Asset Retirement Obligations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Text Block]

Asset Retirement Obligations

We have mining operations in Green River, Wyoming for our soda ash business as well as mining operations in our lithium operations. We have legal reclamation obligations related to these facilities upon closure of the mines. Additionally, we have obligations at the majority of our manufacturing facilities in the event of a permanent plant shutdown. Certain of these obligations are recorded in our environmental reserves described in Note 10. For certain AROs not already accrued, we have calculated the fair value of these AROs and concluded that the present value of these obligations was immaterial at December 31, 2012 and 2011. We have also determined that the liability for certain other AROs cannot currently be calculated as the settlement dates are not reasonably estimable. We will recognize the liability for these AROs when sufficient information exists to estimate a range of potential settlement dates.

The changes in the carrying amounts of AROs for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 are as follows:

(in Millions)
Balance at December 31, 2010	$	34.6
Increase (decrease) to previously recorded ARO liability	5.5
Accretion expense	0.3
Payments	(12.1		)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(1.3		)
Balance at December 31, 2011	$	27.0
Acceleration due to facility shutdowns	2.0
Increase (decrease) to previously recorded ARO liability	(0.7		)
Accretion expense	0.1
Payments	(3.2		)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	0.3
Balance at December 31, 2012	$	25.5