Guarantor Financial Statements (Unaudited) Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of year	$ 3,006	$ 4,141	$ 3,006	$ 4,141	$ 4,455	$ 4,710
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			1,088	2,678
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(629)	(482)	(1,251)	(884)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			(2)	0
Proceeds From Divestiture Of Business And Interests In Affiliates And Proceeds From Sale Of Other Assets			86	(86)
Net cash used in investing activities			(1,167)	(970)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			328	352
Repayments of debt			(1,563)	(2,297)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(125)	(314)
Other, net			(10)	(18)
Net cash used in financing activities			(1,370)	(2,277)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect			(1,449)	(569)
Eliminations [Member]
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			0	0
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	0
Intercompany loans			640	442
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			(1,519)	(2,564)
Proceeds From Divestiture Of Business And Interests In Affiliates And Proceeds From Sale Of Other Assets			0	0
Net cash used in investing activities			(879)	(2,122)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	0
Repayments of debt			0	0
Intercompany loans			(640)	(442)
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			1,499	2,548
Other, net			20	16
Net cash used in financing activities			879	2,122
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect			0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | FCX Issuer [Member]
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			330	(163)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	(2)
Intercompany loans			(640)	(442)
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			1,470	2,519
Proceeds From Divestiture Of Business And Interests In Affiliates And Proceeds From Sale Of Other Assets			(1)	4
Net cash used in investing activities			829	2,079
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	0
Repayments of debt			(1,003)	(1,826)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(146)	(73)
Other, net			(10)	(17)
Net cash used in financing activities			(1,159)	(1,916)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect			0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0	0	0	7
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			(204)	(184)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	0
Intercompany loans			0	0
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			0	0
Proceeds From Divestiture Of Business And Interests In Affiliates And Proceeds From Sale Of Other Assets			91	1
Net cash used in investing activities			91	1
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	0
Repayments of debt			0	(52)
Intercompany loans			113	228
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			0	0
Other, net			0	0
Net cash used in financing activities			113	176
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect			0	(7)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents at beginning of year	$ 3,006	$ 4,141	3,006	4,141	$ 4,455	$ 4,703
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			962	3,025
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(1,251)	(882)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			47	45
Proceeds From Divestiture Of Business And Interests In Affiliates And Proceeds From Sale Of Other Assets			(4)	(91)
Net cash used in investing activities			(1,208)	(928)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			328	352
Repayments of debt			(560)	(419)
Intercompany loans			527	214
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(1,478)	(2,789)
Other, net			(20)	(17)
Net cash used in financing activities			(1,203)	(2,659)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect			$ (1,449)	$ (562)