Note 13. Asset Retirement Obligations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 13.    Asset Retirement Obligations

Below is a reconciliation as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 (in thousands) of the asset retirement obligations ("ARO") relating to our operating properties. These ARO balances are included in our total accrued reclamation and closure costs of $148.1 million and $153.8 million, respectively. Our accrued reclamation and closure cost balances include AROs and estimated liabilities for settlement obligations and contingencies for environmental matters and reclamation costs at idle properties. Our ARO balances represent the present value of estimated future costs of reclamation and closure activities at our operating properties.  The estimated reclamation and closure costs were discounted using credit adjusted, risk-free interest rates ranging from 4% to 7% from the time we incurred the obligation to the time we expect to pay the retirement obligation.

	2012			2011
Balance, January 1	$	37,643		$	36,397
Changes in obligations due to changes in reclamation plans		—			387
Accretion expense		842			1,119
Payment of reclamation obligations		(266	)		(260	)
Balance, end of period	$	38,219		$	37,643

The ARO for our Greens Creek mine of $36.9 million as of September 30, 2012 reflects a plan for reclamation and closure of the mine at the end of its life having estimated undiscounted costs of approximately $53.4 million.  In April 2012, the United States Forest Service issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement in connection with our proposal to increase tailings capacity at the Greens Creek mine.  As part of that process and our regular (every 5 years) renewal of our Waste Management Permit with the State of Alaska, it is likely that we will be required to update our reclamation and closure plan.  Preliminary updating work initiated in July 2012 has indicated that closure costs may be significantly higher than previously estimated.  The expected increase in closure costs results from the possible inclusion of long term water treatment on an increased scale than was included as part of our prior permit renewals.  This increase in scale is the result of new interpretations of model data by the State that were not included in our prior permit renewals.  Development of the revised closure plan has not been completed, and we currently do not have sufficient information to make a reasonable estimate of the change in the fair value of the ARO.  However, we anticipate that an increase in the ARO for Greens Creek will be required by the fourth quarter of 2012 upon completion of the revised closure plan in connection with the permit renewal. In addition, we expect to further increase our ARO and revise our closure plan for tailings capacity expansion in 2013.  Increases to the ARO liability would be recorded with corresponding increases to the ARO asset balance, which is included in properties, plants, equipment, and mineral interests, net on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  As a result, we do not anticipate the increase in the ARO for Greens Creek to have a material impact on our annual results of operations.  However, as part of the revised closure plan, we may be required to increase our current $30 million reclamation bond for Greens Creek.  Although we do not know the amount of such increase, it likely will be a material amount, and there can be no assurance that this bonding capacity will be available to us at that time.