XML 43 R12.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Note 5 - Environmental and Reclamation Activities | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements |
Environmental and Reclamation Activities [Text Block] | Note 5: Environmental and Reclamation Activities The liabilities accrued for our reclamation and closure costs at December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows (in thousands):
|  | 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Operating properties: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Greens Creek |  | $ | 42,716 |  |  | $ | 44,695 |
Lucky Friday |  |  | 12,818 |  |  |  | 10,473 |
Casa Berardi |  |  | 11,730 |  |  |  | 4,510 |
San Sebastian |  |  | 6,882 |  |  |  | 7,399 |
Nevada Operations |  |  | 26,062 |  |  |  | 24,754 |
Non-operating properties: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Troy mine |  |  | 5,340 |  |  |  | 6,069 |
Johnny M |  |  | 6,065 |  |  |  | 6,065 |
Republic |  |  | 1,500 |  |  |  | 1,500 |
All other sites |  |  | 2,935 |  |  |  | 2,909 |
Total |  |  | 116,048 |  |  |  | 108,374 |
Reclamation and closure costs, current |  |  | (5,582 | ) |  |  | (4,581 | )
Reclamation and closure costs, long-term |  | $ | 110,466 |  |  | $ | 103,793 |
The activity in our accrued reclamation and closure cost liability for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was as follows (in thousands):
Balance at January 1, 2018 |  | $ | 86,045 |
Accruals for estimated costs |  |  | 250 |
Accretion expense |  |  | 5,309 |
Revision of estimated cash flows due to changes in reclamation plans |  |  | 1,280 |
Liability addition due to acquisition of the Nevada Operations unit |  |  | 19,571 |
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (4,066 | )
Balance at December 31, 2018 |  |  | 108,389 |
Accruals for estimated costs |  |  | 472 |
Accretion expense |  |  | 7,122 |
Revision of estimated cash flows due to changes in reclamation plans |  |  | (4,522 | )
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (3,087 | )
Balance at December 31, 2019 |  |  | 108,374 |
Accretion expense |  |  | 5,912 |
Revision of estimated cash flows due to changes in reclamation plans |  |  | 2,543 |
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (781 | )
Balance at December 31, 2020 |  | $ | 116,048 |
Asset Retirement Obligations Below is a reconciliation as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands) of the asset retirement obligations ("ARO") relating to our operating properties, which are included in our total accrued reclamation and closure costs of $116.0 million and $108.4 million, respectively, discussed above. The estimated reclamation and closure costs were discounted using credit adjusted, risk-free interest rates ranging from 5.75% to 14.5% from the time we incurred the obligation to the time we expect to pay the retirement obligation.
|  | 2020 |  |  | 2019 |
Balance January 1 |  | $ | 91,831 |  |  | $ | 89,417 |
Changes in obligations due to changes in reclamation plans |  |  | 2,543 |  |  |  | (4,522 | )
Accretion expense |  |  | 5,912 |  |  |  | 7,122 |
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (78 | ) |  |  | (186 | )
Balance at December 31 |  | $ | 100,208 |  |  | $ | 91,831 |
In the fourth quarter of 2020, we updated the ARO at Casa Berardi to reflect a revised plan for reclamation and closure of the mine at the end of its life having estimated undiscounted costs of approximately CAD$29.1 million, an increase from the CAD$15.7 million in the previous plan, resulting in an increase in the ARO asset and liability of $6.7 million. In the fourth quarter of 2020, we updated the ARO at Lucky Friday to reflect a revised plan for reclamation and closure of the mine at the end of its life having estimated undiscounted costs of approximately $36.9 million, an increase from the $34.3 million in the previous plan, resulting in an increase in the ARO asset and liability of $1.5 million. In the fourth quarter of 2020, we updated the ARO at San Sebastian to reflect performance of some reclamation work prior to when it was previously scheduled, resulting in a decrease in undiscounted costs of $0.6 million and decrease in the ARO asset and liability of $0.6 million. In the second quarter of 2020, we revised the ARO at Greens Creek to reflect a revised plan for reclamation and closure of the mine at the end of its life having estimated undiscounted costs of approximately $107.7 million, a decrease from the $114.9 million in the previous plan, resulting in a decrease in the ARO asset and liability of $5.1 million. The AROs related to the changes described above were discounted using a credit adjusted, risk-free interest rate of between 2.75% and 7.5% and inflation rates ranging from 2% to 4%.

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for environmental and reclamation activities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | hl_EnvironmentalAndReclamationActivitiesTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | hl_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DisclosureTextBlockAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration