NOTE 10 – ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS
We had environmental and mine closure liabilities of $225.2 million and $199.1 million at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The following is a summary of the obligations as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
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Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
(In Millions) |
Ìý |
Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
SeptemberÌý30, 2011 |
Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
DecemberÌý31, 2010 |
Ìý |
Environmental
|
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
ÌýÌýÌýÌý15.0ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
ÌýÌýÌýÌý13.7ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Mine closure
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ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
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LTVSMC
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
17.9ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
17.1ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Operating mines:
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ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
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U.S. Iron Ore
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
67.5ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
62.7ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Eastern Canadian Iron Ore
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
67.8ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
49.3ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
North American Coal
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
35.6ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
34.7ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Asia Pacific Iron Ore
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
15.2ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
15.4ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Other
|
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
6.2ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
6.2ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý
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Ìý
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Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý
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Ìý
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Ìý |
Total mine closure
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
210.2ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
185.4ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý
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Ìý
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Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
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Ìý |
Total environmental and mine closure obligations
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
225.2ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
199.1ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Less current portion
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
14.7ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
14.2ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
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Long-term environmental and mine closure obligations
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ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
ÌýÌýÌýÌý210.5ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
ÌýÌýÌýÌý184.9ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
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Mine Closure
Our mine closure obligations are for our four consolidated U.S. operating iron ore mines, our two Eastern Canadian operating iron ore mines, our six operating North American coal mines, our Asia Pacific operating iron ore mines, the coal mine at Sonoma and a closed operation formerly known as LTVSMC.
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 accretion of the liability and amortization of the related asset is recognized over the estimated mine lives for each location. The following represents a rollforward of our asset retirement obligation liability related to our active mining locations for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010:
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ÌýÌý |
(In Millions) |
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ÌýÌý |
SeptemberÌý30, 2011 |
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ÌýÌý |
DecemberÌý31, 2010(1)
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Asset retirement obligation at beginning of period
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ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
168.3ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
103.9ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Accretion expense
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
11.8ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
13.1ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Exchange rate changes
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
(1.1)Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
2.5ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Revision in estimated cash flows
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
-ÌýÌýÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
1.0ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Payments
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
(0.7)Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
(8.4)Ìý |
ÌýÌý |
Acquired through business combinations
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
14.0ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
Ìý |
56.2ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
Ìý
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ÌýÌý |
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Ìý |
Asset retirement obligation at end of period
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ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
ÌýÌýÌýÌý192.3ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý$ |
ÌýÌýÌýÌý168.3ÌýÌý |
ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
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ÌýÌý |
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(1)ÌýÌýÌýÌýRepresents a 12-month rollforward of our asset retirement obligation at DecemberÌý31, 2010.
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