Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

The Company's Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The preparation of the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The more significant areas requiring the use of management estimates and assumptions relate to metal prices and mineral reserves that are the basis for future cash flow estimates utilized in impairment calculations and units-of production amortization calculations, environmental, reclamation and closure obligations, estimates of recoverable silver and gold in leach pad inventories, estimates of fair value for certain reporting units and asset impairments, valuation allowances for deferred tax assets, and the fair value and accounting treatment of financial instruments, equity securities, asset acquisitions, the allocation of fair value to assets and liabilities assumed in connection with business combinations, and derivative instruments. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Accordingly, actual results will differ from the amounts estimated in these financial statements.

Ore on Leach Pad [Policy Text Block]

Ore on Leach Pads

The heap leach process extracts silver and gold by placing ore on an impermeable pad and applying a diluted cyanide solution that dissolves a portion of the contained silver and gold, which are then recovered in metallurgical processes.

The Company uses several integrated steps to scientifically measure the metal content of ore placed on the leach pads. As the ore body is drilled in preparation for the blasting process, samples are taken of the drill residue which are assayed to determine estimated quantities of contained metal. The Company then processes the ore through crushing facilities where the output is again weighed and sampled for assaying. A metallurgical reconciliation with the data collected from the mining operation is completed with appropriate adjustments made to previous estimates. The crushed ore is then transported to the leach pad for application of the leaching solution. As the leach solution is collected from the leach pads, it is continuously sampled for assaying. The quantity of leach solution is measured by flow meters throughout the leaching and precipitation process. After precipitation, the product is converted to doré at the Rochester mine and a form of gold concentrate at the Wharf mine, representing the final product produced by each mine. The inventory is stated at lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost being determined using a weighted average cost method.

The historical cost of metal expected to be extracted within 12 months is classified as current and the historical cost of metals contained within the broken ore expected to be extracted beyond 12 months is classified as non-current. Ore on leach pads is valued based on actual production costs incurred to produce and place ore on the leach pad, less costs allocated to minerals recovered through the leach process.

The estimate of both the ultimate recovery expected over time and the quantity of metal that may be extracted relative to the time the leach process occurs requires the use of estimates, which are inherently inaccurate due to the nature of the leaching process. The quantities of metal contained in the ore are based upon actual weights and assay analysis. The rate at which the leach process extracts gold and silver from the crushed ore is based upon laboratory testing and actual experience of more than 20 years of leach pad operations at the Rochester mine and 30 years of leach pad operations at the Wharf mine. The assumptions used by the Company to measure metal content during each stage of the inventory conversion process includes estimated recovery rates based on laboratory testing and assaying. The Company periodically reviews its estimates compared to actual experience and revises its estimates when appropriate. The ultimate recovery will not be known until leaching operations cease. Variations between actual and estimated quantities resulting from changes in assumptions and estimates that do not result in write-downs to net realizable value are accounted for on a prospective basis. In June 2021, the Company updated the

recovery rate assumption on the Stage IV leach pad at Rochester, based on the historical performance of the leach pad since the third quarter of 2019. This change resulted in an adjustment to the ending ore on leach pads balance with the resulting non-cash charges allocated between Costs Applicable to Sales and Amortization in the amounts of $8.6 million and $2.2 million, respectively.

Revenue Recognition, Policy

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s gold stream agreement with a subsidiary of Franco-Nevada Corporation (“Franco-Nevada”) provided for a $22.0 million deposit paid by Franco-Nevada in exchange for the right and obligation, commencing in 2016, to purchase 50% of a portion of Palmarejo gold production at the lesser of $800 or market price per ounce. Because there is no minimum obligation associated with the deposit, it is not considered financing, and each shipment is considered to be a separate performance obligation. The streaming agreement represents a contract liability under ASC 606, which requires the Company to ratably recognize a portion of the deposit as revenue for each gold ounce delivered to Franco-Nevada. The remaining unamortized balance is included in Accrued liabilities and other and Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. See Note 17 -- Commitments and Contingencies for additional detail.

The following table presents a rollforward of the Franco-Nevada contract liability balance:


	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
In thousands	2021		2020		2021		2020
Opening Balance	$	8,775	$	10,389	$	9,376	$	11,061
Revenue Recognized	(307)		(393)		(908)		(1,065)
Closing Balance	$	8,468	$	9,996	$	8,468	$	9,996

In December 2020, the Company received a $15.0 million prepayment (the “December 2020 Prepayment”) for deliveries of gold concentrate from the Kensington mine pursuant to the Amended Sales Contract (as defined in Note 17). In the first half of 2021, the Kensington mine delivered $15.0 million of gold concentrate to the counterparty in satisfaction of this prepayment obligation. The Amended Sales Contract was further amended in July 2021, with an effective date as of June 28, 2021, to include options for Coeur to receive up to two additional prepayments of up to $15.0 million each for deliveries of gold concentrate from the Kensington mine, and Coeur exercised the option to receive the first $15.0 million prepayment in June 2021 (the “June 2021 Prepayment”), of which $7.5 million in gold ounces were delivered in the third quarter of 2021. The Amended Sales Contract represents a contract liability under ASC 606, which requires the Company to recognize ratably a portion of the deposit as revenue for each gold ounce delivered to the customer. The remaining contract liability is included in Accrued liabilities and other on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. See Note 17 -- Commitments and Contingencies for additional detail.

The following table presents a rollforward of the Amended Sales Contract liability balance:


	Three Months Ended September 30,					Nine Months Ended September 30,
In thousands	2021		2020			2021		2020
Opening Balance	$	15,004	$	15,006		$	15,003	$	15,010
Additions	95		108		—	15,096		15,114
Revenue Recognized	(7,500)		(5,200)			(22,500)		(20,210)
Closing Balance	$	7,599	$	9,914		$	7,599	$	9,914

Recent Accounting Standards

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, “Income Taxes - Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (Topic 740)” which is intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and also clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. ASU 2019-12 will be effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 (January 1, 2021 for the Company). Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated net income, financial position or cash flows.