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INTANGIBLE ASSETS: (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Intangible assets
Intangible assets excluding goodwill, gross	$ 141,000,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	$ 139,400,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Accumulated amortization	(48,100,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	(46,200,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Goodwill	17,000,000us-gaap_Goodwill	17,000,000us-gaap_Goodwill
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill), Total	109,872,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwill	110,219,000us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwill
Amortization expense:
Amortization expense	1,900,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	2,400,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	2,200,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Estimated amortization expense:
2015-2019	7,600,000scco_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsFutureAmortizationExpenseFiveYears
Average annual	1,500,000scco_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAverageAnnualFutureAmortizationExpense
Mining concessions
Intangible assets
Intangible assets excluding goodwill, gross	121,200,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_UseRightsMember	121,200,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_UseRightsMember
Accumulated amortization	(33,900,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_UseRightsMember	(33,000,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_UseRightsMember
Mine engineering and development studies
Intangible assets
Intangible assets excluding goodwill, gross	6,000,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = scco_MiningEngineeringAndDevelopmentStudiesMember	6,000,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = scco_MiningEngineeringAndDevelopmentStudiesMember
Accumulated amortization	(5,200,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = scco_MiningEngineeringAndDevelopmentStudiesMember	(4,900,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = scco_MiningEngineeringAndDevelopmentStudiesMember
Software
Intangible assets
Intangible assets excluding goodwill, gross	13,800,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember	12,200,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember
Accumulated amortization	$ (9,000,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember	$ (8,300,000)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember

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Represents the average annual estimated amortization expense for the five succeeding fiscal years for intangible assets subject to amortization.

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Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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