Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The following selected financial and other data summarize our historical financial information. We derived the selected balance sheet information as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, and the selected statement of operations information for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, from our audited financial statements as of those dates. The consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, which differ in certain respects from the principles we would have followed had our consolidated financial statements been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”).

 

 

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

We have not received any material revenue or net profit to date. Exploration and development of mineral properties requires large amounts of capital and usually results in accounting losses for many years before profitability is achieved, if ever. We have incurred losses and negative operating cash flow during our most recently completed financial year and for the current financial year to date. We believe that commercial mining activity is warranted on our Gibellini Project (as defined herein) and Pulacayo Projects.Project (as defined herein). Even if we undertake future development activity on any of our properties, there is no certainty that we will produce revenue, operate profitably or provide a return on investment in the future. The exploration of our properties depends on our ability to obtain additional required financing. There is no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining the required financing, which could cause us to postpone our exploration plans or result in the loss or substantial dilution of our interest in our properties.

We are in the exploration stage and will likely operate at a loss until our business becomes established. We will require additional financing in order to fund future operations. Our ability to secure any required financing in order to commence and sustain our operations will depend in part upon prevailing capital market conditions as well as our business success. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in our efforts to secure any additional financing on terms satisfactory to our management. If additional financing is raised by issuing common shares,Common Shares, control may change, and shareholders may suffer additional dilution. If adequate funds are not available or they are unavailable on acceptable terms, we may be required to scale back our business plan or cease operating.

The exploration for and development of minerals involve significant risks, which even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge may not eliminate. Few properties which are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. There can be no guarantee that the estimates of quantities and qualities of minerals disclosed will be economically recoverable. With all mining operations there is uncertainty and, therefore, risk associated with operating parameters and costs resulting from the scaling up of extraction methods tested in pilot conditions. Mineral exploration is speculative in nature and there can be no assurance that any minerals discovered will result in an increase in our resource base.

Our operations are subject to all of the hazards and risks normally encountered in the exploration, development and production of minerals. These include unusual and unexpected geological formations, rock falls, seismic activity, flooding and other conditions involved in the extraction of material, any of which could result in damage to, or destruction of, mines and other producing facilities, damage to life or property, environmental damage and possible legal liability. Although precautions to minimize risk will be taken, operations are subject to hazards that may result in environmental pollution and consequent liability that could have a material adverse impact on our business, operations and financial performance.

Substantial expenditures are required to establish ore reserves through drilling, to develop metallurgical processes to extract the metal from the ore and, in the case of new properties, to develop the mining and processing facilities and infrastructure at any site chosen for mining. Although substantial benefits may be derived from the discovery of a major mineralized deposit, no assurance can be given that minerals will be discovered in sufficient quantities to justify commercial operations or that funds required for development can be obtained on a timely basis. The economics of developing vanadium, silver, coal and other mineral properties is affected by many factors including the cost of operations, variations in the grade of ore mined, fluctuations in metal markets, costs of processing equipment and such other factors such as government regulations, including regulations relating to royalties, allowable production, importing and exporting of minerals and environmental protection. The remoteness and restrictions on access of properties in which we have an interest will have an adverse effect on profitability as a result of higher infrastructure costs. There are also physical risks to the exploration personnel working in the terrain in which our properties are located, often in poor climate conditions.

Our long-term commercial success depends on our ability to find, acquire, develop and commercially produce vanadium, silver, coal and other minerals. No assurance can be given that we will be able to locate satisfactory properties for acquisition or participation. Moreover, if such acquisitions or participations are identified, we may determine that current markets, terms of acquisition and participation or pricing conditions make such acquisitions or participations uneconomic.

None of our properties are currently under development. The future development of any property found to be economically feasible will require the construction and operation of mines, processing plants and related infrastructure. As a result, we are subject to all of the risks associated with establishing new mining operations and business enterprises, including:

 

 

The costs, timing and complexities of mine construction and development are increased by the remote location of our mining properties. It is common in new mining operations to experience unexpected problems and delays during development, construction and mine start-up. In addition, delays in the commencement of mineral production often occur. Accordingly, there are no assurances that our activities will successfully establish mining operations, result in profitable operations or that vanadium, silver, coal or other metals will be produced at any of our properties.

All of the properties in which we hold an interest are considered to be in the exploration stage only and do not contain a known body of commercial minerals. The figures for our resources are estimates based on interpretation and assumptions and may yield less mineral production under actual operating conditions than is currently estimated. Unless otherwise indicated, mineralization figures presented in this Annual Report and in our other filings with securities regulatory authorities, news releases and other public statements that may be made from time to time are based upon estimates made by our personnel and independent geologists. These estimates may be imprecise because they are based upon geological and engineering interpretation and statistical inferences drawn from drilling and sample analysis, stated operating conditions, and mineral processing tests, which may prove to be unreliable. There can be no assurance that:

 

Because we have not commenced production at any of our properties, other than Ulaan Ovoo, and have not defined or delineated any proven or probable reserves on any of our properties, the mineralization estimates for our properties may require adjustments including possible downward revisions based upon further exploration or development work, actual production experience, or current costs and sales prices. In addition, the quality of coal or grade of ore ultimately mined, if any, may differ from that indicated by drilling and beneficiation testing results. There can be no assurance that the type and amount of minerals recovered in laboratory analyses and small-scale beneficiation tests will be duplicated in large-scale tests under on-site conditions or in production scale.

