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):  February 26, 1997


                         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.
          The following news release was issued by Freeport-McMoRan  Copper
          & Gold Inc. on February 26, 1997:


          NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 26, 1997 -- Freeport-McMoRan Copper  &
          Gold Inc. (FCX)  today reaffirmed  its commitment  to making  the
          Busang mine development a world-class project in every respect.
               Said James R. Moffett, Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer
          of FCX: "We  will use our  best efforts  as 15-percent  interest-
          holder and  the  operator,  working with  our  partners  and  the
          Government of Indonesia, to ensure that the environmental impacts
          of the Busang mine are minimized and that the positive social and
          economic impacts are maximized, both for the local population and
          for the people of  Indonesia as a whole.  That is the essence  of
          our policy wherever we operate."
               Responding to a press statement on the Busang project issued
          today by  a group  of nongovernmental  organizations (NGOs),  Mr.
          Moffett said that,  "As FCX's representatives  are now  beginning
          due diligence  and planning  initial site  visits to  the  Busang
          project,   it  is  much too  early  to  discuss  specific  issues
          relating to  the project".   However,  he said,  "We share  their
          concern about the local people and have demonstrated that by  our
          actions in Irian Jaya."
               In Irian  Jaya,  FCX's  Indonesian  affiliate,  PT  Freeport
          Indonesia (PT-FI) has  constructed hospitals, schools,  churches,
          housing and community facilities  and instituted a  comprehensive
          series of health  and educational programs,  as well as  training
          initiatives  to  more  involve  the  Irianese  in  the   economic
          development taking place around them. PT-FI recently committed to
          provide one percent of its annual revenues over the next 10 years
          to  continue  these   initiatives  through   the  Government   of
          Indonesia's Integrated Timika  Development Plan,  which is  based
          upon the expressed desires of local leaders.
               FCX pointed out that the "rumors of environmental damage and
          complicity in  human rights  abuses" cited  by the  NGO group  in
          their news  release have  already been  dispelled by  independent
          investigations and  by  the  results of  independent  social  and
          environmental audits of PT-FI's operations in Irian Jaya, all  of
          which are a  matter of  public record.  FCX said  that the  final
          report of the environmental  audit and an  interim report of  the
          social cultural  audit concluded  that PT-FI's environmental  and
          social programs were sound.  The audits also included a number of
          recommendations for improvements, which PTFI has implemented or  
          is now in the process of implementing.
               Additionally, FCX  pointed  to  the public  record  of  five
          separate investigations of Irian Jaya human rights violations  --
          by the  National Human  Rights  Commission of  Indonesia  (KOMNAS
          HAM), the Catholic  Bishop of Jayapura,  the U.S. and  Australian
          Embassies and the  International Committee  of the  Red Cross  --
          none of which found any evidence of wrongdoing by any employee of
          PT-FI or FCX. The U.S. Embassy  issued a letter stating that  its
          representatives  "found  no   credible  evidence   substantiating
          charges of human rights abuses by Freeport personnel." And H.F.M.
          Munninghoff, the Catholic Bishop of Jayapura, said "My report  is
          not a  report about  Freeport and  does not  contain  accusations
          regarding Freeport."  He  also  said  "Freeport  is  not  at  all
          involved in these violations of human rights."
               FCX added that it  is on record  as strongly condemning  any
          human rights violations.
               FCX said it has maintained a dialogue with responsible  NGOs
          on issues  of environmental  and social  responsibility in  Irian
          Jaya and plans  on continuing  those discussions  as it  develops
          plans for the Busang project.
               "We intend to work hand-in-hand  with the local people,  the
          Government of  Indonesia and  our  partners to  develop  positive
          solutions that benefit everyone," said Mr. Moffett.
                FCX is  engaged  in mineral  exploration  and  development,
          mining and  milling of  copper, gold  and silver  in Irian  Jaya,
          Indonesia and the smelting and refining of copper concentrates in
          Spain.  FCX is also involved in a joint venture to construct  and
          operate a smelter/refinery in Indonesia.




