Subsequent Events (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions					3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			21 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Jul. 31, 2020	Nov. 06, 2019	Mar. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 21, 2018	Nov. 01, 2019	Oct. 29, 2019
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Export duties expense						$ 174	$ 52	$ 201	$ 153
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders						(210)	$ 552	$ (251)	$ 2,112
PT Freeport Indonesia | Indonesian Tax Authority
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, lower threshold, percent								2.50%
Smelter Development Progress, Lower Threshold, Percent								30.00%
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, upper threshold, percent								5.00%
Smelter Development Progress, Higher Threshold, Percent								50.00%
PT Freeport Indonesia | Indonesian Tax Authority | Memorandum of Understanding with the Indonesian Government
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, lower threshold, percent											5.00%
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, upper threshold, percent											7.50%
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, change, percent													2.50%
Export duties expense													$ 155
Ruling in favor for disputed amounts										$ 29
PT Freeport Indonesia | Indonesian Tax Authority | Memorandum of Understanding with the Indonesian Government, Indonesia Supreme Court Appeal
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, lower threshold, percent								5.00%
Loss contingency, charge						155
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders						$ (76)
Impact of charge on earnings per share						$ (0.05)
Disposed of by sale | Timok | Forecast
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture					$ 240
Divestiture of businesses, contingent consideration					100
Gain on divestiture					$ 340
Disposed of by sale | Timok, upper zone
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture												$ 135
Divestiture of businesses, contingent consideration												$ 107
Subsequent event | PT Freeport Indonesia | Indonesian Tax Authority | Memorandum of Understanding with the Indonesian Government, Indonesia Supreme Court Appeal
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Unfavorable rulings, involving approximately half															$ 29
Subsequent event | Disposed of by sale | Timok, upper zone
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Divestiture of businesses, contingent consideration														$ 107
Subsequent event | Disposed of by sale | Timok, upper zone | Forecast
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture, installment payment	$ 12	$ 50	$ 45
Subsequent event | Disposed of by sale | Timik, lower zone
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture				$ 240
Divestiture of businesses, deferred payments														150
Divestiture of businesses, deferred payments, demand amount per case														$ 60