The main target areas tested included to the southeast, south, west, northwest and north of the existing resource at the Pinion Deposit (Figure 10.7). Some infill drilling was completed in the south-central portion of the Main Zone in order to extend the gold zone in gaps where prior historic drilling was not completed to the currently modelled depth of the gold zone or where mineralization was complicated by faults. See Figure 10.8 below extracted from the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report.
The Phase 2 drilling targeted multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia within the highly permeable, silicified, and oxidized breccia which is favorably sandwiched between relatively impermeable silty micrite of the overlying Mississippian Tripon Pass Formation and thick-bedded calcarenite of the underlying Devils Gate Formation. All 44 holes drilled in late 2014, intersected multilithic dissolution collapse breccia with 38 of the 44 holes returning significant gold intercepts of at least 0.3 ppm or 0.009 oz/st over at least 6.1 m (20 ft). The highlights of the drill holes are provided in Table 10.7 below extracted from the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report.
Only two holes (PIN14-48 and PIN14-55) drilled in the Phase 2 Program failed to intersect significant gold mineralization. These two holes were drilled to extend gold mineralization to the northwest of the Pinion Deposit. A further four holes intersected only weak gold mineralization over a variety of widths (<0.2 ppm over thicknesses ranging from 6.1 m up to 70 m). Three of these holes (PIN14-49, PIN14-51 and PIN14-53) were drilled to extend the Pinion gold zone to the northwest. One of the holes, PIN14-46, was drilled to extend gold mineralization of the North Zone to the north.
Table 10.7: 2014 Phase 2 Pinion Deposit Drilling Intersection Highlights.
Hole Number | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | From (ft) | To (ft) | Length (ft) | Au (oz/st) | Au (ppm) |
PIN14-14 | 173.74 | 195.07 | 21.34 | 570 | 640 | 70 | 0.015 | 0.51 |
PIN14-14 | 173.74 | 195.07 | 21.34 | 570 | 640 | 70 | 0.015 | 0.51 |
including | 173.74 | 190.50 | 16.76 | 570 | 625 | 55 | 0.018 | 0.62 |
and | 242.32 | 256.03 | 13.72 | 795 | 840 | 45 | 0.006 | 0.19 |
PIN14-15 | 0.00 | 4.57 | 4.57 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 0.006 | 0.21 |
| 74.68 | 161.54 | 86.87 | 245 | 530 | 285 | 0.007 | 0.23 |
including | 74.68 | 115.82 | 41.15 | 245 | 380 | 135 | 0.009 | 0.32 |
PIN14-16 | 216.41 | 272.80 | 56.39 | 710 | 895 | 185 | 0.015 | 0.52 |
including | 217.93 | 251.46 | 33.53 | 715 | 825 | 110 | 0.023 | 0.80 |
PIN14-17 | 99.06 | 115.82 | 16.76 | 325 | 380 | 55 | 0.006 | 0.22 |
and | 134.11 | 156.97 | 22.86 | 440 | 515 | 75 | 0.011 | 0.37 |
PIN14-18 | 153.92 | 185.93 | 32.00 | 505 | 610 | 105 | 0.066 | 2.25 |
including | 178.31 | 184.40 | 6.10 | 585 | 605 | 20 | 0.114 | 3.90 |
PIN14-19 | 176.78 | 291.08 | 114.30 | 580 | 955 | 375 | 0.016 | 0.55 |
including | 176.78 | 202.69 | 25.91 | 580 | 665 | 85 | 0.020 | 0.69 |
including | 184.40 | 198.12 | 13.72 | 605 | 650 | 45 | 0.033 | 1.14 |
and | 231.65 | 291.08 | 59.44 | 760 | 955 | 195 | 0.017 | 0.60 |
including | 260.60 | 271.27 | 10.67 | 855 | 890 | 35 | 0.036 | 1.23 |
PIN14-20 | 126.49 | 190.50 | 64.01 | 415 | 625 | 210 | 0.007 | 0.24 |
including | 126.49 | 152.40 | 25.91 | 415 | 500 | 85 | 0.011 | 0.39 |
PIN14-21 | 161.54 | 196.60 | 35.05 | 530 | 645 | 115 | 0.040 | 1.36 |
PIN14-22 | 3.05 | 10.67 | 7.62 | 10 | 35 | 25 | 0.008 | 0.27 |
| 179.83 | 182.88 | 3.05 | 590 | 600 | 10 | 0.023 | 0.78 |
PIN14-23 | 188.98 | 225.55 | 36.58 | 620 | 740 | 120 | 0.007 | 0.25 |
including | 188.98 | 193.55 | 4.57 | 620 | 635 | 15 | 0.019 | 0.65 |
and | 205.74 | 220.98 | 15.24 | 675 | 725 | 50 | 0.010 | 0.33 |
PIN14-24 | 0.00 | 134.11 | 134.11 | 0 | 440 | 440 | 0.006 | 0.20 |
including | 0.00 | 97.54 | 97.54 | 0 | 320 | 320 | 0.007 | 0.23 |
including | 1.52 | 18.29 | 16.76 | 5 | 60 | 55 | 0.015 | 0.50 |
PIN14-25 | 259.08 | 309.37 | 50.29 | 850 | 1015 | 165 | 0.012 | 0.42 |
including | 278.89 | 298.70 | 19.81 | 915 | 980 | 65 | 0.023 | 0.81 |
and | 377.95 | 408.43 | 30.48 | 1240 | 1340 | 100 | 0.007 | 0.25 |
PIN14-26 | 193.55 | 275.84 | 82.30 | 635 | 905 | 270 | 0.008 | 0.28 |
including | 193.55 | 225.55 | 32.00 | 635 | 740 | 105 | 0.017 | 0.58 |
including | 193.55 | 202.69 | 9.14 | 635 | 665 | 30 | 0.044 | 1.49 |
PIN14-27 | 175.26 | 213.36 | 38.10 | 575 | 700 | 125 | 0.022 | 0.74 |
including | 176.78 | 184.40 | 7.62 | 580 | 605 | 25 | 0.065 | 2.22 |
PIN14-28 | 160.02 | 188.98 | 28.96 | 525 | 620 | 95 | 0.013 | 0.44 |
PIN14-29 | 65.53 | 85.34 | 19.81 | 215 | 280 | 65 | 0.006 | 0.21 |
PIN14-30 | 176.78 | 262.13 | 85.34 | 580 | 860 | 280 | 0.004 | 0.15 |
including | 176.78 | 199.64 | 22.86 | 580 | 655 | 75 | 0.008 | 0.28 |
including | 176.78 | 181.36 | 4.57 | 580 | 595 | 15 | 0.017 | 0.60 |
and | 192.02 | 199.64 | 7.62 | 630 | 655 | 25 | 0.014 | 0.46 |
PIN14-31 | 160.02 | 193.55 | 33.53 | 525 | 635 | 110 | 0.032 | 1.08 |
including | 166.12 | 176.78 | 10.67 | 545 | 580 | 35 | 0.066 | 2.26 |
PIN14-32 | 65.53 | 88.39 | 22.86 | 215 | 290 | 75 | 0.011 | 0.36 |
including | 70.10 | 80.77 | 10.67 | 230 | 265 | 35 | 0.018 | 0.61 |
and | 115.82 | 120.40 | 4.57 | 380 | 395 | 15 | 0.007 | 0.23 |
PIN14-33 | 182.88 | 230.12 | 47.24 | 600 | 755 | 155 | 0.008 | 0.26 |
including | 182.88 | 199.64 | 16.76 | 600 | 655 | 55 | 0.018 | 0.61 |
PIN14-34 | 124.97 | 172.21 | 47.24 | 410 | 565 | 155 | 0.009 | 0.30 |
including | 152.40 | 172.21 | 19.81 | 500 | 565 | 65 | 0.013 | 0.46 |
PIN14-35 | 86.87 | 118.87 | 32.00 | 285 | 390 | 105 | 0.014 | 0.49 |
including | 86.87 | 91.44 | 4.57 | 285 | 300 | 15 | 0.081 | 2.79 |
PIN14-36 | 36.58 | 53.34 | 16.76 | 120 | 175 | 55 | 0.022 | 0.75 |
including | 38.10 | 45.72 | 7.62 | 125 | 150 | 25 | 0.035 | 1.22 |
and | 77.72 | 134.11 | 56.39 | 255 | 440 | 185 | 0.005 | 0.17 |
including | 86.87 | 111.25 | 24.38 | 285 | 365 | 80 | 0.008 | 0.26 |
PIN14-37 | 53.34 | 65.53 | 12.19 | 175 | 215 | 40 | 0.021 | 0.71 |
including | 53.34 | 56.39 | 3.05 | 175 | 185 | 10 | 0.058 | 1.99 |
and | 123.44 | 224.03 | 100.58 | 405 | 735 | 330 | 0.007 | 0.23 |
including | 126.49 | 135.64 | 9.14 | 415 | 445 | 30 | 0.016 | 0.56 |
including | 164.59 | 170.69 | 6.10 | 540 | 560 | 20 | 0.019 | 0.65 |
PIN14-38 | 202.69 | 268.22 | 65.53 | 665 | 880 | 215 | 0.026 | 0.90 |
including | 222.50 | 257.56 | 35.05 | 730 | 845 | 115 | 0.044 | 1.52 |
including | 243.84 | 249.94 | 6.10 | 800 | 820 | 20 | 0.198 | 6.78 |
PIN14-39 | 108.20 | 170.69 | 62.48 | 355 | 560 | 205 | 0.004 | 0.15 |
including | 134.11 | 156.97 | 22.86 | 440 | 515 | 75 | 0.007 | 0.24 |
PIN14-40 | 76.20 | 82.30 | 6.10 | 250 | 270 | 20 | 0.010 | 0.34 |
and | 160.02 | 210.31 | 50.29 | 525 | 690 | 165 | 0.009 | 0.30 |
including | 196.60 | 208.79 | 12.19 | 645 | 685 | 40 | 0.015 | 0.52 |
PIN14-41 | 15.24 | 71.63 | 56.39 | 50 | 235 | 185 | 0.006 | 0.21 |
including | 96.01 | 105.16 | 9.14 | 315 | 345 | 30 | 0.008 | 0.27 |
PIN14-42 | 80.77 | 91.44 | 10.67 | 265 | 300 | 35 | 0.011 | 0.39 |
and | 152.40 | 239.27 | 86.87 | 500 | 785 | 285 | 0.014 | 0.47 |
including | 170.69 | 198.12 | 27.43 | 560 | 650 | 90 | 0.021 | 0.72 |
PIN14-43 | 551.69 | 612.65 | 60.96 | 1810 | 2010 | 200 | 0.010 | 0.35 |
including | 551.69 | 560.83 | 9.14 | 1810 | 1840 | 30 | 0.024 | 0.82 |
PIN14-44 | 108.20 | 137.16 | 28.96 | 355 | 450 | 95 | 0.019 | 0.64 |
including | 108.20 | 111.25 | 3.05 | 355 | 365 | 10 | 0.070 | 2.40 |
PIN14-45 | 21.34 | 88.39 | 67.06 | 70 | 290 | 220 | 0.006 | 0.19 |
including | 35.05 | 48.77 | 13.72 | 115 | 160 | 45 | 0.009 | 0.30 |
and | 65.53 | 86.87 | 21.34 | 215 | 285 | 70 | 0.007 | 0.24 |
PIN14-46 | 76.20 | 105.16 | 28.96 | 250 | 345 | 95 | 0.004 | 0.14 |
PIN14-47 | 56.39 | 64.01 | 7.62 | 185 | 210 | 25 | 0.008 | 0.28 |
and | 115.82 | 199.64 | 83.82 | 380 | 655 | 275 | 0.004 | 0.13 |
including | 187.45 | 199.64 | 12.19 | 615 | 655 | 40 | 0.007 | 0.25 |
and | 243.84 | 275.84 | 32.00 | 800 | 905 | 105 | 0.011 | 0.39 |
and | 291.08 | 298.70 | 7.62 | 955 | 980 | 25 | 0.021 | 0.70 |
PIN14-48 | no significant intersection |
PIN14-49 | 51.82 | 57.91 | 6.10 | 170 | 190 | 20 | 0.005 | 0.19 |
PIN14-50 | 144.78 | 210.31 | 65.53 | 475 | 690 | 215 | 0.009 | 0.30 |
including | 192.02 | 202.69 | 10.67 | 630 | 665 | 35 | 0.031 | 1.06 |
PIN14-51 | 80.77 | 91.44 | 10.67 | 265 | 300 | 35 | 0.005 | 0.16 |
PIN14-52 | 182.88 | 237.74 | 54.86 | 600 | 780 | 180 | 0.014 | 0.48 |
including | 187.45 | 208.79 | 21.34 | 615 | 685 | 70 | 0.020 | 0.69 |
PIN14-53 | 28.96 | 99.06 | 70.10 | 95 | 325 | 230 | 0.004 | 0.12 |
PIN14-54 | 56.39 | 109.73 | 53.34 | 185 | 360 | 175 | 0.006 | 0.22 |
including | 57.91 | 67.06 | 9.14 | 190 | 220 | 30 | 0.014 | 0.48 |
PIN14-55 | no significant intersection |
PIN14-56 | 278.89 | 359.66 | 80.77 | 915 | 1180 | 265 | 0.008 | 0.28 |
including | 278.89 | 333.76 | 54.86 | 915 | 1095 | 180 | 0.011 | 0.38 |
including | 315.47 | 329.18 | 13.72 | 1035 | 1080 | 45 | 0.017 | 0.57 |
PIN14-57 | 138.68 | 147.83 | 9.14 | 455 | 485 | 30 | 0.020 | 0.67 |
including | 138.68 | 143.26 | 4.57 | 455 | 470 | 15 | 0.030 | 1.02 |
Highlights of the 2014 Phase 2 Pinion drilling are summarized below:
East Pinion
Along the central east side of Pinion, a total of 15 RC holes intersected gold associated with oxidized multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia southeast, south and east of the near surface Main Zone mineralization (Figures 10.7 and 10.8). Some infill drilling was completed in order to extend the gold zone in gaps where prior historic drilling was not completed to the currently modelled depth of the gold zone or where mineralization was complicated by faults. Other drill holes were planned to expand mineralization in undrilled areas.
