Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Basis Of Consolidation
Basis of Consolidation
The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include our accounts and the accounts of our wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries, including the following operations as of June 30, 2016:
Name
 
Location
 
Ownership Interest
 
Operation
 
Status of Operations
Northshore
 
Minnesota
 
100.0%
 
Iron Ore
 
Active
United Taconite
 
Minnesota
 
100.0%
 
Iron Ore
 
Active
Tilden
 
Michigan
 
85.0%
 
Iron Ore
 
Active
Empire
 
Michigan
 
79.0%
 
Iron Ore
 
Active
Koolyanobbing
 
Western Australia
 
100.0%
 
Iron Ore
 
Active

Intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated upon consolidation.
Equity Method Investments
Equity Method Investments
Our 23 percent ownership interest in Hibbing is recorded as an equity method investment. As of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, our investment in Hibbing was $3.7 million and $2.4 million, respectively, classified as Other liabilities in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Position.
Foreign Currency
Foreign Currency
Our financial statements are prepared with the U.S. dollar as the reporting currency. The functional currency of our Australian subsidiaries is the Australian dollar. The functional currency of all other international subsidiaries is the U.S. dollar. The financial statements of international subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rate at each balance sheet date for assets and liabilities and a weighted average exchange rate for each period for revenues, expenses, gains and losses. Where the local currency is the functional currency, translation adjustments are recorded as Accumulated other comprehensive loss. Income taxes generally are not provided for foreign currency translation adjustments. To the extent that monetary assets and liabilities, inclusive of intercompany notes, are recorded in a currency other than the functional currency, these amounts are remeasured each reporting period, with the resulting gain or loss being recorded in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Operations. Transaction gains and losses resulting from remeasurement of short-term intercompany loans are included in Miscellaneous - net in our Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Operations.
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, we incurred a net gain of $0.2 million and a net loss of $0.9 million, respectively, from the impact of transaction gains and losses resulting from remeasurement. Of these amounts, for the three months ended June 30, 2016, gains of $0.5 million and losses of $0.2 million and for the six months ended June 30, 2016, gains of $1.5 million and losses of $2.6 million resulted from remeasurement of cash and cash equivalents and remeasurement of certain obligations, respectively.
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, net losses of $0.8 million and gains of $12.7 million, respectively, related to the impact of transaction gains and losses resulting from remeasurement. Of these amounts, for the three months ended June 30, 2015, losses of $0.7 million resulted from remeasurement of cash and cash equivalents, respectively. Additionally, of these amounts for the six months ended June 30, 2015, gains of $12.4 million and $0.7 million resulted from remeasurement of short-term intercompany loans and cash and cash equivalents, respectively.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Issued and Not Effective
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. The new standard requires recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities for leases previously classified as operating leases. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. We are currently reviewing the guidance and assessing the potential impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Stock Compensation - Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.  The new standard is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and early adoption is permitted. We are currently reviewing the guidance and assessing the potential impact on our consolidated financial statements.