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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 7 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | May 31, 2013
Schedule of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Entity Information, Date to Change Former Legal or Registered Name |  |  |  | Jul. 14, 2014 |  |  |
Minimum ownership percentage of subsidiary for inclusion in consolidated financial statements | 50.00%fcx_MinimumOwnershipPercentageOfSubsidiaryForConsolidation |  |  | 50.00%fcx_MinimumOwnershipPercentageOfSubsidiaryForConsolidation |  |  |
Percentage of ultimate copper recovery from leach stockpiles |  |  |  | 90.00%fcx_PercentageCopperRecoveryFromLeachStockpiles |  |  |
Threshhold for Determining Accounting Treatment for Oil and Gas Dispositions |  |  |  | 25.00%fcx_ThreshholdforDeterminingAccountingTreatmentforOilandGasDispositions |  |  |
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate |  |  |  | 10.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate |  |  |
Impairment of oil and gas properties | $ 3,400 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties | $ 308 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties | $ 0 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties | $ 3,737 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties | $ 0 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties | $ 0 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties |
Amount of Natural Gas Sales Priced Using Industry Pricing Index, Percentage |  |  |  | 40.00%fcx_AmountofNaturalGasSalesPricedUsingIndustryPricingIndexPercentage |  |  |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage for investment in unconsolidated companies accounted for using the equity method | 20.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember |  |  | 20.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember |  |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage for investments in unconsolidated companies carried at cost | 20.00%fcx_CostMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  | 20.00%fcx_CostMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  |
Percentage of copper ultimately recoverable from newly placed material on active stockpiles extracted during the first year |  |  |  | 80.00%fcx_PercentageCopperRecoveryNewMaterial / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  |
PT Freeport Indonesia [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage of subsidiary | 90.64%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = fcx_PtFreeportIndonesiaMember |  |  | 90.64%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = fcx_PtFreeportIndonesiaMember |  |  |
Plains Exploration & Production Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition |  |  |  |  | May 31, 2013 |  | May 31, 2013
Business Acquisition, Date Results Included in Combined Entity |  |  |  |  | Jun. 01, 2013 |  |
McMoRan Exploration Co [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition |  |  |  |  | Jun. 03, 2013 |  |
Business Acquisition, Date Results Included in Combined Entity |  |  |  |  | Jun. 04, 2013 |  |
Oil and Gas Operations Segment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest Costs Capitalized |  |  |  | 88 us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = fcx_OilAndGasOperationsSegmentMember | 69 us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = fcx_OilAndGasOperationsSegmentMember |  |
Impairment of oil and gas properties |  |  |  | $ 3,737 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = fcx_OilAndGasOperationsSegmentMember |  |  |

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