Business Segments (Segment Reporting) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 3,711.0	$ 3,334.0	$ 7,052.0	$ 6,576.0
Production and delivery	2,495.0	2,956.0	4,695.0	5,455.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	450.0	632.0	839.0	1,294.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties	0.0	291.0	0.0	4,078.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(107.0)	(160.0)	(260.0)	(298.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	19.0	15.0	34.0	33.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	(19.0)	11.0	8.0	21.0
Net gain on sales of assets	(10.0)	(749.0)	(33.0)	(749.0)
Operating income (loss)	669.0	18.0	1,249.0	(3,854.0)
Interest expense, net	162.0	196.0	329.0	387.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	186.0	116.0	360.0	193.0
Total assets	37,043.0	41,296.0	37,043.0	41,296.0	$ 37,317.0
Capital expenditures	362.0	833.0	706.0	1,815.0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Asset	6.0		26.0
Oil and gas drillship settlements, inventory adjustments and asset impairment		692.0		892.0
Oil and gas contract settlement payments			70.0	0.0
Restructuring Charges				39.0
Assets, discontinued operations	463.0	5,100.0	463.0	5,100.0
Operating Segments | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	77.0	122.0	193.0	340.0
Production and delivery	725.0	726.0	1,398.0	1,514.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	118.0	134.0	234.0	278.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1.0)	(2.0)	(2.0)	(3.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	1.0	0.0	2.0	1.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	(577.0)	0.0	(577.0)
Operating income (loss)	303.0	775.0	607.0	977.0
Interest expense, net	1.0	1.0	2.0	2.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total assets	7,144.0	7,636.0	7,144.0	7,636.0
Capital expenditures	39.0	42.0	67.0	76.0
Operating Segments | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	678.0	617.0	1,430.0	1,247.0
Production and delivery	463.0	406.0	936.0	816.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	125.0	136.0	258.0	268.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(3.0)	(2.0)	(5.0)	(4.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	144.0	133.0	404.0	260.0
Interest expense, net	15.0	20.0	31.0	42.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	58.0	43.0	159.0	82.0
Total assets	10,307.0	10,939.0	10,307.0	10,939.0
Capital expenditures	30.0	136.0	45.0	293.0
Corporate And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	445.0	651.0	819.0	1,154.0
Production and delivery	(754.0)	33.0	(1,571.0)	(475.0)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	25.0	242.0	54.0	518.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		291.0		4,078.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(69.0)	(130.0)	(184.0)	(247.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	18.0	15.0	32.0	32.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	(19.0)	11.0	8.0	21.0
Net gain on sales of assets	(10.0)	(172.0)	(33.0)	(172.0)
Operating income (loss)	(89.0)	(950.0)	(226.0)	(5,217.0)
Interest expense, net	142.0	171.0	288.0	335.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(10.0)	54.0	(4.0)	56.0
Total assets	5,546.0	10,429.0	5,546.0	10,429.0
Capital expenditures	61.0	419.0	108.0	984.0
Restructuring Charges		37.0
Intersegment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Intersegment | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,071.0	938.0	2,050.0	1,856.0
Intersegment | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	57.0	60.0	173.0	101.0
Pt Smelting [Member] | Affiliated Entity [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	536.0	287.0	$ 794.0	564.0
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Tenke Fungurume [Member] | Corporate And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures		20.0		55.0
Pt Smelting [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred Intercompany Profit, Percentage			25.00%
Morenci [Member] | Operating Segments | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	45.0	79.0	$ 111.0	241.0
Asset Impairment Charges			21.0
Production and delivery	268.0	298.0	528.0	638.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	49.0	57.0	96.0	119.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1.0)	(1.0)	(1.0)	(1.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	(577.0)	0.0	(577.0)
Operating income (loss)	205.0	704.0	380.0	821.0
Interest expense, net	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total assets	2,830.0	2,960.0	2,830.0	2,960.0
Capital expenditures	29.0	37.0	52.0	65.0
Morenci [Member] | Intersegment | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	478.0	404.0	894.0	761.0
Other Individually Immaterial Operating Segments [Member] | Operating Segments | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	32.0	43.0	82.0	99.0
Production and delivery	457.0	428.0	870.0	876.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	69.0	77.0	138.0	159.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0.0	(1.0)	(1.0)	(2.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	1.0	0.0	2.0	1.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	98.0	71.0	227.0	156.0
Interest expense, net	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total assets	4,314.0	4,676.0	4,314.0	4,676.0