| · | At the new Anticline Target (Figures 10.7 and 10.8), gold bearing intercepts in PIN14-14, -16, -18 and -21 confirmed and expanded oxidized gold mineralization along the axis of a north-northeast-striking anticline. The four holes drilled into this target successfully intersected mineralization over a strike length of 170 m, representing a separate zone of thicker, higher grade gold extending south-southwest from Main Zone mineralization. Higher grade intervals, exceeding 2.0 ppm in PIN14-18 and -21, remain open along strike to the south. |
| · | The gold-bearing intercept in PIN14-19 (0.55 ppm over 114.3 m hole length including two separate zones of 1.14 ppm over 13.72 m and 1.12 ppm over 10.67 m hole length; Table 10.7) successfully expanded the southeast strike extent of thicker breccia hosted mineralization along the Main Zone fault, an important gold-controlling structure at Pinion. This hole demonstrates that thick gold intercepts, developed well down into brecciated Devil’s Gate calcarenite, could be present southeast beneath the bottoms of shorter historic drill holes in that area. |
| · | Along the eastern limb of the new Anticline Target, holes PIN14-23, -26, -27, -30, -31 and -33 successfully intersected oxide gold mineralization along a previously undrilled 200 meter by 100 meter north-northeast trend (Figures 10.7 and 10.8). |
| · | At East Pinion, holes PIN14-20 and PIN14-22 expanded the lateral extent of the breccia hosted gold zone 75m to the north and 75m to the east, respectively, from historic drill intercepts. Mineralization in PIN14-20 is open to the north for additional exploration. |
| · | Gold bearing intercepts in PIN14-15 and PIN14-17 successfully in-filled an area on the east side of Pinion where historic drill holes were spaced 30 to 60 meters apart. |
Southeast Pinion
Three target areas were tested by a series of eight holes: New Structural Block, Southeast Pinion and Far Southeast Pinion. The key multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia host was intersected in all holes and the areal extent of the host breccia was expanded to the south and east. Prior to the Gold Standard drilling, these target areas were characterized by no historic drill holes or historic holes spaced 60 to 400m apart. Similar to the targets explored in Phase 1 drilling, gold mineralization is continuous and widespread within this highly permeable, silicified breccia which is favorably sandwiched between relatively impermeable silty micrite of the overlying Mississippian Tripon Pass Formation and thick-bedded calcarenite of the underlying Devil’s Gate Formation.
| · | At the Southeast Pinion target, where the gold-bearing horizon has tended to be deeper, drill holes PIN14-36 and PIN14-37 intersected shallow oxidized gold mineralization (including 16.8 m of 0.75 ppm Au and 12.2 m of 0.71 ppm Au, respectively) starting at approximately 40 m below surface. In this target area, a gold-bearing layer has unexpectedly intersected higher in the stratigraphic section within the Tripon Pass Formation silty micrite, resulting in a gold horizon present at a shallow depth. |
| · | At the New Structural Block target, five holes successfully intersected gold-bearing multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia in this previously untested structural block between the South fault and the Uplifter fault (see Figures 10.7 and 10.8). PIN14-38 intersected an entirely oxidized interval of 48.8 m of 1.16 ppm Au from 202.7 to 251.5 m, including a higher grade internal interval of 6.1 m of 6.78 ppm Au. PIN14-38 is on the edge of the drill pattern and this oxide mineralization is open to the south. The gold zone intersected in holes PIN14-40, -42 and -47 is dominantly oxidized, but select intervals are mixed oxide-carbon-sulfide. |
| · | At the Far Southeast Pinion target, gold-bearing intercepts in PIN14-25 successfully expanded the lateral extent of the breccia hosted mineralization 400 m to the southeast of the Pinion Deposit. This gold intercept is open in multiple directions and further drilling is warranted in 2015 to follow-up on these promising results. |
The three target areas noted above exhibit similar geological patterns including: (1) an increase in the volume and thickness of intrusive rock; (2) the presence of lamprophyre, an igneous rock commonly associated with gold deposits on the Carlin Trend; (3) gold-bearing multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia in the hanging wall of a shallow, west-dipping thrust fault that is a laterally-continuous feature as tracked through the drilling. Due to the potential for repetition of the favourable breccia stratigraphy, deeper untested targets similar to those at North Bullion are envisioned at this portion of the Pinion Project.
Southwest-West Pinion
A total of four holes were designed to test for and extend gold mineralization along the west-southwest margin of the known Pinion gold mineralization. All four holes intersected significant gold mineralization associated with oxidized multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia. Highlights of the drilling include the following:
| · | At the west Pinion target, three holes successfully intersected oxidized gold bearing multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia along the west margin of the maiden resource block model. PIN14-44, PIN14-52 and PIN14-56 intersected entirely oxidized intervals of 29.0 m of 0.64 ppm Au, 51.8 m of 0.50 ppm Au, and 54.9 m of 0.38 ppm Au, respectively (Table 10.7). These holes demonstrate the Pinion mineralization is open to the northwest along the west margin of the deposit. |
| · | At the Southwest Pinion target, a gold-bearing intercept of 48.8 m of 0.42 ppm Au in PIN14-43 successfully expanded the lateral extent of the breccia hosted mineralization 245 m to the southwest. PIN14-43 is on the southwest edge of the drill pattern and although 400 m in true vertical depth, this mineralization is oxidized and remains open in all directions. |
Northwest Pinion
A total of seven RC holes were drilled at the Northwest Pinion target. See Figure 10.8. All seven holes successfully intersected gold-bearing multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia along the Main Zone fault and the South fault. Two holes intersected thicker zones of gold mineralization including a shallow intercept of 13.7 m of 0.41 ppm Au in PIN14-54, and 9.1 m of 0.67 ppm Au in PIN14-57 (Table 10.7). These intercepts, along with those in PIN14-52, -54 and -56, suggest the South fault is a feeder structure at Northwest Pinion. The most northwest intercepts in PIN14-54 and -57 indicate that gold mineralization associated with multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia is open to the northwest along strike.
In addition to the seven drill holes, Gold Standard geologists collected 49 rock chip samples from oxidized and altered multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia in surface outcrop. At Northwest Pinion, altered and mineralized outcrops of multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia are exposed along a west-northwest strike for over 760 m, in the foot wall of the South Fault Zone. Individual samples consisted of 1.2 to 4.6 m continuous rock chip channels on larger outcrops or, panel samples from smaller outcrops. Gold assays for the samples ranged from 0.01 to 1.24 ppm Au. Seven composite channel sample intervals returned gold values above the 0.14 g Au/t lower cut-off grade utilized in the maiden Pinion NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate. See "Mineral Resource Estimates" below. Individual intervals include: 9.1 m of 0.94 ppm Au, 12.2 m of 0.61 ppm Au, 12.2 m of 0.33 ppm Au, 15.2 m of 0.31 ppm Au, 10.7 m of 0.23 ppm Au, 22.6m of 0.19 ppm Au and 3.1 m of 0.59 ppm Au. Drilling and surface rock sampling results confirm that gold mineralization remains open to the northwest. Further drilling in 2015 is warranted to follow-up on these results.
North Pinion
Drilling at the north end of the Pinion Deposit, north along strike from the North Zone comprised inclined RC drilling and targeted two separate breccia hosts, a relatively stratiform dissolution collapse breccia at the top of the Devils Gate limestone and a fault breccia along the Bullion Fault Corridor. These breccia targets were tested down-dip from continuous surface rock chip channel samples of 130.8 m of 0.35 ppm Au; 14.0 m of 0.38 ppm Au; 9.5 m of 0.331 ppm Au; 6.1 m of 0.16 ppm Au; 6.1 m of 0.21 ppm Au; 3.1 m of 0.35 ppm Au and 2.4 m of 0.56 ppm Au. The target area is characterized by historic holes spaced 30 to 150 m apart. The host breccias and anomalous gold mineralization were intersected in all eight Gold Standard holes along a 430 m north-south strike length, demonstrating that surface sampling can be successfully pursued by drilling. Mineralization remains open to the north along strike, down-dip to the east, and to the west. Highlights include:
| · | PIN14-24 returned five at- or near-surface, oxidized gold zones including 19.8 m of 0.44 ppm Au and 12.2 m of 0.34 ppm Au. Oxidized mineralization is hosted within quartz veined and brecciated Chainman Formation sandstone and mudstone, and fills a gap in the 3D block model. Intercepts in this hole extended the known gold mineralization at the north margin of the North Pinion gold zone. |
| · | PIN14-32 intersected 21.3 m of 0.38 ppm Au at the fault contact between Webb Formation mudstone and Nevada Formation dolomite. Oxidized mineralization is associated with quartz veins, silicification, hematite and fault breccia. |
| · | PIN14-35 intersected four zones of gold mineralization including a higher-grade gold zone of 4.6 m of 2.79 ppm Au within oxidized and silicified fault breccia. This gold zone is immediately below a clay-altered quartz-feldspar porphyry dike, within the Bullion Fault Corridor. |
Bald Mountain
During late 2014, the Company completed vertical RC designed to expand the limits of known oxide copper-gold-silver-zinc mineralization at Bald Mountain intersected in prior drilling and RRB13-01, a vertical core hole completed in 2013. Mineralization is hosted in multi-lithic collapse breccia at the top of the Devils Gate Limestone, the same breccia host horizon as the Pinion and North Bullion deposits. Intercepts in RRB13-01 included 56.1 m of 1.47 ppm Au immediately above 23.3 m of 0.4% Cu. The Bald Mountain drilling totaled 1,896.2 m in 5 vertical RC holes and tested an area approximately 400 m by 250 m. Highlights of the 2014 drilling are provided in Table 10.8 below extracted from the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report.
[remainder of page left blank intentionally]
Table 10.8: 2014 Bald Mountain Target Drilling Intersection Highlights.
Hole Number | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | From (ft) | To (ft) | Length (ft) | Au (ppm) | Ag (ppm) | Cu (%) | Zn (%) |
RRB14-01 | 134.11 | 140.21 | 6.10 | 440 | 460 | 20 | 0.02 | 11.8 | 0.007 | 0.004 |
and | 170.69 | 335.28 | 164.59 | 560 | 1100 | 540 | 0.03 | 7.2 | 0.159 | 0.116 |
including | 249.94 | 262.13 | 12.19 | 820 | 860 | 40 | 0.07 | 18.9 | 0.038 | 0.006 |
and | 274.32 | 329.19 | 54.86 | 900 | 1080 | 180 | 0.02 | 11.8 | 0.445 | 0.325 |
including | 292.61 | 329.19 | 36.58 | 960 | 1080 | 120 | 0.02 | 9.3 | 0.620 | 0.414 |
including | 317.00 | 329.19 | 12.19 | 1040 | 1080 | 40 | 0.02 | 9.5 | 1.235 | 0.565 |
RRB14-02 | 73.15 | 109.73 | 36.58 | 240 | 360 | 120 | 0.03 | 1.8 | 0.093 | 0.011 |
including | 73.15 | 79.25 | 6.10 | 240 | 260 | 20 | 0.03 | 2.1 | 0.172 | 0.014 |
and | 103.63 | 109.73 | 6.10 | 340 | 360 | 20 | 0.01 | 1.5 | 0.178 | 0.016 |
RRB14-03 | 12.19 | 18.29 | 6.10 | 40 | 60 | 20 | 0.38 | 12.9 | 0.120 | 0.043 |
and | 237.75 | 426.73 | 188.98 | 780 | 1400 | 620 | 0.07 | 5.7 | 0.122 | 0.032 |
including | 262.13 | 377.96 | 115.83 | 860 | 1240 | 380 | 0.08 | 8.5 | 0.182 | 0.035 |
including | 274.32 | 298.71 | 24.38 | 900 | 980 | 80 | 0.11 | 18.0 | 0.334 | 0.005 |
and | 323.09 | 359.67 | 36.58 | 1060 | 1180 | 120 | 0.08 | 7.4 | 0.267 | 0.007 |
RRB14-04 | 310.90 | 391.67 | 80.77 | 1020 | 1285 | 265 | 0.05 | 2.5 | 0.086 | 0.145 |
including | 312.42 | 320.04 | 7.62 | 1025 | 1050 | 25 | 0.11 | 2.5 | 0.121 | 0.030 |
and | 371.86 | 374.91 | 3.05 | 1220 | 1230 | 10 | 0.03 | 12.3 | 0.430 | 0.410 |
RRB14-05 | 149.35 | 301.76 | 152.40 | 490 | 990 | 500 | 0.08 | 4.0 | 0.145 | 0.031 |
including | 158.50 | 184.41 | 25.91 | 520 | 605 | 85 | 0.26 | 8.3 | 0.391 | 0.038 |
and | 211.84 | 239.27 | 27.43 | 695 | 785 | 90 | 0.08 | 3.7 | 0.288 | 0.044 |
and | 265.18 | 295.66 | 30.48 | 870 | 970 | 100 | 0.01 | 3.5 | 0.020 | 0.033 |
The Bald Mountain drilling intersected multi-lithic, dissolution collapse breccia host in all five holes and the plan extent of the breccia was expanded in all directions. Gold, silver and base metal mineralization is widespread within the highly permeable, flat-tabular, multi-lithic collapse breccia which is sandwiched between relatively impermeable hornfels of the overlying Mississippian Webb Formation and thick-bedded marble of the underlying Devils Gate Formation. The stratigraphic position, thickness (35-120 m) and the lateral continuity of the Bald Mountain breccia unit is considered significant as this pattern is consistent with the gold-bearing breccia host at the Pinion and North Bullion deposits. Highlights of the 2014 drilling are as follows:
| · | RRB14-05, a drill hole 205 m west of RRB13-01, intersected two separate zones of mineralization. The upper zone contained 12.2 m of 0.39 ppm Au along with 25.9 m of 0.39% Cu and 8.3 ppm Ag in oxidized multi-lithic collapse breccia and quartz-feldspar porphyry sills. The lower zone included 27.4 m of 0.29% Cu and 3.8 ppm Ag hosted in oxidized skarn and quartz-sericite-pyrite altered quartz-feldspar porphyry sills. Mineralization remains open to the west, north and south. |
| · | Drill hole RRB14-01 targeted the main breccia zone proximal to the north-striking Bunker Hill fault, 210 m east-northeast of RRB13-01. The hole successfully intersected the fault, oxidized-silicified-clay altered breccia, and a 39.6 m interval of 0.58% Cu, 8.8 ppm Ag and 0.40% Zn. Mineralization is open to the north, east and south. |
| · | Drill holes RRB14-02, -03 and -04 were drilled 110 m south-southwest, 150 m northeast, and 175 m northwest, respectively from RRB13-01. All three holes intersected altered and oxidized breccia with the most significant intercept being 36.6 m of 0.27% Cu and 7.4 ppm Ag in RRB14-03. |
In addition to the drilling and ground magnetics, McComb Petrographics completed a petrographic examination and interpretation of 16 core samples from the gold and copper zones in hole RRB13-01 and came up with the following conclusions:
| · | Most of the core samples from RRB13-01 are altered skarn that is very similar in appearance to the copper-gold skarn at Fortitude in the Battle Mountain District of Nevada. Similarities include a skarn assemblage of garnet, pyroxene, and actinolite occurring with massive pyrrhotite (oxidized). |
| · | Skarn alteration appears to be overprinted by a Carlin-style silicification event and is also similar to that present at Fortitude. |
| · | The multilithic breccia host unit includes fragments of calc-silicate hornfels, skarn and porphyritic igneous material. |
Sample Preparation, Analysis and Security
The following summarizes the procedures employed by Gold Standard for, among other things, the handling of core and reverse-circulation cuttings samples.