The resource estimates contained in this Annual Report have been estimated based on assumed future prices, cut-off grades and operating costs that may prove to be inaccurate. Extended declines in market prices for vanadium, silver, coal or other metals may render portions of our mineralization uneconomic and result in reduced reported mineralization. Any material reductions in estimates of mineralization, or of our ability to extract this mineralization, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Actual capital costs, operating costs, production and economic returns may differ significantly from those we have anticipated, and we cannot assure you that any future development activities will result in profitable mining operations. The capital costs required to take our projects into production may be significantly higher than anticipated. None of our mineral properties has a sufficient operating history upon which we can base estimates of future operating costs. Any potential decisions about the possible development of these and other mineral properties would ultimately be based upon feasibility studies which may or may not be undertaken. Feasibility studies derive estimates of cash operating costs based upon, among other things:

Cash operating costs, production and economic returns, and other estimates contained in studies or estimates prepared by or for us may differ significantly from those anticipated by our current studies and estimates, and there can be no assurance that our actual operating costs will not be higher than currently anticipated.

Our business operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (the “COVID-19”).COVID-19. We cannot accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on third parties, including our employees or contractors, ability to fulfil their obligations to the Company, including due to uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, its severity, the duration of the outbreak, and the restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries to combat COVID-19. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries (including those countries in which our properties are located and other countries we rely on to conduct our business operations), resulting in an economic downturn that could negatively impact our operating results and financial condition. There can be no assurance that any policies or procedures that have been or that may be put in place by the Company will mitigate the risks associated with, or that they will not cause us to experience, less favourable health, safety and economic outcomes, including the ability to obtain financing for business operations as needed or on terms acceptable to the Company.

Mining and exploration activities at our properties in North America are subject to various laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, such as the U.S. federal Clean Water Act and the Nevada Water Pollution Control Law. Although we intend to comply with all existing environmental and mining laws and regulations, no assurance can be given that we will be in compliance with all applicable regulations or that new rules and regulations will not be enacted, including by the new Biden administration in the United States, or that existing rules and regulations will not be applied in a manner that could limit or curtail development of our properties.

All claims held by us in the United States are unpatented lode mining claims and all claims held by us in Ontario are patented claims. Our Manitoba claims are Crown Land mineral claims and mineral leases administered by the Manitoba Provincial government. At present, there is no royalty payable to the United States on production from unpatented mining claims, but exploration and development on these claims is subject to regulation and requires permits from the U.S. Department of Interior and various state agencies. There is a tax imposed on profits from the extraction of mineral substances raised and sold by operators of Ontario mines. There have been legislative attempts to impose a royalty on production from unpatented mining claims in the United States in recent years. Amendments to current laws and regulations governing exploration, development and mining or more stringent implementation thereof could have a material adverse effect on our business and cause increases in exploration expenses or capital expenditures or require delays or abandonment in the development of our properties.

Our operations are also subject to laws and regulations governing the protection of endangered and other specified species. In May 2015, the U.S. Department of the Interior released a plan to protect the greater sage grouse, a species whose natural habitat is found across much of the western United States, including Nevada. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s plan is intended to guide conservation efforts on approximately 70 million acres of national public lands. No assurances can be made that restrictions relating to conservation will not have an adverse impact on our operations in impacted areas.

We are also required to expend significant resources to comply with numerous corporate governance and disclosure regulations and requirements adopted by Canadian federal and provincial governments, as well as the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”). These additional compliance costs and related diversion of the attention of management and key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business.

All of our unpatented mining claims are on U.S. federal lands. Legislation has been introduced regularly in the U.S. Congress over the last decade to change the General Mining Law of 1872, as amended (the “General Mining Law”), under which we hold these unpatented mining claims. It is possible that the General Mining Law may be amended or replaced by less favorable legislation in the future. Previously proposed legislation contained a production royalty obligation, new environmental standards and conditions, additional reclamation requirements and extensive new procedural steps which would likely result in delays in permitting. The ultimate content of future proposed legislation, if enacted, is uncertain. If a royalty on unpatented mining claims were imposed, the profitability of our U.S. operations could be materially adversely affected.

 

Any such reform of the General Mining Law could increase the costs of our U.S. mining activities or could materially impair our ability to develop or continue our U.S. operations, and as a result, could have an adverse effect on us and our results of operations.

Government approvals and permits are currently required in connection with all of our operations, and further approvals and permits may be required in the future. We must obtain and maintain a variety of licenses and permits, which include or cover, without limitation, air quality, water quality, water rights, dam safety, fire safety, emergency preparedness, hazardous materials, mercury control, waste rock management, solid waste disposal, storm water runoff, water pollution control, water treatment, rights of way and tailings operations. Such licenses and permits are subject to change in regulations and in various operating circumstances. The duration and success of our efforts to obtain permits are contingent upon many variables outside of our control. Obtaining governmental approvals and permits may increase costs and cause delays depending on the nature of the activity to be permitted and the applicable requirements implemented by the permitting authority.

Certain of our current exploration properties are located in Bolivia and Mongolia. In these countries, their operations may be exposed to various levels of political, economic, and other risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, political and bureaucratic corruption and uncertainty, terrorism, hostage taking, military repression, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, high rates of inflation, labor unrest, civil unrest, expropriation and nationalization, renegotiation or nullification of existing concessions, licenses, permits and contracts, illegal mining, changes in taxation policies, restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation, changing political conditions, currency controls, and governmental regulations that favor or require the awarding of contracts to local contractors or require foreign contractors to employ citizens of, or purchase supplies from, a particular jurisdiction.

Future political and economic conditions may result in a government adopting different policies with respect to foreign development and ownership of mineral resources. Any changes in policy may result in changes in laws affecting ownership of assets, foreign investment, taxation, rates of exchange, resource sales, environmental protection, labour relations or practices, price controls, repatriation of income, and return of capital which may affect both our ability to undertake exploration and development activities in respect of future properties in the manner currently contemplated, as well as our ability to continue to explore, develop, and operate those properties to which we have rights relating to exploration, development, and operations.

Any changes in regulations or shifts in political attitudes in Bolivia and Mongolia are beyond our control and may adversely affect our business, financial condition and prospects.

The Mongolian legal system shares several of the qualitative characteristics typically found in a developing country and many of its laws, particularly with respect to matters of environment and taxation, are still evolving. A transaction or business structure that would likely be regarded under a more established legal system as appropriate and relatively straightforward might be regarded in Mongolia as outside the scope of existing Mongolian law, regulation, or legal precedent. As the legal framework in Mongolia is in many instances based on recent political reforms or newly enacted legislation which may not be consistent with long-standing conventions and customs, certain business arrangements or structures and certain tax planning mechanisms may carry significant risks. In particular, when business objectives and practicalities dictate the use of arrangements and structures that, while not necessarily contrary to settled Mongolian law, are sufficiently novel within a Mongolian legal context, it is possible that such arrangements may be invalidated.

The legal system in Mongolia has inherent uncertainties that could limit the legal protections available to us. These uncertainties include, without limitation: (i) inconsistencies between laws; (ii) limited judicial and administrative guidance on interpreting Mongolian legislation; (iii) substantial gaps in the regulatory structure due to delay or absence of implementing regulations; (iv) the lack of established interpretations of new principles of Mongolian legislation, particularly those relating to business, corporate and securities laws; (v) a lack of judicial independence from political, social and commercial forces; and (vi) bankruptcy procedures that are not well developed and are subject to abuse. The Mongolian judicial system has relative little experience in enforcing the laws and regulations that currently exist, leading to a degree of uncertainty as to the outcome of any litigation, it may be difficult to obtain swift and equitable enforcement, or to obtain enforcement of a judgment by a court of another jurisdiction.

In addition, while legislation has been enacted to protect private property against expropriation and nationalization, due to the lack of experience in enforcing these provisions and political factors, these protections may not be enforced in the event of an attempted expropriation or nationalization. Whether legitimate or not, expropriation or nationalization of any of our assets, or portions thereof, potentially without adequate or any compensation, could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. Further, there can be no assurance that neighboring countries’ political and economic policies in relation to Mongolia will not have adverse economic effects on our business, including our ability to transport and sell our product and access construction labor, supplies and materials.

In Bolivia, recent and anticipated changes to mining laws and policies and mining taxes and expected changes in governmental regulation or governmental actions may adversely affect us. On May 28, 2014, Law 535 of Mining and Metallurgy (which we refer to as the “May Mining Law”) was adopted and placed into effect. Pursuant to the May Mining Law, we must develop our mining activities to comply with the economic and social function, which means observing the sustainability of the mining activities, work creation, respecting the rights of our mining workers, and ensuring the payment of mining patents and the continuity of existing activities.

The Framework Law on Mother Earth and Integral Development for Living Well (together with the May Mining Law, the “New Mining Laws”), in effect since October 15, 2012, prioritizes the importance of nature to the Bolivian people and could have significant consequences to the country’s mining industry. This law established 11 new rights for “mother earth” including, the right to life and to exist; the right to continue vital cycle and processes free from human alteration; the right to pure water and clean air; the right to balance; the right not to be polluted; and the right to not have cellular structure modified or genetically altered. At present, it is unclear how the New Mining Laws will affect exploration companies with projects in the area or how the law will be enforced.

In the past, the Government of Bolivia has nationalized the assets of certain companies in various industries. Nationalization or other expropriation of our assets, without adequate compensation, could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or result in the total loss of our investment in Bolivia.

Our activities are subject to government approvals, various laws governing prospecting, development, land resumptions, production taxes, labor standards and occupational health, mine safety, toxic substances and other matters, including issues affecting local native populations. Although we believe that our activities are currently carried out in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations, no assurance can be given that new rules and regulations will not be enacted or that existing rules and regulations will not be applied in a manner which could limit or curtail production or development. Amendments to current laws and regulations governing operations, including by the new Biden administration in the United States and proposed changes to tax laws in Nevada, and activities of exploration and mining, or more stringent implementation thereof, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operations and financial performance. Further, the mining licenses and permits issued in respect of our projects may be subject to conditions which, if not satisfied, may lead to the revocation of such licenses. In the event of revocation, the value of our investments in such projects may decline.

In the United States, the tenures are in the form of claims where exploration and development rights are retained so long as annual maintenance fees are paid and certain forms filed. The maintenance fees may be substantial with a large number of claims and the fees are adjusted periodically. Diligent periodic assessment of the resource and development value of claims by the claimant is required.

 

Title to mineral properties, as well as the location of boundaries on the grounds may be disputed. Moreover, additional amounts may be required to be paid to surface right owners in connection with any mining development. At all of such properties where there are current or planned exploration activities, we believe that we have either contractual, statutory, or common law rights to make such use of the surface as is reasonably necessary in connection with those activities. Although we believe we have taken reasonable measures to ensure proper title to our properties, there is no guarantee that title to our properties will not be challenged or impaired. Successful challenges to the title of our properties could impair the development of operations on those properties.

All phases of the mining business present environmental risks and hazards and are subject to environmental regulation pursuant to a variety of international conventions, and federal, state and municipal laws and regulations. Environmental legislation provides for, among other things, restrictions and prohibitions on spills and releases or emissions of various substances produced in association with mining operations. The legislation also requires that wells and facility sites be operated, maintained, abandoned and reclaimed to the satisfaction of applicable regulatory authorities. Compliance with such legislation can require significant expenditures and a breach may result in the imposition of fines and penalties, some of which may be material. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner expected to result in stricter standards and enforcement, larger fines and liability and potentially increased capital expenditures and operating costs. Environmental assessments of proposed projects carry a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their directors, officers and employees. The cost of compliance with changes in governmental regulations has a potential to reduce the profitability of operations.

Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and permitting requirements may result in enforcement actions under, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities causing operations to cease or be curtailed, and may include corrective measures requiring capital expenditures, installation of additional equipment, or remedial actions. Entities engaged in mining operations may be required to compensate those suffering loss or damage by reason of the mining activities and may have civil or criminal fines or penalties imposed for violations of applicable laws or regulations and, in particular, environmental laws.

