Derivative Instruments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

The Company uses various derivative financial instruments to manage its exposure to changes in PGM market commodity prices.

COMMODITY DERIVATIVES

PGM Recycling

The Company customarily enters into fixed forward sales relating to PGM recycling of catalyst materials. Under these fixed forward transactions, the Company agrees to deliver a stated quantity of metal on a specific future date at a price stipulated in advance. The Company uses fixed forward transactions to set in advance the pricing for metals acquired and processed in its recycling segment. The metals from PGM recycled materials are sold forward at the time of purchase and delivered against the fixed forward contracts when the ounces are recovered. Because this forward price is also used to set the acquisition price the Company pays for recycling materials, this arrangement significantly reduces exposure to PGM price volatility. The Company believes such transactions qualify for the exception to derivative accounting treatment and so has elected to account for these transactions as normal purchases and normal sales.

All of the Company's fixed forward sales contracts open at September 30, 2015, will settle at various periods through March 2016. The Company has credit agreements with its major trading partners that provide for margin deposits in the event that forward prices for metals exceed the Company’s prices by a predetermined margin limit. At September 30, 2015, and December 31, 2014, no margin deposits were outstanding or due.

The following is a summary of the Company's outstanding commodity derivatives in its Recycling Business Segment at September 30, 2015:

PGM Recycling:
Fixed Forward Contracts	Platinum			Palladium			Rhodium
Settlement Period	Ounces	Average Price/Ounce		Ounces	Average Price/Ounce		Ounces	Average Price/Ounce
Fourth Quarter 2015	34,967	$	1,003	49,347	$	630	6,194	$	841
First Quarter 2016	3,247	$	968	4,632	$	607	1,195	$	764