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COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2012 Garcia Ataucuri litigation plaintiff | Dec. 31, 1992 Peru | Dec. 31, 1978 Peru | Dec. 31, 1971 Peru | Mar. 31, 2012 Peru Agreements expiring during 2012 union | Mar. 31, 2012 Peru Agreements expiring on August 31, 2012 union | Mar. 31, 2012 Peru Agreements expiring in November 2012 union | May 31, 2011 Peru Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch person | Apr. 30, 1996 Peru Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch person | Mar. 31, 2012 Peru Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch solesdeoro | Aug. 31, 2009 Peru Exploraciones de Concesiones Metalicas S.A.C. ("Excomet") | Mar. 31, 2012 Mexican Operations. union | Feb. 19, 2010 Mexican Operations. Pasta de Conchos Accident person
Litigation matter |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of widows of miners who filed the complaint |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3
Number of former employees who filed the complaint |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 216 | 900 |  |  |  |
Statutory participation of mine workers in pre-tax profit (as a percent) |  | 8.00% |  | 10.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statutory participation of mine workers in pre-tax profit paid in cash (as a percent) |  | 100.00% | 4.00% | 40.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statutory participation of mine workers in pre-tax profit received as equity interest of enterprise (as a percent) |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of pre-tax profits delivered as "labor shares" |  |  | 5.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Damages sought by the plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 38,763,806.80 "labor shares" (acciones laborales) (or 3,876,380,679.56 "soles de oro") to be issued under the former profit sharing law proportionally to each former employee in accordance with the time of employment of such employee with SCC's Branch in Peru, plus dividends |  |  |
Face value of one labor share |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00 |  |  |
Plantiffs do not represent the percent of SCC's eligible employees |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |
Soles de oro equivalent to today's one nuevo sol |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,000,000,000 |  |  |
Purchase price of shares paid to former stockholders |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2 |  |
Number of labor unions |  |  |  |  | 8 | 3 | 1 |  |  |  |  | 3 |
Number of plaintiffs involved in lawsuits filed | 800 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

X
- Definition Represents the face value of one labor share. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the number of former employees who filed the complaint seeking the delivery of a substantial number of its labor shares (acciones laborales) plus dividends on such shares. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the number of plaintiffs involved in new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the number of widows of miners, who perished in the 2006 Pasta de Conchos accident, that filed a complaint for damages. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the percentage of SCC's eligible employees during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the percentage of pre-tax profit provided to mine workers in statutory participation enacted by the law. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the percentage of pre-tax profit provided to mine workers in cash in statutory participation enacted by the law. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the percentage of pre-tax profit provided to mine workers in equity interest of the enterprise in statutory participation enacted by the law. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the portion of pre-tax profit provided to mine workers as equity pursuant to government legislation. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Describes the form and magnitude of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter, which may include an unspecified amount of money. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14557-108349 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14326-108349 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
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