OTHER ASSETS (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2010
Schedule Of Other Assets [Line Items]
Legally restricted funds	$ 392	[1]	$ 163	[1]
Intangible assets	380	[2]	334	[2]
Disputed tax assessments	327	[3]	177	[3]
Investments: [Abstract]
Available-for-sale securities	44		46
Other	63		51
Long-term receivable for income tax refunds	77		317
Loan to a DRC public electric utility	152		149
Debt issue costs	107		26
Loan to Gécamines (related party)	34		32
Deferred tax assets	2		220
Other	149		139
Total other assets	1,798		2,189
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	57		71
Legally restricted funds for asset retirement obligations at New Mexico mines	158		161
McMoRan Exploration Co [Member]
Investments: [Abstract]
Cost-method investment	0	[4]	446	[4]
Number of shares of 5.75% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock purchased					500,000
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage	5.75%
Aggregate purchase price for preferred stock					500
PT Smelting [Member]
Investments: [Abstract]
Equity method investment	71	[5]	89	[5]
PT Smelting [Member]
Investments: [Abstract]
Company's direct ownership percentage	25.00%
Unrecognized profit on sales from PT Freeport Indonesia to PT Smelting	58		39
Indonesia [Member]
Schedule Of Other Assets [Line Items]
Disputed tax assessments	255		148
Bank Time Deposits [Member]
Schedule Of Other Assets [Line Items]
Legally restricted funds	$ 210

[1] Included $210 million (time deposit that secures a bank guarantee) associated with the Cerro Verde royalty dispute and $158 million for AROs related to properties in New Mexico at December 31, 2013, and $161 million for AROs related to properties in New Mexico at December 31, 2012 (refer to Note 12 for further discussion).

[2] Intangible assets were net of accumulated amortization totaling $57 million at December 31, 2013, and $71 million at December 31, 2012.

[3] Included Indonesian disputed tax assessments of $255 million at December 31, 2013, and $148 million at December 31, 2012 (refer to Note 12 for further discussion).

[4] In December 2010, FCX purchased 500,000 shares of MMR’s 5.75% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $500 million, which was recorded at cost and subsequently reduced by dividends. On June 3, 2013, FCX acquired MMR (refer to Note 2 for discussion of the acquisition of MMR).

[5] FCX's 25 percent ownership in PT Smelting (smelter and refinery in Gresik, Indonesia) is recorded using the equity method. Amounts were reduced by unrecognized profits on sales from PT-FI to PT Smelting totaling $58 million at December 31, 2013, and $39 million at December 31, 2012.