Item 8.01 Other Events.

Payment of Annual Incentive Plan awards in Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units

On January 29, 2013, the corporate personnel committee of the board of directors of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX) approved awards for fiscal year 2012 under FCX's 2009 Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) to its executive officers. In prior years, and as provided for in the AIP, the committee has delivered awards under the AIP in a combination of cash and performance-based restricted stock units (RSUs).

The Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, and the Chief Financial Officer did not receive any cash bonuses for 2012. All 2012 AIP awards to these three executive officers were made in the form of performance-based RSUs with a value of $9.9 million for each of the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer, and $3.3 million for the Chief Financial Officer. The performance-based RSUs are valued at approximately 94 percent of the closing stock price on the grant date ($35.01). The performance-based RSUs cliff vest after three years if a specified return on investment measure has been achieved, with 20 percent of the award subject to forfeiture if FCX's total shareholder return for the three-year period is below the median of a specified peer group.

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