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):  July 30, 2001



               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 July 30, 2001, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. issued
the following press release:

     NEW ORLEANS, LA, July 30, 2001 -- Freeport-McMoRan Copper &
Gold Inc. (NYSE: FCX) announced today that it plans to privately
offer $300 million in convertible notes.  The notes would be due
in January 2006 and would be convertible, at the option of the
holder, into shares of FCX's common stock at a conversion price
to be determined on the pricing date.  A portfolio of U.S.
government securities will be pledged as security for the first
six scheduled interest payments on the notes.  The remaining net
proceeds from the offering will be used to repay a portion of
FCX's borrowings under its existing bank credit facilities.

The  notes will only be offered to qualified institutional buyers
in  accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act  of  1933.
The  notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion  of  the
notes will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933  or
the  securities laws of any other jurisdiction.  Unless they  are
registered,   the  notes  may  be  offered  and  sold   only   in
transactions  that  are  exempt  from  registration   under   the
Securities  Act  of  1933 or the securities  laws  of  any  other
jurisdiction.  This press release does not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the notes.



                            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
                                   ------------------------------
                                         C. Donald Whitmire
                                    Vice President and Controller-
                                       Financial Reporting
                                       (authorized signatory and
                                       Principal Accounting Officer)

Date:  July 30, 2001
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "k8.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3023}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "FREEPORT MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD INC", "cik": "0000831259", "assigned-sic": "1000", "irs-number": "742480931", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-09916", "film-number": "1692211"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1615 POYDRAS ST", "city": "NEW ORLEANS", "state": "LA", "zip": "70112", "phone": "5045824000"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "FREEPORT MCMORAN COPPER COMPANY INC", "date-changed": "19910114"}}
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):  July 30, 2001

               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 July 30, 2001, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. issued
the following press release:

     NEW ORLEANS, LA, July 30, 2001 -- Freeport-McMoRan Copper &
Gold Inc. (NYSE: FCX) announced today that it plans to privately
offer $300 million in convertible notes.  The notes would be due
in January 2006 and would be convertible, at the option of the
holder, into shares of FCX's common stock at a conversion price
to be determined on the pricing date.  A portfolio of U.S.
government securities will be pledged as security for the first
six scheduled interest payments on the notes.  The remaining net
proceeds from the offering will be used to repay a portion of
FCX's borrowings under its existing bank credit facilities.

The  notes will only be offered to qualified institutional buyers
in  accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act  of  1933.
The  notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion  of  the
notes will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933  or
the  securities laws of any other jurisdiction.  Unless they  are
registered,   the  notes  may  be  offered  and  sold   only   in
transactions  that  are  exempt  from  registration   under   the
Securities  Act  of  1933 or the securities  laws  of  any  other
jurisdiction.  This press release does not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the notes.

                            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
                                   ------------------------------
                                         C. Donald Whitmire
                                    Vice President and Controller-
                                       Financial Reporting
                                       (authorized signatory and
                                       Principal Accounting Officer)

Date:  July 30, 2001