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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011 segment dollarsperpound Y | Dec. 31, 2010 dollarsperpound | Dec. 31, 2009 dollarsperpound
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: |  |  |
Estimated useful lives of buildings and equipment, low end of range (in years) | 5 |  |
Estimated useful lives of buildings and equipment, high end of range (in years) | 40 |  |
Increase in total reserves at a property to qualify as a major expansion (as a percent) | 10.00% |  |
Period considered for calculation of average metal price (in years) | 3 |  |
Current price of copper (in dollars per pound) | 3.26 | 2.97 | 2.90
Long-term price assumptions for copper for internal ore reserve estimation |  | 1.80 | 1.80
Long-term price assumptions for molybdenum for internal ore reserve estimation |  | 11.00 | 11.00
Long-term price assumption for copper for internal ore reserve estimation to reflect the changes in market trends | 2.00 |  |
Long-term price assumptions for molybdenum for internal ore reserve estimation to reflect the changes in market trends | 12.00 |  |
Number of years of average prices for copper used for ore reserve estimation | 10 |  |
Number of years of average prices for molybdenum used for ore reserve estimation | 15 |  |
Average price of copper (in dollars per pound) | 3.00 |  |
Average price of molybdenum (in dollars per pound) | 14.74 |  |
Number of years of average prices for copper and molybdenum used for impairment analysis | 3 |  |
Number of reportable segments | 3 |  |
Financial information related to segments |  |  |
Total property, net | $ 4,419,885 | $ 4,094,993 | $ 3,969,600
Maximum |  |  |
Financial information related to segments |  |  |
Maximum period after shipping within which pricing is based by customer contracts in most cases (in months) | 3 |  |
Maximum maturity period of cash equivalents (in months) | 3 |  |
Percentage applied in measuring hedge effectiveness | 125.00% |  |
Minimum |  |  |
Financial information related to segments |  |  |
Percentage applied in measuring hedge effectiveness | 80.00% |  |
Mine development |  |  |
Financial information related to segments |  |  |
Total property, net | 39,800 | 42,100 |
Mexican IMMSA Unit |  |  |
Financial information related to segments |  |  |
Number of underground poly metal mines | 5 |  |
Total property, net | 320,100 | 296,300 | 278,400
Peruvian Operations |  |  |
Financial information related to segments |  |  |
Number of open-pit copper mines | 2 |  |
Total property, net | $ 2,225,900 | $ 2,164,700 | $ 2,026,300

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