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Mining Properties
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Mining Properties [Abstract]  
MINING PROPERTIES
MINING PROPERTIES
Mining properties consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, 2014
Palmarejo
 
San
Bartolomé
 
Kensington
 
Rochester
 
La Preciosa
 
Joaquin
 
Coeur Capital
 
Total
Mine development
$
137,821

 
$
49,305

 
$
217,138

 
$
153,535

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
557,799

Accumulated amortization
(121,906
)
 
(26,106
)
 
(106,865
)
 
(113,533
)
 

 

 

 
(368,410
)
 
15,915

 
23,199

 
110,273

 
40,002

 

 

 

 
189,389

Mineral interests
521,349

 
17,560

 

 

 
49,059

 
10,000

 
81,461

 
679,429

Accumulated amortization
(332,032
)
 
(10,143
)
 

 

 

 

 
(25,451
)
 
(367,626
)
 
189,317

 
7,417

 

 

 
49,059

 
10,000

 
56,010

 
311,803

Mining properties, net
$
205,232

 
$
30,616

 
$
110,273

 
$
40,002

 
$
49,059

 
$
10,000

 
$
56,010

 
$
501,192

December 31, 2013
Palmarejo
 
San
Bartolomé
 
Kensington
 
Rochester
 
La Preciosa
 
Joaquin
 
Coeur Capital
 
Total
Mine development
$
151,845

 
$
70,761

 
$
268,351

 
$
150,348

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
641,305

Accumulated amortization
(110,143
)
 
(22,236
)
 
(80,032
)
 
(103,130
)
 

 

 

 
(315,541
)
 
41,702

 
48,525

 
188,319

 
47,218

 

 

 

 
325,764

Mineral interests
1,146,572

 
26,643

 

 

 
408,352

 
93,429

 
78,133

 
1,753,129

Accumulated amortization
(300,187
)
 
(8,759
)
 

 

 

 

 
(18,446
)
 
(327,392
)
 
846,385

 
17,884

 

 

 
408,352

 
93,429

 
59,687

 
1,425,737

Mining properties, net
$
888,087

 
$
66,409

 
$
188,319

 
$
47,218

 
$
408,352

 
$
93,429

 
$
59,687

 
$
1,751,501


The Palmarejo mine is an underground and open pit silver and gold mine located in the State of Chihuahua in northern Mexico, and the company controls a large portion of the properties surrounding the mine. The Palmarejo mine commenced production in April 2009.

The San Bartolomé mine is a silver mine located near the city of Potosi, Bolivia. The mineral rights for the San Bartolomé project are held through long-term joint venture/lease agreements with several local independent mining co-operatives and the Bolivian state owned mining organization, (“COMIBOL”). The Company commenced commercial production at San Bartolomé in June 2008.
The Kensington mine is an underground gold mine and consists of the Kensington and adjacent Jualin properties located north-northwest of Juneau, Alaska. The Company commenced commercial production in July 2010.
The Company has conducted operations at the Rochester silver and gold mine, located in northwestern Nevada, since September 1986. The mine utilizes the heap-leaching process to extract both silver and gold from ore mined using open pit methods.
The La Preciosa silver and gold project is located in the State of Durango in northern Mexico. The Company completed a feasibility study in 2014 and has deferred construction activities until expected returns improve.
The Joaquin silver and gold project is located in the Santa Cruz province of southern Argentina. The Company commenced exploration of the property located north of the Company's Martha silver mine in November 2007.
The Company's mineral interests held by Coeur Capital primarily consist of the Endeavor silver stream acquired by the Company in May 2005 and amended in March 2006, under which the Company owns all silver production and reserves up to a total of 20.0 million payable ounces at the Endeavor mine in Australia, which is owned and operated by Cobar Operations Pty. Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBH Resources Ltd. The Company has received 5.4 million payable ounces to-date and the current ore reserve contains 1.7 million payable ounces.
Coeur Capital also holds royalties on McEwen Mining Inc.’s El Gallo/Magistral mine in Mexico, currently paying a 3.5% NSR royalty, a 1.5% NSR royalty on Dynasty Metals & Mining, Inc.’s Zaruma mine in Ecuador, a 2.0% NSR royalty on Mandalay Resources Corp.’s Cerro Bayo mine in Chile, and royalties on other non-producing properties. Another Coeur subsidiary owns an 80% interest in a 2.5% royalty on Newmont Mining Corporation's Correnso mine in New Zealand. Royalty revenue is immaterial to the Company.