Surface Soil and Rock Sampling
All sampling was conducted under the supervision of the Company’s project geologists and the chain of custody from the field to the sample preparation facility was continuously monitored. A blank or certified reference material was inserted approximately every forty samples for soil and rock samples. The samples are delivered to ALS Chemex Minerals' ("ALS" or "ALS Minerals") preparation facility in Elko, NV where the samples are crushed, screened and pulverized. Sample pulps are shipped to ALS' certified laboratory in Vancouver, B.C. for geochemical analysis. Pulps are digested and analyzed for gold using fire assay fusion and an ICP-AES finish on a 30 gram aliquot split. All other elements are determined by a wet chemical 2 acid ICP analysis at ALS in Vancouver. Data verification of the analytical results includes a statistical analysis of the duplicates, standards and blanks that must pass certain parameters for acceptance to insure accurate and verifiable results.
Drill core is collected from the drill rig by Gold Standard personnel and transported to Gold Standard’s Elko, Nevada office on a daily basis. At the secure Elko facility, Gold Standard personnel complete the following:
| · | A geological log is completed on the whole core. Logs illustrate core recovery, sample intervals, lithologic data, hydrothermal alteration and structural features with respect to the core axis. |
| · | The whole core is marked/tagged for sampling, and digitally photographed. High resolution digital jpeg photographs are archived for future reference. |
| · | Whole core is sawed in half by contractors, working at Gold Standard’s Elko office. Sawed core sample intervals are recorded on daily cut core sheets for review each day. |
| · | Half core is retained in the original core boxes, and the other half is bagged for geochemical analysis. |
| · | Standard reference materials (standards and blanks) are inserted into the sample sequence at a rate of approximately 1 in every 10 to 15 samples. |
All original geochemical analyses were completed by ALS, an internationally accredited independent analytical company with ISO9001:2008 certification. ALS picks up the core samples from Gold Standard’s Elko office and delivers them to their Elko, Nevada sample preparation facility. At the ALS preparation facility the samples are logged into a computer-based tracking system, weighed and dried. The entire sample is crushed so that +70% passes a 6 mm screen, then it is finely crushed so that +70% passes a 2mm screen. A 250 g (~0.5 pound) spilt (original pulp) is then selected and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75 micron screen. From Elko the pulp samples are shipped to Reno, Nevada or Vancouver, British Columbia for geochemical analysis.
At Reno or Vancouver, a 30 g aliquot is extracted from the pulp and is analyzed for gold using a fire assay fusion and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. Samples were also analyzed for a suite of 30 other “trace elements” by ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma – Atomic Emission Spectroscopy) following aqua regia digestion.
Reverse-circulation drill hole cuttings
Reverse-circulation drill samples were collected by the drilling contractor using a wet sample splitter on the drill rig. Samples typically range from 5 to 20 pounds. Geochemical standards and/or blanks are inserted by Gold Standard geologists every 15 to 20 samples. The samples were picked up at the drill sites by ALS Minerals and delivered to its preparation lab in Elko, Nevada.
Samples submitted to ALS utilized the exact same preparation and analytical procedures as described above for the core samples.
Samples submitted to ALS Minerals were logged into a computer-based tracking system, sorted, weighed and dried. The entire sample is crushed so that +75% passes a 2 mm screen. A 250 g (~0.5 pound) spilt is then selected and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75 micron screen. From Elko the samples were shipped to Vancouver, B.C. for geochemical analysis. Pulp samples were analyzed for gold using a fire assay fusion and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish on a 30 gram split. Samples were also analyzed for a suite of 30 other “trace elements” by ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma – Atomic Emission Spectroscopy) following aqua regia digestion.
The sample collection, security, transportation, preparation, insertion of geochemical standards and blanks, and analytical procedures are within industry norms and best practices. The procedures utilized by Gold Standard are considered adequate to insure that the results disclosed are accurate within scientific limitations and are not misleading.
Data Verification
One of the co-authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report, Steven R. Koehler, the Company's Manager of Projects, has verified the location of numerous drill sites throughout the project area and compared them with coordinates in the Gold Standard drill database and has not found any issues. Mr. Koehler has also conducted visits to the ALS sample preparation facility in Elko, NV and no issues with respect to sample security or integrity were identified. In addition, the authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report have conducted a review of geological and geochemical data within the Gold Standard drill database by comparing database values to original drill logs (paper copies) and original assay certificates provided by ALS, and Inspectorate America Corporation and no issues were identified.
For non-analytical field data Gold Standard has instituted a number of protocols and procedures to insure data integrity. For example, with respect to surface geochemical sampling (rock grab and soil sampling), samplers are required to enter sample locations and descriptive information into computers daily and locations are checked to eliminate data input errors. With respect to non-analytical drill hole information, Gold Standard employs a similar protocol of continuous data checking to insure the accurate recording within the project’s drilling database of collar and down hole survey information along with all geological and geotechnical information from core and RC chip logging. The procedures employed are considered reasonable and adequate with respect to insuring data integrity.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Program
The primary goal of the QA/QC program employed by Gold Standard at the Railroad-Pinion Project is to monitor the assaying of drill core and RC chip samples by providing a basis for measuring the accuracy and precision of assay results. To this end, Gold Standard personnel insert standard reference material (standard and blank) samples into the sample sequence. The analytical quality control measures employed are consistent with industry standards and sufficient to properly monitor analytical accuracy and precision.
The following sections discuss the details of the QA/QC program employed by Gold Standard at the Railroad-Pinion Project during the Phase 2 Pinion drill program completed during 2014. The QA/QC procedures and data for the 2012 and 2013 Railroad Project drill programs are discussed in detail within a previous technical report (Koehler et al., 2014). Similarly, the QA/QC program employed during the Phase 1 Pinion drill program completed in early 2014 is discussed in the Pinion Resource Report (Dufresne et al. 2014). As with previous drill programs conducted by Gold Standard at the Railroad-Pinion Project, certified blank and standard samples used during the Phase 2 Pinion drill program in 2014 were obtained from Shae Clark Smith MEG Inc. in Reno, NV ("SCS"). A review of the sample preparation and certification procedures employed by SCS indicates that reference materials are produced according to industry standards to insure reasonable homogeneity and they appear to be reasonably well tested to establish expected values and acceptable ranges.
2014 Phase 2 Pinion RC Drill Program QAQC
The Phase 2 Pinion drill program comprised a total of 35,730 ft (10,891 m) of drilling in 44 RC holes that were completed in late 2014. The drill program comprised the analysis of some 7,817 samples, which included 7,142 actual drill samples and 675 QAQC samples representing a rate of 1 QAQC sample for every 10.6 drilling samples. This is a reasonable frequency to allow for a thorough evaluation of laboratory assay procedures and analysis. The QAQC samples comprised 329 blank pulp samples and 346 standard samples that were inserted into the sample sequence.
1. Blanks
A total of 329 blank samples were inserted in the sample stream by Gold Standard personnel during the Phase 2 2014 Pinion drill program. The blank pulp materials are certified by SCS to comprise material that should assay <0.003 ppm Au (<3 ppb Au). All of the blanks were analyzed by 30 g fire assay with a wet chemical finish with a lower detection limit 0.005 ppm Au (5 ppb Au). In total, all but 5 blank samples assayed below detectable limits for gold (<0.005 ppm Au) or 1.5% of the blank samples, which relative to a 95% confidence level is considered acceptable. There were no significant issues with respect to the analysis of the blank samples inserted into the Phase 2 Pinion drill program in 2014.
2. Standard Reference Materials
Throughout the 2014 Phase 2 Pinion drill program some 346 standard samples were inserted in the sample stream by Gold Standard personnel. The results for the standard samples fell within acceptable limits and therefore no significant issues with respect to laboratory precision were identified and it is the view of the authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report that no re-assaying is required.
3. Umpire Check Assays, Duplicate Core Sample Assays and Lab-inserted Standard Reference Materials
There has been no umpire assaying conducted on any of the 2014 Bald Mountain drill samples and no duplicate samples were collected during the 2014 Phase 2 Pinion drilling program. In addition, there were no lab-inserted standard sample results or repeat analysis results reported within the digital assay files provided by the laboratories for the 2014 Phase 2 Pinion drill program.
2014 Bald Mountain RC Drill Program QAQC
The 2014 Bald Mountain drill program comprised a total of 6,220 feet (1895.9 m) of drilling in 5 holes. The drill program comprised the analysis of some 1,365 samples, which included 1,242 actual drill samples and 123 QAQC samples representing a rate of 1 QAQC sample for every 10.1 drilling samples. The QAQC samples comprised 61 blank pulp samples and 62 standard samples that were inserted into the sample sequence by Gold Standard personnel. The QC sample insertion frequency is acceptable, however, the use of 6 different standard reference materials by Gold Standard during the relatively short 2014 Bald Mountain drill program resulted in the analysis of only 9 to 14 (average 10.3) samples of each standard, which is an insufficient number of each to allow for a proper statistical analysis of their results. That being said, the 2014 Bald Mountain drilling together with the Phase 2 Pinion drill program comprised the analysis of some 798 QC samples including 390 blanks and 408 standards, which comprises a statistically valid average of 68 analyses for each standard.
1. Blanks
A total of 61 blank pulp samples were inserted in the sample stream during the 2014 Bald Mountain drill program. The blank pulp materials are certified by SCS to comprise material that should assay <0.003 ppm Au (<3 ppb Au). All of the blanks were analyzed by 30 g fire assay with a wet chemical finish with a lower detection limit 0.005 ppm Au (5 ppb Au). All but 1 blank sample assayed below detectable limits for gold (<0.005 ppm Au) or 1.6% of the blank samples, which relative to a 95% confidence level, is considered acceptable. There were no significant issues with respect to the analysis of the blank samples inserted into the 2014 Bald Mountain drill program.
2. Standard Reference Materials
Throughout the 2014 Bald Mountain drill program 62 standard samples were inserted in the sample stream by Gold Standard personnel. The certified values and acceptable analytical ranges for each of the six (6) standard reference materials used during the drill program are the same as those used during the 2014 Phase 2 Pinion drill program. The results for the standard samples fell within acceptable limits and therefore no significant issues with respect to laboratory precision were identified and it is the view of the authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report that no re-assaying is required.
3. Umpire Check Assays, Duplicate Core Sample Assays and Lab-inserted Standard Reference Materials
There has been no umpire assaying conducted on any of the 2014 Bald Mountain drill samples and no duplicate samples were collected during the 2014 Bald Mountain drilling program. In addition, there were no lab-inserted standard sample results or repeat analysis results reported within the digital assay files provided by the laboratories for the 2014 Bald Mountain drill program.
Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing
A variety of historic and modern metallurgical tests have been conducted on material for three Railroad Project prospects including Railroad, North Bullion and Bald Mountain. Two separate and unique first-pass metallurgical tests were completed on drill samples from the North Bullion Deposit and the Bald Mountain Target. A number of historic metallurgical tests have been conducted on material from the Pinion Deposit. The samples, test work and results of metallurgical work conducted to date are summarized below. Both projects are in need of modern and more extensive metallurgical work.
In 2006, a total of 63 bottle roll tests and 3 column leach tests were completed by Kappes, Cassiday & Associates on behalf of Royal Standard Minerals on material from core from the Railroad (POD) prospect located on the Railroad Project. A total of 475 lbs of sample material was submitted for the column leach tests and the individual bottle roll tests comprised samples from individual 5 and 10 foot drill hole intervals (Kappes, Cassiday & Associates, 2006). The individual samples were collected from drill holes POD05-01, POD05-02, POD05-04 and POD05-07.
Prior to the initiation of the column leach tests, assays were conducted to establish the head grade of the original 475 lbs of sample material as 0.069 oz/st (2.37 g/t) Au. The sample was also submitted for an initial simple bottle roll test that yielded gold recovery of 85%. The column leach tests were conducted on 3 crush sizes (1.5”, 0.5” and 0.25”) and the results approximated the initial bottle roll test averaging 85% for the 3 sizes. After 82 days of leaching, the three crush size columns returned gold recoveries of 83%, 86% and 88%, respectively.
The metallurgical work also included running a series of bottle roll tests from the individual core samples. The results of the 63 individual bottle roll tests were highly variable yielding from 0% to 83% gold recoveries. The Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (2006) report identified carbonaceous materials and pointed out that black siltstone and black jasperoid samples yielded the poorest recoveries.
Three samples were selected from composited, quarter-cut North Bullion drill core from the Railroad Project and provided to Newmont USA Limited, a subsidiary of Newmont. Each sample was taken from drill core and was expected to be refractory. A scope of work was generated to conduct gold head assays (duplicate fire assays, cyanide leachable gold assays, and preg-rob assays), carbon and sulfur assays (with a LECO furnace) and a multi-element ICP-MS analysis. The tests were designed to determine if North Bullion deposit mineralization is amenable to the established recovery technologies commonly used for Carlin-type ores.
Newmont provided the Company with two reports summarizing the results of metallurgical and mineralogical tests from the North Bullion deposit. All 3 samples were characterized as carbonaceous and sulfidic refractory material with very different gold grades, arsenic grades and sulfide sulfur contents (Arthur, 2013; McComb, 2013). The three samples assayed 0.067 oz Au/st (2.30 g/t), 0.340 oz Au/st (11.66 g/t) and 0.235 oz Au/st (8.06 g/t), respectively. Roaster recoveries were 83.1%, 90.0% and 78.8%, respectively, indicating that North Bullion mineralization is likely to be conducive to roaster processing (Arthur, 2013). The cause of the recovery variances was not determined. Sulfide sulfur burns were between 94% and 96% and organic carbon burns were between 78% and 93%. The results suggest that the roast was complete (Arthur, 2013). The calcines had calculated preg-rob values between 0 and 0.007 opt with AA/FA ratios between 77% and 84% further supporting the conclusion that all of the organic carbon was burned (Arthur, 2013).
Recognizing the potential economic significance of the Bald Mountain gold discovery, Gold Standard commissioned metallurgical tests of the core from drill hole RRB13-01. Inspectorate of Sparks, Nevada used the following procedure: 30 gram pulp samples were agitation-leached for one hour at room temperature in 60 ml of 0.3% sodium cyanide solution. The solution also had a 0.3% concentration of sodium hydroxide in order to stabilize the pH at greater than 10. Pregnant solutions were analyzed by a matrix-matched-calibrated AAS. Internal blanks, standards and duplicates were also analyzed at a frequency of approximately one of each for every 35 samples.
Fourteen of fifteen samples provided an unweighted average recovery of 82.2%. The better recoveries were skewed toward the higher grade samples.
An initial program of metallurgical test work was conducted in 1992 by Crown Metals using RC drill cuttings samples that were composited and processed at McClelland Laboratories in Sparks, NV. A total of 158 – 5 foot RC samples were combined into 8 composite samples that were subjected to basic cyanidation (leach) tests without further preparation (i.e. no additional grinding or screening was conducted). The results of this work indicated that the samples (RC cuttings) were amenable to direct cyanidation with recoveries ranging from 75% to 91.3% and averaged 81.8%. The samples were subjected to 96 hours of leaching but results indicated that gold leaching was relatively rapid and was substantially completed between 6 and 24 hours. Cyanide consumption was low and lime requirements were moderate to high (Calloway, 1992b; DeMatties, 2003).
Additional metallurgical test work was completed in 1994, also at McClelland Laboratories (McPartland, 1995; DeMatties, 2003). Bottle roll and column percolation leach tests were performed on 35 RC drill hole cuttings composites, comprising material from 529 individual RC drill cuttings samples, as well as an 880 lb bulk sample collected from a surface exposure of the Pinion mineralization. Additional column percolation leach testing at various grind sizes, along with mineralogical testing, was recommended.
The results for column leach testing conducted on the Pinion (surface) bulk sample indicate that gold recoveries increase with finer grinding up to 80.6% by column leaching on material ground to 100 mesh. It was concluded from the simulated heap leach cyanidation testing completed that the Pinion (referred to as “South Bullion”) bulk sample material was amenable to leaching at 62% - 2” and 82% - ¾” feed sizes.
With respect to the bottle roll testing of the 35 composited cuttings samples, the data indicates that the samples are amenable to direct cyanidation at a nominal grind of 10 mesh with recoveries averaging 66.1%. Ten of the 35 composites were subjected to further grinding to 80% passing 65 mesh and resulted in an average increase in recovery of 13.7% from 60.6% to 68.0%, with 5 of the 10 samples averaging a 25% increase in recovery. Further grinding to 200 mesh had little effect on recoveries, which increased by an average of 3.8%. Leaching was fairly rapid, cyanide consumption was considered low and lime requirements were moderate. There was no strong correlation between composite depth and gold recovery, recovery rate or reagent requirements.
In 2004, personnel from Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (2004) supervised a trenching program on behalf of Royal Standard Minerals at the Pinion Deposit that resulted in the collection of 6 bulk (or composite) samples (a single 55 gal drum) from 6 trenches at the deposit with metallurgical testing completed on 5 of the samples and several grab samples from the trenches.
Metallurgical tests including bottle rolls and column leach tests, were completed on an equal weighted composite of the 5 bulk trench samples. A cyanide bottle roll leach test was completed on a composite sample that ran for a period of 72 hours. Gold extraction from the pulverized material was 78% after 72 hours of leaching based upon a calculated head grade of 0.048 oz/st (1.64 ppm) Au. Silver extraction was 54% based upon a calculated head grade of 0.67 oz/st (22.97 ppm) Ag. Sodium cyanide consumption for the test is was 0.63 lbs NaCN/ton. Hydrated lime consumption was 4.0 lbs Ca(OH)2/ton (Kappes, Cassiday & Associates, 2004).
Three (3) separate column leach tests were conducted on the composite sample comprising material from five of the trenches completed at the Pinion Project. These tests were conducted at crush sizes of 100% minus 1 ½”, minus ½” and minus ¼”. The gold extractions from the PC Composite sample were 57%, 59% and 69% for these crush sizes, respectively. The silver extractions from the PC Composite sample were 31%, 33% and 62% for the same crush sizes, respectively. Sodium cyanide consumption averaged 1.44 lbs NaCN/ton and hydrated lime consumption averaged 2.0 lbs Ca(OH)2/ton. The minus ¼” crush column leach test required 2.0 lbs cement/ton.
In addition, 76 hand samples were collected from the 6 Pinion trenches and measured for specific gravity using the wax coated water displacement technique. The average of the 76 analyses was 2.65 g/cm3. However, this value was skewed slightly by an unusually high average SG value of 3.20 g/cm3 returned from one trench. The average SG value for the remaining 5 trenches was 2.55 g/cm3, which is very close to (98.8% of) the value of 2.58 g/cm3 that was determined from the 171 SG measurements made on 2014 Pinion drill core samples (Dufresne at al., 2014). The average trench sample SG value excluding both the highest and the lowest individual trench averages (3.03g/cm3 and 2.41g/cm3), then the average of the remaining trench averages is 2.58 g/cm3, which is equal to the SG value determined for the Pinion Deposit determined from 2014 drill core samples (Dufresne at al., 2014).
Mineral Resource Estimates
On September 10, 2014 and March 3, 2015, Gold Standard announced the results of the two separate mineral resource estimation efforts at the Pinion and Dark Star prospects. APEX completed both the Pinion and Dark Star maiden resource estimation efforts. Details of the 2014 Pinion mineral resource estimate are contained in the Pinion Resource Report (Defresne et al., 2014) and summarized below. A technical report for the recent (2015) Dark Star resource estimation effort is currently being prepared and the information summarized below is derived from the Company's news release of March 3, 2015.
2014 Pinion Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate
Following its acquisition of the Scorpio Pinion Interests in March 2014, the Company initiated a Phase 1 drill program of 13 holes designed to test and confirm mineralization within the Pinion Deposit. Results from the 2014 Phase 1 Pinion drilling confirmed historical assays from several twinned holes and further confirmed that the collapse breccia-hosted oxide gold zone at the Pinion Deposit is widespread and continuous, and that breccia development and mineralization appeared to thicken and strengthen adjacent to high angle fault zones and fault intersections. A thorough review of historical drill data from the Pinion Deposit was completed by the Company in early 2014, which included a significant core and RC chip re-logging effort, and was conducted in conjunction with personnel from APEX. At the conclusion of the historical Pinion drill database review it was concluded that the data was of sufficient quantity and quality to warrant the completion of a maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the Pinion Deposit. The Pinion resource was released on September 10, 2014 and the following information is taken from the subsequent Pinion Resource Report (Dufresne et al., 2014).
Mineral resource modelling and estimation was carried out using a 3-dimensional block model based on geostatistical applications using MICROMINE (v14.0.6), a commercially available resource estimation and mine planning software.
The Pinion resource estimate is reported in accordance with NI 43-101 and has been estimated using the CIM “Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines” dated November 23rd, 2003 and CIM “Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves” dated November 27th, 2010. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no guarantee that any part of the mineral resource discussed in the Pinion Resource Report will be converted into a mineral reserve in the future.
Modeling was conducted in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate space relative to the North American Datum (NAD) 1927 and UTM Zone 11. The Pinion resource modeling utilized 392 drill holes that were completed from 1981 to 2014. Mr. Dufresne visited the Pinion Project in May, 2013, April, 2014 and October, 2014 in order to verify and validate the historic drill hole database and to verify the drilling of the recently completed 2014 core and RC holes completed by Gold Standard. Over the period of the last 8 months, APEX personnel were intimately involved in the verification, validation, drill hole collar surveying and QA/QC analysis of the entire Pinion drill hole database. It is the opinion of the authors of the Pinion Resource Report that the drill hole database is deemed of good enough quality to create an accurate geological interpretation and model, including the construction of mineralization wireframes, and complete a statistical analysis and resource estimate.
The predominantly oxide gold-silver mineralization has been estimated within three dimensional solids that were created from cross-sectional lode interpretation. The upper contact has been cut by the topographic surface. There is little to no significant overburden present at the Pinion Deposit. Grade was estimated into a block model with parent block size of 10 m (X) by 10 m (Y) by 3 m (Z) and sub-blocked down to 5 m (X) by 5 m (Y) by 1 m (Z). A total of 171 density measurements made during 2014 on diamond drill core samples. These measurements in combination with historic results yield an average nominal density of 2.58 kg/m3 for gold mineralization hosted in the multi-lithic collapse breccia. Grade estimation of gold and silver was performed using the Inverse Distance squared (ID2) methodology. The indicated and inferred resources are constrained within a drilled area that extends approximately 2.3 km along strike to the north-northwest, 1.1 km across strike to the east-northeast and 400 m below surface.
The 2014 Pinion mineral resource has been classified as comprising both Indicated and Inferred resources according to the CIM definition standards. The classification of the Pinion Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource was based on geological confidence, data quality and grade continuity. The most relevant factors used in the classification process were:
· | Drill hole spacing density. |
· | Level of confidence in the geological interpretation, which is a result of the extensive re-logging of drill chips. The observed stratigraphic horizons are easily identifiable along strike and across the deposit which provides confidence in the geological and mineralization continuity. |
· | Estimation parameters i.e. continuity of mineralization |
· | Proximity to the recently completed 2014 drill holes. |
All mineral resources are reported within an optimized pit shell using US$1,250/ounce for gold and US$21.50/ounce for silver. The volume and tonnage for the reported resources within the US$1,250/ounce of gold optimized pit shell represents approximately 82% of the total tonnage of the unconstrained block model (utilizing a lower cutoff of 0.1 g/t Au).
The mineral resource estimates are reported at a range of gold cut-offs grades in Table 14.1 and Table 14.2 (extracted from the Pinion Resource Report) for both Indicated and Inferred categories, for gold and silver respectively. No portion of the current mineral resource has been assigned to the “Measured” category. The Pinion Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource uses a lower cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au, which is constrained within an optimised pit shell and includes an Indicated Mineral Resource of 20.84 million tonnes at 0.63 g/t Au for a total of 423,000 ounces of gold and an additional Inferred Mineral resource of 55.93 million tonnes at 0.57 g/t Au for 1.022 million ounces of gold. The base case cut-off of 0.14 g/t Au is highlighted in each table. Other cut-off grades are presented for review ranging from 0.1 g/t Au to 1.0 g/t Au for sensitivity analysis. The current reported mineral resource reports only oxide mineral resources.
Table 14.1: The Pinion Initial NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for Gold at Various Lower Cut-offs.
Classification* | Au Cutoff (grams per tonne) | Tonnage (million metric tonnes) | Au Grade (grams per tonne) | Contained Au*** (troy ounces) |
Indicated | 0.1 | 20.85 | 0.63 | 423,000 |
0.14** | 20.84 | 0.63 | 423,000 |
0.2 | 20.73 | 0.63 | 422,000 |
0.3 | 19.70 | 0.65 | 414,000 |
0.4 | 17.42 | 0.69 | 388,000 |
0.5 | 14.07 | 0.75 | 339,000 |
0.6 | 10.12 | 0.83 | 269,000 |
0.7 | 6.72 | 0.92 | 198,000 |
0.8 | 4.29 | 1.01 | 140,000 |
0.9 | 2.65 | 1.12 | 95,000 |
1.0 | 1.59 | 1.23 | 63,000 |
| | | | |
Inferred | 0.1 | 56.82 | 0.56 | 1,026,000 |
0.14** | 55.93 | 0.57 | 1,022,000 |
0.2 | 53.91 | 0.58 | 1,011,000 |
0.3 | 45.66 | 0.64 | 943,000 |
0.4 | 35.08 | 0.73 | 824,000 |
0.5 | 26.17 | 0.83 | 695,000 |
0.6 | 19.38 | 0.92 | 576,000 |
0.7 | 14.48 | 1.02 | 474,000 |
0.8 | 10.55 | 1.12 | 379,000 |
0.9 | 7.09 | 1.25 | 285,000 |
1.0 | 4.66 | 1.41 | 211,000 |
*Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the inferred resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured resource category. There is no guarantee that any part of the mineral resources discussed herein will be converted into a mineral reserve in the future.
**The recommended reported resources are highlighted in bold and have been constrained within a US$1,250/ounce of gold and US$21.50/ounce of silver optimized pit shell.
***Contained ounces may not add due to rounding.
The mineral resource estimate for silver was constrained to the gold block model. Based upon the extent of sample data and the statistics for silver the current mineral resource was classified as entirely an Inferred Mineral Resource using the lower cutoff grade of the gold block model and constrained within the optimized pit shell that utilizes a price of US$1,250 per ounce of gold and US$21.50 per ounce of silver. The Pinion Inferred Mineral Resource for silver consists of 76.77 million tonnes at 3.82 g/t Ag for 9.43 million ounces of silver (Table 14.2).
