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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>Washington, D.C. &nbsp;20549</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>FORM 8-K</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>CURRENT REPORT</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>Securities Exchange Act of 1934</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): &nbsp;December 4, 2003</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>FREEPORT-McMoRan COPPER &amp; GOLD INC.</P>
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<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:36pt; font-family:Arial">&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; font-family:Arial">&nbsp;&nbsp;1-9916 </P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:288pt; font-family:Arial">&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; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(State or other</P>
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<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:216pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>(Commission</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:288pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:324pt; font-family:Arial" 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:216pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;File Number) </P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:288pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:324pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Identification</P>
<P style="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:-12pt; text-indent:36pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;incorporation or</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:324pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Number)</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>1615 Poydras Street</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>New Orleans, Louisiana &nbsp;70112</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" 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; font-family:Arial" align=justify>Item 5. &nbsp;<U>Other Events.</U></P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial">Freeport-McMoRan Copper &amp; Gold Inc. issued a press release dated December 4, 2003, announcing that it has called for redemption on December 19, 2003, its Step-Up Convertible Preferred Stock and each depositary share representing 0.05 shares of its Step-Up Preferred Stock (see Exhibit 99).</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>SIGNATURE</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:36pt; font-family:Arial" 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; font-family:Arial" align=justify>FREEPORT-McMoRan COPPER &amp; GOLD INC.</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>By: \s\ C. Donald Whitmire, Jr. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;----------------------------------------</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt; font-family:Arial" 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; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President and Controller - </P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Financial Reporting</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(authorized signatory and</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; text-indent:216pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Principal Accounting Officer)</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=justify>Date: &nbsp;December 4, 2003</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>Freeport-McMoRan Copper &amp; Gold Inc.</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial" align=center>Exhibit Index</P>
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<P style="margin:0pt; font-family:Arial">Exhibit </P>
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99</P>
<P style="margin:0pt; padding-left:18pt; font-family:Arial">Press release dated December 4, 2003, titled &#147;Freeport-McMoRan Copper &amp; Gold Inc. Announces<B> </B>Redemption of its Step-Up Convertible Preferred Stock.&#148;</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):  December 4, 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.
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. issued a press release dated December 4, 2003, announcing that it has called for redemption on December 19, 2003, its Step-Up Convertible Preferred Stock and each depositary share representing 0.05 shares of its Step-Up Preferred Stock (see Exhibit 99).
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.
----------------------------------------
C. Donald Whitmire, Jr.
Vice President and Controller -
Financial Reporting
(authorized signatory and
Principal Accounting Officer)
Date:  December 4, 2003
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.
Exhibit Index
Exhibit
Number
99
Press release dated December 4, 2003, titled "Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Announces
Redemption of its Step-Up Convertible Preferred Stock."