FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

NOTE 12 FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING

Fair value accounting establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

Level 1Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;

Level 2Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and

Level 3Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (supported by little or no market activity).

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis

The following table identifies the fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities as reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 by level within the fair value hierarchy. As required by accounting guidance, assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

	Fair Value as at June 30, 2014
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	15,149	$	15,149	$	—	$	—
	$	15,149	$	15,149	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	1,093	$	1,093	$	—	$	—
	$	1,093	$	1,093	$	—	$	—

	Fair Value as at December 31, 2013
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	24,321	$	24,321	$	—	$	—
	$	24,321	$	24,321	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	177		177		—		—
	$	177	$	177	$	—	$	—

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy because they are valued using quoted market prices. The cash equivalent instruments that are valued based on quoted market prices in active markets are primarily money market securities.

As at June 30, 2014, accounts payable included an accrual of $1.1 million for the fair value of approximately 379,400 shares of common stock that are required to be issued as part of the settlement of certain amounts due by the Company to one of its vendors, as discussed in Note 6, Shareholders’ Equity. As the Company’s stock is quoted on an active market, this liability is classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

The fair value of other financial assets and liabilities approximate their carrying values due to their short-term nature and historically negligible credit losses.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis

In the second quarter of 2014, the Company recorded impairment charges related to the Los Azules Project in Argentina, as discussed in Note 3, Mineral Property Interests and Asset Retirement Obligations. The estimated fair value of the Los Azules Project was determined using the observed market value per pound of copper equivalent for recent comparable transactions.

The following table summarizes non-financial assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis as part of the Company’s impairment assessments during the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, and for the year ended December 31, 2013.

	Date of Fair Value	Fair Value Measurements for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2014
	Measurement	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total Loss
		(in thousands)
Mineral property interests
Los Azules Copper Project	June 30, 2014	310,792		—		—		310,792		120,398
		$	310,792	$	—	$	—	$	310,792	$	120,398

	Date of Fair Value	Fair Value Measurements for the Year Ended December 31, 2013
	Measurement	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total Loss
		(in thousands)
Mineral property interests
Telken Tenements	June 30, 2013	$	26,442	$	—	$	—	$	26,442	$	13,792
Este Tenements	June 30, 2013	5,337		—		—		5,337		2,784
Piramides Tenements	June 30, 2013	9,736		—		—		9,736		5,079
Tobias Tenements	June 30, 2013	11,645		—		—		11,645		6,074
Limo Complex	December 31, 2013	23,438		—		—		23,438		19,450
Other United States Properties	December 31, 2013	9,610		—		—		9,610		9,497
Investment in MSC	June 30, 2013	176,282		—		—		176,282		95,878
		$	262,490	$	—	$	—	$	262,490	$	152,554

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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