Guarantor Financial Statements (Unaudited) Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			$ 1,829	$ 1,614
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	$ (362)	$ (833)	(706)	(1,815)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			0	0
Asset sales and other, net			(4)	1,280
Net cash used in investing activities			(710)	(535)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			606	2,811
Repayments of debt			(1,250)	(3,649)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			0	32
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(41)	(44)
Other, net			(19)	(23)
Net cash used in financing activities			(704)	(873)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			415	206
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			7	(53)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			4,245	177
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	4,667	330	4,667	330
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			0	2
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	(2)
Intercompany loans			427	1,487
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			(1,078)	(1,972)
Asset sales and other, net			0	0
Net cash used in investing activities			(651)	(487)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	0
Repayments of debt			0	0
Intercompany loans			(427)	(1,487)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				(42)
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			1,025	1,950
Other, net			53	64
Net cash used in financing activities			651	485
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0	0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | FCX Issuer [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			(96)	(173)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	0
Intercompany loans			(427)	(994)
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			1,032	1,935
Asset sales and other, net			0	0
Net cash used in investing activities			605	941
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	1,505
Repayments of debt			(499)	(2,282)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				32
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(2)	(5)
Other, net			(8)	(18)
Net cash used in financing activities			(509)	(768)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0	0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			(284)	(90)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(23)	(433)
Intercompany loans			0	(493)
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			(16)	(41)
Asset sales and other, net			(5)	91
Net cash used in investing activities			(44)	(876)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			0	0
Repayments of debt			0	0
Intercompany loans			337	1,018
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				0
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			0	0
Other, net			(9)	(52)
Net cash used in financing activities			328	966
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			3	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	3	0	3	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities			2,209	1,875
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(683)	(1,380)
Intercompany loans			0	0
Dividends from (investments in) consolidated subsidiaries			62	78
Asset sales and other, net			1	1,189
Net cash used in investing activities			(620)	(113)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt			606	1,306
Repayments of debt			(751)	(1,367)
Intercompany loans			90	469
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				42
Cash dividends paid and contributions received, net			(1,064)	(1,989)
Other, net			(55)	(17)
Net cash used in financing activities			(1,174)	(1,556)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			415	206
Increase (Decrease) In Cash And Cash Equivalents In Assets Held For Sale			7	(53)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year			4,242	177
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 4,664	$ 330	$ 4,664	$ 330