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STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: (Details) (USD $) | 0 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 5 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 53 Months Ended |  |  | 12 Months Ended | 2 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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May 31, 2012 | Apr. 23, 2012 | Feb. 28, 2012 | Oct. 31, 2012 | Sep. 30, 2012 | Aug. 31, 2012 | Jun. 30, 2012 | Sep. 30, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2008 | Oct. 14, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Sep. 30, 2009 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 TREASURY STOCK: Grupo Mexico | Dec. 31, 2011 TREASURY STOCK: Grupo Mexico | Dec. 31, 2012 TREASURY STOCK: Southern Copper common shares | Dec. 31, 2011 TREASURY STOCK: Southern Copper common shares | Dec. 31, 2012 TREASURY STOCK: Parent Company (Grupo Mexico) common shares | Dec. 31, 2011 TREASURY STOCK: Parent Company (Grupo Mexico) common shares | Jan. 31, 2005 Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (the "Transaction") lawsuit | Oct. 31, 2012 Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction | Dec. 31, 2012 Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction
Delaware Court Decision Related to SCC Shareholder Derivative Lawsuit: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits filed |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits which are consolidated |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |
Number of consolidated purported class action derivative lawsuits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |
Legal fees related to AMC damage award |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 316,200,000 |
AMC damage award |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,108,221,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (2,108,200,000)
Legal fees related to AMC damage award |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 316,200,000
Activity in treasury stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance at the beginning of the period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 897,852,000 |  |  |  | 734,100,000 | 461,000,000 | 163,700,000 | 161,700,000 |  |  |
Purchase of shares | 14,300,000 | 8,400,000 |  | 15,000,000 | 95,900,000 | 3,200,000 | 10,500,000 |  | 384,700,000 | 500,000 | 273,700,000 | 71,900,000 | 147,300,000 | 878,100,000 |  |  | 147,300,000 | 273,600,000 |  |  |  |  |
Stock dividend distribution |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (151,400,000) |  |  |  |  |  |
Used for corporate purposes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (200,000) | (500,000) |  |  |  |  |
Other activity, including dividend, interest and currency translation effect |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 25,300,000 | 2,000,000 |  |  |
Balance at the end of the period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 897,852,000 |  | $ 918,791,000 | $ 918,791,000 |  |  | $ 729,800,000 | $ 734,100,000 | $ 189,000,000 | $ 163,700,000 |  |  |
Treasury stock balance at the end of the period (in shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80,674,702 | 84,606,069 | 39,045,536 | 43,616,086 |  |  |  |  |
Stock dividend paid (in shares) |  |  | 9,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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