Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

In March 2009, GTL was served in Jersey, Channel Islands, with an injunction obtained by FG Hemisphere Associates LLC (“FG Hemisphere”), which was seeking to enforce two arbitration awards made in 2003 by an arbitral tribunal operating under the auspices of the International Court of Arbitration against the DRC and Société Nationale D’Electricité for $108.3 million (the “Arbitration Awards”). One of the terms of the injunction prohibits GTL from making payments to Gécamines, including amounts payable for raw material purchases under the Long Term Slag Sales Agreement. In November 2010, the Royal Court of Jersey (the “Court”) released its Final Judgment in favor of FG Hemisphere for the full amount of the Arbitration Awards. The Court rejected Gécamines’ argument that it was not an organ of the DRC and rejected GTL’s various arguments, including that the Court did not have jurisdiction to seize monies to be paid to Gécamines under the Long Term Slag Sales Agreement between GTL and Gécamines on the basis that such monies are not held in Jersey. In December 2010, GTL appealed the decision of the Court; as a condition of not paying FG Hemisphere such monies prior to appeal, the Court requires that all amounts owed by GTL to Gécamines (up to the amount of the Arbitration Awards), including monies payable under the Long Term Slag Sales Agreement, be deposited into the Court. As a result, as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, $99.4 million and $92.8 million, respectively, have been deposited with the Court and is recorded as restricted cash on deposit in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. In July 2011, the Jersey Court of Appeal (“Court of Appeal”) released its Judgment in favor of FG Hemisphere. In September 2011, Gécamines lodged its appeal of the decision of the Court of Appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. On July 17, 2012, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council concluded that the Royal Court of Jersey and the Court of Appeals erred in concluding that Gécamines was an organ of the DRC.  Accordingly, the injunction obtained by FG Hemisphere prohibiting payments from GTL to Gécamines is expected to be released.

In October 2010, GTL was served in Jersey, Channel Islands, with an injunction obtained by Marange Investments (Proprietary) Limited (“Marange”), which restrains Gécamines (a partner in GTL) from removing any of its assets from the island of Jersey up to the amount of 14.5 million British Pounds, pending the resolution of proceedings brought by Marange against Gécamines in the Supreme Court of South Africa. In January 2011, Marange obtained a new order amending the injunction to include an additional claim for 5.0 million British Pounds. As a result, GTL has been enjoined from making payments to Gécamines under the Long Term Slag Sales Agreement between GTL and Gécamines up to the value of 19.5 million British Pounds.

We have potential contingent liabilities with respect to environmental matters related to our former operations in Brazil and Germany. The Company has been informed by the purchaser of the PMG operations of environmental issues at two of the operating locations and a third-party site in Brazil and an operating location in Germany. Environmental-cost sharing arrangements are in place between the original owner and operator of those PMG operations, the Company and the subsequent purchaser of the PMG operations. We have reviewed the limited information made available to us on the environmental conditions and are awaiting more detailed information from the purchaser of PMG. We cannot currently evaluate whether or not, or to what extent, we will be responsible for any remediation costs until more detailed information is received.

From time to time, we are subject to various legal and regulatory proceedings, claims and assessments that arise in the normal course of business. The ultimate resolution of such proceedings, claims and assessments is inherently unpredictable and, as a result, our estimates of liability, if any, are subject to change and actual results may materially differ from such estimates. Our estimate of any costs to be incurred as a result of these proceedings, claims and assessments are accrued when the liability is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. We believe the amount of any potential liability with respect to legal and regulatory proceedings, claims and assessments will not have a material adverse effect upon our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.