[remainder of page left blank intentionally]
Table 14.2: The Pinion Initial NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for Silver at Various Lower Gold Cut-offs.
Classification* | Au Cutoff (grams per tonne) | Tonnage (million metric tonnes) | Ag Grade (grams per tonne) | Contained Ag*** (troy ounces) |
Inferred | 0.1 | 77.66 | 3.79 | 9,474,000 |
0.14** | 76.77 | 3.82 | 9,430,000 |
0.2 | 74.64 | 3.87 | 9,290,000 |
0.3 | 65.35 | 4.05 | 8,509,000 |
0.4 | 52.49 | 4.24 | 7,163,000 |
0.5 | 40.24 | 4.39 | 5,684,000 |
0.6 | 29.49 | 4.47 | 4,243,000 |
0.7 | 21.20 | 4.51 | 3,076,000 |
0.8 | 14.84 | 4.54 | 2,165,000 |
0.9 | 9.74 | 4.52 | 1,415,000 |
1.0 | 6.26 | 4.45 | 896,000 |
*Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the inferred resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured resource category. There is no guarantee that any part of the mineral resources discussed herein will be converted into a mineral reserve in the future.
**The recommended reported resources are highlighted in bold and have been constrained within a US$1,250/ounce of gold and US$21.50/ounce of silver optimized pit shell.
***Contained ounces may not add due to rounding.
2015 Dark Star Deposit Resource Estimate
In late 2014, Gold Standard secured additional mineral rights within the Pinion Project area, which were not part of the Scorpio Pinion Interests acquired in March 2014. This agreement secured the mineral rights to the Dark Star gold prospect located approximately 2 miles (3km) east of the Pinion Deposit. A review of the historical Dark Star drilling information was completed by Gold Standard personnel in conjunction with APEX, which confirmed that the existing Dark Star drilling data was of sufficient quantity and quality to warrant a formal resource estimation effort for the prospect. APEX was retained to complete geological modeling and resource estimation for the Dark Star prospect and a maiden resource estimate was recently completed (see Gold Standard's news release dated March 3, 2015). A NI 43-101 compliant technical report detailing the Dark Star deposit mineral resource estimation effort is currently being prepared by APEX and will be filed on the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com) within 45 days of the date of the news release.
The initial mineral resource estimate for the Dark Star gold deposit comprises an Inferred Mineral Resource of 23.11 million tonnes (Mt) grading 0.51 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au), totaling 375,000 ounces (oz) of gold, using a cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au. See Table 14.3 below extracted from the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report. A sensitivity analysis of the grade and tonnage relationships at a variety of cutoff grades is also shown in Table 14.3.
[remainder of page left blank intentionally]
Table 14.3: The Dark Star NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate at Various Lower Gold Cut-Offs (*).
Classification* | Cutoff Grade - Au | Tonnage - Au | Grade - Au | Contained |
| (grams per tonne) | (million metric tonnes) | (grams per tonne) | Ounces Au *** (troy ounces) |
| 0.1 | 23.11 | 0.51 | 375,000 |
| 0.14** | 23.11 | 0.51 | 375,000 |
| 0.2 | 23.05 | 0.51 | 375,000 |
Inferred | 0.3 | 21.43 | 0.52 | 361,000 |
| 0.4 | 16.83 | 0.57 | 309,000 |
| 0.5 | 9.95 | 0.65 | 209,000 |
| 0.6 | 4.66 | 0.78 | 117,000 |
*Inferred Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. There has been insufficient exploration to define the inferred resource as an indicated or measured mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading the resource to an indicated or measured resource category. There is no guarantee that any part of the mineral resources discussed herein will be converted into a mineral reserve in the future.
** Reported resources have been constrained within a $1250/ounce of gold pit shell.
*** “Contained Ounces” values have been rounded to the nearest 1000 ounces.
The maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the Dark Star gold deposit was prepared by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., and Steven Nicholls, BA.Sc., MAIG of APEX, both Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43-101. The current Inferred Mineral Resource estimate is based on the results of 105 RC drill holes from multiple historical drilling campaigns conducted by other companies 1991 to 1999. In recent months APEX personnel have been intimately involved along with Gold Standard personnel in a comprehensive data verification and validation program with respect to the Dark Star drill hole database. This effort includes a project-wide drill hole re-logging program by Gold Standard personnel designed to standardize geological information in order to facilitate geological modeling throughout the area. The data verification program has resulted in an increased level of confidence in the geologically controlled mineralization model for Dark Star. In the opinion of APEX, the Dark Star database is suitable for resource estimation.
The resource block model was generated using a total of 105 RC drill holes. Drilling has been completed on roughly east-west cross-sections that range in spacing from 15 to 50 m. The Dark Star assay file comprised 9,364 analyses of variable lengths, of which 9,103 samples have been assayed for gold. Silver assays are sporadic at best and so the silver content of the deposit was not estimated. Of the 9,364 samples in the Dark Star database, roughly one fifth (2,113 assays) are situated within the gold mineralized lodes. Statistical analysis indicates that the Dark Star gold assays represent a single population of data. Mineralized wireframes/solids were constructed to separate the different mineralized horizons. A capping value of 3.2 g/t Au was applied to the data used in the reported resource estimate, which only affected 10 samples. Subsequent analysis of capped and uncapped resource figures indicated that the capping had little effect on the reported resource estimate.
The mineral resource was estimated by the inverse distance squared method within a three dimensional mineralization envelope that was tailored to the geological model, which was assisted by the detailed data verification effort described above that included chip re-logging, geological re-interpretation and modelling. Grade was estimated into 15 m (X) x 15 m (Y) x 3 m (Z) parent blocks which were sub-blocked down to 5 m (X) x 5 m (Y) x 1 m (Z) to provide a better representation of the lode volume. Silver was not estimated. An incremental search ellipsoid ranging from 30 m x 30 m x 45 m to 180 m x 180 m x 270 m orientated along 12° was used for the gold grade interpolation. A nominal density of 2.58 tonnes per cubic meter was applied to all mineralized blocks, which is based upon the density measurement utilized at the nearby Pinion mineral resource (see Dufresne et al, 2015) and was confirmed with outcrop samples from Dark Star. The gold resource has been classified as entirely inferred.
Historic metallurgical test work has been completed to date, which included an analysis of the suitability of Dark Star gold mineralization to direct cyanide soluble leaching methods. Bottle roll leach test work was completed by Crown Resources Corp. in 1991. This test work obtained recoveries of gold ranging from 75.0 to 91.3%, in direct cyanidation of RC chips in 96 hours of leaching. Gold recovery rates were fairly rapid and extraction was substantially complete after 24 hours. Cyanide consumptions were low with lime consumptions moderate to high. Further metallurgical test work is planned but these initial results are encouraging and warrant further investigation.
In order to demonstrate that the Dark Star deposit has potential for economic extraction, the unconstrained resource block model was subjected to various preliminary pit optimization scenarios. The criteria used in the whittle pit optimizer were standard for Nevada heap leach deposits and were run at gold prices of US$1,250/ounce, US$1,400/ounce and US$1,550/ounce. All mineral resources have been reported within the optimized pit shell using the US$1,250/ounce and are shown in Table 14.3. The volume and tonnage for the reported resources within the US$1,250/ounce optimized pit shell represents approximately 90% of the total tonnage in the unconstrained block model.
Adjacent Properties
The Railroad and Pinion Projects are situated along the southeastern portion of the Carlin Gold Trend. The Rain Mining District, which is largely controlled by Newmont, is located only 2 to 3 km (1.2 to 2 miles) north of the north boundary of the Railroad Project. The Rain District has been an active exploration and mining area for several decades and is the location for Newmont’s current mining activities at the Emigrant Mine. The Rain-Emigrant series of deposits has seen extensive exploration over the last three decades. To the south of the Railroad-Pinion Project, several exploration areas have received sporadic exploration over the past three to four decades. These areas include Pony Creek and the Dixie Creek Properties. Adjacent properties with bearing or influence on the Railroad-Pinion Project are described below. The authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report have not visited or worked at any of these projects and where references are made to past production and/or historic or current mineral resources the authors have not verified the information.
Rain is a Carlin-style, sedimentary rock-hosted gold deposit that is located approximately four miles (seven kilometers) north of the Company's North Bullion Target. Newmont operated the Rain open pit mine, the Rain Underground mine and the SMZ open pit mine from 1988 to 2000 and produced approximately 870,000 ounces of gold (Longo et al., 2002). Longo et al. (2002) summarized a number of mineral resources for the three deposits as follows: Rain open pit 15.5 million tons (14.1 million tonnes) at 0.066 oz Au/st (2.3 g/t) for a total of 1,017,300 ounces of gold; Rain Underground 1.154 million tons (1.04 million tonnes) at 0.23 oz Au/st (7.9 g/t) for a total of 265,000 ounces of gold and the SMZ open pit 1.5 million tons (1.4 million tonnes) at 0.019 oz Au/st (0.65 g/t) for a total of 30,000 ounces of gold. No mining has been conducted at these Rain deposits since the date of the Longo et al. (2002) report. The resources pre-date NI 43-101 and little or no detailed information such as potential resource category or number of drill holes etc. is presented for the estimates or how the resources were arrived at, therefore the estimates are considered historic in nature and should not be relied upon. None the less, the information provides an indication of the potential size of the gold mineralized system and deposits held by Newmont immediately north of the Company's Railroad-Pinion Project.
Along strike to the northwest of the Rain Project and likely on the same structure is the Saddle and Tess gold deposits. The mineralized zones are roughly 3.5 km (2 miles) north of the Railroad Project and 10 km (6 miles) northwest of the North Bullion Target. Longo et al. (2002) states that Newmont identified a primarily underground high sulphide resource of 1.37 million tons (1.23 million tonnes) at 0.572 oz Au/st (19.6 g/t) for a total of 782,000 ounces of gold at Saddle and 3.99 million tons (3.59 million tonnes) at 0.37 oz Au/st (12.7 g/t) for a total of 1,475,000 ounces of gold at Tess. The project is currently part of a joint venture between Premier Gold Mines and Newmont. No mining has been conducted at the two deposits. The resources pre-date NI 43-101 and little or no detailed information such as potential resource category or number of drill holes etc. is presented for the estimates or how the resources were arrived at, therefore the estimates are considered historic in nature and should not be relied upon.
The Rain trend of mineralization is characterized by disseminated gold mineralization hosted in dominantly oxidized, silicified, dolomitized and barite rich collapse breccia with rare sulfides, developed along the Webb Formation mudstone/Devils Gate Formation limestone contact and along the Rain Fault. Important ore-controlling features at Rain include the west-northwest striking Rain fault, the Webb/Devils Gate contact, collapse breccia and northeast striking faults. As at the Saddle and Tess deposits along the trend, shallow oxide zones give way to deeper sulfide and carbon rich zones of substantial size and grade.
West-northwest striking structures, possibly similar in nature to the Rain Fault, are present at the Railroad and Pinion targets within the Railroad-Pinion Project area. The west-northwest structure at the Railroad Project appears to control the spatial distribution of the breccia and gold mineralization. At the Pinion Project the west-northwest appears to separate and partially control gold mineralization of the North Pod and the northern portion of the Main Zone. The structure parallels or is possibly coincident with a series of west-northwest fold axial planes.
Emigrant Springs is a Carlin-style, sedimentary rock-hosted gold deposit that is located approximately four miles (seven kilometers) north-northeast of the Company's North Bullion Target. Newmont is currently mining the deposit through open pit methods and processing the ore at an onsite, run of mine heap leach operation. Disseminated gold mineralization is hosted in oxidized, silicified, dolomitized and barite rich collapse breccia developed within the Webb Formation mudstone. Important ore-controlling features at Emigrant include the north-south-striking Emigrant Fault, collapse breccia and the Northeast Fault.
Open pit, oxide resource and reserve calculations for Newmont’s Carlin Trend operations are typically commingled into a single heading of “Carlin open pits, Nevada” category. In 2003, reserves at Emigrant were published at 1,200,000 ounces (Newmont, 2003). No details were provided by Newmont as to the quality of the reserves. The mine is expected to produce roughly 80,000 ounces of gold over a plus ten year mine life and has recently commenced production (Harding, 2012).
Pony Creek is located approximately six miles (10 kilometers) south of Gold Standard’s Pinion Deposit. Gold mineralization is hosted in north to northeast-trending shears in rhyolite intrusive and Mississippian to Permian age sediments proximal to the intrusive (Russell, 2006). A total of 175 drill holes were completed on the project from 1981 through 2004, and in these holes, 151 contained gold intercepts of at least 5 ft (1.5 m) of 0.010 oz Au/st (0.34 g/t) (Russell, 2006). No NI 43-101 compliant resource has been disclosed at Pony Creek.
The presence of gold mineralization, resources and/or reserves at the above adjacent properties is not necessarily indicative of the gold mineralization, potential resources or potential reserves at the Railroad-Pinion Project.
Other Relevant Data and Information
There are no additional data for the Railroad-Pinion Project beyond that discussed in the preceding sections.
Interpretation and Conclusions
Gold Standard’s Railroad–Pinion Project is located at the southeast end of the Carlin (Gold) Trend, a northwest alignment of sedimentary rock-hosted gold deposits in northeastern Nevada. The Carlin Trend comprises more than 40 separate gold deposits that have produced in excess of 80 million ounces of gold to date (Muntean, 2014). The Project is located in the Piñon Range of mountains and is centered on the southernmost of four domed features along the Carlin Trend (Jackson and Koehler, 2014). The domes are cored by igneous intrusions that uplift and expose Paleozoic rocks that are favorable for hosting Carlin-style gold deposits.
Gold Standard has been conducting aggressive, geologic model-driven exploration programs at the Railroad portion of the Project area since its initial acquisition in 2010 and has confirmed and/or expanded previously identified zones of mineralization and has discovered several new zones (and styles) of mineralization. Currently, the Railroad Project area hosts a variety of mineralization types including; 1) classic Carlin-style disseminated gold in carbonate dissolution collapse breccia at the North Bullion prospect; 2) stacked, tabular oxide gold and copper zones in quartz hornfels breccia at the Bald Mountain target; and 3) skarn-hosted silver, copper, lead and zinc mineralization at the Central Bullion target (Jackson and Koehler, 2014; Koehler et al., 2014).
