UNITED
STATES
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 11,
2008
FREEPORT-McMoRan
COPPER & GOLD INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
Delaware
|
1-9916
|
74-2480931
|
||
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
|
(Commission
File Number)
|
(IRS
Employer Identification Number)
|
|
One
North Central Avenue
|
|
|
Phoenix,
Arizona
|
85004-4414
|
|
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
Registrant's
telephone number, including area code: (602) 366-8100
Check
the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
[
]
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
[
]
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
[
]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
Act
(17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[
]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
Act
(17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item
1.01 Entry
into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On
January 11, 2008, FM Services Company (FM Services), a wholly owned subsidiary
of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX), entered into a consulting
agreement with Dr. J. Taylor Wharton. Under the consulting agreement, Dr.
Wharton will receive an annual fee of $400,000 for consulting services rendered
in connection with all medical and health affairs affecting FM Services, its
affiliates and their respective directors, officers and
employees. The initial term of the consulting agreement is from
January 11, 2008 through December 31, 2008, and is subject to automatic renewal
on the same terms and conditions for successive one-year terms.
In
connection with entering into the consulting agreement, effective January 11,
2008, Dr. Wharton has resigned as a member of the Corporate Personnel Committee
of the Board of Directors of FCX and as the Chairman of the Public Policy
Committee of the Board of Directors of FCX. Dr. Wharton will continue
to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of FCX and as a member of the
Public Policy Committee of the Board of Directors of FCX. Effective
January 11, 2008, the FCX Board appointed Stephen H. Siegele to serve as the
Chairman of the Public Policy Committee of the Board. The FCX Board
consists of sixteen directors, nine of whom are independent as defined under
the
New York Stock Exchange director independence standards.
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 hereunto
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: January
14, 2008