Guarantor Financial Statements (Unaudited) Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			$ 3,018	$ 2,594
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	$ (314)	$ (494)	(1,020)	(2,309)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			0	0
Asset sales and other, net			46	1,415
Net cash used in investing activities			(974)	(894)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			795	3,463
Repayments of debt			(1,991)	(4,539)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			0	442
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(69)	(92)
Other, net			(22)	(22)
Net cash used in financing activities			(1,287)	(748)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			757	952
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			(45)	(43)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			4,245	177
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	4,957	1,086	4,957	1,086
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			0	1
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	2
Intercompany loans			609	1,539
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			(1,834)	(1,726)
Asset sales and other, net			0	(3)
Net cash used in investing activities			(1,225)	(188)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	0
Repayments of debt			0	0
Intercompany loans			(609)	(1,539)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				(374)
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			1,772	2,087
Other, net			62	13
Net cash used in financing activities			1,225	187
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0	0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | FCX Issuer [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			(222)	(264)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	0
Intercompany loans			(609)	(1,021)
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			1,757	1,643
Asset sales and other, net			0	0
Net cash used in investing activities			1,148	622
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	1,721
Repayments of debt			(915)	(2,498)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				442
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(2)	(5)
Other, net			(9)	(18)
Net cash used in financing activities			(926)	(358)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0	0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			(383)	(294)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(24)	(497)
Intercompany loans			0	(518)
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			(16)	(41)
Asset sales and other, net			58	208
Net cash used in investing activities			18	(848)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	0
Repayments of debt			(139)	0
Intercompany loans			512	1,223
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				0
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			0	(78)
Other, net			(11)	(2)
Net cash used in financing activities			362	1,143
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			(3)	1
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			3	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	1	0	1
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			3,623	3,151
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(996)	(1,814)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			93	124
Asset sales and other, net			(12)	1,210
Net cash used in investing activities			(915)	(480)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			795	1,742
Repayments of debt			(937)	(2,041)
Intercompany loans			97	316
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				374
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(1,839)	(2,096)
Other, net			(64)	(15)
Net cash used in financing activities			(1,948)	(1,720)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			760	951
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			(45)	(43)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			4,242	177
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 4,957	$ 1,085	$ 4,957	$ 1,085