SEGMENT AND RELATED INFORMATION: (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 segment	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
SEGMENT AND RELATED INFORMATION:
Number of reportable segments			3
Financial information relating to segments
Net sales	$ 1,474,647,000	$ 1,384,507,000	$ 4,316,442,000	$ 4,417,732,000
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation, amortization and depletion)	729,505,000	663,342,000	2,097,988,000	2,097,322,000
Selling, general and administrative	26,282,000	24,106,000	76,178,000	76,932,000
Environmental Remediation Expense	37,163,000		37,163,000
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	113,923,000	101,489,000	340,467,000	285,577,000
Exploration	20,638,000	11,984,000	57,317,000	33,959,000
Operating income	547,136,000	583,586,000	1,707,329,000	1,923,942,000
Interest, net	(30,800,000)	(43,700,000)	(100,000,000)	(137,300,000)
Other income (expense)	(22,522,000)	1,724,000	(32,507,000)	19,507,000
Income taxes	(173,949,000)	(197,885,000)	(603,880,000)	(604,634,000)
Equity earnings of affiliate	5,926,000	1,865,000	17,825,000	15,169,000
Non-controlling interest	(1,463,000)	(1,345,000)	(3,800,000)	(4,354,000)
Net income attributable to SCC	324,318,000	344,221,000	984,959,000	1,212,350,000
Capital expenditure	411,600,000	488,200,000	1,111,000,000	1,190,500,000
Property, net	7,189,550,000	6,032,100,000	7,189,550,000	6,032,100,000	6,476,168,000
Total assets	11,537,107,000	10,935,700,000	11,537,107,000	10,935,700,000	10,996,029,000
Corporate, other and eliminations
Financial information relating to segments
Net sales	(20,300,000)	(18,200,000)	(67,200,000)	(75,600,000)
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation, amortization and depletion)	(42,400,000)	(14,500,000)	(53,100,000)	(90,200,000)
Selling, general and administrative	800,000	700,000	3,000,000	2,600,000
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	4,300,000	4,200,000	10,000,000	7,400,000
Exploration	7,900,000	2,400,000	22,800,000	5,100,000
Operating income	9,100,000	(11,000,000)	(49,900,000)	(500,000)
Capital expenditure	300,000	18,000,000	5,700,000	18,500,000
Property, net	127,500,000	62,600,000	127,500,000	62,600,000
Total assets	671,200,000	1,051,200,000	671,200,000	1,051,200,000
Mexican Open-Pit | Operating segment
Financial information relating to segments
Net sales	750,800,000	640,300,000	2,170,900,000	2,226,700,000
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation, amortization and depletion)	316,800,000	265,400,000	858,200,000	982,900,000
Selling, general and administrative	9,700,000	8,200,000	27,400,000	26,100,000
Environmental Remediation Expense	37,200,000		37,200,000
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	50,700,000	46,200,000	160,300,000	129,700,000
Exploration	800,000	700,000	2,500,000	2,400,000
Operating income	335,600,000	319,800,000	1,085,300,000	1,085,600,000
Capital expenditure	311,100,000	335,000,000	834,100,000	902,200,000
Property, net	4,149,600,000	3,266,500,000	4,149,600,000	3,266,500,000
Total assets	6,516,300,000	5,474,700,000	6,516,300,000	5,474,700,000
Mexican IMMSA Unit | Operating segment
Financial information relating to segments
Net sales	75,700,000	88,900,000	259,500,000	269,100,000
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation, amortization and depletion)	78,300,000	74,200,000	245,900,000	235,700,000
Selling, general and administrative	4,100,000	3,500,000	11,700,000	11,200,000
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	8,700,000	7,600,000	24,300,000	21,400,000
Exploration	8,400,000	6,700,000	20,800,000	19,400,000
Operating income	(3,500,000)	15,100,000	24,000,000	57,000,000
Capital expenditure	12,600,000	13,100,000	30,900,000	44,500,000
Property, net	376,800,000	372,500,000	376,800,000	372,500,000
Total assets	877,600,000	882,000,000	877,600,000	882,000,000
Mexican IMMSA Unit | Intersegment sales
Financial information relating to segments
Net sales	20,300,000	18,200,000	67,200,000	75,600,000
Peruvian Operations | Operating segment
Financial information relating to segments
Net sales	648,100,000	655,300,000	1,886,000,000	1,921,900,000
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation, amortization and depletion)	376,800,000	338,200,000	1,047,000,000	968,900,000
Selling, general and administrative	11,700,000	11,700,000	34,100,000	37,000,000
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	50,200,000	43,500,000	145,800,000	127,100,000
Exploration	3,500,000	2,200,000	11,200,000	7,100,000
Operating income	205,900,000	259,700,000	647,900,000	781,800,000
Capital expenditure	84,900,000	122,100,000	240,300,000	225,300,000
Property, net	2,535,700,000	2,330,500,000	2,535,700,000	2,330,500,000
Total assets	$ 3,472,000,000	$ 3,527,800,000	$ 3,472,000,000	$ 3,527,800,000