v3.26.1
Note 5 - Environmental and Reclamation Activities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Environmental and Reclamation Activities [Abstract]  
Environmental and Reclamation Activities

Note 6: Environmental and Reclamation Activities

The liabilities accrued for our reclamation and closure costs at December 31, 2025 and 2024 were as follows (in thousands):

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Operating properties:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greens Creek

 

$

51,634

 

 

$

38,737

 

Lucky Friday

 

 

14,914

 

 

 

10,982

 

Keno Hill

 

 

3,733

 

 

 

3,500

 

Non-operating properties:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nevada

 

 

35,885

 

 

 

33,700

 

Troy mine

 

 

3,007

 

 

 

3,385

 

Johnny M

 

 

9,703

 

 

 

10,148

 

All other sites

 

 

7,410

 

 

 

7,454

 

Total

 

 

126,286

 

 

 

107,906

 

Reclamation and closure costs, current

 

 

(13,795

)

 

 

(13,748

)

Reclamation and closure costs, non-current

 

$

112,491

 

 

$

94,158

 

The activity in our accrued reclamation and closure cost liability for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was as follows (in thousands):

Balance at January 1, 2023

 

 

105,647

 

Accruals for estimated costs and revisions due to changes in reclamation plans

 

 

4,643

 

Accretion expense

 

 

6,217

 

Payment of reclamation obligations

 

 

(7,205

)

Balance at December 31, 2023

 

 

109,302

 

Accruals for estimated costs and revisions due to changes in reclamation plans

 

 

816

 

Accretion expense

 

 

6,285

 

Payment of reclamation obligations

 

 

(8,497

)

Balance at December 31, 2024

 

 

107,906

 

Accruals for estimated costs and revisions due to changes in reclamation plans

 

 

17,647

 

Accretion expense

 

 

6,157

 

Payment of reclamation obligations

 

 

(5,424

)

Balance at December 31, 2025

 

$

126,286

 

Asset Retirement Obligations

Below is a reconciliation as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 (in thousands) of the asset retirement obligations (“ARO”) which are included in our total accrued reclamation and closure costs of $126.3 million and $107.9 million, respectively, discussed above. The estimated reclamation and closure costs were discounted using credit adjusted, risk-free interest rates ranging from 5.75% to 14.5% from the time we incurred the obligation to the time we expect to pay the retirement obligation.

 

Payments for reclamation obligations were incurred at Lucky Friday and Greens Creek, and at our former operating mines San Sebastian, Troy and Johnny M.

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Balance January 1

 

$

107,906

 

 

$

109,302

 

Changes in obligations due to changes in reclamation plans

 

 

17,647

 

 

 

816

 

Accretion expense

 

 

6,157

 

 

 

6,285

 

Payment of asset retirement obligations

 

 

(5,424

)

 

 

(8,497

)

Balance at December 31

 

$

126,286

 

 

$

107,906

 

 

The AROs related to the changes described above were discounted using a credit adjusted, risk-free interest rate of between 2.75% and 7.5% and inflation rates ranging from 1.8% to 4%.