                                      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/Michael A. Weaver
                                             ------------------------------
                                                   Michael A. Weaver
                                              Controller-Financial Reporting
                                                 (authorized signatory and
                                                Principal Accounting Officer)

          Date:  February 28, 1997
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6786}]
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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):  February 26, 1997

                         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.
          The following news release was issued by Freeport-McMoRan  Copper
          & Gold Inc. on February 26, 1997:

          NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 26, 1997 -- Freeport-McMoRan Copper  &
          Gold Inc. (FCX)  today reaffirmed  its commitment  to making  the
          Busang mine development a world-class project in every respect.
               Said James R. Moffett, Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer
          of FCX: "We  will use our  best efforts  as 15-percent  interest-
          holder and  the  operator,  working with  our  partners  and  the
          Government of Indonesia, to ensure that the environmental impacts
          of the Busang mine are minimized and that the positive social and
          economic impacts are maximized, both for the local population and
          for the people of  Indonesia as a whole.  That is the essence  of
          our policy wherever we operate."
               Responding to a press statement on the Busang project issued
          today by  a group  of nongovernmental  organizations (NGOs),  Mr.
          Moffett said that,  "As FCX's representatives  are now  beginning
          due diligence  and planning  initial site  visits to  the  Busang
          project,   it  is  much too  early  to  discuss  specific  issues
          relating to  the project".   However,  he said,  "We share  their
          concern about the local people and have demonstrated that by  our
          actions in Irian Jaya."
               In Irian  Jaya,  FCX's  Indonesian  affiliate,  PT  Freeport
          Indonesia (PT-FI) has  constructed hospitals, schools,  churches,
          housing and community facilities  and instituted a  comprehensive
          series of health  and educational programs,  as well as  training
          initiatives  to  more  involve  the  Irianese  in  the   economic
          development taking place around them. PT-FI recently committed to
          provide one percent of its annual revenues over the next 10 years
          to  continue  these   initiatives  through   the  Government   of
          Indonesia's Integrated Timika  Development Plan,  which is  based
          upon the expressed desires of local leaders.
               FCX pointed out that the "rumors of environmental damage and
          complicity in  human rights  abuses" cited  by the  NGO group  in
          their news  release have  already been  dispelled by  independent
          investigations and  by  the  results of  independent  social  and
          environmental audits of PT-FI's operations in Irian Jaya, all  of
          which are a  matter of  public record.  FCX said  that the  final
          report of the environmental  audit and an  interim report of  the
          social cultural  audit concluded  that PT-FI's environmental  and
          social programs were sound.  The audits also included a number of
          recommendations for improvements, which PTFI has implemented or  
          is now in the process of implementing.
               Additionally, FCX  pointed  to  the public  record  of  five
          separate investigations of Irian Jaya human rights violations  --
          by the  National Human  Rights  Commission of  Indonesia  (KOMNAS
          HAM), the Catholic  Bishop of Jayapura,  the U.S. and  Australian
          Embassies and the  International Committee  of the  Red Cross  --
          none of which found any evidence of wrongdoing by any employee of
          PT-FI or FCX. The U.S. Embassy  issued a letter stating that  its
          representatives  "found  no   credible  evidence   substantiating
          charges of human rights abuses by Freeport personnel." And H.F.M.
          Munninghoff, the Catholic Bishop of Jayapura, said "My report  is
          not a  report about  Freeport and  does not  contain  accusations
          regarding Freeport."  He  also  said  "Freeport  is  not  at  all
          involved in these violations of human rights."
               FCX added that it  is on record  as strongly condemning  any
          human rights violations.
               FCX said it has maintained a dialogue with responsible  NGOs
          on issues  of environmental  and social  responsibility in  Irian
          Jaya and plans  on continuing  those discussions  as it  develops
          plans for the Busang project.
               "We intend to work hand-in-hand  with the local people,  the
          Government of  Indonesia and  our  partners to  develop  positive
          solutions that benefit everyone," said Mr. Moffett.
                FCX is  engaged  in mineral  exploration  and  development,
          mining and  milling of  copper, gold  and silver  in Irian  Jaya,
          Indonesia and the smelting and refining of copper concentrates in
          Spain.  FCX is also involved in a joint venture to construct  and
          operate a smelter/refinery in Indonesia.

                                      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/Michael A. Weaver
                                             ------------------------------
                                                   Michael A. Weaver
                                              Controller-Financial Reporting
                                                 (authorized signatory and
                                                Principal Accounting Officer)

          Date:  February 28, 1997