Last year, Mountain Top, Inc., purchased a coal mine at a cost of $900,000. The salvage value has been estimated at $100,000. The coal mine has an estimated 200,000 tons of available coal. A total of 70,000 tons were mined and sold during the current year. Complete the necessary adjusting journal entry to record depletion expense for the current year by selecting the account names from the drop-down menus and entering the dollar amounts in the debit or credit columns.

Journal entry to record depletion expense

Depreciation expense $280,000 (debit)

Accumulated depreciation $280,000 (credit)

Explanation:

The coal mine is an economic resource controlled (ownership of risks and benefits) by Last year, Mountain Top, Inc as a result of past event (purchase transaction) from which economic benefits are expected to flow into the business (cash from sale of minerals).Therefore the coal mine is an asset!

The asset is being depleted as it is being used. This is called depreciation.

Depreciation expense in this case is calculated as :

Depreciable Account × Current harvest as a percentage of total estimated tons available

(900000-100000)× 70000/200000 = $280,000

(Debit) Depletion expense 280,000

(Credit) Accumulated depletion 280,000

Explanation:

The coal mine is an economic resource controlled (ownership of risks and benefits) by Mountain Top, Inc as a result of past event (purchase transaction) from which economic benefits are expected to flow into the business (cash from sale of minerals). We need to record the DEPLETION of what was mined this year.  

The asset is being depleted as it is being used. This is called DEPLETION.

(Cost of Asset - Salvage Value) × Current Units / Estimated Units = Depletion Amount

(900000-100000)× 70000/200000 = $280,000

answer; limited pay life;