SEGMENT AND RELATED INFORMATION: (Details 5)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012 T
Copper cathodes \| Mitsui
Long-term sales contract
Quantity to be supplied (in tons)	48,000
Quantity to be supplied related to prior contract (period 1994-2000) (in tons)	90,000
Quantity to be supplied related to prior contract in 2014 (in tons)	48,000
Quantity to be supplied related to prior contract in 2015 (in tons)	42,000
Molybdenum concentrates \| Molibdenos y Metales
Long-term sales contract
Quantity to be supplied (in tons)	24,800
Period for which contract can be extended (in years)	1
Minimum period for which contract is to be maintained (in years)	3
Molybdenum concentrates \| Molymex
Long-term sales contract
Minimum percentage of total production required to be supplied	85.00%

Represents the period for which long-term sales contract can be extended every year in December.

No definition available.

Name:	scco_LongTermSupplyCommitmentsContractExtensionPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Represents the minimum period for which the contract is to be maintained unless either party to contract decides to terminate the agreement.

No definition available.

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

Represents the minimum percentage of the entity's total production of goods that must be supplied within the specified time period of the agreement.

No definition available.

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

Represents the quantity of product agreed to be supplied under the prior long-term sales contract for the period 1994 to 2000.

No definition available.

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

Represents the quantity of product agreed to be supplied under the prior long-term sales contract in 2014.

No definition available.

Name:	scco_LongTermSupplyCommitmentsPriorContractQuantityToBeSuppliedIn2014
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the quantity of product agreed to be supplied under the prior long-term sales contract in 2015.

No definition available.

Name:	scco_LongTermSupplyCommitmentsPriorContractQuantityToBeSuppliedIn2015
Namespace Prefix:	scco_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the quantity of product agreed to be supplied over a specified time period under the long-term sales contract.

No definition available.

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

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