STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: (Details 3)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Directors' Stock Award Plan
Share based compensation plan
Common shares received on election as director	1,200
Additional shares issued at each annual general meeting	1,200
Total SCC shares reserved for the plan	600,000	600,000
Activity in directors' stock award plan
Granted at the beginning of the period (in shares)	(297,600)	(285,600)
Granted in the period (in shares)	(12,000)	(12,000)
Granted at the end of the period (in shares)	(309,600)	(297,600)
Remaining shares reserved	290,400	302,400
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Share based compensation
Percentage of title acquired by employee in every two years on shares paid in previous two years	50.00%
The period describing the expiration of the contribution period and the bonus eligibility	8 years
Bonus shares granted to participant (as a ratio)	0.1

Represents the additional number of shares issued to the director at each annual general meeting.

No definition available.

Name:	scco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAdditionalAnnualSharesGrantedToDirectors
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the ratio of bonus granted to the participant upon meeting the eligibility period of the share based compensation plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The period after which the employee has purchased shares through the plan through payroll deductions and is therefore eligible for the bonus grant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the percentage of title acquired by the employee in every two years on shares paid in previous two years.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the number of shares issued to the director at the time of election.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesGrantedOnElectionToDirectors
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of shares granted under the share based compensation arrangement plan as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesGrants
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of shares granted during the period under share based compensation arrangement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	scco_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesGrantsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=scco_DirectorsStockAwardPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=scco_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: