Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Environmental And Mine Closure Obligations

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Environmental And Mine Closure Obligations
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Environmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract]  
Environmental And Mine Closure Obligations
NOTE 12 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS
We had environmental and mine closure liabilities of $242.0 million and $226.9 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The following is a summary of the obligations as of September 30, 2012 and the year ended December 31, 2011:
 
(In Millions)
 
September 30, 2012
 
December 31, 2011
Environmental
$
16.6

 
$
15.5

Mine closure
 
 
 
LTVSMC
17.1

 
16.5

Operating mines:
 
 
 
U.S Iron Ore
79.7

 
74.3

Eastern Canadian Iron Ore
73.2

 
68.0

Asia Pacific Iron Ore
17.3

 
16.3

North American Coal
38.1

 
36.3

Total mine closure
225.4

 
211.4

Total environmental and mine closure obligations
242.0

 
226.9

Less current portion
15.7

 
13.7

Long term environmental and mine closure obligations
$
226.3

 
$
213.2


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 Asia Pacific operating iron ore mine, our six operating North American coal mines 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, 2012 and the year ended December 31, 2011:
 
(In Millions)
 
 
September 30, 2012
 
December 31, 2011
(1)
Asset retirement obligation at beginning of period
$
194.9

 
$
162.1

 
Accretion expense
13.2

 
15.7

 
Exchange rate changes
0.2

 
0.1

 
Revision in estimated cash flows

 
3.7

 
Payments

 
(0.7
)
 
Acquired through business combinations

 
14.0

 
Asset retirement obligation at end of period
$
208.3

 
$
194.9

 
(1)
Represents a 12-month rollforward of our asset retirement obligation at December 31, 2011.