Drilling conducted in the Railroad Project area during 2012 and 2013 confirmed and expanded a significant Carlin-style, disseminated gold system at the North Bullion target, and identified new mineralized zones at the Bald Mountain and Central Bullion targets (Koehler et al., 2014). Drilling conducted by Gold Standard in 2014 focused on the Bald Mountain prospect and intersected significant thicknesses of altered and brecciated lithologies hosting Au-Ag-Cu mineralization. Drilling at North Bullion has been focused on expanding a zone of gold mineralization within the “lower collapse breccia” where sufficient data now exists to warrant an initial mineral resource estimate. Continued drilling on the Bald Mountain and Central Bullion targets is also warranted based on early-stage drill results. Early-stage results from 10 other target areas at the Railroad portion of the Project area indicate that additional geologic work and drilling is also warranted.
In early 2014, Gold Standard significantly increased its land position with the acquisition of the Pinion Project area which is contiguous to the south end of the Company’s original Railroad Project area (Koehler et al., 2014). The Pinion transaction primarily comprised the acquisition of mineral rights on lands where the Company previously held a minority interest, along with other lands where it previously held no interest, and was part of an on-going effort to consolidate the mineral rights for the greater Railroad District under a single operator. In April 2014, Gold Standard announced a further consolidation of mineral rights at Bald Mountain within the Railroad Project area and later announced the acquisition of lands and additional mineral rights within, and south of, the Pinion Project area covering the Dark Star and Dixie Creek gold prospects.
The acquisition, and further consolidation, of mineral rights at the Pinion Project area by Gold Standard in 2014 represents an important step in the advancement of the Railroad-Pinion Project. The Pinion portion of the Railroad-Pinion Project area now includes the Pinion, Dark Star and Dixie Creek gold prospects. Work by Gold Standard at the Pinion Project area in 2014 comprised the compilation and review of historic data at the Pinion and Dark Star Deposits and included a significant re-logging effort of archived Pinion core along with Pinion and Dark Star RC chip samples. An initial phase of drilling at the Pinion Deposit comprising 13 holes confirmed historic drilling assay results and the geological model for the deposit, which were utilized for a maiden NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate that was constructed in September, 2014 (Dufresne et al., 2014). In late 2014, a second phase of drilling including 44 RC holes was completed at the Pinion Deposit area and was successful in expanding the extent of gold mineralization. Recent work has included the completion of a maiden NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for the Dark Star Deposit (Dufresne et al., 2015).
2014 Pinion Deposit Mineral Resource
The maiden NI 43-101 compliant Pinion mineral resource estimate was completed by APEX under the supervision and direction of Mr. Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo. a co-author of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report. The Pinion Deposit mineral resource estimate is discussed in detail in the Pinion Resource Report by Dufresne et al. (2014).
The maiden 2014 Pinion Deposit mineral resource estimate is reported at a range of gold lower cut-off grades in Table 14.1 and Table 14.2 (see "Mineral Resource Estimates" above) for both Indicated and Inferred categories for gold and silver, respectively. The Pinion mineral resource estimate is quoted at a lower cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au, which was constrained within an optimized pit shell, and includes an "indicated" mineral resource of 20.84 million tonnes at 0.63 g/t Au for a total of 423,000 ounces of gold and an additional "inferred" mineral resource of 55.93 million tonnes at 0.57 g/t Au for 1.022 million ounces of gold. The base case gold cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au is highlighted in each table, which also includes the results of other estimates completed using gold cut-off grades ranging from 0.1 – 1.0 g/t Au. All reported resources include only oxidized mineralization. The silver mineral resource estimate was constrained to the gold block model and was classified entirely as an "inferred" mineral resource. The Pinion "inferred" mineral resource for silver comprises 76.77 million tonnes at 3.82 g/t Ag for 9.43 million ounces of silver.
The 2014 Pinion Deposit mineral resources are constrained within a drilled area that extends approximately 2.3 km along strike to the north-northwest, 1.1 km across strike to the east-northeast and 400 m below surface. The predominantly oxide gold-silver mineralization comprising the deposit was estimated within three dimensional solids that were created from cross-sectional lode interpretation with the upper contact cut by the topographic surface. Lode interpretation was completed using a validated database comprising 16 core and 379 RC drill holes, with an average drill hole spacing of 20 m for the Main and North Zones and 80 m for the surrounding mineralized area, and a total of 4,573 gold and 2,316 silver composites of 3.0 m length. No capping of the gold dataset was required as no outliers were identified and one silver composite of 779 g/t Ag was capped to 100 g/t Ag. Grade estimation for gold and silver was completed using the Inverse Distance squared methodology into a 10 m (X) by 10 m (Y) by 3 m (Z) block model (with sub-blocking down to 5 m x 5m x 1 m). A total of 171 density measurements made during 2014 on diamond drill core samples was used to establish an average nominal density of 2.58 kg/m3 for gold mineralization hosted in the multi-lithic collapse breccia.
The 2014 Pinion Deposit gold resource has been classified as comprising both "indicated" and "inferred" resources according to the CIM definition standards (Table 14.1). The 2014 Pinion Silver mineral resource estimate has been classified entirely as an "inferred" mineral resource (Table 14.2). The classification of the Pinion gold and silver resources was based on geological confidence, data quality and grade continuity. No portion of the current mineral resource has been assigned to the “measured” category. All reported mineral resources occur within a pit shell optimized using values of US$1,250 per ounce for gold and US$21.50 per ounce for silver.
2015 Dark Star Deposit Mineral Resource
A maiden NI 43-101 compliant Dark Star Deposit mineral resource estimate was recently completed by APEX under the supervision and direction of Mr. Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., a co-author of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report (see Gold Standard news release dated March 3, 2015). The NI 43-101 technical report documenting the mineral resource estimate is in preparation (Dufresne et al., 2015). The Dark Star Deposit mineral resource is located in the southeast part of the Railroad-Pinion Project area approximately 3 km (2 miles) east of the Pinion Deposit. The 2015 maiden mineral resource estimate for the Dark Star Deposit comprises an "inferred" mineral resource of 23.11 million tonnes grading 0.51 g/t Au totaling 375,000 ounces of gold, using a lower cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au (Table 14.3 under "Mineral Resource Estimates" above). A sensitivity analysis of the grade and tonnage relationships at a variety of lower cutoff grades is also shown in Table 14.3. The Dark Star "inferred" mineral resource is reported within a pit shell optimized using a gold price of US$1,250 per ounce.
The maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the Dark Star Deposit is based on the results of 105 RC drill holes from multiple historical drilling campaigns conducted by other companies from 1991 to 1999. Gold Standard personnel, in conjunction with APEX, has conducted a comprehensive data verification and validation program for the Dark Star drill hole database, which was assisted by a project-wide drill hole re-logging program. The data verification program has resulted in an increased level of confidence in the geologically controlled mineralization model for Dark Star to the point where the Dark Star database was deemed suitable by APEX for resource estimation.
The 2015 Dark Star Deposit mineral resource was estimated using a total of 105 RC drill holes. Drilling has been completed on roughly east-west lines (sections) that range in spacing from 15 to 50 m. The Dark Star assay file comprised 9,364 analyses of variable lengths, of which 9,103 samples have been assayed for gold. Silver assays are sporadic at best and so the silver content of the deposit was not estimated. Approximately one fifth of the Dark Star sample assays (2,113 assays) are situated within the gold mineralized lodes and a statistical analysis indicates that the assays represent a single population of data. Mineralized wireframes/solids were constructed to separate the different mineralized horizons. A capping value of 3.2 g/t Au was applied to the data, which only affected 10 samples, and a subsequent analysis of capped and uncapped resource numbers indicates that the capping had little effect on the reported resource estimate.
The Dark Star mineral resource was estimated by the Inverse Distance squared (ID2) method within a three dimensional mineralization envelope that was tailored to the geological model. Grade was estimated into a 15 m (X) x 15 m (Y) x 3 m (Z) block model, with sub-blocking (down to 5 m x 5 m x 1 m) to provide a better representation of lode volumes. A nominal density of 2.58 tonnes per cubic meter was applied to all mineralized blocks, which is based upon the density measurement utilized at the nearby Pinion mineral resource (Dufresne et al, 2014) and was confirmed with outcrop samples from Dark Star. The gold resource has been classified as entirely "inferred".
2014 Pinion Phase 2 Drilling
The Company's Phase 2 drilling program at Pinion was designed to extend areas of known shallow oxide gold mineralization along strike and at depth, and to test new targets identified by the Phase 1 program and a new 3D geologic model. Gold mineralization at Pinion is very continuous and widespread within a highly permeable, silicified, and oxidized collapse breccia which is favorably sandwiched between relatively impermeable silty micrite of the overlying Mississippian Tripon Pass Formation and thick-bedded calcarenite of the underlying Devonian Devils Gate Formation. All 44 holes drilled in late 2014, intersected multilithic collapse breccia with 38 of the 44 holes returning significant gold intercepts of at least 0.3 ppm or 0.009 oz/st Au over at least 6.1 m (20 ft). Highlights of the Phase 2 drilling program are summarized in Table 10.7 under "Drilling - Recent 2014 Drilling by Gold Standard" above.
Only two holes drilled in the Phase 2 program failed to intersect significant gold mineralization. These two holes were drilled to extend gold mineralization to the northwest of the Pinion Deposit. A further four holes intersected only weak gold mineralization over a variety of widths (<0.2 ppm over thicknesses ranging from 6.1 m up to 70 m). Three of these holes (PIN14-49, PIN14-51 and PIN14-53) were drilled to extend the Pinion gold zone to the northwest. One of the holes, PIN14-46, was drilled to extend gold mineralization of the North Zone to the north (see Figure 10.8).
The Phase 2 Pinion drilling during 2014 intersected significant gold intersections associated with oxidized multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia at a number of targets areas marginal to the NI 43-101 compliant Pinion mineral resource. The main target areas tested included to the southeast, south, west, northwest and north of the existing resource at the Pinion Deposit (see Figure 10.7). Some infill drilling was completed in the south-central portion of the Main Zone in order to extend the gold zone in gaps where prior historic drilling was not completed to the currently modelled depth of the gold zone or where mineralization was complicated by faults.
The results indicate that there is potential to increase the areal and depth extent of the existing resource with significant intercepts of gold in the Main Zone East Anticline area, Southeast Pinion, Far Southeast Pinion, South Pinion, West Margin of Pinion, Northwest Pinion and North Pinion. An aggressive Phase 3 drilling program is warranted to further explore and perhaps expand the potential for additional shallow oxide gold mineralization associated with multilithic, dissolution collapse breccia at the Pinion Resource area.
Other Railroad – Pinion Project Prospects
Based upon a review of available historical information and recent data from the on-going exploration work by Gold Standard at other prospect areas throughout the Railroad–Pinion Project area, the authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report conclude the following:
| · | Gold Standard has continued to confirm the occurrence of an important sedimentary rock-hosted gold system at the North Bullion Target. Drilling to date has intersected Carlin-style gold mineralization with high grades in a number of intersections and continue to indicate the North Bullion discovery is a significant carbon-sulfide refractory gold deposit that remains open in multiple directions. Continued step-out and offset drilling is warranted for the lower collapse breccia zone. In addition, sufficient data has now been collected to warrant geological modeling of the deposit and the calculation of a maiden mineral resource estimate. |
| · | Gold Standard has confirmed the discovery of a new sedimentary rock-hosted gold and copper system hosted in oxidized, brecciated and hornfelsed rocks at the Bald Mountain Target. Drill results during 2013 and 2014 indicate this is a significant polymetallic discovery that remains open in all directions. Continued drilling is warranted. |
| · | Gold Standard has confirmed the discovery of a new silver, copper, lead and zinc skarn system at the Central Bullion Target. Prior drill results indicate this is a significant polymetallic discovery that remains open in all directions. Continued drilling is warranted. |
| · | The initial drill results in the Bullion Fault Corridor target confirmed that a Carlin-style hydrothermal system associated with igneous dikes is present to the south of the North Bullion Target. Much of the +5 mile long strike of the Bullion Fault (target) remains untested by drilling. Additional drilling is recommended. |
| · | Over the last 15 months, Gold Standard has significantly increased its land holdings in the Pinion portion of the Railroad-Pinion Project. The Pinion Project is located immediately south of the Railroad Project and includes two Carlin-style gold prospects (Pinion and Dark Star). At both prospects, maiden mineral resource estimates have completed during 2014. Further drilling at both Pinion and Dark Star is warranted to infill the existing mineralization and to expand the known zones of mineralization. Further drilling to expand and explore the mineralized system for areas of improved grade is warranted at Dark Star. |
| · | Further exploration, including fieldwork and drilling, is warranted at other targets in the Pinion Project area including Dark Star North, the trend of Dark Star to Dixie Creek, Dixie Creek, Papoose Canyon, Papoose Canyon North and JR Buttes. |
| · | Thirteen target areas have been identified by Gold Standard for additional exploration at the Railroad portion of the Railroad-Pinion Project area (Koehler et al., 2014). The targets are focused on gold, but also include silver, copper, lead and zinc. Eight of these targets have been drilled by Gold Standard. Although Gold Standard has drilled and conducted extensive work in these areas, and historic work has been done in others, sampling and drilling of sufficient density to determine the distribution and continuity of gold mineralization at most of the targets at the Railroad Project is not yet sufficient to establish a mineral resource or reserve, with the exception of North Bullion. |
| · | Geologic mapping, geophysics and geochemical sampling continue to refine target areas. The integration of these techniques has identified five new target areas. Further exploration utilizing these techniques is warranted throughout the Railroad-Pinion Project area to develop additional drill targets. |
| · | The geologic, structural and mineralization models used for the Railroad-Pinion Project are analogous to sedimentary rock-hosted gold and polymetallic skarn deposit models used on the Carlin Trend and in northern Nevada. |
| · | In the opinion of the authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report, exploration techniques and, specifically, the sampling and analytical procedures employed by Gold Standard at the Railroad-Pinion Project are consistent with industry standards and are appropriate both with respect to the type of mineral deposit(s) being explored and with respect to insuring overall data quality and integrity. |
Recommendations
Gold Standard’s Railroad-Pinion Project is located at the southeast end of the Carlin (Gold) Trend. The project area covers a significant portion of the southernmost structural window within the Carlin Trend that exposes prospective Upper Paleozoic – Mississippian units that host mineralization often associated with multilithic collapse breccias elsewhere in the district and comprises a number of gold target areas. Exploration in the last year has resulted in the identification of significant maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource estimates for gold at the Pinion and Dark Star Deposits. Historic work and exploration conducted by Gold Standard since 2010 has identified several other significant zones of gold and base metal mineralization within the Railroad–Pinion Project that warrant further exploration.
