General Information (Unaudited)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
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 Copper & Gold Inc.’s (FCX) consolidated financial statements and notes contained in its 2010 Annual Report on 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 three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2011, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011. In December 2010, FCX’s Board of Directors declared a two-for-one split of its common stock in the form of a stock dividend on issued and outstanding shares, with the additional shares issued on February 1, 2011, to common shareholders of record at the close of business on January 15, 2011. All references to shares of common stock and per share amounts have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the two-for-one stock split.

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 Copper & Gold Inc.’s (FCX) consolidated financial statements and notes contained in its 2010 Annual Report on 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 three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2011, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011.

In December 2010, FCX’s Board of Directors declared a two-for-one split of its common stock in the form of a stock dividend on issued and outstanding shares, with the additional shares issued on February 1, 2011, to common shareholders of record at the close of business on January 15, 2011. All references to shares of common stock and per share amounts have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the two-for-one stock split.