Fair Value Measurement (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Derivatives:
Derivative assets		$ 48	$ 14
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability		15	86
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	26	24
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	12	7
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	5	1
Total assets		43	32
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	2	7
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent	[6]	0
Long-term debt, including current portion	[7]	0	0
Total liabilities		2	7
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	120	112
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	50	19
Total assets		170	131
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	20	85
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent	[6]	25
Long-term debt, including current portion	[7]	17,772	13,987
Total liabilities		17,817	14,072
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0	0
Total assets		0	0
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0	0
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent	[6]	0
Long-term debt, including current portion	[7]	0	0
Total liabilities		0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	18	81
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	1	7
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	2	4
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	1
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	1
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	1
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. core fixed income fund [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities		0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds		0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. core fixed income fund [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities		0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds		0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. core fixed income fund [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities		0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds		0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	22	21
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	12	7
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	4	3
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government bonds and notes [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government bonds and notes [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	38	37
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government bonds and notes [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	30	28
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	30	26
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	15	13
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	6	7
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized mortgage-backed securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Municipal bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Municipal bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	1	1
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Municipal bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	49	19
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	4	1
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0	0
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	50	47
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	187	171
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	55	20
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	22	92
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent	[6]	25
Long-term debt, including current portion	[7]	19,319	20,428
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	18	81
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	3	11
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	1
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	2
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. core fixed income fund [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	24	23
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	55	52
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	22	21
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	12	7
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity securities [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	4	3
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government bonds and notes [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	38	37
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	30	28
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate bonds [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	30	26
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	15	13
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	6	7
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Municipal bonds [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	1	1
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	49	19
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	4	1
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Other Current Assets [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Time Deposits [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities		30	28
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Other Assets [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Time Deposits [Member]
Derivatives:
Escrow Deposit Disbursements Related to Property Acquisition		120	118
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	50	47
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	187	171
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	55	20
Total assets		292	238
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	22	92
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent	[6]	25
Long-term debt, including current portion	[7]	17,772	13,987
Total liabilities		17,819	14,079
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	18	81
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	3	11
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	1
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	2
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. core fixed income fund [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	24	23
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	55	52
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	22	21
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	12	7
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity securities [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	4	3
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government bonds and notes [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	38	37
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	30	28
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate bonds [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	30	26
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	15	13
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	6	7
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Municipal bonds [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	1	1
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	49	19
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	4	1
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	24	23
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	55	52
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0	0
Total assets		79	75
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0	0
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent	[6]	0
Long-term debt, including current portion	[7]	0	0
Total liabilities		0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative Liability	[2],[5]	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | U.S. core fixed income fund [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	24	23
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	55	52
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Equity securities [Member]
Investment securities (current and long-term):
Investment securities	[1],[2]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government bonds and notes [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate bonds [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Municipal bonds [Member]
Legally restricted funds (long-term):
Legally restricted funds	[1],[2],[3],[4]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Embedded derivatives in provisional sales/purchases contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	0	0
Net Asset Value [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Copper futures and swap contracts [Member]
Derivatives:
Derivative assets	[2],[5]	$ 0	$ 0

[1] Current portion included in other current assets and long-term portion included in other assets.

[2] Recorded at fair value.

[3] Excludes time deposits (which approximated fair value) included in other assets of $120 million at June 30, 2016, and $118 million at December 31, 2015, primarily associated with an assurance bond to support PT Freeport Indonesia's (PT-FI) commitment for smelter development in Indonesia.

[4] Excludes time deposits (which approximated fair value) included in other current assets of $30 million at June 30, 2016, and$28 million at December 31, 2015

[5] Refer to Note 7 for further discussion and balance sheet classifications.

[6] Included in other liabilities.

[7] Recorded at cost except for debt assumed in acquisitions, which were recorded at fair value at the respective acquisition dates.