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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: (Details 2) | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 Tia Maria ha | Aug. 31, 2009 Virgen Maria USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2015 Virgen Maria ha | Mar. 31, 2015 Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch item | May 31, 2011 Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch item | Mar. 31, 2012 Armando Cornejo Flores Against SCC Peruvian Branch former workers item | Mar. 31, 2015 Garcia Ataucuri litigation plaintiff | Dec. 31, 1992 Peru | Dec. 31, 1978 Peru | Dec. 31, 1971 Peru | Apr. 30, 1996 Peru Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch person | Mar. 31, 2014 Peru Garcia Ataucuri and Others against SCC's Peruvian Branch PEN item | Mar. 31, 2015 Peru Labor Matters item
Litigation matter |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of former employees who filed the complaint |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 900 scco_LossContingencyNumberOfFormerEmployeesComplaintFiled / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |  |
Statutory participation of mine workers in pre-tax profit (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8.00%scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkers / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |  | 10.00%scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkers / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |  |  |
Statutory participation of mine workers in pre-tax profit paid in cash (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00%scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkersPaidInCash / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE | 4.00%scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkersPaidInCash / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE | 40.00%scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkersPaidInCash / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |  |  |
Statutory participation of mine workers in pre-tax profit received as equity interest of enterprise (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 60.00%scco_StatutoryParticipationPercentageOfPretaxProfitsProvidedToMineWorkersPaidInEquity / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |  |  |
Percentage of pre-tax profits delivered as "labor shares" |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5.50%scco_StatutoryParticipationReceivedAsEquity / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |  |  |  |
Damages sought by the plaintiff(includes old soles and labor shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 38,763,806.80 scco_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtShares / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |
Damages sought by the plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3.876380680 us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |
Face value of one labor share |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100 scco_LaborShareFaceValue / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |
Labor shares issued by the Branch (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00%scco_PercentageOfLaborShares / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |
Plaintiffs do not represent the percent of SCC's eligible employees |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00%scco_PercentageOfEligibleEmployees / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |
Soles de oro equivalent to today's one nuevo sol |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,000,000,000 scco_SolesDeOroEquivalentToOneNuevoSol / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE |
Number of plaintiffs involved in lawsuits filed |  |  |  |  |  |  | 800 scco_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffsInvolvedInNewClaimsFiled / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriLitigationMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of former Branch workers |  |  |  | 104 scco_LossContingencyNumberOfFormerBranchWorkers / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember | 216 scco_LossContingencyNumberOfFormerBranchWorkers / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_GarciaAtaucuriAndOthersAgainstSouthernCopperCorporationsPeruvianBranchMember | 37 scco_LossContingencyNumberOfFormerBranchWorkers / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_ArmandoCornejoFloresAgainstSCCPeruvianBranchFormerWorkersMember |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Area of mining concession (in hectares) | 32,989.64 scco_AreaOfMiningConcession / scco_SiteAxis = scco_TiaMariaMember |  | 943.72 scco_AreaOfMiningConcession / scco_SiteAxis = scco_VirgenMariaMember |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of mining concession |  |  | 2.90%scco_PercentageOfMiningConcession / scco_SiteAxis = scco_VirgenMariaMember |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchase price of shares paid to former stockholders |  | $ 2,000,000 scco_LossContingencyPurchasePriceOfSharesPaidToPlaintiff / scco_SiteAxis = scco_VirgenMariaMember |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of labor unionized |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 70.00%scco_PercentageOfLaborUnionized / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_LaborMattersMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE
Total number of workers |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,546 scco_TotalNumberOfWorkers / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_LaborMattersMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE
Number of labor unions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 scco_NumberOfLaborUnions / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_LaborMattersMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE
Number of labor unions represent majority of workers |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 scco_NumberOfLaborUnionsRepresentMajorityOfWorkers / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_LaborMattersMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE
Number of labor unions other than majority workers unions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 scco_NumberOfLaborUnionsOtherThanMajorityWorkersUnions / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = scco_LaborMattersMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_PE

X
- Definition Represents the area of mining concessions. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | scco_AreaOfMiningConcession
Namespace Prefix: | scco_
Data Type: | num:areaItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

X
- 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

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

X
- Definition The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration