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COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: (Details 4) (USD $) |  | 2 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 1997 | Jan. 31, 2005 Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (the "Transaction") | Oct. 31, 2010 Asarco LLC American Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction | Jun. 30, 2011 American Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction | Oct. 31, 2010 American Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction | Jun. 30, 2011 Peruvian operations. Toquepala and Cuajone mines | Jun. 30, 2010 Peruvian operations. Toquepala and Cuajone mines | Jun. 30, 2011 Peruvian operations. Tia Maria
Litigation matter |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits filed |  | 3 | 2 |  | 4 |  |  |
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits which are consolidated |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated purported class action derivative lawsuits |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |
Period of trial (in days) |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |
Other commitments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of royalty expense, low end of the range (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 1.00% |  |
Percentage of royalty expense, high end of the range (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 3.00% |  |
Royalty charge |  |  |  |  |  | $ 31,800,000 | $ 27,600,000 |
Period for which the first resolution of approval process is suspended (in days) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 180
Term of power purchase agreement related to sale of power plant (in years) | 20 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total budget for the project |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,000,000,000
Number of new jobs generated in construction phase |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,000
Number of direct and indirect permanent jobs generated in construction phase |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,100
Estimated annual production of copper cathodes (in tons) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120,000
Amount invested in mine and leach equipment and required studies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 442,000,000

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- Details
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