GUARANTOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
ASSETS
Current assets, other than assets held for sale	$ 10,091	$ 6,542
Current assets held for sale	344	920
Property, plant, equipment and mine development costs, net	23,219	23,986
Oil and gas properties, net - full cost method:
Subject to amortization, less accumulated amortization and impairments	74	2,262
Not subject to amortization	0	4,831
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	3,589	3,650
Assets held for sale	0	4,386	$ 4,300
Total assets	37,317	46,577	58,674
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities, other than liabilities held for sale	4,060	4,176
Current liabilities held for sale	205	131
Long-term debt, less current portion	14,795	19,675
Deferred income taxes	3,768	3,567
Environmental and asset retirement obligations, less current portion	3,487	3,714
Investments in consolidated subsidiary	0	0
Other liabilities	1,745	1,641
Liabilities held for sale	0	865
Total liabilities	28,060	33,769
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	764
Equity:
Stockholders' equity	6,051	7,828
Noncontrolling interests	3,206	4,216
Total equity	9,257	12,044	$ 22,474	$ 25,231
Total liabilities and equity	37,317	46,577
Eliminations
ASSETS
Current assets, other than assets held for sale	(3,260)	(7,532)
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Property, plant, equipment and mine development costs, net	0	0
Oil and gas properties, net - full cost method:
Subject to amortization, less accumulated amortization and impairments	0	0
Not subject to amortization		6
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	(21,110)	(24,311)
Other assets	(1,965)	(6,798)
Assets held for sale		0
Total assets	(26,335)	(38,635)
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities, other than liabilities held for sale	(3,244)	(7,526)
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Long-term debt, less current portion	(15,081)	(12,433)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Environmental and asset retirement obligations, less current portion	0	0
Investments in consolidated subsidiary	(9,888)	(2,397)
Other liabilities	(3,487)	(3,491)
Liabilities held for sale		0
Total liabilities	(31,700)	(25,847)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest		0
Equity:
Stockholders' equity	4,758	(13,328)
Noncontrolling interests	607	540
Total equity	5,365	(12,788)
Total liabilities and equity	(26,335)	(38,635)
FCX Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
ASSETS
Current assets, other than assets held for sale	230	181
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Property, plant, equipment and mine development costs, net	19	26
Oil and gas properties, net - full cost method:
Subject to amortization, less accumulated amortization and impairments	0	0
Not subject to amortization		0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	21,110	24,311
Other assets	1,985	5,038
Assets held for sale		0
Total assets	23,344	29,556
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities, other than liabilities held for sale	3,895	6,012
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Long-term debt, less current portion	12,517	14,735
Deferred income taxes	826	941
Environmental and asset retirement obligations, less current portion	0	0
Investments in consolidated subsidiary	0	0
Other liabilities	55	40
Liabilities held for sale		0
Total liabilities	17,293	21,728
Redeemable noncontrolling interest		0
Equity:
Stockholders' equity	6,051	7,828
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	6,051	7,828
Total liabilities and equity	23,344	29,556
FM O&G LLC Guarantor | Reportable Legal Entities
ASSETS
Current assets, other than assets held for sale	1,790	3,831
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Property, plant, equipment and mine development costs, net	24	57
Oil and gas properties, net - full cost method:
Subject to amortization, less accumulated amortization and impairments	0	710
Not subject to amortization		1,393
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	47	1,826
Assets held for sale		0
Total assets	1,861	7,817
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities, other than liabilities held for sale	308	666
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Long-term debt, less current portion	6,062	5,883
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Environmental and asset retirement obligations, less current portion	200	305
Investments in consolidated subsidiary	893	0
Other liabilities	3,393	3,360
Liabilities held for sale		0
Total liabilities	10,856	10,214
Redeemable noncontrolling interest		0
Equity:
Stockholders' equity	(8,995)	(2,397)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(8,995)	(2,397)
Total liabilities and equity	1,861	7,817
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
ASSETS
Current assets, other than assets held for sale	11,331	10,062
Current assets held for sale	344	920
Property, plant, equipment and mine development costs, net	23,176	23,903
Oil and gas properties, net - full cost method:
Subject to amortization, less accumulated amortization and impairments	74	1,552
Not subject to amortization		3,432
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	3,522	3,584
Assets held for sale		4,386
Total assets	38,447	47,839
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities, other than liabilities held for sale	3,101	5,024
Current liabilities held for sale	205	131
Long-term debt, less current portion	11,297	11,490
Deferred income taxes	2,942	2,626
Environmental and asset retirement obligations, less current portion	3,287	3,409
Investments in consolidated subsidiary	8,995	2,397
Other liabilities	1,784	1,732
Liabilities held for sale		865
Total liabilities	31,611	27,674
Redeemable noncontrolling interest		764
Equity:
Stockholders' equity	4,237	15,725
Noncontrolling interests	2,599	3,676
Total equity	6,836	19,401
Total liabilities and equity	$ 38,447	$ 47,839