Derivative Instruments

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

The Company uses various derivative instruments to manage its exposure to changes in PGM market commodity prices. Some of these derivatives are designated as hedges. Because the Company hedges only with instruments that have a high correlation with the value of the underlying exposures, changes in the derivatives’ fair value are expected to be offset by changes in the value of the hedged transaction.

Commodity Derivatives

The Company customarily enters into fixed forward contracts and on occasion it also enters into financially settled forward contracts to offset the price risk in its PGM recycling activity. From time to time, it also has entered into these types of contracts on portions of its mine production. Under these customary fixed forward transactions, the Company agrees to deliver a stated quantity of metal on a specific future date at a price stipulated in advance. The Company uses fixed forward transactions primarily to price in advance the metals acquired for processing in its recycling segment. Under the occasional financially settled forward transactions, at each settlement date the Company receives the net difference between the forward price and the market price if the market price is below the forward price and the Company pays the net difference between the forward price and the market price if the market price is above the forward price. These financially settled forward contracts are settled in cash at maturity and do not require physical delivery of metal at settlement. The Company typically has used financially settled forward contracts with third parties to reduce its exposure to price risk on metal it is obligated to deliver under long-term sales agreements.

Mine Production

At present the Company has no outstanding derivative contracts pertaining to its mined production.

PGM Recycling

The Company regularly enters into fixed forward sales relating to its recycling of PGM catalyst materials. The metals from PGM recycled materials are typically sold forward at the time of purchase and delivered against the fixed forward contracts when the ounces are recovered. All of these fixed forward sales contracts open at June 30, 2012, will settle at various periods through December 2012. The Company has credit agreements with its major trading partners that provide for margin deposits in the event that forward prices for metals exceed the Company’s hedged prices by a predetermined margin limit. As of June 30, 2012, no such margin deposits were outstanding or due.

Occasionally, the Company also has entered into financially settled forward contracts on its recycled materials. Such contracts are utilized when the Company wishes to establish a firm forward price for recycled metal on a specific future date. No financially settled forward contracts were entered into during the second quarter of 2012. The Company generally has not designated these contracts as cash flow hedges, so they are marked to market at the end of each accounting period. The change in the fair value of the derivatives is reflected in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income.

The following is a summary of the Company’s commodity derivatives as of June 30, 2012:

PGM Recycling:
Fixed Forwards
	Platinum			Palladium			Rhodium
Settlement Period	Ounces	Avg. Price		Ounces	Avg. Price		Ounces	Avg. Price
Third Quarter 2012	20,981	$	1,498	30,681	$	631	4,803	$	1,359
Fourth Quarter 2012	2,051	$	1,447	1,800	$	614	1,905	$	1,232