OTHER LIABILITIES, INCLUDING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (Penion Plans) (Details) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) Rp / $	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) Rp / $	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Long-duration credit portfolio
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation percentage of assets				50.00%
long-duration U.S. government/credit
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation percentage of assets				20.00%
Core fixed income
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation percentage of assets				16.00%
Long-term U.S. Treasury STRIPS
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation percentage of assets				13.00%
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Target allocation percentage of assets				1.00%
Domestic Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation				$ 2,553	$ 2,722	$ 2,576
Discount rate				2.85%	2.50%	3.40%
Expected return on plan assets				3.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Actuarial Gain (Loss)				$ 117	$ (308)
Service cost				12	37	$ 42
Interest cost				66	77	95
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Foreign Currency Translation Gain (Loss)				1	(1)
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Benefits Paid				129	123
Total pension plan net assets				2,071	1,946	1,677
Actual return on plan assets				150	272
Employer contributions				105	119
Foreign exchange (losses) gains				(1)	1
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Benefits Paid				129	123
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded (Unfunded) Status of Plan				(482)	(776)
Accumulated benefit obligation				$ 2,551	$ 2,719
Rate of compensation increase				0.00%	0.00%
Other assets				$ 6	$ 7
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				4	4
Liability, Defined Benefit Plan, Noncurrent				484	779
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts for Asset (Liability) Recognized in Statement of Financial Position				(482)	(776)
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment				$ 0	$ (4)	$ 0
Discount rate				2.50%	2.98%	4.40%
Expected return on plan assets				5.25%	6.25%	6.50%
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Curtailment				$ 0	$ 154
SERP
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Years of service required for annuity to equal percentage of executive's highest average compensation for any consecutive three-year period during the preceeding five years before retirement				25 years
Foreign Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation				$ 237	$ 238	$ 217
Discount rate				6.50%	6.25%
Expected return on plan assets				7.00%
Foreign currency exchange rate | Rp / $				14,198	14,034
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Actuarial Gain (Loss)				$ 3	$ (12)
Service cost				13	11	12
Interest cost				14	14	17
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Foreign Currency Translation Gain (Loss)				3	2
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Benefits Paid				20	14
Total pension plan net assets				240	251	$ 254
Actual return on plan assets				8	13
Employer contributions				4	2
Foreign exchange (losses) gains				(3)	(4)
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Benefits Paid				20	14
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded (Unfunded) Status of Plan				3	13
Accumulated benefit obligation				$ 194	$ 194
Rate of compensation increase				4.00%	4.00%
Other assets				$ 3	$ 13
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				0	0
Liability, Defined Benefit Plan, Noncurrent				0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts for Asset (Liability) Recognized in Statement of Financial Position				$ 3	$ 13
Discount rate				6.25%	7.25%	8.25%
Expected return on plan assets				7.75%	7.75%	8.25%
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Curtailment				$ 0	$ 0
Postretirement Medical and Life Insurance Benefit Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				7	7
Liability, Defined Benefit Plan, Noncurrent				57	69
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment		$ 4
Discount rate	240.00%
Expected return on plan assets	625.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Curtailment		184
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, (Increase) Decrease for Curtailment		$ 103
FCX [Member] | Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Increase (Decrease) for Plan Amendment				0	$ 0
PT Freeport Indonesia, Subsidiary | Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, Increase (Decrease) for Plan Amendment			$ 0	$ (2)