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ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS AND RESTRICTED CASH
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS AND RESTRICTED CASH [Text Block]
6.

ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS AND RESTRICTED CASH

The following table summarizes the Company’s asset retirement obligations:

 

  June 30,     December 31,  

 

  2016     2015  

Asset retirement obligation, beginning of period

$ 8,573   $ 5,683  

   Revision of estimate

  -     877  

   Aquried in asset acquisitions or business combinations

  5,454     2,145  

   Accretion of liabilities

  351     494  

   Settlements

  (698 )   (626 )

Asset retirement obligation, end of period

$ 13,680   $ 8,573  

Asset retirement obligation:

           

   Current

$ 305   $ 1,000  

   Non-current

  13,375     7,573  

Asset retirement obligation, end of period

$ 13,680   $ 8,573  

Revision of estimates is as a result of a change in estimates of the amount or timing of cash flows to settle asset retirement obligations. Changes to the asset retirement obligations are recorded in profit and loss.

The asset retirement obligations of the Company are subject to legal and regulatory requirements. Estimates of the costs of reclamation are reviewed periodically by the applicable regulatory authorities. The above provision represents the Company’s best estimate of the present value of future reclamation costs, discounted using credit adjusted risk-free interest rates ranging from 9.5% to 11.5% and an inflation rate of 2.0% (December 31, 2015 – 2.0%) . The total undiscounted decommissioning liability at June 30, 2016 is $41.23 million (December 31, 2015 - $32.30 million). Reclamation costs are expected to be incurred between 2016 and 2038 in the following manner: 2016 – 2020 - $4.67 million, 2021 – 2025 - $9.41 million, 2026 – 2030 - $2.69 million, 2031 – 2035 - $8.78 million, 2036 – 2038 - $15.67 million.

The following table summarizes the Company’s restricted cash:

 

  June 30,     December 31,  

 

  2016     2015  

Restricted cash, beginning of period

$ 12,980   $ 16,148  

   Restricted cash from acquisitions

  4,478     2,100  

   Refunds of collateral

  -     (5,268 )

   Collateral posted

  2,153     -  

Restricted cash, end of period

$ 19,611   $ 12,980  

The Company has cash, cash equivalents and fixed income securities as collateral for various bonds posted in favor of the State of Utah, the State of Wyoming, the applicable state regulatory agencies in Colorado and Arizona and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for estimated reclamation costs associated with the White Mesa mill and mining properties. Cash equivalents are short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. The restricted cash will be released when the Company has reclaimed a mineral property or restructured the surety and collateral arrangements. See Note 12 for a discussion of the Company’s surety bond commitments.