FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * WHISLER J STEVEN   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol PHELPS DODGE CORP [PD] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O PHELPS DODGE CORPORATION, ONE NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/10/2006 (Street) PHOENIX, AZ 85004 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price COMMON SHARES (1) 04/10/2006   M   180,000 A $ 20.3025 542,306 (2) D   COMMON SHARES (3) 04/10/2006   S   180,000 D $ 84.3358 362,306 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS/RIGHTS TO PURCHASE (1)

$ 20.3025 (4)

04/10/2006

M

180,000 (4)

(5)

07/03/2012

COMMON SHARES

180,000 (4)

$ 20.3025

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
WHISLER J STEVEN C/O PHELPS DODGE CORPORATION ONE NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE PHOENIX, AZ 85004	X		Chairman and CEO

Signatures

/s/ S. David Colton, Attorney-in-fact for J. Steven Whisler		04/12/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	EXERCISE OF STOCK OPTIONS AND SAME DAY SALE OF UNDERLYING COMMON SHARES PURSUANT TO THE PHELPS DODGE 1998 STOCK OPTION AND RESTRICTED STOCK PLAN.
(2)	ON MARCH 13, 2006, THE COMMON STOCK OF PHELPS DODGE CORPORATION SPLIT 2-FOR-1, RESULTING IN THE REPORTING PERSON'S OWNERSHIP OF 271,153 ADDITIONAL SHARES OF COMMON STOCK.
(3)	THIS TRANSACTION WAS EFFECTED PURSUANT TO A RULE 10b5-1(c) TRADING PLAN ADOPTED BY THE REPORTING PERSON ON FEBRUARY 6, 2006.
(4)	THIS OPTION WAS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AS COVERING 150,000 SHARES AT AN EXERCISE PRICE OF $40.6050, BUT WAS ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THE STOCK SPLIT THAT OCCURRED ON MARCH 13, 2006.
(5)	THE OPTION VESTS IN THREE EQUAL ANNUAL INSTALLMENTS ON JULY 2, 2003, 2004 AND 2005.

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