Represents the area of mining concessions.

No definition available.

Name:	scco_AreaOfMiningConcession
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the face value of one labor share.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_LaborShareFaceValue
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of shares in awards which the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtShares
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of former branch workers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_LossContingencyNumberOfFormerBranchWorkers
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

Name:	scco_LossContingencyNumberOfFormerEmployeesComplaintFiled
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of plaintiffs involved in new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffsInvolvedInNewClaimsFiled
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of former branch workers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_LossContingencyNumberOfSccFormerBranchWorkers
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the purchase price of shares paid to the plaintiff.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_LossContingencyPurchasePriceOfSharesPaidToPlaintiff
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of labor unions in the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_NumberOfLaborUnions
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of labor unions other than the majority workers unions in the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_NumberOfLaborUnionsOtherThanMajorityWorkersUnions
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of labor unions in the entity representing the majority of workers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_NumberOfLaborUnionsRepresentMajorityOfWorkers
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of annual salary increase under the collective bargaining agreement for the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfAnnualSalaryIncreaseAsPerCollectiveBargainingAgreementInYearOne
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of annual salary increase under the collective bargaining agreement for third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfAnnualSalaryIncreaseAsPerCollectiveBargainingAgreementInYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of annual salary increase under the collective bargaining agreement for second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfAnnualSalaryIncreaseAsPerCollectiveBargainingAgreementInYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of SCC's eligible employees during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfEligibleEmployees
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of labor shares issued by the Branch for all of its employees during that period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfLaborShares
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of labor which was unionized labor.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfLaborUnionized
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the percentage of mining concessions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfMiningConcession
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of soles de oro equivalent to one nuevo sol.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_SolesDeOroEquivalentToOneNuevoSol
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of pre-tax profit provided to mine workers in statutory participation enacted by the law.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkers
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

Name:	scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkersPaidInCash
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

Name:	scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkersPaidInEquity
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the portion of pre-tax profit provided to mine workers as equity pursuant to government legislation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_StatutoryParticipationReceivedAsEquity
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the term of the collective bargaining agreement with labor unions which represent the majority of workers (in years).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_TermOfCollectiveBargainingAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of workers of the Peruvian operations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_TotalNumberOfWorkers
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	scco_SiteAxis=scco_TiaMariaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	scco_SiteAxis=scco_VirgenMariaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=scco_GarciaAtaucuriLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_PE
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 ha	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 1992	Dec. 31, 1978	Dec. 31, 1971	Apr. 30, 1996 person	Aug. 31, 2009
Tia Maria
Litigation matter
Area of mining concession (in hectares)	32,989.64
Virgen Maria
Litigation matter
Area of mining concession (in hectares)	943.72
Percentage of mining concession	2.90%
Garcia Ataucuri litigation
Litigation matter
Number of plaintiffs involved in lawsuits filed	800
Number of former Branch workers	216
Number of former Branch workers	37
Peru
Litigation matter
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%
Percentage of labor unionized	6900.00%
Total number of workers	4,524
Number of labor unions	7
Number of labor unions represent majority of workers	3
Number of labor unions other than majority workers unions	4
Term of collective bargaining agreement		3 years
Percentage of annual salary increase as per collective bargaining agreement in year 2013		6.50%
Percentage of annual salary increase as per collective bargaining agreement in year 2014		5.00%
Percentage of annual salary increase as per collective bargaining agreement in year 2015		5.00%
Peru \| Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch
Litigation matter
Number of former employees who filed the complaint						900
Damages sought by the plaintiff(includes old soles and labor shares)	38,763,806.80
Face value of one labor share	100
Labor shares issued by the Branch (as a percent)	100.00%
Plaintiffs 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
Peru \| Exploraciones de Concesiones Metalicas S.A.C. ("Excomet")
Litigation matter
Purchase price of shares paid to former stockholders							$ 2