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

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Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

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Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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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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DEBT (Details)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
DEBT (Details)	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) payment	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	May 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2012 USD ($)
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two				$ 1,000,000,000
Long-term Debt						$ 2,228,000,000
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Including Current Maturities				(11,141,000,000)	$ (13,229,000,000)
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months				(17,000,000)	(1,414,000,000)
Long-term debt, less current portion				11,124,000,000	11,815,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Term of Debt Agreement	5 years
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				800,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				454,000,000	1,234,000,000	407,000,000					$ 6,500,000,000
Other Debt [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Including Current Maturities				(166,000,000)	(119,000,000)
2.15% Senior Notes due 2017 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount												$ 500,000,000
2.30% Senior Notes Due 2017 \| Senior Notes [Member]
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						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				0	1,408,000,000
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						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						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				0	427,000,000	432,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				404,000,000		449,000,000
3.55% Senior Notes due 2022 \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt				999,000,000	997,000,000
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				768,000,000	776,000,000	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				597,000,000	596,000,000
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				1,886,000,000	1,884,000,000
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				1,915,000,000	1,914,000,000
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	845,000,000
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				741,000,000	740,000,000
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				1,843,000,000	1,842,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount						$ 134,000,000					$ 2,000,000,000
Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Including Current Maturities					(1,269,000,000)
Cerro Verde \| Shareholder Loan [Member]
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				126,000,000	127,000,000
Freeport McMoRan Corporation [Member] \| 6.125% Senior Notes due 2034 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt				117,000,000	116,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| 6.875% Senior Notes due 2023 [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt				0	54,000,000
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Amount				50,000,000
Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt				$ 1,023,000,000			$ 1,500,000,000	$ 1,275,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of 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
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 20,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage				4.42%
Letter of Credit [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Long-term Line of Credit				$ 13,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity	$ 1,500,000,000			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]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	3,500,000,000
Amount of revolving credit facility available to PT Freeport Indonesia	$ 500,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity				3,500,000,000
Debt Instrument, Payment Period One [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				225,000,000
Repayments of Lines of Credit				5,000,000	$ 220,000,000
June 30, 2021 [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde \| Line of Credit [Member]
Cerro Verde [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				225,000,000
Debt Instrument, Payment Period Three [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