General Information (Unaudited)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

General Information [Abstract]

General Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all information and disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States (U.S.). Therefore, this information should be read in conjunction with Freeport-McMoRan Inc.’s (FCX) consolidated financial statements and notes contained in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (2019 Form 10-K). The information furnished herein reflects all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods reported. All such adjustments are, in the opinion of management, of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020.

Operations Update. In April 2020, FCX announced revised operating plans in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic and resulting negative impact on the global economy. FCX proactively implemented operating protocols at each of its operating sites to contain and mitigate the risk of spread of COVID-19. FCX also continues to work closely with communities where it operates across the globe and has provided monetary support and in-kind contributions of medical supplies, equipment and food.

Following COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the Peruvian government in March 2020, Cerro Verde, FCX’s mine in Peru, implemented strict health protocols and a plan to restore its operations was approved by the Peruvian government in second-quarter 2020. Cerro Verde continued to make progress toward restoring operations during third-quarter 2020.

FCX completed a review of options for restarting its Chino mine in New Mexico and currently expects to restart Chino at a reduced rate beginning in 2021.

During second-quarter 2020, FCX implemented a series of actions to reduce administrative and centralized support costs in conjunction with its April 2020 revised operating plans. Cost savings initiatives included a temporary reduction in certain employee benefits, furloughs and an employee separation program, and reductions in third party service costs, facilities costs, travel and other expenses.

FCX recognized charges totaling $34 million in third-quarter 2020 and $258 million for the first nine months of 2020 associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and revised operating plans, including employee separation charges. These charges, none of which were capitalized into inventory, were recorded to production and delivery ($30 million in third-quarter 2020 and $202 million for the first nine months of 2020); depreciation, depletion and amortization ($3 million in third-quarter 2020 and $32 million for the first nine months of 2020); selling, general and administrative expenses (less than $1 million in third-quarter 2020 and $15 million for the first nine months of 2020) and mining exploration and research expenses (less than $1 million in third-quarter 2020 and $8 million for the first nine months of 2020).

Pension Plan Amendment. In August 2020, the FMC Retirement Plan (the Plan) was amended such that, effective September 1, 2020, participants will no longer accrue any additional benefits under the Plan. As a result, FCX remeasured its pension assets and benefit obligation as of July 31, 2020. The discount rate and expected long-term rate of return on the plan assets used for the July 31, 2020, remeasurement were 2.40 percent and 6.25 percent, respectively, compared to 3.40 percent and 6.50 percent, respectively at December 31, 2019. The rate of compensation increase was unchanged (3.25 percent). The remeasurement and curtailment resulted in the projected benefit obligation increasing by $184 million and plan assets increasing by $103 million. In addition, FCX recognized a curtailment loss of $4 million in third-quarter 2020. As of September 30, 2020, the funded status of the Plan was a net liability of $888 million (included in other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet).