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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: (Details)
 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 02, 2015
USD ($)
Mar. 02, 2015
MXN
Mar. 31, 2015
USD ($)
item
Mar. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Mar. 02, 2015
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
item
Sep. 15, 2014
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
USD ($)
Sep. 15, 2014
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
MXN
Aug. 29, 2014
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
item
Aug. 06, 2014
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
m3
km
Mar. 31, 2015
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
MXN
item
Dec. 31, 2014
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
Buenavista del Cobre, S.A. de C.V
MXN
Mar. 31, 2014
Peru
Mar. 31, 2015
Peru
USD ($)
item
Mar. 31, 2014
Peru
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
Peru
Mar. 31, 2015
Peru
Maximum
Mar. 31, 2015
Mexico
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2014
Mexico
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Mexico
person
category
Environmental costs                                        
Environmental capital investment     $ 22,100,000us-gaap_EnvironmentalCostsRecognizedCapitalizedInPeriod $ 24,700,000us-gaap_EnvironmentalCostsRecognizedCapitalizedInPeriod                   $ 18,900,000us-gaap_EnvironmentalCostsRecognizedCapitalizedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_PE		 $ 18,300,000us-gaap_EnvironmentalCostsRecognizedCapitalizedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_PE		     $ 3,200,000us-gaap_EnvironmentalCostsRecognizedCapitalizedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_MX		 $ 6,400,000us-gaap_EnvironmentalCostsRecognizedCapitalizedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_MX		  
Period required for ambient air monitoring as per environmental regulation                               1 day        
Revised air quality standards for sulfur dioxide as per new environmental regulation (in micrograms per cubic meter)                                 20scco_RevisedStandardForConcentrationOfAirPollutantAsPerEnvironmentalRegulation
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_PE		      
Air quality standards level for sulfur dioxide to be maintained when emission is excess than specified as per new environmental regulation (in micrograms per cubic meter)                           80scco_StandardForConcentrationOfAirPollutantLevelRequiredToBeMaintainedByAreasHavingExcessEmissionAsPerEnvironmentalRegulation
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_PE		            
Number of atmospheric basins established that require further attention                           3scco_NumberOfAtmosphericBasinsEstablishedThatRequireFurtherAttention
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_PE		            
Number of months for identification of contaminated sites and around in facilities                         12 months              
Period for preparation of decontamination plan                         P24M              
Period of extension for preparation of decontamination plan                         1 year              
Number of days in which results of soil confirmation tests are to be presented to authorities                         30 days              
Number of categories of collective actions                                       3scco_NumberOfCategoriesOfCollectiveActionsForEnvironmentalMatters
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_MX
Minimum number of people claiming injury due to collective action initiative in Civil Federal Procedures Code (CFPC)                                       30scco_MinimumNumberOfPeopleClaimingInjuryToInitiateCollectiveAction
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_MX
Volume of copper sulfate solution (in cubic meters)                 40,000scco_VolumeOfCopperSulfateSolution
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                      
Distance of pond under construction from mine (in kilometers)                 10scco_DistanceOfPondUnderConstructionFromMine
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                      
Amount of administrative fines and sanctions (in pesos) 1,700,000scco_AmountOfAdministrativeFinesAndSanctions 23,500,000scco_AmountOfAdministrativeFinesAndSanctions                                    
Number of zones                   5scco_NumberOfZones
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                    
Amount committed to the Mexican Federal Government to establish a trust (in peso)           150,000,000scco_AmountCommittedToMexicanFederalGovernmentToEstablishTrust
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		 2,000,000,000scco_AmountCommittedToMexicanFederalGovernmentToEstablishTrust
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                          
Amount contributed to the Mexican Federal Government (in peso)                   1,000,000,000scco_AmountContributedToMexicanFederalGovernmentToEstablishTrust
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                    
Number of administrative proceedings.         4scco_NumberOfAdministrativeProceedings
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                              
Number of workers hired               1,200scco_NumberOfWorkersHired
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                        
Estimated contingent liability                     97,300,000scco_EstimatedContingentLiability
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                  
Amount already paid                     16,400,000scco_RemediationAlreadySpent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                  
Amount deposited in the trust (in peso)                     $ 74,900,000scco_AmountDepositedInTrust
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		 1,000,000,000scco_AmountDepositedInTrust
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= scco_BuenavistaDelCobreSaDeCVMember		                
Number of lawsuits     3scco_NumberOfCollectiveActionLawsuits