Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

12. Fair Value Measurements

Financial assets and liabilities and nonfinancial assets and liabilities are measured at fair value under a framework of a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs into valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. This hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. Further, financial assets and liabilities should be classified by level in their entirety based upon the lowest level of input that was significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy per ASC 820 are as follows:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date.

Level 2: Quoted prices in inactive markets for identical assets or liabilities, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, or other observable inputs either directly related to the asset or liability or derived principally from corroborated observable market data.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs due to the fact that there is little or no market activity. This entails using assumptions in models which estimate what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, by respective level of the fair value hierarchy:


	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(in thousands)
At September 30, 2018
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	4,996	$	—	$	—	$	4,996
Lease receivables		481		—		—		481
Short-term investments		289		—		—		289
	$	5,766	$	—	$	—	$	5,766

At December 31, 2017
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	3,250	$	—	$	—	$	3,250
Lease receivables		314		—		—		314
Short-term investments		238		—		—		238
	$	3,802	$	—	$	—	$	3,802

The Company’s cash equivalents, comprised principally of U.S. treasury securities, are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

The Company’s trade accounts receivable are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy and are related to the lease of the oxide plant, valued at the lease rates set forth in the terms of the plant lease agreement.

The Company’s short-term investments consist of the common stock in Golden Tag and are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy (see Note 4).

Non-recurring Fair Value Measurements

There were no non-recurring fair value measurements at September 30, 2018 or December 31, 2017.

- 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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