Asset Impairment

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]

Asset Impairment

Asset Impairment

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recognized impairment charges of $1,418.1 million related to its North Antelope Rochelle Mine of the Powder River Basin Mining segment. Of this amount, $1,393.7 million related to the property, plant, equipment and mine development assets; $19.9 million related to operating lease right-of-use assets; and $4.5 million related to contract-based intangible assets. The outlook for the North Antelope Rochelle Mine has been negatively impacted by the accelerated decline of coal-fired electricity generation in the U.S., driven by the reduced utilization of plants and plant retirements, sustained low natural gas pricing and the increased use of renewable energy sources. These factors have led to the expectation of reduced future sales volumes. The impairment charge was based upon the remaining estimated discounted cash flows of the mine. Such cash flows were based upon estimates which generally constitute unobservable Level 3 inputs under the fair value hierarchy, including, but not limited to, future tons sold, coal prices for unpriced coal, production costs (including costs for labor, commodity supplies and contractors), transportation costs and a risk-adjusted cost of capital. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company also recognized impairment charges of $69.3 million related to certain unassigned coal reserves in the Midwest due to their low probability of development.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recognized impairment charges of $192.0 million related to the El Segundo/Lee Ranch and Wildcat Hills Underground Mines of the Other U.S. Thermal Mining segment based upon the expectation of reduced sales volumes and uncertainty over remaining economic mine lives. The related impairment charges were based upon the remaining probability-weighted discounted cash flows of those mines. The Company also recognized impairment charges of $69.2 million related to certain unassigned coal reserves in the Midwest and Colorado due to their low probability of development, and $9.0 million related to the fair value of an investment in equity securities during the year ended December 31, 2019. No impairment charges were recognized during the year ended December 31, 2018.

In addition to the impairment charges described above, the Company also recorded provisions related to its North Goonyella Mine during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, as further described in Note 20. “Other Events.”

The Company also identified certain assets with an aggregate carrying value of approximately $1.2 billion at December 31, 2020 in its Seaborne Metallurgical Mining, Powder River Basin Mining, Other U.S. Thermal Mining and Corporate and Other segments whose recoverability is most sensitive to coal pricing, cost pressures, customer demand, customer concentration risk and future economic viability. The Company conducted a review of those assets for recoverability as of December 31, 2020 and determined that no further impairment charges were necessary as of that date.