The combined Railroad-Pinion Project was the subject of a recent NI 43-101 technical report dated March 31, 2014 titled "Technical Report on the Railroad and Pinion Projects Elko County, Nevada USA" co-authored by Michael B. Dufresne, M.Sc., P. Geol. and Andrew Turner, B.Sc., P. Geol., of APEX and Steven R. Koehler, B.Sc., QP, CPG#10216, the Company's Manager of Projects (the "2014 Railroad-Pinion Report"), in which detailed recommendations were outlined for both the Railroad and Pinion portions of the Railroad-Pinion Project. Recent work completed at the Railroad-Pinion Project by Gold Standard has been focused on the Pinion Deposit and thus the recommendations made in the 2014 Railroad-Pinion Report pertaining to the Railroad target areas remain valid. The 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report describes initial NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimates for the Pinion and Dark Star Deposits along with follow-up Phase 2 drilling at Pinion. Further aggressive exploration, including drilling is warranted at Pinion and Dark Star aimed at expanding and improving the confidence in the existing mineral resources. Prior exploration by Gold Standard from 2010 to late 2013 identified a number of targets at the Railroad Project that warrant follow-up exploration including drilling. The following section discusses recommendations for future work specific to the entire Railroad-Pinion Project area.
Based upon the results to date, the authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report recommend an aggressive exploration program for the Pinion Project area involving surface exploration, additional exploration, resource expansion and infill drilling along with continued metallurgical test work at both the Pinion and Dark Star Deposits. With respect to fieldwork, the authors recommend additional soil sampling to expand upon and fill in gaps to the existing database for the Pinion Project area and cover potential strike extensions of the mineralization to the south, and southeast at Pinion along with better geochemical coverage of the Dark Star to Dixie Creek area. Additional geophysical surveying (including one or more of Gravity, IP, CSAMT and airborne surveys) for the deposit areas and project area is strongly recommended to provide data to assist the targeting of infill, step-out and exploration drilling. Continued surface and subsurface geological mapping and rock sampling is recommended to aid in refining the geological model for the Pinion Deposit area that has been developed largely from sub-surface drill hole information. Exploration and some infill confirmation drilling are required at Dark Star, preferably including some core holes, in order to build upon the chip re-logging program to develop and refine the geological and mineralization models. Once further drilling programs are completed a resource update and potentially a preliminary economic assessment ("PEA") that includes both Pinion and Dark Star will be warranted. In addition, the 2014 fieldwork and prior exploration have identified a number of exploration targets outside of the Pinion and Dark Star Deposit areas that warrant future exploration drill testing. Further field work comprising geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys is recommended for the remainder of the Pinion Project area with particular attention paid to the JR Butte-Papoose trend located west of the Pinion Deposit and the Dark Star to Dixie Creek trend.
With respect to the Railroad Project area, additional in-fill and step-out drilling is warranted at the North Bullion, Bald Mountain and Central Bullion target areas. Further reconnaissance drilling is recommended for several other target areas including the Cherry Springs, Bullion Fault Corridor, Railroad, North Ridge and Lee Canyon areas. Continued fieldwork comprising geological mapping, geochemical surveying and geophysical surveying is also warranted throughout the Railroad Project to identify and refine additional drill targets. The results of gravity and CSAMT surveys completed to date at the Railroad Project are encouraging and the continued use of these techniques is strongly recommended. Geological modeling and resource estimation is recommended for the North Bullion mineralized zones along with additional metallurgical investigations and, possibly, preliminary engineering studies. The results of the modeling exercise may assist target definition for the proposed in-fill and step-out drilling that is warranted at North Bullion.
With respect to drilling, the authors recommend a significant drill program intended to a) infill the current oxide resource areas at the Pinion and Dark Star Deposits, b) further along strike drilling to test for additional zones of mineralization and extensions to existing zones at Pinion, Dark Star and North Bullion, along with c) aggressive exploration drilling. Specifically, a Phase 1 follow-up drill program is recommended that would comprise primarily RC drilling but would also include some core drilling, particularly at Dark Star, in order to confirm and expand the evolving geological and mineralization model for the Pinion, Dark Star and North Bullion areas. Step-out drilling is recommended along strike of the current resource areas at Pinion and Dark Star along with further step-out drilling at the North Bullion Prospect. Exploration drilling is also recommended for several previously untested geochemical and geophysical (gravity) anomalies in proximity to the current Pinion and Dark Star resource areas. A Phase 2 exploration focused drilling program is also recommended in order to step-out from Pinion and Dark Star and identify further near surface oxide resources at targets such as Pinion Northwest, Pinion Southeast, Dark Star North, Dark Star South, Papoose Canyon, Papoose Canyon North, JR Buttes and other prospects..
The budget presented below in Table 18.1 extracted from the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report is intended to summarize estimated costs for completing the recommended work program described above for the entire Railroad-Pinion Project area. The authors recommend a total of 59,450 m (195,000 feet) of a combination of RC and core drilling in phased drilling campaigns at the Pinion and Dark Star Deposit areas and at a variety of other targets across the Railroad-Pinion Project area for a total cost of US$15,500,000. Other recommended property wide activities include geological mapping, geochemical sampling, ground and airborne geophysical surveys, further metallurgical test work along with geological modeling leading to updated resource estimates and preliminary engineering and environmental studies culminating in a PEA. The estimated cost to conduct these studies is US$2,300,000, which includes approximately US$850,000 in property maintenance payments. The recommended drilling and other geological, geophysical, engineering and environmental studies along with a contingency of 10%, yields an overall budget to complete the recommended work of US$19,580,000 (Table 18.1).
It is the opinion of the authors of the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report that all of the recommended work is warranted at this time and none is contingent upon the results of any other part of the program.
Table 18.1: Railroad – Pinion Exploration Plan and Budget.
Target Area | Activity | Cost/ft | Cost/m | Quantity ft | Quantity m | Cost (US$) |
North Bullion | Drilling | $175/ft | $575/m | 25,000 ft | 7,620 m | $ 4,375,000 |
Bald Mountain | Drilling | $75/ft | $245/m | 20,000 ft | 6,100 m | $ 1,500,000 |
Central Bullion | Drilling | $150/ft | $490/m | 12,000 ft | 3,660 m | $ 1,800,000 |
Cherry Springs | Drilling | $125/ft | $410/m | 8,000 ft | 2,440 m | $ 1,000,000 |
Bullion Fault Corridor | Drilling | $75/ft | $245/m | 20,000 ft | 6,095 m | $ 1,500,000 |
Railroad | Drilling | $75/ft | $245/m | 12,000 ft | 3,655 m | $ 900,000 |
North Ridge | Drilling | $125/ft | $410/m | 3,000 ft | 915 m | $ 375,000 |
Lee Canyon | Drilling | $100/ft | $330/m | 5,000 ft | 1,525 m | $ 500,000 |
Pinion Immediate Resource Area & Infill | Drilling | $35/ft | $115/m | 40,000 ft | 12,200 m | $ 1,400,000 |
Pinion West, Dark Star & Dixie Exploration | Drilling (RC) | $35/ft | $115/m | 40,000 ft | 12,200 m | $ 1,400,000 |
Pinion, Dark Star & Dixie | Drilling (core) | $75/ft | $245/m | 10,000 ft | 3,050 m | $ 750,000 |
Subtotals | 195,000 ft | 59,450 m | $ 15,500,000 |
Property Wide Activities | | |
Geological Mapping | | $ 150,000 |
CSAMT | | $ 150,000 |
Gravity | | $ 50,000 |
Airborne Magnetics | | $ 100,000 |
Geochemical Sampling | | $ 125,000 |
Density Testing & Metallurgy | | $ 125,000 |
Resource Modeling & Scoping Studies | | $ 450,000 |
Bonding/Environmental | | $ 300,000 |
Property Maintenance | | $ 850,000 |
Subtotal | $ 2,300,000 |
Contingency (10%) | | $ 1,780,000 |
Total | $19,580,000 |
[remainder of page left blank intentionally]
ITEM 8: RISK FACTORS
The operations of the Company are highly speculative due to, among other things, the high-risk nature of the Company's business, which includes the acquisition, financing, exploration and, if warranted, development of mineral properties, and any investment in Common Shares involves a high degree of risk and should be considered speculative. While the Company considers the risks set out below and incorporated by reference herein to be the most significant to potential investors, they are not the only ones facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to the Company, or that the Company currently deems immaterial, may also materially adversely affect the Company’s operations, business and financial condition. If any of these risks materialize into actual events or circumstances, the Company’s assets, liabilities, financial condition, results of operations (including future results of operations), business and business prospects, are likely to be materially and adversely affected. In such circumstances, the price of the Company’s Common Shares could decline and investors may lose all or part of their investment. Accordingly, potential investors should carefully consider the risks set out below and other information contained or incorporated by reference in this AIF before purchasing Common Shares.
Risks Relating to the Company
The Company has a limited operating history.
The Company has a limited history of operations and all of its properties are in the exploration stage. In May 2014, the Company entered into a binding letter of intent to sell its entire portfolio of non-core early stage exploration assets to concentrate its efforts on the Railroad-Pinion Project on Nevada’s Carlin Trend. In the event that sale transaction does not close, the Company may incur additional losses and expenses in order to a maintain its interest in those assets. The Company has not generated any operating revenues. As such, it is subject to many risks common to such enterprises, including under-capitalization, cash shortages, limitations with respect to personnel and lack of revenues.
The Company has incurred losses since its inception and expects to incur losses for the foreseeable future.
The Company has not been profitable since its inception, has had negative cash flow from operational activities and does not expect to generate revenues in the foreseeable future. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, the Company had a loss and comprehensive loss of $11,708,637 (2013- $4,357,959). As at December 31 2014, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $28,841,501 (2013 - $17,132,864). To become profitable, the Company must first establish commercial quantities of mineral reserves on its properties, and then either develop such properties or locate and enter into agreements with third party operators to bring such properties into production. Mineral exploration and development involves a high degree of risk that even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge cannot eliminate, and few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. In the event the Company undertakes development activity on any of its properties, there is no certainty that the Company will produce revenues, operate profitably or provide a return on investment in the future. It could be years before the Company receives any revenues from the production of gold or other precious metals, if ever. The Company may suffer significant additional losses in the future and may never be profitable.
The Company may not be able to continue as a going concern.
The Company has limited financial resources and no operating revenues. To maintain its existing interest in the Railroad-Pinion and other projects, the Company has contractually agreed to make certain expenditures on the properties. The report of the independent auditors to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 contained a note that indicated the existence of material uncertainties that raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company’s ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon, among other things, the Company establishing commercial quantities of mineral reserves on its properties and obtaining the necessary financing to develop and profitably produce such minerals or, alternatively, disposing of its interests on a profitable basis. Any unexpected costs, problems or delays could severely impact the Company's ability to continue exploration and development activities. Should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern, realization of assets and settlement of liabilities in other than the normal course of business may be at amounts materially different than the Company’s estimates. The amounts attributed to the Company's exploration properties in its financial statements represent acquisition and exploration costs and should not be taken to represent realizable value.
The majority of the Company’s mineral projects have no mineral resources and no reserves.
The Company currently has an interest in four mineral projects located in north central Nevada, United States: the Railroad-Pinion Project, the Safford CVN Project, the East Bailey Project and the East Camp Douglas Project.
The Railroad-Pinion Project is considered an early to intermediate stage exploration project with a favourable structural, geological and stratigraphic setting that is situated at the southeast end of the Carlin Trend. More than 40 separate gold deposits have been delineated along the Carlin Trend with production exceeding 80 million ounces of gold.
Save for the Pinion and Dark Star Deposits (see Item 7 "MATERIAL MINERAL PROJECT - Railroad-Pinion Project, Elko County, Nevada - Mineral Resource Estimates), the Railroad-Pinion Project has no known NI 43-101 compliant mineral resources or reserves.
However, historic and current exploration in the Railroad Project area as outlined in the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report demonstrates that the Railroad Project is a well mineralized area that has the potential to yield future mineral resources with additional exploration.
While the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report does not contain an estimate for mineral resources or mineral reserves for the Railroad Project, it does make reference to certain historical estimates for gold on portions of the Railroad Project. The Company does not treat these historical estimates, or any part of them, as current mineral resources or reserves as defined by NI 43-101, as there is insufficient information available to fully assess data quality, complete estimation procedures, and the standards by which the estimates were completed and/or categorized. In addition, no gold has been produced from the historical estimates. The historical estimates have been included in the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report simply to demonstrate the mineral potential of certain target areas within the Railroad Project. A thorough review of all historic data performed by a "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101, along with additional exploration and validation work to confirm results and estimation parameters, would be required in order to produce a current and compliant NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the subject targets.
For these reasons, among others, the historical estimates included in the 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report with respect to the Railroad Project should not be relied upon as a guarantee of mineral resources or reserves. Actual mineral resources or reserves, if any, may differ significantly.
The Safford-CVN, East Bailey and East Camp Douglas Projects are in the early exploration stage and, like the Railroad Project, are without known mineral resources or reserves.
Newmont Mining Corporation has retained a back-in right on a portion of the Railroad Project, which, if exercised, could dilute the Company’s interest in that portion of the Railroad Project.
