CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	$ 165	$ 0	$ 0
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	(189)	2,894	2,095
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	1,412	1,754	1,714
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, provisional income tax expense (benefit)	0	(123)	(393)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Enacted Tax Rate, Amount	0	(504)	0
Net gain on sales of assets	(417)	(208)	(81)
Stock-based compensation	63	76	71
Net charges for environmental and asset retirement obligations, including accretion	221	262	383
Payments for environmental and asset retirement obligations	244	239	131
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Expense (Reversal of Expense), Noncash	108	81	120
Payment for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits	(75)	(75)	(174)
Net loss (gain) on early extinguishment of debt	27	(7)	(21)
Deferred income taxes	29	100	76
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations	3	(15)	57
Proceeds from Dividends Received			0
PT-FI Surface Water Tax, Withholding Tax and Environmental Matters, Expense	30	162	0
PT-FI Surface Water Tax, Withholding Tax and Environmental Matters, Payments	(67)	0	0
Other Operating Activities, Cash Flow Statement	141	12	(43)
Changes in working capital and other, excluding disposition amounts:
Accounts receivable	119	649	427
Inventories	259	(537)	(169)
Other current assets	60	(28)	(28)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(60)	(106)	110
Accrued income taxes and timing of other tax payments	(29)	(634)	457
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,482	3,863	4,666
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(2,652)	(1,971)	(1,410)
Acquisition of PT Rio Tinto Indonesia	0	(3,500)	0
Proceeds from sales of:
Other assets	109	93	72
Other, net	(12)	(97)	17
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,103)	(5,018)	(1,321)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from debt	1,879	632	955
Repayments of debt	(3,197)	(2,717)	(3,812)
Proceeds from sale of PT-FI shares	0	3,500	0
Net proceeds from sale of common stock		3,500
Cash dividends and distributions paid:
Common stock	(291)	(218)	(2)
Noncontrolling interests	(82)	(278)	(174)
Other, net	(30)	(19)	(22)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,556)	900	(3,055)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents			290
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	(2,177)	(255)	290
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	2,278	4,455	4,710
Metals inventory adjustments	179	4	8
PT Indonesia Papua Metal dan Mineral
Proceeds from sales of:
Proceeds from sales		457
Timok and a portion of Freeport Cobalt [Member]
Proceeds from sales of:
Proceeds from sales	452	0
North America copper mines
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(877)	(601)	(167)
South America
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(256)	(237)	(115)
Indonesia
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(1,369)	(1,001)	(875)
Molybdenum mines
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(19)	(9)	(5)
Other
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(131)	(123)	(248)
PT-FI
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Enacted Tax Rate, Amount	0	(504)	0
Cerro Verde Royalty Dispute
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Settlement expense	65	371	355
Payments for Legal Settlements	(187)	$ (56)	$ (53)
PT Smelting
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Proceeds from Dividends Received	$ 40