Amendments to current laws, regulations and permits governing operations and activities of mining companies, or more stringent implementation thereof, could have a material adverse impact on our business and cause increases in capital expenditures, production costs or reduction in levels of production at producing properties, or require abandonment or delays in the development of new mining properties.

Native American and Aboriginal interests and rights as well as related consultation issues may impact our ability to pursue exploration and development at our U.S. and Canadian properties. There is no assurance that claims or other assertion of rights by tribal or Aboriginal communities and stakeholders or consultation issues will not arise on or with respect to our properties or activities. These could result in significant costs and delays or materially restrict our activities. Opposition by Native American tribes or Aboriginal communities and stakeholders to our presence, operations or development on land subject to their traditional territory or title claims or in areas of cultural significance could negatively impact us in terms of public perception, costly legal proceedings, potential blockades or other interference by third parties in our operations, or court-ordered relief impacting our operations. In addition, we may be required to, or may voluntarily, enter into certain agreements with such Native American tribes or Aboriginal communities and stakeholders in order to facilitate development of our properties, which could reduce the expected earnings or income from any future production.

The mining industry in general is intensely competitive and there is no assurance that, even if commercial quantities of ore are discovered, a ready market will exist for the sale of same. Marketability of natural resources which we may discover will be affected by numerous factors beyond our control, such as market fluctuations, the proximity and capacity of natural resource markets and processing equipment, government regulations including regulations relating to prices, royalties, land tenure, land use, importing and exporting of minerals and environmental protection. The exact effect of such factors cannot be predicted but they may result in us not receiving an adequate return on our investment.

Our business is subject to a number of risks and hazards, including adverse environmental conditions, industrial accidents, labor disputes, unusual or unexpected geological conditions, ground or slope failures, cave-ins, changes in the regulatory environment and natural phenomena such as inclement weather conditions, floods and earthquakes. Such occurrences could result in damage to mineral properties or production facilities, personal injury or death, environmental damage to our properties or the properties of others, delays in development or mining, monetary losses and possible legal liability.

Although we maintain insurance to protect against certain risks in amounts that we consider reasonable, our insurance will not cover all the potential risks associated with our operations. We may also be unable to maintain insurance to cover these risks at economically feasible premiums. Insurance coverage may not continue to be available or may not be adequate to cover any resulting liability. Moreover, insurance against risks such as environmental pollution or other hazards as a result of exploration and production is not generally available to us or to other companies in the mining industry on acceptable terms. We may also become subject to liability for pollution or other hazards which may not be insured against or which we may elect not to insure against because of premium costs or other reasons. Losses from these events may cause us to incur significant costs that could have a material adverse effect upon our financial performance, results of operations and business outlook.

We depend on a number of key personnel, including our directors and executive officers, the loss of any one of whom could have an adverse effect on our operations. We have employment and consulting contracts with several key personnel, and we do not have key man life insurance.

Our ability to manage growth effectively will require us to continue to implement and improve management systems and to recruit and train new employees. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in attracting and retaining skilled and experienced personnel.

Our revenues, if any, are expected to be in large part derived from the mining and sale of vanadium, silver, nickel, coal and other minerals. The prices of those commodities have fluctuated widely, particularly in recent years, and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control including international economic and political trends, expectations of inflation, currency exchange fluctuations, interest rates, global or regional consumption patterns, speculative activities and increased production due to new mine developments and improved mining and production methods.

The price of vanadium, silver and coal may have a significant influence on the market price of our securities and the value of our mineral properties. Mineral prices fluctuate widely and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control. The level of interest rates, the rate of inflation, the world supply of mineral commodities and the stability of exchange rates can all cause significant fluctuations in prices. Such external economic factors are in turn influenced by changes in international investment patterns, monetary systems and political developments. The price of mineral commodities has fluctuated widely in recent years, and future price declines could cause commercial production to be impracticable, thereby having a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and result of operations.

We will be heavily reliant upon our contractors during the development of large scale projects. Companies are often measured and evaluated by the behavior and performance of their representatives, including in large part their contractors. We work hard to build in controls and mechanisms to choose and retain employees and contractors with similar values to our own; however, these controls may not always be effective. Sound judgment, safe work practices, and ethical behavior is expected from our contractors both on and off-site. Any work disruptions, labor disputes, regulatory breach or irresponsible behavior of our contractors could reflect on us poorly and could lead to loss of social license, delays in production and schedule, unsafe work practices and accidents and reputational harm.

We estimate that our current financial resources are insufficient to undertake presently planned exploration and development programs. Further exploration on and development and construction of our mineral properties may require additional capital. One source of future funds presently available to us is through the sale of equity capital. There is no assurance that this source will continue to be available as required or at all. If it is available, future equity financings may result in substantial dilution to shareholders. Another alternative for the financing of further exploration and/or development would be the offering of an interest in our mineral properties to be earned by another party or parties carrying out further exploration or development thereof. There can be no assurance that we will be able to conclude any such agreements on favorable terms or at all.

Any failure to obtain the required financing on acceptable terms could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity and may require us to cancel or postpone planned capital investments.

We transact business in a number of currencies including Canadian, U.S., Bolivian and Mongolian currencies. Fluctuations in exchange rates may have a significant effect on our cash flows. Future changes in exchange rates could materially affect our results in either a positive or negative direction. We do not currently engage in foreign currency hedging activities.

 

Access to financing has been negatively impacted by many factors as a result of the global financial crisis. This may impact our ability to obtain debt or equity financing in the future on terms favorable to us and our ability to attain strategic partnerships or enter into joint venture arrangements which may further negatively impact the timeline for commencement of commercial production. Additionally, global economic conditions may cause decreases in asset values that are deemed to be other than temporary, which may result in impairment losses. If such volatility and market turmoil continue, our business and financial condition could be adversely impacted.

