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CONTINGENCIES (Tax and Other Matters) (Details) $ in Millions, Rp in Trillions |  | 12 Months Ended | 21 Months Ended | 24 Months Ended | 60 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 01, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 IDR (Rp) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 21, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments for legal settlements |  |  | $ 56 |  | $ 53 | $ 30 |  |  |
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |  |  | (991) |  | (883) | (371) |  |  |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest |  |  | (292) |  | (274) | $ (227) |  |  |
Long-term receivable for taxes |  |  | 260 |  | 445 |  |  | $ 260 | $ 260
Other assets |  |  | $ 2,172 |  | 2,273 |  |  | 2,172 | 2,172
Smelter development export duty, threshold |  |  | 50.00% | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |
Cerro Verde |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stability agreement, term | 15 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cerro Verde | Tax Year 2012 to Tax Year 2013 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, loss in period |  |  | $ 14 |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |  |  | 17 |  |  |  |  |  |
Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Cerro Verde | Royalty Assessments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |  |  | 35 |  | (7) |  |  | 28 |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest |  |  | 176 |  | 169 |  |  | 345 |
Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Cerro Verde | December 2006 to Tax Year 2013 | Royalty Assessments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |  |  |  |  | 129 |  |  |  |
Judicial Ruling | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Tax Year 2006 To Tax Year 2008 | Royalty Assessments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments for legal settlements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 188
Judicial Ruling | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | December 2006 to Tax Year 2013 | Unfavorable Regulatory Actions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, loss in period |  |  |  |  | (348) |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, loss in period, including tax charges |  |  |  |  | (186) |  |  |  |
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |  |  |  |  | (7) |  |  |  |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest |  |  |  |  | $ 169 |  |  |  |
Judicial Ruling | Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute | Tax Year 2009 to Tax Year 2013 | Unfavorable Regulatory Actions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, loss in period |  |  | (420) |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, loss in period, including tax charges |  |  | (211) |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes |  |  | 18 |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest |  |  | 191 |  |  |  |  |  |
PT-FI |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other assets |  |  | $ 350 |  |  |  |  | 350 | 350
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, lower threshold, percent |  |  | 2.50% | 2.50% | 5.00% |  |  |  |
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, higher threshold, percent |  |  | 5.00% | 5.00% | 7.50% |  | 7.50% |  |
Progressive export duty on copper concentrates, change, percent |  |  |  |  | 2.50% |  |  |  |
Smelter development export duty, threshold |  |  | 50.00% | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents |  |  | $ 144 |  | $ 38 |  |  | 144 | 144
SUNAT | Cerro Verde | October 2011 to September 2012 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax refund, requested |  |  | 57 |  |  |  |  | 57 | 57
SUNAT | Cerro Verde |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term receivable for taxes |  |  | 386 |  |  |  |  | 386 | 386
Increase (decrease) in income taxes receivable |  |  | 203 |  |  |  |  | 203 | 203
Tax Authority, In Papau, Indonesia | PT-FI | Penalties |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Offer to Other Party |  |  | 69 |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Authority, In Papau, Indonesia | PT-FI | January 2016 through April 2017 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss |  |  | $ 48 |  | 80 |  |  | $ 48 | $ 48
Change in loss contingency, percent |  |  | 40.00% |  |  |  |  | 40.00% | 40.00%
Tax Authority, In Papau, Indonesia | PT-FI | August 2015 through March 2018 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss |  |  | $ 174 |  |  |  |  | $ 174 | $ 174
Tax Authority, In Papau, Indonesia | PT-FI | August 2015 through March 2018 | Penalties |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss |  |  | 87 |  |  |  |  | 87 | 87
Loss Contingency, Offer to Other Party |  |  | 69 | Rp 1 |  |  |  |  |
Tax Authority, In Papau, Indonesia | PT-FI | Tax Years 2013 to 2017 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss |  |  | 251 |  |  |  |  | 251 | 251
Indonesian Supreme Court | PT-FI | The year 2005 and the year 2007 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, loss in period |  |  | (61) |  |  |  |  |  |
Cerro Verde |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term receivable for taxes |  |  | 183 |  | 185 |  |  | 183 | 183
PT-FI |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term receivable for taxes |  |  | 493 |  | 417 |  |  | 493 | 493
FCX | Cerro Verde | Tax Year 2012 to Tax Year 2013 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency, loss in period, including tax charges |  |  | 16 |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interests | Cerro Verde | Tax Year 2012 to Tax Year 2013 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest |  |  | (15) |  |  |  |  |  |
Income and Other Tax Receivables | PT-FI |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents |  |  | 15 |  |  |  |  | 15 | 15
Other Current Assets | PT-FI |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents |  |  | 7 |  | 22 |  |  | 7 | 7
Other Assets | PT-FI |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents |  |  | $ 122 |  | $ 16 |  |  | $ 122 | $ 122
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Annual Surface Water Tax Payments [Member] | PT-FI |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquire water systems |  | $ 15 |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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