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The minimum coverage interest ratio (ratio of consolidated EBITDAX, as defined in the credit agreement, to consolidated cash interest expense).

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Number of installment payments under installment program.

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Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

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Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

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The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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Amount of increase (decrease) of the credit facility.

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Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

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Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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Amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligation due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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Amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligations including current maturities.

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Principal amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligation maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Amount of cash outflow for payment of an obligation from a lender, including but not limited to, letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements.

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DEBT (Details)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
DEBT (Details)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) payment	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	May 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)	May 31, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2012 USD ($)
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two			$ 0
Long-term Debt				$ 2,228,000,000
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Including Current Maturities			(13,117,000,000)	(16,027,000,000)
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months			(1,414,000,000)	(1,232,000,000)
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations			11,703,000,000	14,795,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				2,342,000,000
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two				14,000,000
Long-term Debt			1,200,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount			1,234,000,000	407,000,000							$ 6,500,000,000
Other Debt, Including Capital Leases and Short Term Borrowings [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Including Current Maturities			(7,000,000)	(5,000,000)
2.15% Senior Notes due 2017 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	500,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount												$ 500,000,000
2.30% Senior Notes Due 2017 \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	728,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				20,000,000					$ 750,000,000
6.125% Senior Notes due 2019 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	186,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount			179,000,000	237,000,000
2.375% Senior Notes due March 2018 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			1,408,000,000	1,480,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount			74,000,000	18,000,000							1,500,000,000
6.5% Senior Notes due 2020 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	583,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount			552,000,000	617,000,000
6.625% Senior Notes due 2021 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	242,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount			228,000,000	261,000,000
6.75% Senior Notes due 2022 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			427,000,000	432,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				449,000,000
3.55% Senior Notes due 2022 \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			997,000,000	996,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount											1,000,000,000
6.875% Senior Notes due 2023 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			776,000,000	784,000,000	$ 785,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				778,000,000
4.00% Senior Notes Due 2021 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			596,000,000	595,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount									600,000,000
3.55% Senior Notes Due 2022 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			1,884,000,000	1,882,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				108,000,000								$ 2,000,000,000
3.875% Senior Notes due March 2023 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			1,914,000,000	1,912,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				77,000,000							2,000,000,000
senior notes 4.55 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			845,000,000	844,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount									850,000,000
Senior Notes due 2034 5 point 4 percent [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			740,000,000	739,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				50,000,000					$ 800,000,000
5.450% Senior Notes due March 2043 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			1,842,000,000	1,842,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				134,000,000							$ 2,000,000,000
Cerro Verde \| Shareholder Loan [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	261,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount								$ 800,000,000
Related Party Transaction, Remaining Borrowing Capacity			200,000,000
Freeport McMoRan Corporation [Member] \| 7.125% Debentures due 2027 [Member] \| Debentures [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			115,000,000	115,000,000
Freeport McMoRan Corporation [Member] \| 9.5% Senior Notes due 2031 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			127,000,000	128,000,000
Freeport McMoRan Corporation [Member] \| 6.125% Senior Notes due 2034 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			116,000,000	116,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| Senior Notes [Member]
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount										$ 6,400,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| 6.125% Senior Notes due 2019 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	60,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| 6.5% Senior Notes due 2020 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	69,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| 6.625% Senior Notes due 2021 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	35,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount			33,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| 6.75% Senior Notes due 2022 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	48,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount			45,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| 6.875% Senior Notes due 2023 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			54,000,000	55,000,000
Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			$ 1,269,000,000	1,390,000,000		$ 1,500,000,000	$ 1,275,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Revolving Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		$ 1,800,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Term of Debt Agreement		5 years
Line of Credit Facility, Increase (Decrease), Net	$ 225,000,000
Number of Installment Payments under Installment Program \| payment			4
Repayments of Lines of Credit			$ 220,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage			3.47%
Line of Credit [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate			1.90%
Letter of Credit [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Long-term Line of Credit			$ 13,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity			1,500,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			0	$ 0
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Revolving Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity			3,500,000,000
Amount of revolving credit facility available to PT Freeport Indonesia			500,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity			$ 3,500,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate			2.25%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Base Rate [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate			1.25%
December 31, 2020 [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment			$ 225,000,000
June 30, 2021 [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment			225,000,000
December 31, 2021 [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment			$ 525,000,000
Maximum
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Leverage Ratio			3.75
Minimum
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Coverage Ratio			2.25