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COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: (Details 4) (USD $) |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 13 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended | 2 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 1997 Y | Dec. 31, 2011 Peru | Dec. 31, 2011 Peru | Dec. 31, 2011 Peru Maximum | Sep. 30, 2011 Peru Maximum | Sep. 30, 2011 Peru Minimum | Dec. 31, 2011 Peru Minimum | Dec. 31, 2011 Toquepala and Cuajone mines Peru | Dec. 31, 2010 Toquepala and Cuajone mines Peru | Dec. 31, 2009 Toquepala and Cuajone mines Peru | Dec. 31, 2011 Toquepala and Cuajone mines Peru Maximum | Dec. 31, 2011 Tia Maria t | Dec. 31, 2011 Tia Maria Peru | Dec. 31, 2011 Asarco LLC Toquepala and Cuajone mines Peru Minimum | Jan. 31, 2005 Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (the "Transaction") lawsuit | Oct. 31, 2011 Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction | Oct. 31, 2010 Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction lawsuit | Oct. 31, 2010 Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction Asarco LLC lawsuit
Litigation matter |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits filed |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  | 4 | 2
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits which are consolidated |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |
Number of consolidated purported class action derivative lawsuits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |
Damages awarded by court |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,347,000,000 |  |
Pre-adjustment interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 684,600,000 |  |
Attorney's fees and expenses awarded, option 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 304,700,000 |  |
Attorney's fees and expenses awarded, option 2 (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15.00% |  |
Other commitments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated annual production of copper cathodes (in tons) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of royalty expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3.00% |  |  | 1.00% |  |  |  |
Mining Royalty charge |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 52,500,000 | 65,500,000 | 43,700,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Mining royalty tax (as a percent) |  |  |  |  | 12.00% | 1.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating income margin (as a percent) |  |  | 10.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increment in operating income margin (as a percent) |  |  |  | 85.00% |  |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase in royalty tax rate for each 5% increase in operating income margin (as a percent) |  |  | 0.75% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for mining royalty tax |  |  | 19,300,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Term of power purchase agreement related to sale of power plant (in years) | 20 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total budget for the project |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Amount invested in mine and leach equipment and required studies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 434,100,000 |  |  |  |  |
Provision for special mining tax |  | $ 16,400,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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