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INCOME TAXES: (Details 2)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 item	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Reconciliation of the statutory income tax rate to the effective tax rate
Expected tax at U.S. statutory rate (as a percent)	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Foreign tax at other than statutory rate, net of foreign tax credit benefit (as a percent)	(0.90%)scco_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationIncomeTaxRateDifferential	(0.20%)scco_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationIncomeTaxRateDifferential	(0.50%)scco_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationIncomeTaxRateDifferential
Percentage depletion (as a percent)	(5.20%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseDepletion	(5.00%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseDepletion	(4.20%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseDepletion
Other permanent differences (as a percent)	4.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	3.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	3.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther
Increase (decrease) in unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions (as a percent)	0.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxContingencies		5.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxContingencies
Repatriated foreign earnings (as a percent)	(0.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	(1.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential	(1.70%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential
Amounts (over) / under provided in prior years (as a percent)	2.20%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes	0.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes	(0.60%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes
Other (as a percent)	0.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments	0.10%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments	(0.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Effective income tax rate	36.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations	32.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations	36.30%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
U.S. statutory rate (as a percent)	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Number of jurisdictions where company files income tax returns	3scco_NumberOfJurisdictionsWhereEntityFilesIncomeTaxReturn
Duration for which statutory tax rates for Peru and Mexico are considered to determine effective tax rate	3 years
Peru
Reconciliation of the statutory income tax rate to the effective tax rate
Expected tax at U.S. statutory rate (as a percent)	30.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE	30.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE	30.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE
U.S. statutory rate (as a percent)	30.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE	30.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE	30.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE
Mexico
Reconciliation of the statutory income tax rate to the effective tax rate
Expected tax at U.S. statutory rate (as a percent)	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_MX	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_MX	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_MX
U.S. statutory rate (as a percent)	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_MX	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_MX	35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_MX

X

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Represents the duration for which statutory tax rates for Peru and Mexico considered to determine effective tax rate.

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The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the difference between special tax rate applicable to eligible income and the domestic federal statutory income tax rate recorded during the period.

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Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss).

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