CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 2,894	$ 2,095	$ (4,025)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	1,754	1,714	2,610
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, provisional income tax expense (benefit)	(123)	(393)	0
Litigation Settlement, Expense	371	355	0
Payments for Legal Settlements	(56)	(53)	(30)
Impairment of Oil and Gas Properties	0	0	4,317
Oil and gas noncash drillship settlement costs and other adjustments	0	(33)	803
Net gain on sales of assets	(208)	(81)	(649)
Stock-based compensation	76	71	86
Net charges for environmental and asset retirement obligations, including accretion	262	383	191
Payments for environmental and asset retirement obligations	239	131	242
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Expense (Reversal of Expense), Noncash	81	120	113
Payment for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits	(75)	(174)	(57)
Net gain on early extinguishment and exchanges of debt	(7)	(21)	(26)
Deferred income taxes	(404)	76	239
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations	(15)	57	(198)
Decrease in long-term mill and leach stockpiles	94	224	10
Other Operating Activities, Cash Flow Statement	16	(2)	112
Changes in working capital and other tax payments, excluding disposition amounts:
Accounts receivable	649	427	(175)
Inventories	(631)	(393)	117
Other current assets	(28)	(28)	37
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(106)	110	(28)
Accrued income taxes and timing of other tax payments	(472)	457	136
Net cash provided by operating activities	3,863	4,666	3,737
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(1,971)	(1,410)	(2,813)
Acquisition of PT Rio Tinto Indonesia	(3,500)	0	0
Proceeds from sales of:
Other assets	93	72	423
Other, net	(97)	17	11
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(5,018)	(1,321)	3,553
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt	632	955	3,681
Repayments of debt	(2,717)	(3,812)	(7,625)
Proceeds from sale of PT Freeport Indonesia shares	3,500	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of common stock	0	0	1,515
Cash dividends and distributions paid:
Common stock	(218)	(2)	(6)
Noncontrolling interests, including redemption	(278)	(174)	(693)
Other, net	(19)	(22)	(38)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	900	(3,055)	(3,166)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents			4,124
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	(255)	290	4,124
Increase in cash and cash equivalents in assets held for sale	0	0	(45)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	4,455	4,710	4,420
PT Indonesia Papua Metal dan Mineral
Proceeds from sales of:
Proceeds from sales	457	0	0
Tenke Fungurume mine
Proceeds from sales of:
Proceeds from sales	0	0	2,664
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico and onshore California oil and gas properties
Proceeds from sales of:
Proceeds from sales	0	0	2,272
Morenci
Proceeds from sales of:
Proceeds from sales	0	0	996
North America copper mines
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(601)	(167)	(102)
South America
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(237)	(115)	(382)
Indonesia
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(1,001)	(875)	(1,025)
Molybdenum mines
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(9)	(5)	(2)
Other, including oil and gas operations
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	$ (123)	$ (248)	$ (1,302)