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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 PY307DjCNS5OnIDOlyX+TTVwJMMiC7ep65CML1Leb8kmvIasiwtM8sYw93xD3do4
 BO/mwbyRPAPwUyUSzFbj2g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-10-014337.txt : 20100305
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-10-014337.hdr.sgml : 20100305
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100305172729
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-10-014337
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20100303
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100305
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100305

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RANKIN B M JR
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001200693

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-11307-01
		FILM NUMBER:		10661764

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FREEPORT MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000831259
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	METAL MINING [1000]
		IRS NUMBER:				742480931
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE
		CITY:			PHOENIX
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85004-4414
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6023668100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1615 POYDRAS STREET
		CITY:			NEW ORLEANS
		STATE:			LA
		ZIP:			70112

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FREEPORT MCMORAN COPPER COMPANY INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19910114
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd268733.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FCX - RANKIN FORM 4 3/10
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-03-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000831259</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FREEPORT MCMORAN COPPER &amp; GOLD INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FCX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200693</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RANKIN B M JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>300 CRESCENT COURT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 875</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Forward Sale Contract (right/obligation to sell)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-03-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Rankin Interests Ltd. Partnership</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On March 3, 2010, Rankin Interests Limited Partnership (the &quot;LP&quot;) entered into a range forward sale contract with a securities broker pursuant to which the LP agreed to sell 100,000 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer (the &quot;Common Stock&quot;) to the securities broker on March 3, 2011 (the &quot;Maturity Date&quot;), with the sale price to be determined and paid on the Maturity Date according to the following formula (subject to possible adjustment as provided in the contract): (i) if the closing price of a share of Common Stock on the Maturity Date is $64.00 or less, the sale price will be $64.00 per share, (ii) if the closing price of a share of Common Stock on the Maturity Date is $94.40 or more, the sales price will be $94.40 per share, and (iii) if the closing price of a share of Common Stock on the Maturity Date is between $64.00 and $94.40, the sale price will be the closing price on the Maturity Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The LP may instead elect to settle the contract in cash and retain ownership of the 100,000 shares.  Until the Maturity Date, the LP will continue to hold beneficial ownership of these shares, and will have voting rights and the right to receive regular quarterly dividend payments of $0.15 per share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kelly C. Simoneaux, on behalf of B. M. Rankin, Jr. pursuant to a power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-03-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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