CONTINGENCIES (Asset Retirement Obligations) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	$ 1,146,000,000	$ 921,000,000		$ 856,000,000
Liabilities assumed in the acquisitions of PXP and MMR		0	[1]	0	[1]
Liabilities incurred	45,000,000	6,000,000		9,000,000
Settlements and revisions to cash flow estimates, net	123,000,000	211,000,000		48,000,000
Accretion expense	95,000,000	55,000,000		58,000,000
Spending	(107,000,000)	(47,000,000)		(49,000,000)
Other	(2,000,000)	0		(1,000,000)
Balance at end of year	2,328,000,000	1,146,000,000		921,000,000
Less current portion	(115,000,000)	(55,000,000)		(31,000,000)
Long-term portion	2,213,000,000	1,091,000,000		890,000,000
Fair Value Assumptions, Inflation Rate	2.50%
Financial Assurance Obligations Associated With Closure And Reclamation Costs	2,400,000,000
Financial Assurance Obligations Associated With Closure And Reclamation Costs In Form Of Parent Company Guarantees And Financial Capability Demonstrations	1,700,000,000
Legally Restricted Funds For Asset Retirement Obligations	158,000,000	161,000,000
Productive Oil Wells, Number of Wells, Gross	6,600
Asset Retirement Obligations, Number of Platforms	200
New Mexico environmental and reclamation programs [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Accrued reclamation and closure costs	465,000,000
Arizona environmental and reclamation programs [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Accrued reclamation and closure costs	237,000,000
Colorado Environmental And Reclamation Programs [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Accrued reclamation and closure costs	50,000,000
Chile environmental and reclamation programs [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Accrued reclamation and closure costs	69,000,000
Peru Environmental and Reclamation Programs [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Accrued reclamation and closure costs	79,000,000
PT Freeport Indonesia environmental and reclamation programs [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Accrued reclamation and closure costs	249,000,000
Estimated years the mining activities are expected to continue (in years)	30 years
Current cash balance of reclamation fund	18,000,000
Minimum [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	1.30%
Maximum [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	6.30%
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Minimum [Member] | PT Freeport Indonesia environmental and reclamation programs [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Current cash balance of reclamation fund	100,000,000
Plains Exploration & Production Company [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Liabilities assumed in the acquisitions of PXP and MMR	741,000,000
McMoRan Exploration Co [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Liabilities assumed in the acquisitions of PXP and MMR	287,000,000
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Long-term portion	$ 1,100,000,000

[1] The fair value of AROs assumed in the acquisitions of PXP and MMR ($741 million and $287 million, respectively) were estimated based on projected cash flows, an estimated long-term annual inflation rate of 2.5 percent, and discount rates based on FCX's estimated credit-adjusted, risk-free interest rates ranging from 1.3 percent to 6.3 percent.