Our insurance will not cover all the potential risks associated with a mining company’s operations. We may also be unable to maintain insurance to cover these risks at economically feasible premiums. Insurance coverage may not continue to be available or may not be adequate to cover any resulting liability. Moreover, insurance against risks such as environmental pollution or other hazards as a result of exploration and production is not generally available to us or to other companies in the mining industry on acceptable terms. We may also become subject to liability for pollution or other hazards which may not be insured against or which we may elect not to insure against because of premium costs or other reasons. Losses from these events may cause the Company to incur significant costs that could have a material adverse effect upon its financial condition and results of operations.

To date, we have never paid any dividends on our outstanding common sharesCommon Shares and we are unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future. Any decision to pay dividends on our common sharesCommon Shares will be made by our Corporate Governance and Compensation Committee on the basis of our earnings, financial requirements and other conditions.

We rely on information technology (“IT”) systems and networks in our operations which are provided and maintained by third-party contractors. The availability, capacity, reliability and security of these IT systems could be subject to network disruptions caused by a variety of malicious sources, including computer viruses, security breaches, cyber-attacks and theft, as well as network and/or hardware disruptions resulting from unexpected failures such as human error, software or hardware defects, natural disasters, fire, flood or power loss. Our operations also depend on the timely maintenance, upgrade and replacement of networks, equipment, IT systems and software, as well as pre-emptive expenses to mitigate the risks of failures.

The ability of the IT function to support our business in the event of any such failure and the ability to recover key systems from unexpected interruptions cannot be fully tested. There is a risk that if such an event were to occur, our response may not be adequate to immediately address all of the potential repercussions of the incident. In the event of a disaster affecting our head office, key systems may be unavailable for a number of days, leading to inability to perform some business processes in a timely manner. The failure of our IT systems or a component thereof could, depending on the nature, materially impact our financial condition, results of operations, reputation and share price.

Unauthorized access to our IT systems as a result of cyber-attacks could lead to exposure, corruption or loss of confidential information, and disruption to our communications, operations, business activities or our competitive position. Further, disruption of critical IT services, or breaches of information security, could expose us to financial losses and regulatory or legal action. Our risk and exposure to these matters cannot be fully mitigated because of, among other things, the evolving nature of these threats. As a result, cyber- security and the continued development and enhancement of controls, processes and practices designed to protect systems, computers, software, data and networks from attack, damage or unauthorized access remain a priority.

 

As a “foreign private issuer,” we are exempt from certain rules under the Exchange Act that impose disclosure requirements as well as procedural requirements for proxy solicitations under Section 14 of the Exchange Act. In addition, our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and “short-swing” profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Moreover, we are not required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as a company that files as a domestic issuer whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, nor are we generally required to comply with the SEC’s Regulation FD, which restricts the selective disclosure of material non-public information. For as long as we are a foreign private issuer we intend to file our annual financial statements on Form 20-F and furnish our quarterly financial statements on Form 6-K to the SEC for so long as we are subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13(g) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. However, the information we file or furnish will not be the same as the information that is required in annual and quarterly reports on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q for U.S. domestic issuers. Accordingly, there may be less information publicly available concerning us than there is for a company that files as a domestic issuer.

We are required to determine our status as a foreign private issuer on an annual basis at the end of our second fiscal quarter. We will lose our current status as a foreign private issuer if (1) a majority of our common sharesCommon Shares are directly or indirectly held of record by residents of the United States; and (2) either (a) a majority of our executive officers or directors are

Our financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS. IFRS is an internationally recognized body of accounting principles that are used by many companies outside of the United States to prepare their financial statements. IFRS accounting principles are different from those of U.S. GAAP. Investors who are not familiar with IFRS may misunderstand certain information presented in our financial statements. Accordingly, we suggest that readers of our financial statements familiarize themselves with the provisions of IFRS accounting principles in order to better understand the differences between these two sets of principles.

We are governed by the corporate legislation of British Columbia, where we amalgamated, and our principal place of business is in Canada. Our auditors and a majority of our directors and officers are residents of Canada or countries other than the United States. All or a substantial portion of our assets and those of such persons are located outside the United States. Consequently, it may be difficult for U.S. investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or our directors, officers and auditors who are not residents of the United States or to realize in the United States upon judgments of U.S. courts predicated upon civil liabilities under the Securities Act (as defined below). Investors should not assume that Canadian or other foreign courts: (1) would enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws or the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state within the United States or (2) would enforce, in original actions, liabilities against us or such persons predicated upon the U.S. federal securities laws or any such state securities or blue-sky laws.

We are an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. For example, we have elected to rely on an exemption from the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act relating to internal control over financial reporting, and we will not provide such an attestation from our auditors.

We may avail ourselves of these disclosure exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because of our reliance on some or all of these exemptions. If investors find our securities less attractive, it may adversely impact the price of our securities and there may be a less active trading market for our securities.

We will cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of:

 

Because the Company is an exploration stage company and its only material revenues consist of passive investment income on its cash investments, U.S. shareholdersholders of common sharesCommon Shares should be aware that the Company believes it was classified as a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”("PFIC") during the tax year ended December 31, 2019,2020, and based on current business plans and financial expectations, the Company anticipates that it mayshould be a PFIC for the current tax year and may be a PFIC in future tax years. If the Company is a PFIC for any year during a U.S. shareholder’s holding period of the common shares,Common Shares, then such U.S. shareholder generally will be required to treat any gain realized upon a disposition of common shares,Common Shares, or any “excess distribution”"excess distribution" received on its common shares,Common Shares, as ordinary income, and to pay an interest charge on a portion of such gain or distribution, unless the shareholder makes a timely and effective "qualified electing fund" election (“("QEF Election”Election") or a "mark-to-market" election with respect to the common shares.Common Shares.

