Contingencies and Commitments (Unaudited)	3 Months Ended
Contingencies and Commitments (Unaudited)	Mar. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS Litigation There were no significant updates to previously reported legal proceedings included in Note 12 of FCX’s 2020 Form 10-K, other than the matters discussed below. Asbestos and Talc Claims. As previously disclosed, since approximately 1990, various FCX affiliates have been named as defendants in a large number of lawsuits alleging personal injury from, among other things, exposure to asbestos or talc allegedly contained in industrial products, and more recently alleging the presence of asbestos contamination in talc-based cosmetic and personal care products. Cyprus Amax Minerals Company (CAMC), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of FCX, and Cyprus Mines Corporation (Cyprus Mines), a wholly owned subsidiary of CAMC, are among the targets of such lawsuits. Cyprus Mines and subsidiaries were engaged in talc mining and processing from 1964 until 1992 when Cyprus Mines exited its talc business. On February 13, 2019, Imerys Talc America (Imerys), the current owner of the talc business assets and liabilities previously owned by Cyprus Mines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. On December 22, 2020, Imerys filed an amended bankruptcy plan disclosing a global settlement with Cyprus Mines and CAMC, which provides a framework for a full and comprehensive resolution of all current and future potential liabilities arising out of the Cyprus Mines talc business, including claims against FCX, its affiliates, Cyprus Mines, and CAMC. On January 21, 2021, in connection with the proposed global settlement, Imerys sought an injunction temporarily staying up to approximately 950 talc-related lawsuits against CAMC and Cyprus Mines. On February 22, 2021, the bankruptcy court granted the requested preliminary injunction, which is currently in place until June 30, 2021. The global settlement is subject to, among other things, bankruptcy court approvals of both the Imerys bankruptcy plan and the Cyprus Mines bankruptcy plan, and there can be no assurance that the global settlement will be successfully implemented. Other Matters PT-FI and PT Smelting Export Licenses. In March 2021, PT-FI received a one-year extension of its export license through March 15, 2022, and in January 2021, PT Smelting received a six-month extension of its anodes slimes export license, which currently expires July 18, 2021. Development Progress of Greenfield Smelter at East Java. On January 7, 2021, the Indonesia government levied an administrative fine of $149 million for the period from March 30, 2020, through September 30, 2020 (additional fines could be levied on exports after September 30, 2020), on PT-FI for failing to achieve physical development progress on the greenfield smelter as of July 31, 2020. PT-FI responded to the Indonesia government objecting to the fine because of events outside of its control that caused a delay in development progress for the greenfield smelter at East Java. PT-FI believes that its communications during 2020 with the Indonesia government were not properly considered before the administrative fine was levied. PT-FI is continuing to discuss this matter with the Indonesia government as well as provide additional documentation to support its position on the cause of delays in development progress on the greenfield smelter. During first-quarter 2021, PT-FI recorded a $13 million charge for a potential settlement of the administrative fine which is expected to include a revised construction schedule for the greenfield smelter. The final settlement could differ from the amount recorded in first-quarter 2021.