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 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 number of lawsuits filed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents percentage of annual salary increase.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_PercentageOfAnnualIncreaseInSalary
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 number of power plants constructed by the related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the term of the agreement entered into.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	scco_TermOfAgreement
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

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65885119&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ 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_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=scco_MexicoGeneradoraDeEnergiaSDeRLMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=scco_ControladoraDeInfraestructuraEnergeticaMexicoSADeCVMember
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:

- Details

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

- Details

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

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: - Litigation Matters (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2009 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 ha lawsuit item	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2005 item	Mar. 31, 2012
Tia Maria
Litigation Matter
Area of mining concession (in hectares) \| ha		32,989.64
Number of lawsuits \| lawsuit		4
Virgen Maria
Litigation Matter
Area of mining concession (in hectares) \| ha		943.72
Percentage of mining concession		2.90%
Purchase price of shares paid to former stockholders \| $	$ 2
Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R.L. ("MGE") \| Controladora de Infraestructura Energetica Mexico, S. A. de C. V.
Litigation Matter
Acquisition percentage					99.999%
Peru \| Labor Matters
Litigation Matter
Percentage of labor unionized		69.00%
Total number of workers		4,628
Number of labor unions		6
Number of labor unions represent majority of workers		1
Number of labor unions other than majority workers unions		5
Term of agreement		3 years
Annual salary increase (as a percent)		5.00%
Mexico \| Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R.L. ("MGE")
Litigation Matter
Number of power plants			2	2
Mexico \| Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R.L. ("MGE") \| Controladora de Infraestructura Energetica Mexico, S. A. de C. V.
Litigation Matter
Acquisition percentage			99.999%