A U.S. shareholder who makes a QEF Election generally must report on a current basis its share of the Company'sCompany’s net capital gain and ordinary earnings for any year in which the Company is a PFIC, whether or not the Company distributes any amounts to its shareholders. However, U.S. shareholders should be aware that there can be no assurance that the Company will satisfy the record keeping requirements that apply to a qualified electing fund, or that the Company will supply U.S. shareholders with information that such U.S. shareholders require to report under the QEF Election rules, in the event that the Company is a PFIC and a U.S. shareholder wishes to make a QEF Election. Thus, U.S. shareholders may not be able to make a QEF Election with respect to their common shares.Common Shares. A U.S. shareholder who makes a mark-to-market election generally must include as ordinary income each year the excess of the fair market value of the common sharesCommon Shares over the taxpayer’s adjusted tax basis therein. This paragraph is qualified in its entirety by the discussion below under the heading “Certain"Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences.”Considerations." Each U.S. shareholder should consult its own tax advisors regarding the PFIC rules and the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of common shares.Common Shares.

Silver Elephant Mining Corp. (formerly Prophecy Development Corp.)The Company is an exploration stage company specializing in mine permitting, construction, and operationswith projects in the United States, Canada, Bolivia and Mongolia. The Company, in its current form, is primarily the product of an April 16, 2010 business combination between Red Hill Energy Inc. and Prophecy Resource Corp. We are currently governed under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (“BCBCA”("BCBCA"). Our head and registered offices are located at Suite 1610 – 409 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 1T2, Telephone: 604-569-3661.

Red Hill Energy Inc. was incorporated on November 6, 1978 under the Corporations Act (British Columbia) under the name “Banbury"Banbury Gold Mines Ltd.”" Banbury changed its name to “Enerwaste"Enerwaste Minerals Corp.”" on July 3, 1992 and to “Universal"Universal Gun-Loc Industries Ltd.”" on December 17, 1993. On April 24, 2002, Universal Gun-Loc changed its name to “UGL"UGL Enterprises Ltd.”" and then to “Red"Red Hill Energy Inc.”" on May 29, 2006.

On April 16, 2010, Red Hill Energy Inc. changed its name to “Prophecy"Prophecy Resource Corp.”" in conjunction with the merger of Red Hill Energy Inc. and Prophecy Resource Corp.

On June 13, 2011, the Prophecy Resource Corp. changed its name to “Prophecy"Prophecy Coal Corp.”" in connection with its amalgamation with Northern Platinum Ltd. and Prophecy Holdings Inc. and an asset spin-off to capitalize the Company’s then-controlled affiliate, Wellgreen Platinum Ltd.

On January 5, 2015, Prophecy Coal Corp. changed its name to “Prophecy"Prophecy Development Corp.”" in connection with an acquisition of assets located in Bolivia and to better reflect its various interests in its mining and energy projects at the time in the United States, Canada, Bolivia and Mongolia.

 

On March 12, 2015, we entered into a credit facility (which, as amended, we refer to as the “Credit Facility”"Credit Facility") with Linx Partners Ltd. (which we refer to as “Linx”"Linx"), a private company wholly-owned and controlled by John Lee, our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman, and a member of our board of directors (which we refer to as the “Board”"Board"), in order to meet interim working capital requirements to fund our business operations and financial commitments. The Credit Facility was amended on May 5, 2015 and February 24, 2016. The Credit Facility was revolving and had a maximum principal amount available for advance of $2.5 million. The Credit Facility had a two-year term with an option to extend for any number of subsequent one-year terms subject to approval by the TSX and had a simple interest rate of 18% per annum. We closed out and terminated the Credit Facility on November 28, 2017.

On May 5, 2015, the Company, through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Red Hill, entered into a purchase agreement with Khishig Arvin Industrial LLC, an arm’s-length party in Mongolia, to sell substantially all of our mining and transportation equipment at our Ulaan Ovoo Property for total proceeds of approximately $2.34 million. The sale, together with the sale of additional equipment to other arm’s-length parties, was completed in June 2015 and we received approximately $2.9 million in cash. In consideration for our receiving consent to the sales of the equipment from Linx, which held a general security interest over all of our property (including property indirectly held through our subsidiaries such as Red Hill), we issued the equivalent of 1,200,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company to Mr. Lee, the beneficial owner of Linx, exercisable at the equivalent of $0.50 per share for a period of five years expiring on May 22, 2020.

On September 1, 2015, we announced a non-brokered private placement involving the issuance of up to the equivalent of 4,000,000 units at a price of the equivalent of $0.50 per unit. Each unit consisted of one common share of the CompanyCommon Share and one common share purchase warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire an additional common share of the CompanyCommon Share at a price of the equivalent of $0.70 per common share for a period of five years from the date of issuance. On September 30, 2015, we closed on a first cash tranche of the aforementioned private placement for gross cash proceeds of $556,000 through the issuance of the equivalent of 1,112,000 units (the “Sept. 1, 2015 Private Placement”) .units. The remainder of this private placement was cancelled on November 4, 2015.

On November 12, 2015, we announced a non-brokered private placement involving the issuance of up to the equivalent of 2,500,000 units at a price of the equivalent of $0.40 per unit (the “Nov. 12, 2015 Private Placement”).unit. Each unit consisted of one common share of the CompanyCommon Share and one common share purchase warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire an additional common share of the CompanyCommon Share at a price of the equivalent of $0.70 per common share for a period of five years from the date of issuance. On November 13, 2015 we closed on a first tranche of the aforementioned private placement for gross cash proceeds of $250,000 through the issuance of the equivalent of 625,000 units. On December 18, 2015, we announced the closure of the aforementioned private placement with no further subscriptions.

