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<META NAME="date" CONTENT="01/16/2003">
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>Washington, D.C. &nbsp;20549</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>FORM 8-K</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>CURRENT REPORT</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>Securities Exchange Act of 1934</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): &nbsp;January 15, 2003</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>FREEPORT-McMoRan COPPER &amp; GOLD INC.</P>
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<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:36pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Delaware &nbsp;&nbsp;</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:216pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;1-9916 </P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:288pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;74-2480931</P>
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<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:36pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(State or other</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:144pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>(Commission</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:288pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:324pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(IRS Employer </P>
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<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:144pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;File Number) </P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:324pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Identification</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:36pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;incorporation or</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:324pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Number)</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:36pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;organization)</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>1615 Poydras Street</P>
<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>New Orleans, Louisiana &nbsp;70112</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>Registrant's telephone number, including area code: &nbsp;(504) 582-4000</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; padding-left:72pt; text-indent:-72pt" align=justify>Item 5. &nbsp;<U>Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.</U></P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:36pt" align=justify>On January 15, 2003, Freeport-McMoRan Copper &amp; Gold Inc. issued the following press release:</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt">NEW ORLEANS, LA, January 15, 2003 -- Freeport-McMoRan Copper &amp; Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX) announced today that it plans to offer $250 million of senior notes due 2010. &nbsp;FCX would use the net proceeds of the offering to repay borrowings under its bank credit facilities, which would then allow FCX to use amounts available under its facilities along with available cash to redeem its Series I Gold-Denominated Preferred Stock, which has a mandatory redemption date of August 1, 2003. &nbsp;FCX plans to commence the offering later this week. &nbsp;</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt">The notes will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. &nbsp;FCX plans to issue the notes only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to persons outside the United States under Regulation S. &nbsp;</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;<B><I>&nbsp;</I></B></P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=center>SIGNATURE</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:36pt" align=justify>Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>FREEPORT-McMoRan COPPER &amp; GOLD INC.</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>By: \s\ C. Donald Whitmire, Jr.</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;----------------------------------------</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;C. Donald Whitmire, Jr.</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President and Controller - </P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Financial Reporting</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(authorized signatory and</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Principal Accounting Officer)</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt" align=justify>Date: &nbsp;January 15, 2003</P>
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  January 15, 2003
FREEPORT-McMoRan COPPER & GOLD INC.
Delaware
1-9916
74-2480931
(State or other
(Commission
(IRS Employer
jurisdiction of
File Number)
Identification
incorporation or
Number)
organization)
1615 Poydras Street
New Orleans, Louisiana  70112
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (504) 582-4000
Item 5.
Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.
On January 15, 2003, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. issued the following press release:
NEW ORLEANS, LA, January 15, 2003 -- Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX) announced today that it plans to offer $250 million of senior notes due 2010.  FCX would use the net proceeds of the offering to repay borrowings under its bank credit facilities, which would then allow FCX to use amounts available under its facilities along with available cash to redeem its Series I Gold-Denominated Preferred Stock, which has a mandatory redemption date of August 1, 2003.  FCX plans to commence the offering later this week.
The notes will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.  FCX plans to issue the notes only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to persons outside the United States under Regulation S.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
FREEPORT-McMoRan COPPER & GOLD INC.
By: \s\ C. Donald Whitmire, Jr.
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C. Donald Whitmire, Jr.
Vice President and Controller -
Financial Reporting
(authorized signatory and
Principal Accounting Officer)
Date:  January 15, 2003