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ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2019
Environmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract] |
ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS | NOTE 11 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS The following is a summary of our environmental and mine closure obligations:
| (In Millions)
| September 30, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
Environmental | $ | 2.1 |  |  | $ | 2.5 |
Mine closure 1 | 179.5 |  |  | 172.4 |
Total environmental and mine closure obligations | 181.6 |  |  | 174.9 |
Less current portion | 2.5 |  |  | 2.9 |
Long-term environmental and mine closure obligations | $ | 179.1 |  |  | $ | 172.0 |
1 Includes our active operating mines, our indefinitely idled Empire mine and a closed mine formerly operating as LTV Steel Mining Company.
Mine Closure The accrued closure obligation for our active mining operations provides for contractual and legal obligations associated with the eventual closure of the mining operations. The closure date for each of our active mine sites was determined based on the exhaustion date of the remaining iron ore reserves. The amortization of the related asset and accretion of the liability is recognized over the estimated mine lives for our active operations. The closure date and expected timing of the capital requirements to meet our obligations for our indefinitely idled or closed mines is determined based on the unique circumstances of each property. For indefinitely idled or closed mines, the accretion of the liability is recognized over the anticipated timing of remediation. The following is a roll forward of our mine closure obligation liability:
| (In Millions)
| Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 |  | Year Ended December 31, 2018
Asset retirement obligation at beginning of period | $ | 172.4 |  |  | $ | 168.4 |
Accretion expense | 7.6 |  |  | 9.5 |
Remediation payments | (0.5 | ) |  | (1.0 | )
Revision in estimated cash flows | — |  |  | (4.5 | )
Asset retirement obligation at end of period | $ | 179.5 |  |  | $ | 172.4 |

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