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FINANCING: (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			89 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Nov. 30, 2012 item
FINANCING
Total debt	$ 4,206,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt	$ 4,204,900,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Less, current portion	(200,000,000)us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities, Total	4,006,031,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	4,204,915,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Face amount of debt				4,200,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Number of times for which senior unsecured notes were issued				6scco_NumberOfTimesSeniorUnsecuredNotesIssued
Debt issuance cost capitalized	25,200,000us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsGross	26,100,000us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsGross
Amortization charged to interest expense	900,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts	800,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts	600,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts
Percentage of principal amount at which notes may be required to be repurchased in event of change of control in the entity	101.00%scco_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPriceDueToControlChangeAsPercentageOfPrincipalAmount
Minimum
FINANCING
Number of rating agencies that could cause a change of control triggering event	1scco_DebtInstrumentChangeOfControlTriggeringEventRatingDeclineRatingAgenciesNumber / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
Number of decreased gradations that could cause a change of control triggering event	1scco_DebtInstrumentChangeOfControlTriggeringEventRatingDeclineGradationsDecreaseNumber / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
6.375% Senior unsecured notes due 2015
FINANCING
Total debt	199,800,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.375PercentDue2015Member	199,700,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.375PercentDue2015Member
Face amount of debt	200,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.375PercentDue2015Member
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.375%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.375PercentDue2015Member
5.375% Notes due 2020
FINANCING
Total debt	398,800,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.375PercentDue2020Member	398,600,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.375PercentDue2020Member
Face amount of debt	400,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.375PercentDue2020Member
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.375%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.375PercentDue2020Member
3.500% Senior unsecured notes due 2022
FINANCING
Total debt	299,200,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes3.50PercentDue2022Member	299,100,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes3.50PercentDue2022Member
Face amount of debt	300,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes3.50PercentDue2022Member
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes3.50PercentDue2022Member
6.750% Senior unsecured notes due 2040
FINANCING
Total debt	1,092,200,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes6.75PercentDue2040Member	1,092,100,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes6.75PercentDue2040Member
Face amount of debt	1,100,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes6.75PercentDue2040Member
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes6.75PercentDue2040Member
5.250% Senior unsecured notes due 2042
FINANCING
Total debt	1,179,100,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2042Member	1,178,800,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2042Member
Face amount of debt	1,200,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2042Member
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_FixedRateSeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2042Member
9.250% Yankee Bonds due 2028
FINANCING
Total debt	51,100,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_YankeeBondsSeriesB9.25PercentDue2028Member	51,100,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_YankeeBondsSeriesB9.25PercentDue2028Member
Face amount of debt	125,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_YankeeBondsSeriesB9.25PercentDue2028Member
Interest rate (as a percent)	9.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_YankeeBondsSeriesB9.25PercentDue2028Member
9.250% Yankee Bonds due 2028 | Minera Mexico | Minimum
FINANCING
Ratio of EBITDA to interest expense	2.5scco_DebtInstrumentCovenantRatioEBITDAToInterestExpense / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_YankeeBondsSeriesB9.25PercentDue2028Member / dei_LegalEntityAxis = scco_MineraMexicoMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
7.500% Senior unsecured notes due 2035
FINANCING
Total debt	985,800,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes7.50PercentDue2035Member	985,500,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes7.50PercentDue2035Member
Face amount of debt	1,000,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes7.50PercentDue2035Member
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes7.50PercentDue2035Member
Debt issuance cost capitalized	$ 28,900,000us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsGross / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = scco_SeniorUnsecuredNotes7.50PercentDue2035Member

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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