., No. 2012-11904, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans of the State of Louisiana, filed December 19, 2012. On April 19, 2013, the Louisiana Civil District Court granted defendants' motion to stay the action pending the resolution of the consolidated action brought by MMR stockholders in the Delaware Court of Chancery. FCX intends to defend itself vigorously in these matters. Tax Matters. As reported in Note 13 of FCX's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, PT Freeport Indonesia has received assessments from the Indonesian tax authorities for additional taxes and interest related to various audit exceptions for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. During first-quarter 2013, PT Freeport Indonesia also received assessments from the Indonesian tax authorities for additional taxes of $59 million and interest of $55 million related to various audit exceptions for 2008. As of March 31, 2013, PT Freeport Indonesia has paid $190 million (of which $148 million is included in other assets) for the tax assessments. PT Freeport Indonesia has filed objections to the 2005, 2006 and 2007 assessments because it believes it has properly determined and paid its taxes.

CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS

Litigation. The following information includes a discussion of updates to previously reported legal proceedings included in Note 13 of FCX's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Shareholder Litigation. In re Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Derivative Litigation, No. 8145-VCN, consolidated in the Delaware Court of Chancery on January 25, 2013. On March 18, 2013, the Delaware Court of Chancery granted the stipulation made by the parties to allow the plaintiffs in In re Freeport-McMoRan Derivative Litigation, No. CV2012-018351, consolidated in the Arizona Superior Court on February 6, 2013, to intervene in the consolidated Delaware action. On March 18, 2013, the Arizona plaintiffs agreed to seek a permanent stay of the Arizona actions, and on March 20, 2013, the Arizona Superior Court extended the stay until June 7, 2013. On March 21, 2013, the plaintiffs in the consolidated Delaware action informed the Delaware Court of Chancery that they will not seek a preliminary injunction barring either the PXP merger or the MMR merger.

Stephen Blau MD Money Purchase Pension Plan Trust v. Moffett et al., No. 8384-VCN, Delaware Court of Chancery, filed March 5, 2013. On March 5, 2013, an additional derivative action challenging the MMR merger and the PXP merger was filed on behalf of FCX by a purported FCX stockholder in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The action names some or all of the following as defendants: the directors and certain officers of FCX, two FCX subsidiaries, PXP and certain of its directors, and MMR and certain of its directors and officers. The action alleges, among other things, that the FCX directors breached their fiduciary duties to FCX stockholders because they, among other things, pursued their own interests at the expense of stockholders in approving the PXP and MMR mergers. The complaint also alleges that some or all of the following parties aided and abetted the wrongful acts allegedly committed by the directors and certain officers of FCX, two FCX subsidiaries, PXP and certain of its directors, and MMR and certain of its directors and officers. The action seeks as relief, among other things, enjoining defendants temporarily and permanently from taking any steps to accomplish or implement the proposed PXP and MMR mergers under the terms proposed and requiring submission of the proposed PXP and MMR mergers to a vote of FCX stockholders, damages, and attorneys' fees and costs. This action has not yet been consolidated into the Delaware action.

In re Plains Exploration & Production Company Stockholder Litigation, No. 8090-VCN, consolidated in the Delaware Court of Chancery on January 15, 2013. On March 22, 2013, the plaintiffs filed a brief in support of their motion for preliminary injunction which was filed on February 15, 2013. The Delaware Court of Chancery held a hearing on May 1, 2013, regarding the plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction. A ruling is expected in the near future.

In re McMoRan Exploration Co. Stockholder Litigation, No. 8132-VCN, consolidated in the Delaware Court of Chancery on January 25, 2013. On March 21, 2013, the plaintiffs filed a brief in support of their motion for preliminary injunction which was filed on December 20, 2012.

Langley v. Moffett et al., No. 2012-11904, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans of the State of Louisiana, filed December 19, 2012. On April 19, 2013, the Louisiana Civil District Court granted defendants' motion to stay the action pending the resolution of the consolidated action brought by MMR stockholders in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

FCX intends to defend itself vigorously in these matters.

Tax Matters. As reported in Note 13 of FCX's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, PT Freeport Indonesia has received assessments from the Indonesian tax authorities for additional taxes and interest related to various audit exceptions for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. During first-quarter 2013, PT Freeport Indonesia also received assessments from the Indonesian tax authorities for additional taxes of $59 million and interest of $55 million related to various audit exceptions for 2008. As of March 31, 2013, PT Freeport Indonesia has paid $190 million (of which $148 million is included in other assets) for the tax assessments. PT Freeport Indonesia has filed objections to the 2005, 2006 and 2007 assessments because it believes it has properly determined and paid its taxes.