On January 25, 2016, we completed a non-brokered private placement involving the issuance of the equivalent of 800,000 units at a price of the equivalent of $0.25 per unit, (the “Jan. 25, 2016 Private Placement”) , with each unit consisting of one common shareCommon Share and one warrant to purchase one common share purchase warrant at a price of the equivalent of $0.40 per common share for a period of five years from the date of issuance.

On January 29, 2016, we voluntarily delisted our common sharesCommon Shares from the OTCQX.

On March 30, 2016, we entered into a debt settlement agreement with Linx and Mr. Lee, the beneficial owner of Linx, pursuant to which, we agreed to issue the equivalent of 7,500,000 units to Mr. Lee, in satisfaction of $1,500,000 of indebtedness owed by us to Linx under the Credit Facility (the “Mar. 30, 2016 Linx Settlement”) .Facility. Each unit consists of one common shareCommon Share and one warrant to purchase one common share purchase warrant at a price of the equivalent of $0.40 per common share for a period of five years from the date of issuance. We issued the aforementioned equivalent of 7,500,000 units on June 6, 2016.

On August 29, 2016, we completed a non-brokered private placement involving the issuance of the equivalent of 2,027,350 units at a price of the equivalent of $0.38 per unit for gross proceeds of $770,393 (the “Aug. 29, 2016 Private Placement”).$770,393. Each unit consisted of one common shareCommon Share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant, with each full purchase warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common shareCommon Share at a price equivalent of $0.44 per common share for a period of five years from the date of issuance.

On September 22, 2016, we sold our 60% interest in the Okeover, copper-molybdenum project located in British Columbia, Canada to Lorraine Copper Corp. (which we refer to as “Lorraine”"Lorraine"). Under the terms of the agreement, Lorraine issued 2,200,000 common sharesCommon Shares of Lorraine (valued at $0.08 per share) to us and assumed our $19,079 payment obligation to Eastfield Resources Ltd. under such parties’ existing joint venture agreement. We are additionally entitled to receive 30% of any payments or proceeds resulting from third party agreements related to the project entered into within five years of the date of the sale, up to a maximum amount of $1,000,000.

On February 15, 2018, we acquired an additional 105 unpatented lode mining claims located adjacent to our existing Gibellini Project, through the acquisition of 1104002 B.C. Ltd. and its Nevada subsidiary, by paying a total of $335,661 in cash, settling $14,338 in debt and issuing the equivalent of 500,000 common share purchase warrants to arm’s-length, private parties.

On February 27, 2018, we re-listed our common sharesCommon Shares on the OTCQX, which began trading again under the symbol “PRPCF”"PRPCF".

On April 23, 2018, we announced an amendment to the Gibellini mineral lease agreement dated June 22, 2017, whereby we were granted the option to cause the Gibellini Lessor to transfer title to substantially all of the applicable Gibellini mining claims to us in exchange for US$1,000,000, to be paid as an advance royalty payment.

On August 14, 2018, we closed the Company’s non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $1,137,197 through the issuance of 4,061,417 units of the Company. Each unit is comprised of one common share of the CompanyCommon Share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share of the CompanyCommon Share at an exercise price of $0.40 for a period of three years from the closing of the first tranche of the placement.

On August 8, 2018, we completed the Forward Split.

On October 2, 2018, the Company signed a Memorandum of Agreement for voluntary cost recovery with the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (the "BLM"), Battle Mountain District office (who we refer to as “BLM”) to expedite Gibellini Project permitting efforts. The Company and the BLM agreed in principal to a fixed cost structure that will have the Company reimburse the BLM for the cost of all anticipated work for the BLM to complete its review of the Company’s submission of mine plan of operations and any updates to existing baseline studies.

On November 22, 2018, we closed a bought deal financing previously announced on November 1, 2018, which raised gross proceeds of $5,520,000. The Company entered into an agreement withfor BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. (“BMO”), under which BMO agreed to buy, on a bought deal basis, 12,000,000 Common Shares, at a price of $0.46 per Share.share. The Common Shares were offered by way of a short form prospectus in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Québec. The Company incurred $560,576 in common shareCommon Share issuance costscosts.

On December 18, 2018, the Company announced that it selected M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation to provide engineering, procurement, construction and management services for its Gibellini Project in response to its Request for Proposal issued on August 15, 2018.

On March 18, 2019, the Company announced that the Ulaan Ovoo Property had started up. The Company also reported that it had executed a lease agreement with an arms-length private Mongolian company (the “Lessee”"Mongolian Lessee") whereby the Mongolian Lessee performs mining operations at the Company’s Ulaan Ovoo Property and will pay the Company $2 (the “Production Royalty”) for every tonne of coal shipped from the Ulaan Ovoo site premises. The Mongolian Lessee is responsible for all capital and operating expenses, government taxes and royalties related to Ulaan Ovoo operation.

On March 26, 2019, the Company announced its vanadium assay results from its fall 2018 exploration reconnaissance program on the Gibellini Project. There were 155 assays taken from three prospective exploration areas which all were within 5 km to the existing Gibellini Project vanadium NI 43-101 compliant resource pit.

On July 8, 2019, the Company announced that it had submitted its updated Plan of Operations (the “POO”"POO") through the Company’s U.S. subsidiary for the Gibellini Project to the BLM and the Reclamation Permit Application to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation (the “BMRR”"BMRR"). The POO was submitted on schedule and prepared under budget. The POO submission is the last major step before the publication of the NOI which will initiate the EIS process under the Secretary of Interior Order No. 3355 (Streamlining National Environmental Policy Reviews and Implementation of Executive Order 13807; see Company’s news release dated March 28, 2018 filed on SEDAR). The streamlined EIS process from NOI to the ROD is one year.

