Contingent Consideration, Average Reference Price Unit

No definition available.

Name:	fcx_ContingentConsiderationAverageReferencePriceUnit
Namespace Prefix:	fcx_
Data Type:	us-types:perUnitItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Discontinued Operation, Change in Contingent Receivable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fcx_DiscontinuedOperationChangeinContingentReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	fcx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Discontinued Operation, Contingent Receivable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	fcx_DiscontinuedOperationContingentReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	fcx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before tax of gain (loss) recognized on the sale or disposal of a disposal group. Excludes discontinued operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68055307&loc=d3e2443-110228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176398&loc=d3e2941-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percent of net assets at close of period. For schedules of investments that are categorized, each category has a percent of net assets for the aggregated value of the Investments in the category.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 210
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488139&loc=d3e12121-115841

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611133-123010

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12C.Column D.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611225-123010

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedPercentOfNetAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of noncurrent assets classified as other.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesNetOfCashDivested
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=fcx_FreeportCobaltMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=fcx_KisanfuExplorationProjectMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupClassificationAxis=us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationsDisposedOfBySaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=fcx_TFHoldingsLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis=fcx_CopperMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis=fcx_CobaltMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=fcx_TenkeFungurumeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=fcx_TFHoldingsLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=fcx_TFHoldingsLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Dispositions (TF Holdings Limited) (Details) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Dispositions (TF Holdings Limited) (Details) $ in Millions	Nov. 16, 2016 USD ($) $ / lb	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 15, 2016
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Other assets		$ 1,790	$ 1,790		$ 1,956
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal			$ 66	$ 762
Freeport Cobalt [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage		56.00%	56.00%
Kisanfu Exploration Project
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage		100.00%	100.00%
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale \| TF Holdings Limited
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture, net	$ 2,650
Contingent receivable	120
Other assets		$ 58	$ 58
Discontinued Operation, Change in Contingent Receivable		$ 3	$ 45
Copper \| Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale \| TF Holdings Limited
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Contingent receivable	$ 60
Contingent consideration, reference threshold (in us dollars per pound) \| $ / lb	3.50
Cobalt \| Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale \| TF Holdings Limited
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Contingent receivable	$ 60
Contingent consideration, reference threshold (in us dollars per pound) \| $ / lb	20
Tenke Fungurume [Member] \| TF Holdings Limited
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage						80.00%
TF Holdings Limited
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage						70.00%