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Mine restoration provisions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure Of Provisions [Abstract]  
Mine restoration provisions
Mine restoration provisions

The Company’s mine restoration provisions consist primarily of costs associated with mine reclamation and closure activities. These activities, which tend to be site specific, generally include costs for earthworks, including detoxification and recontouring, revegetation, water treatment and demolition. In calculating the present value of the Company’s mine restoration provisions as at December 31, 2018, management used a risk-free rate applicable to each location’s functional currency ranging from 2.50% to 2.81% and an inflation rate of 2.1%. The undiscounted cash flows, before inflation adjustments, estimated to settle the mine restoration provisions was approximately $126 million at December 31, 2018 (2017 - $102 million). Due to the nature of mine closure plans, cash expenditures are expected to occur over a significant period of time with the majority of the expenditures expected to occur in the years from 2019 to 2043.

The following table shows the movement in the provision for mine restoration provisions:
 
 
2018

 
2017

 
 
$

 
$

 
 
 
 
 
Balance, beginning of year
 
98,446

 
81,162

Reclamation spending
 
(1,040
)
 
(320
)
Accretion expense
 
2,641

 
1,855

Change in obligation
 
17,174

 
15,749

Balance, end of year
 
117,221

 
98,446

Less: current portion
 
(3,170
)
 
(1,819
)
 
 
114,051

 
96,627