The Company further announced that a positive resolution was issued from the Mongolia city tax tribunal regarding the Company’s VAT dispute with the Mongolia tax office. The resolution, which is binding and final, affirmed the Company’s outstanding VAT credit of 1.169 billion MNT (USD$439,470 based on today’s exchange rate of 2,660 MNT to 1 USD$) which resulted from past mining equipment purchases. The VAT credit can be used to offset the Company’s taxes and royalty payments; or be refunded in cash by Mongolia’s Ministry of Finance within 12 to 24 months processing time. In addition, the Company also reported that it had successfully converted its Chandgana Khavtgai coal exploration license to a mining license in central Mongolia.

 

On July 29, 2019, the Company the Company granted inan aggregate of 1,685,000 incentive stock options to its directors, officer and employees of the Company. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.20 per common share for a term of five years expiring on November 1, 2024 and vest at 12.5% per quarter for the first two years following the date of grant.

On August 19, 2019, the Company announced the formation of two wholly owned Canadian BC subsidiaries: Silver Elephant Mining Corp. (which subsequently changed its name to "Illumina Silver Mining Corp.") and Asia Mining Inc. in order to facilitate potential future spinoffs of the Company’s wholly owned Bolivian silver operation and Mongolian coal operation.

On September 6, 2019, the Company closed the Aug. 26,August 2019 Private Placement. The Placement raised gross cash proceeds of $2,600,000 through the issuance of 13,000,000 common shares of the CompanyCommon Shares at a price of $0.20 per share. The Company paid $10,000 in cash and issued 525,000 sharesCommon Shares as finder’s fees. Proceeds of the Aug. 26,August 2019 Private Placement are to bewere used to develop the Company’s mineral projects and for general working capital purposes.

On September 24, 2019, the Company announced the successful completion of its internal reorganization. The Company further announced, subject to approval by the TSX, that it would issue 175,000 common shares,Common Shares, with a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws, to Mr. Bryan Slusarchuk in exchange for consulting services to the Company.

On September 30, 2019, the Company announced a 5,000-meter diamond drilling at its Pulacayo Project had started with first set of assay results expected in early November, 2019.

On October 3, 2019, the Pulacayo Mining Production Contract (“MPC”("Pulacayo MPC") was executed between the Company and the Corporación Minera de Bolivia (“COMIBOL”("COMIBOL"), a branch of the Bolivian Ministry of Mining and Metallurgy. Notification of the final government resolution approving the Pulacayo MPC was received on September 27, 2019. The Pulacayo MPC granted the Company the 100% exclusive right to develop and mine at the Pulacayo and Paca concessions for up to 30 years, which is comparable to a mining license in Canada or the United States. The Company’s Bolivian subsidiaries had spent $25 million on Pulacayo and Paca as of October 3, 2019 with over 80,000 meters of drilling, with a completed historic independent FSfeasibility study, and an approved detailed environment impact assessment (“DEIA”).assessment.

On October 7, 2019, the Company announced that it was undertaking a non-brokered private placement involving the issuance of 10 million common sharesCommon Shares at a price of $0.40 per share (the “Oct. 7,"October 2019 Private Placement”Placement") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of $4,000,000.

On October 9, 2019, the Company issued 104,951 common sharesCommon Shares at a value of $43,060 to its directors to settle outstanding director fees.

On October 21, 2019, the Company announced that it hashad closed the Oct. 7,October 2019 Private Placement. The Oct. 7,October 2019 Private Placement raised gross cash proceeds of $3,900,000 for Company through the issuance of 9,750,000 common shares of the CompanyCommon Shares at a price of $0.40 per share. Mr. Eric Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation that is beneficially owned by him, acquired 5,000,000 sharesCommon Shares under the Oct. 7,October 2019 Private Placement for a total consideration of $2,000,000. Following the completion of the private placement, Mr. Sprott’s holdings represented 9% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the CompanyCommon Shares at the time of the Oct. 7,October 2019 Private Placement. Mr. Sprott beneficially owned 5,9000,000 common shares5,900,000 Common Shares in the Company prior to this investment. The Company’s management and directors purchased 0.4 million common sharesCommon Shares for proceeds of $160,000. The Company issued 654,500 common sharesCommon Shares as finder’s fees to Mackie Research Capital Corp. All sharesCommon Shares issued in the Oct. 7,October 2019 Private Placement were subject to a four month and one day hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. Proceeds are to bewere used for the Company’s mineral project developmentexploration and for general working capital purposes.

On October 28, 2019, the Company announced the diamond drilling results from the Company’s 100% controlled Paca silver project in the Potosi department of BoliviaBolivia.

On November 1, 2019, the Company granted inan aggregate of 1,680,000 incentive stock options to its directors, officer and employees of the Company. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.44 per common share for a term of five years expiring on November 1, 2024 and vest at 12.5% per quarter for the first two years following the date of grant.

 

On December 4, 2019, the Company announced that it had received on November 18, 2019, the 18-page Resolution No. 195/2018 issued by the Supreme Court of Bolivia (the “2019 Resolution”"2019 Resolution"), signed by all of its nine judges. It declared that the contentious tax claim of US$6,556,787 (US$816,769.54 income tax on alleged 2003 profits and US$5,740,017.81 in interests and penalties) brought by Bolivia’s General Revenue Authority against the Company’s Bolivian subsidiary was not proven. The 2019 Resolution is final and binding. Hence neither the Company nor the Company'sCompany’s Bolivian subsidiaries owe any outstanding back taxes to the Bolivian General Revenue Authority.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company experienced various changes in Directors, Officers and Management of the Company as follows:

On January 8, 2020, the Company announced the following:

 

On March 6, 2020, the Company provided its 2,598-meter, 16-hole Pulacayo step out drill program from its 100%-controlled Pulacayo Project.

On March 9, 2020, the Company commenced its district exploration program at its Pulacayo Project.

On March 16, 2020, the companyCompany held its Special Meetingthe special meeting of Shareholders. The Companythe shareholders where it received shareholder approval of the following: