Freeport-McMoRan 2005 Annual Report Download - page 62
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Please find page 62 of the 2005 Freeport-McMoRan annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.TotheBoardofDirectorsandStockholdersof
Freeport-McMoRanCopper&GoldInc.
Wehaveauditedmanagement’sassessment,includedinthe
accompanyingManagement’sReportonInternalControl
OverFinancialReporting,thatFreeport-McMoRanCopper&
GoldInc.anditssubsidiariesmaintainedeffectiveinternal
controloverfinancialreportingasofDecember31,2005,
basedoncriteriaestablishedinInternalControl-Integrated
FrameworkissuedbytheCommitteeofSponsoring
OrganizationsoftheTreadwayCommission(COSO).
Freeport-McMoRanCopper&GoldInc.’smanagementis
responsibleformaintainingeffectiveinternalcontrolover
financialreportingandforitsassessmentoftheeffectiveness
ofinternalcontroloverfinancialreporting.Our
responsibilityistoexpressanopiniononmanagement’s
assessmentandanopinionontheeffectivenessofthe
company’sinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingbasedon
ouraudit.
Weconductedourauditinaccordancewiththestandards
ofthePublicCompanyAccountingOversightBoard(United
States).Thosestandardsrequirethatweplanandperformthe
audittoobtainreasonableassuranceaboutwhethereffective
internalcontroloverfinancialreportingwasmaintainedin
allmaterialrespects.Ourauditincludedobtainingan
understandingofinternalcontroloverfinancialreporting,
evaluatingmanagement’sassessment,testingandevaluating
thedesignandoperatingeffectivenessofinternalcontrol,and
performingsuchotherproceduresasweconsiderednecessary
inthecircumstances.Webelievethatourauditprovidesa
reasonablebasisforouropinion.
Acompany’sinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingisa
processdesignedtoprovidereasonableassuranceregarding
thereliabilityoffinancialreportingandthepreparation
offinancialstatementsforexternalpurposesinaccordance
withgenerallyacceptedaccountingprinciples.Acompany’s
internalcontroloverfinancialreportingincludesthose
policiesandproceduresthat(1)pertaintothemaintenance
ofrecordsthat,inreasonabledetail,accuratelyandfairly
reflectthetransactionsanddispositionsoftheassetsofthe
company;(2)providereasonableassurancethattransactions
arerecordedasnecessarytopermitpreparationoffinancial
statementsinaccordancewithgenerallyaccepted
accountingprinciples,andthatreceiptsandexpenditures
ofthecompanyarebeingmadeonlyinaccordancewith
authorizationsofmanagementanddirectorsofthecompany;
and(3)providereasonableassuranceregardingpreventionor
timelydetectionofunauthorizedacquisition,use,or
dispositionofthecompany’sassetsthatcouldhaveamaterial
effectonthefinancialstatements.
Becauseofitsinherentlimitations,internalcontrolover
financialreportingmaynotpreventordetectmisstatements.
Also,projectionsofanyevaluationofeffectivenesstofuture
periodsaresubjecttotheriskthatcontrolsmaybeinadequate
becauseofchangesinconditions,orthatthedegreeof
compliancewiththepoliciesorproceduresmaydeteriorate.
Inouropinion,management’sassessmentthatFreeport-
McMoRanCopper&GoldInc.anditssubsidiariesmaintained
effectiveinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingasof
December31,2005,isfairlystated,inallmaterialrespects,
basedontheCOSOcriteria.Also,inouropinion,
Freeport-McMoRanCopper&GoldInc.anditssubsidiaries
maintained,inallmaterialrespects,effectiveinternal
controloverfinancialreportingasofDecember31,2005,
basedontheCOSOcriteria.
Wehavealsoaudited,inaccordancewiththestandardsof
thePublicCompanyAccountingOversightBoard(United
States),theconsolidatedbalancesheetsofFreeport-McMoRan
Copper&GoldInc.anditssubsidiariesasofDecember31,
2005and2004,andtherelatedstatementsofincome,cash
flowsandstockholders’equityforeachofthethreeyears
intheperiodendedDecember31,2005andourreportdated
February24,2006expressedanunqualifiedopinionthereon.
Ernst&YoungLLP
NewOrleans,Louisiana
February24,2006
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
59|2005ANNUALREPORTFINANCIAL&OPERATINGINFORMATION