Financial Instruments (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Unrealized gains (losses) for derivative financial instruments that are designated and qualify as fair value hedge transactions and for the related hedged item

A summary of (losses) gains recognized in revenues for derivative financial instruments related to commodity contracts that are designated and qualify as fair value hedge transactions, including the unrealized gains (losses) on the related hedged item follows (in millions):

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	June 30,						June 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Copper futures and swap contracts:
Unrealized (losses) gains:
Derivative financial instruments	$	(13	)	$	(4	)	$	5		$	(19	)
Hedged item – firm sales commitments	13			4			(5		)	19
Realized (losses) gains:
Matured derivative financial instruments	(3		)	—			(1		)	2

Schedule of Derivative Instruments

A summary of FCX’s embedded derivatives at June 30, 2019, follows:

	Open Positions	Average Price Per Unit				Maturities Through
		Contract		Market
Embedded derivatives in provisional sales contracts:
Copper (millions of pounds)	505	$	2.79	$	2.72	November 2019
Gold (thousands of ounces)	74	1,328		1,416		August 2019
Embedded derivatives in provisional purchase contracts:
Copper (millions of pounds)	86	2.83		2.72		September 2019
Cobalt (millions of pounds)	6	10.56		8.88		September 2019

Realized and unrealized gains (losses) for derivative financial instruments that do not qualify as hedge transactions

A summary of the realized and unrealized (losses) gains recognized in operating income for commodity contracts that do not qualify as hedge transactions, including embedded derivatives, follows (in millions):

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	June 30,						June 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Embedded derivatives in provisional sales contracts:a
Copper	$	(122	)	$	(14	)	$	—		$	(149	)
Gold and other metals	13			(30		)	11			(12		)
Copper forward contractsb	(4		)	6			(3		)	8

a. Amounts recorded in revenues. 

b.

Amounts recorded in cost of sales as production and delivery costs.

Schedule of Derivative Instruments in Statement of Financial Position, Fair Value [Table Text Block]

A summary of the fair values of unsettled commodity derivative financial instruments follows (in millions):

	June 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Commodity Derivative Assets:
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Copper futures and swap contracts	$	1	$	—
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Embedded derivatives in provisional copper, gold and cobalt
sales/purchase contracts	41		23
Total derivative assets	$	42	$	23
Commodity Derivative Liabilities:
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Copper futures and swap contracts	$	5	$	9
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Embedded derivatives in provisional copper, gold and cobalt
sales/purchase contracts	51		39
Total derivative liabilities	$	56	$	48

Offsetting Assets

A summary of these unsettled commodity contracts that are offset in the balance sheets follows (in millions):

	Assets				Liabilities
	June 30, 2019		December 31, 2018		June 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Gross amounts recognized:
Embedded derivatives in provisional
sales/purchase contracts	$	41	$	23	$	51	$	39
Copper derivatives	1		—		5		9
	42		23		56		48
Less gross amounts of offset:
Embedded derivatives in provisional
sales/purchase contracts	4		7		4		7
Copper derivatives	1		—		1		—
	5		7		5		7
Net amounts presented in balance sheet:
Embedded derivatives in provisional
sales/purchase contracts	37		16		47		32
Copper derivatives	—		—		4		9
	$	37	$	16	$	51	$	41
Balance sheet classification:
Trade accounts receivable	$	26	$	3	$	22	$	24
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	11		13		29		17
	$	37	$	16	$	51	$	41

Offsetting Liabilities

A summary of these unsettled commodity contracts that are offset in the balance sheets follows (in millions):

	Assets				Liabilities
	June 30, 2019		December 31, 2018		June 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Gross amounts recognized:
Embedded derivatives in provisional
sales/purchase contracts	$	41	$	23	$	51	$	39
Copper derivatives	1		—		5		9
	42		23		56		48
Less gross amounts of offset:
Embedded derivatives in provisional
sales/purchase contracts	4		7		4		7
Copper derivatives	1		—		1		—
	5		7		5		7
Net amounts presented in balance sheet:
Embedded derivatives in provisional
sales/purchase contracts	37		16		47		32
Copper derivatives	—		—		4		9
	$	37	$	16	$	51	$	41
Balance sheet classification:
Trade accounts receivable	$	26	$	3	$	22	$	24
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	11		13		29		17
	$	37	$	16	$	51	$	41

Schedule of Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures [Table Text Block]

The following table provides a reconciliation of total cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents presented in the consolidated statements of cash flows (in millions):

	June 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Balance sheet components:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	2,623	$	4,217
Restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents included in:
Other current assets	218		110
Other assets	165		128
Total cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents presented in the consolidated statements of cash flows	$	3,006	$	4,455