Note 10. Derivative Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 10: Derivative Instruments

At times, we use commodity forward sales commitments, commodity swap contracts and commodity put and call option contracts to manage our exposure to fluctuation in the prices of certain metals which we produce. Contract positions are designed to ensure that we will receive a defined minimum price for certain quantities of our production, thereby partially offsetting our exposure to fluctuations in the market. These instruments do, however, expose us to other risks, including the amount by which the contract price exceeds the spot price of a commodity, and nonperformance by the counterparties to these agreements.

In April 2010, we began utilizing financially-settled forward contracts to sell lead and zinc at fixed prices for settlement at approximately the same time that our unsettled concentrate sales contracts will settle.  The settlement of each concentrate contract is based on the average spot price of the metal during the month of settlement, which may differ from the prices used to record the sale when the sale takes place.  The objective of the contracts is to manage the exposure to changes in prices of zinc and lead contained in our concentrate shipments between the time of sale and final settlement.  These contracts do not qualify for hedge accounting and are marked-to-market through earnings each period.  At December 31, 2011, we recorded a current asset of $0.3 million, which is included in other current assets, for the fair value of the contracts.  We recognized a $7.2 million net gain on the contracts during 2011, which is included in sales of products.  The net gain recognized on the contracts offset price adjustments on our provisional concentrate sales related to changes to lead and zinc prices between the time of sale and final settlement.

In addition, in May 2010 we began utilizing financially-settled forward contracts to manage the exposure of changes in prices of zinc and lead contained in our forecasted future concentrate shipments.  These contracts also do not qualify for hedge accounting and are marked-to-market through earnings each period.  At December 31, 2011, we recorded a current asset of $17.7 million, which is included in other current assets, and a non-current asset of $14.7 million, which is included in other non-current assets, for the fair value of the contracts.  The current asset balance is net of approximately $0.7 million for contracts that were in a fair value liability position at December 31, 2011. We recognized a $38.0 million net gain on the contracts, net of $13.4 million in losses realized on settled contracts, during 2011. The net gain on these contracts is included as a separate line item under other income (expense), as they relate to forecasted future shipments, as opposed to sales that have already taken place but are subject to final pricing.  The gains recognized during 2011 are the result of decreasing lead and zinc prices during the end of  2011.  However, this program is designed to mitigate the impact of potential future declines in lead and zinc prices from the price levels established in the contracts (see average price information below).

The following tables summarize the quantities of base metals committed under forward sales contracts at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010:

December 31, 2011	Metric tonnes under contract				Average price per pound
	Zinc		Lead		Zinc		Lead
Contracts on provisional sales
2012 settlements		9,600		2,600	$	0.86	$	0.89
Contracts on forecasted sales
2012 settlements		20,500		15,900	$	1.12	$	1.12
2013 settlements		8,275		11,150	$	1.14	$	1.17

December 31, 2010	Metric tonnes under contract				Average price per pound
	Zinc		Lead		Zinc		Lead
Contracts on provisional sales
2011 settlements		11,575		3,925	$	1.05	$	1.11
Contracts on forecasted sales
2011 settlements		19,475		15,550	$	0.96	$	0.96
2012 settlements		21,475		15,000	$	1.11	$	1.11

As further discussed in Note 18, production at the Lucky Friday mine will be temporarily suspended  due to the requirement to remove loose material from the Silver Shaft.  As a result, during the first quarter of 2012, we liquidated forward contracts related to forecasted Lucky Friday base metal sales for total net proceeds of $3.1 million.

Our concentrate sales are based on a provisional sales price containing an embedded derivative that is required to be separated from the host contract for accounting purposes. The host contract is the receivable from the sale of the concentrates at the forward price at the time of the sale. The embedded derivative, which does not qualify for hedge accounting, is adjusted to market through earnings each period prior to final settlement.

In May 2008, we entered into an interest rate swap that had the economic effect of modifying the variable interest obligation associated with our term credit facility in place at that time to be fixed until the scheduled maturity date.  In February 2009, we reached an agreement to amend the terms of our credit facilities to defer all scheduled term facility principal payments due in 2009, totaling $66.7 million, to 2010 and 2011.  On June 8, 2009, we repaid $57.1 million of the outstanding term credit facility balance using proceeds from a private placement equity offering (see Note 9 for more information), and on June 29, 2009, we repaid an additional $18.2 million of the outstanding term facility balance as a part of another amendment to our term credit facility (see Note 6).  As a result of these credit facility amendments and repayments, the hedging relationship was de-designated and a new hedging relationship was re-designated in each case.  A final retrospective hedge effectiveness assessment was performed on the prior hedging relationships at the date of each de-designation, and only a May 5, 2008 hedging relationship was determined to be ineffective for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009.  Consequently, the change in fair value of the swap of $0.2 million between December 31, 2008 and February 3, 2009 was recorded as a gain on the income statement. The amount of unrealized loss included in accumulated other comprehensive income relating to the prior hedge was recognized in the income statement in the third quarter of 2009, as the remaining term facility balance was repaid in October 2009.

The following table summarizes the effect of our interest rate swap on our balance sheet and statement of operations as of and for the year ended December 31, 2009 (in thousands):

Loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense	$	1,967
Loss recognized in interest expense related to the ineffective portion	213

We recognized net losses related to the interest rate swap, including losses reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss and losses related to the ineffective portion of the swap, of $2.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2009, which were included in interest expense.