Capital expenditures	10.0	5.0	15.0	11.0
Other Individually Immaterial Operating Segments [Member] | Operating Segments | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	111.0	123.0	223.0	267.0
Production and delivery	87.0	103.0	169.0	222.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	21.0	27.0	42.0	58.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	3.0	(7.0)	12.0	(13.0)
Interest expense, net	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	2.0	(2.0)	5.0	(8.0)
Total assets	1,479.0	1,609.0	1,479.0	1,609.0
Capital expenditures	1.0	1.0	2.0	2.0
Other Individually Immaterial Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	593.0	534.0	1,156.0	1,095.0
Other Individually Immaterial Operating Segments [Member] | Intersegment | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Cerro Verde [Member] | Operating Segments | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	567.0	494.0	1,207.0	980.0
Production and delivery	376.0	303.0	767.0	594.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	104.0	109.0	216.0	210.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(3.0)	(2.0)	(5.0)	(4.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	141.0	140.0	392.0	273.0
Interest expense, net	15.0	20.0	31.0	42.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	56.0	45.0	154.0	90.0
Total assets	8,828.0	9,330.0	8,828.0	9,330.0
Capital expenditures	29.0	135.0	43.0	291.0
Cerro Verde [Member] | Intersegment | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	57.0	60.0	173.0	101.0
Grasberg Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures			457.0	453.0
Grasberg Segment [Member] | Operating Segments | Indonesia
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,065.0	532.0	1,599.0	1,030.0
Production and delivery	554.0	356.0	827.0	750.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	153.0	93.0	236.0	174.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(30.0)	(22.0)	(60.0)	(36.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	328.0	60.0	476.0	127.0
Interest expense, net	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	135.0	18.0	202.0	54.0
Total assets	11,154.0	9,499.0	11,154.0	9,499.0
Capital expenditures	213.0	231.0	457.0	453.0
Grasberg Segment [Member] | Intersegment | Indonesia
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0.0	(1.0)	0.0	57.0
Molybdenum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures			2.0	1.0
Molybdenum [Member] | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Production and delivery	59.0	50.0	111.0	102.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	19.0	17.0	38.0	36.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	(7.0)	(22.0)	(15.0)	(48.0)
Interest expense, net	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total assets	1,900.0	1,969.0	1,900.0	1,969.0
Capital expenditures	1.0	0.0	2.0	1.0
Molybdenum [Member] | Intersegment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	71.0	45.0	134.0	90.0
Rod and Refining Segment [Member] | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,046.0	919.0	2,153.0	1,890.0
Production and delivery	1,048.0	919.0	2,158.0	1,889.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	3.0	3.0	5.0	5.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	1.0	4.0	4.0	11.0
Interest expense, net	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total assets	253.0	217.0	253.0	217.0
Capital expenditures	1.0	0.0	2.0	1.0
Rod and Refining Segment [Member] | Intersegment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	6.0	7.0	14.0	15.0
Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining Segment [Member] | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	400.0	493.0	858.0	915.0
Production and delivery	400.0	466.0	836.0	859.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	7.0	7.0	14.0	15.0
Impairment of oil and gas properties		0.0		0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(4.0)	(4.0)	(9.0)	(8.0)
Mining exploration and research expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Environmental obligations and shutdown costs	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net gain on sales of assets	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating income (loss)	(11.0)	18.0	(1.0)	36.0
Interest expense, net	4.0	4.0	8.0	8.0
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	3.0	1.0	3.0	1.0
Total assets	739.0	607.0	739.0	607.0
Capital expenditures	17.0	5.0	25.0	7.0
Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining Segment [Member] | Intersegment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0.0	2.0	0.0	3.0
Corporate And Eliminations [Member] | Intersegment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(1,205.0)	(1,051.0)	(2,371.0)	(2,122.0)
Oil and Gas Operations Segment [Member] | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	316.0	3,900.0	316.0	3,900.0
Oil and Gas Operations Segment [Member] | Corporate And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures	14.0	$ 392.0	33.0	$ 915.0
Oil and gas contract settlement payments			17.0
One-time Termination Benefits [Member] | Grasberg Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Production and delivery	82.0		103.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	$ (5.0)		$ (5.0)