CONTINGENCIES Royalty Dispute (Details) - USD ($)		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Production and delivery		$ 10,300,000,000	$ 10,697,000,000	$ 10,693,000,000
Interest expense, net		(801,000,000)	(755,000,000)	(617,000,000)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		883,000,000	371,000,000	(1,951,000,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		274,000,000	227,000,000	27,000,000
Payments for Legal Settlements		53,000,000	$ 30,000,000	$ 34,000,000
Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Judicial Ruling | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		244,000,000
Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Judicial Ruling | Unfavorable Regulatory Actions
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period, Including Tax Charges		355,000,000
Loss Contingency, Loss In Period, Attributable To Parent		186,000,000
Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Judicial Ruling | Royalty Assessments, Penalties And Interests
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		151,000,000
Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Judicial Ruling | Royalty Assessments, Taxes
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		89,000,000
January 2012 to December 2013 | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		0
October 2011 to 2013 | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		348,000,000
Tax Year 2006 To Tax Year 2008 | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Judicial Ruling | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments for Legal Settlements		142,000,000
Tax Year 2009 to Tax Year 2013 [Member] | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss		385,000,000
Cerro Verde
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Stability Agreement, Term	15 years
Cerro Verde | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Production and delivery		203,000,000
Interest expense, net		(145,000,000)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		7,000,000
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		(169,000,000)
Cerro Verde | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Royalty Assessments, Taxes
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Production and delivery		22,000,000
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		67,000,000
Cerro Verde | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Judicial Ruling | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		348,000,000
Cerro Verde | December 2006 to Tax Year 2013 | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		(129,000,000)
Cerro Verde | October 2011 to 2013 | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		136,000,000
Cerro Verde | October 2011 to 2013 | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Disputed Royalty Assessmentss
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes		69,000,000
Cerro Verde | December 2006 To September 2011 | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Royalty Assessments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Production and delivery		175,000,000
Cerro Verde | Tax Year 2006 To Tax Year 2008 | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Royalty Assessments, Penalties
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Production and delivery		6,000,000
FCX Issuer | Tax Year 2009 to Tax Year 2013 [Member] | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Pending Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss		$ 206,000,000