The Company has leased a portion of the property comprising the Railroad Project from Newmont. The lease relates to 640 acres of fee surface rights and 1,280 acres of fee mineral rights and 1,280 acres of mining claims. However, Newmont has retained a back-in right over the leased property, which allows them to re-acquire up to a 70% interest in this portion of the Railroad Project. If Newmont exercises its back-in right, the Company’s interest in that portion of the Railroad Project would decline. See Item 5.4 "Mineral Properties – Railroad Project, Elko County, Nevada – Minerals Lease and Agreement with Newmont Mining Corporation”.
The Company will require additional capital to develop its mineral properties or complete further exploration programs.
The Company’s current operations do not generate any cash flow. Future work on the Company’s properties will require additional financing. At December 31, 2014, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $494,878 and a working capital deficit of $4,035,579. Subsequent to December 31, 2014, the Company completed the 2015 Public Offering of 19,032,000 common shares at a price of US$0.47 per share for gross proceeds of US$8,945,040 to pay, inter alia, the balance of the purchase price due to Scorpio for the Scorpio Pinion Interests (paid), fund additional exploration of the Railroad-Pinion Project and for general corporate and working capital purposes. See Item 5.3 "GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS - Three Year History - Recent Financings". While the Company estimates that the balance of the net proceeds from the 2015 Public Offering will enable it to carry out small portions of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 exploration programs on the Pinion Project recommended in the Pinion Resource Report, the Company will require additional capital to complete Phases 1 and 2, and, if warranted, carry out additional exploration work. Furthermore, if the Company is successful in identifying additional resources through additional drilling and analysis, it will require significant amounts of additional capital to construct a mill and other facilities and to develop metallurgical processes to extract those resources at any mine site. There are no assurances that the Company will be able to obtain additional funding to allow the Company to fund such costs in whole or in part. Failure to obtain such additional financing could result in the delay or indefinite postponement of further exploration and the possible, partial or total loss of the Company’s interest in certain properties. The Company will also require additional funding to acquire further property interests, maintain and/or carry out additional exploration work on its other mineral projects and for general and administrative and working capital purposes.
The Company’s ability to arrange financing in the future will depend, in part, upon the prevailing capital market conditions as well as its business performance. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in its efforts to arrange additional financing on terms satisfactory to it or at all. If the Company raises additional financing through the issuance of shares from its treasury, control of the Company may change and existing shareholders will suffer additional dilution.
Calculations of mineral resources and reserves are only estimates.
The Pinion Deposit contains a NI 43-101 compliant resource of 20.84 million tonnes at 0.63 g/t Au for a total of 423,000 ounces of gold (indicated) and 55.93 million tonnes at 0.57 g/t Au for 1.022 million ounces of gold (inferred). In addition, the Dark Star Deposit contains a NI 43-101 compliant resource of 23.11 million tonnes grading 0.51 g/t Au totaling 375,000 ounces of gold (inferred). See Item 7 "MATERIAL MINERAL PROJECT - Railroad-Pinion Project, Elko County, Nevada - Mineral Resource Estimates" above.
However, the estimating of mineral reserves and resources is a subjective process and the accuracy of such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data and the assumptions used and judgments made in interpreting engineering and geological information. There is significant uncertainty in any mineral resource or reserve estimate, and the actual deposits encountered and the economic viability of mining a deposit may differ materially from the Company’s estimates. Estimated mineral resources or reserves may have to be recalculated based on changes in metal prices, further exploration or development activity or actual production experience. These changes could materially and adversely affect estimates of the volume or grade of mineralization, estimated recovery rates or other important factors that influence estimates of mineral resources and reserves. Any material change in the quantity of mineral resources and reserves, mineralization, grade or stripping ratio may affect the economic viability of the Company’s properties. In addition, there can be no assurance that gold recoveries or other metal recoveries in small-scale laboratory tests will be duplicated in larger scale tests under on-site conditions or during production. Save for the Pinion Deposit, as of the date of this AIF, there are no known resources or reserves on the Railroad-Pinion Project or any of the Company's other mineral projects.
The Company may experience difficulty attracting and retaining qualified personnel.
The success of the Company will be largely dependent upon the experience, judgment, discretion, integrity, good faith and performance of its management and key employees, such as Jonathan T. Awde, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mac R. Jackson, Jr., Vice-President, Exploration. The Company could be adversely affected if such individuals do not remain with the Company. The Company does not maintain life insurance policies in respect of its key personnel.
The Company’s future success will also be highly dependent on its ability to attract and retain key individuals to act as directors and/or executives who have the necessary skills and abilities to successfully grow the Company.
Locating mineral deposits depends on a number of factors, not the least of which is the technical skill and expertise of the personnel involved. The competition for qualified personnel in the mineral resource industry is intense and there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to continue to attract and retain all personnel necessary for the development and operation of its business. Failure to retain existing management and key employees or to attract and retain additional key individuals could have a materially adverse impact upon the Company’s success.
Sale of Non-Core Exploration Assets
The Company has entered into the Tanqueray LOI to sell the Safford-CVN, East Bailey and East Camp Douglas Projects in north-central Nevada to Tanqueray in exchange for a combination of cash and common shares in the capital stock of Tanqueray. See Item 5.3 "Significant Acquisitions and Dispositions - Proposed Dispositions".
Closing of the Tanqueray LOI is anticipated to take place on or about May 31, 2015 and is subject to a number of conditions including, but not limited to, a consolidation of Tanqueray՚s issued shares on a three to one basis, Tanqueray raising a minimum of $1,500,000 prior to or concurrently with the closing in order to, among other things, fund the cash portion of the purchase price for the Non-Core Assets, and the acceptance of the TSXV. Due to poor market conditions, closing of the Tanqueray LOI (which was originally contemplated for August 15, 2014) has been delayed. As a result, the Company has agreed to reimburse Tanqueray for its out-of-pocket costs incurred in obtaining shareholder approval for the Tanqueray LOI totaling approximately $29,000 (paid) and certain additional general and administrative expenses incurred by Tanqueray prior to February 28, 2015 up to an additional $11,432 (paid). In addition, in an effort to facilitate raising the minimum financing of $1,500,000 by Tanqueray, the Company has reduced the purchase price for the Non-Core Assets to $300,000 cash and 4,000,000 post-consolidated common shares of Tanqueray payable upon closing. The Company has also agreed to be responsible for all ongoing BLM fees, property taxes and lease payments required to maintain the Non-Core Assets in good standing up to closing of the Tanqueray LOI. There is no assurance that Tanqueray will be successful in raising the minimum funds required under the concurrent financing or that all other conditions to closing will be satisfied or waived. In the event the Tanqueray LOI is not completed, the Company will be required to incur additional expenses to maintain the Non-Core Assets in good standing and may suffer additional losses as a result thereof.
The Company is subject to foreign currency fluctuations.
The Company’s financial results are reported in Canadian dollars. The Company’s exploration properties are located in the United States and the Company incurs most of its expenditures in United States dollars. Any appreciation in the currency of the United States against the Canadian dollar will increase the Company’s costs of carrying out operations and its ability to continue to finance its operations. Such fluctuations could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial results.
Failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations.
The Company is required to document and test its internal control procedures in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of United States Sarbanes-Oxley Act (“SOX”), which requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. During the course of the Company’s testing, the Company may identify material weaknesses. If the Company fails to achieve and maintain the adequacy of its internal controls, as such standards are modified, supplemented or amended from time to time, the Company may not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that the Company has effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of SOX. Moreover, effective internal controls are necessary for the Company to produce reliable financial reports and are important to help prevent financial fraud. If the Company cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, the Company’s business and operating results could be harmed, investors could lose confidence in the Company’s reported financial information, and the trading price of the Common Shares could drop significantly. In addition, any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm the Company's operating results or cause it to fail to meet its reporting obligations. Future acquisitions of companies, if any, may provide the Company with challenges in implementing the required processes, procedures and controls in its acquired operations. No evaluation can provide complete assurance that the Company's internal control over financial reporting will detect or uncover all failures of persons within the Company to disclose material information otherwise required to be reported. The effectiveness of the Company's processes, procedures and controls could also be limited by simple errors or faulty judgments. There is no certainty that the Company will be successful in complying with Section 404 of SOX on an ongoing basis.
Conflicts of interest may arise among the Company’s Board as a result of their involvement with other natural resource companies.
Certain of the directors of the Company are also directors and/or officers of other companies that are similarly engaged in the business of acquiring, developing, and exploiting natural resource properties. Such associations may give rise to conflicts of interest from time to time if the Company were to enter into negotiations to acquire an interest in a mineral project in which their other companies hold an interest, or the Company were to enter into negotiations to sell an interest in its mineral properties to, or enter into a joint venture with, any of these companies. The directors of the Company are required to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company and disclose any interest which they may have in any project or opportunity of the Company. If a conflict of interest arises at a meeting of the Board, any director with a conflict must disclose his interest and abstain from voting on such matter. As a result of these conflicts of interests, the Company may miss the opportunity to participate in certain transactions, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business prospects, operations and financial position.
The Company's growth, future profitability and ability to obtain financing may be impacted by global financial conditions.
In recent years, global financial markets have been characterized by extreme volatility impacting many industries, including the mining industry. Global financial conditions remain subject to sudden and rapid destabilizations in response to future economic shocks, as government authorities may have limited resources to respond to future crises. A sudden or prolonged slowdown in the financial markets or other economic conditions, including but not limited to, consumer spending, employment rates, business conditions, inflation, fuel and energy costs, consumer debt levels, lack of available credit, the state of the financial markets, interest rates and tax rates, may adversely affect the Company’s growth and profitability. Future economic shocks may be precipitated by a number of causes, including, but not limited to, material changes in the price of oil and other commodities, the volatility of metal prices, geopolitical instability, war, terrorism, the devaluation and volatility of global stock markets and natural disasters. Any sudden or rapid destabilization of global economic conditions could impact the Company’s ability to obtain equity or debt financing in the future on terms favorable to the Company or at all. In such an event, the Company’s operations and financial condition could be adversely impacted.
Risks Relating to the Mining Industry
Exploration and development of mineral properties involve a high degree of risk and few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing properties.
Exploration and development of mineral properties involve a high degree of risk and few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing properties. There is no assurance that the Company’s exploration activities will result in any discoveries of commercial bodies of ore. There is also no assurance that even if commercial quantities of ore are discovered, a property will be brought into commercial production or that the metallurgical processing will produce economically viable saleable products. The commercial viability of a deposit once discovered and the decision as to whether it should be brought into production will depend upon the results of exploration programs and/or feasibility studies, and the recommendations of qualified engineers and/or geologists, all of which involves significant expense. This decision will also involve consideration and evaluation of several significant factors including, but not limited to:
· | costs of bringing a property into production, including exploration and development work, preparation of feasibility studies and construction of production facilities; |
· | availability and costs of financing; |
· | ongoing costs of production; |
· | market prices for the minerals to be produced; |
· | environmental compliance regulations and restraints (including potential environmental liabilities associated with historical exploration activities); and |
· | political climate and/or governmental regulation and control. |
Many of these factors are beyond the Company's control.
The Company is subject to substantial operating hazards and risks beyond its control.
The exploration, development and operation of mineral properties is inherently dangerous and involves many risks that even a combination of experience, knowledge and careful evaluation may not be able to overcome, including, but not limited to:
· | difficult surface or underground conditions; |
· | unexpected or unusual rock conditions or geological operating conditions, including rock bursts, cave-ins, ground fall, slope failures and land slides; |
· | fires, explosions, flooding, adverse weather conditions and earthquakes; |
· | unanticipated variations in grade and other geological problems; |
· | failure of pit walls or dams; |
· | adverse environmental conditions or hazards; |
· | mechanical and equipment performance problems; and |
· | power failures and interruptions. |
These risks could result in damage to, or destruction of, mineral properties, production facilities or other properties, personal injury or death, including to the Company's employees, environmental damage, delays in mining, increased production costs, asset write downs, monetary losses and possible legal liability. While the Company maintains insurance to insure against general commercial liability claims, such insurance will not cover all of the potential risks associated with the Company’s operations at economically feasible premiums or at all. Currently, the Company is not insured against most environmental risks or nuclear or terrorism incidents.
Losses from any one or more of these events that are not covered by the Company's insurance policies may cause the Company to incur significant costs that could materially adversely affect its financial condition and ability to fund activities on its properties. A significant loss could force the Company to reduce or terminate its operations and even result in bankruptcy.
The Company may not have clear title to its properties.
The Company’s ability to explore and operate its properties depends on the validity of title to its properties. The mineral claims currently making up the Company’s properties consist of both patented and unpatented mining claims.
Unpatented mining claims are unique property interests and are generally considered to be subject to greater risk than other real property interests because the validity of unpatented mining claims is often uncertain. Unpatented mining claims provide only possessory title and their validity is often subject to contest by third parties or the federal government. These uncertainties relate to such things as the sufficiency of mineral discovery, proper posting and marking of boundaries, assessment work, unregistered agreements, undetected defects and possible conflicts with other claims not determinable from descriptions of record. Since a substantial portion of all mineral exploration, development and mining in the United States now occurs on unpatented mining claims, this uncertainty is inherent in the mining industry.
No assurances can be given that title defects to the Company’s current properties or any future properties in which the Company may seek to acquire an interest do not exist. Such defects may impair the Company's development of the underlying property and result in the loss of all or a portion of the property to which the title defect relates.
Title insurance is generally not available for mineral properties and the Company’s ability to ensure that it has obtained secure claim to individual mineral properties or mining concessions may be severely constrained. The Company’s mineral properties may be subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims, and title may be affected by, among other things, undetected defects. The Company will also remain at risk that the mining claims may be forfeited either to the United States government or to rival private claimants due to failure to comply with statutory requirements as to location and maintenance of the claims or challenges to whether a discovery of a valuable mineral exists on every claim. The Company’s current mineral properties are also subject to annual compliance with assessment work and/or fee requirements, property taxes, lease payments and other contractual payments and obligations. Any failure to make such payments or comply with such requirements or obligations could result in the loss of all or a portion of the Company’s interest in the properties.
The Company’s operations are subject to various governmental and regulatory requirements.
The Company’s current and future operations, including exploration and development activities and, if applicable, commencement of production on its properties, require permits from various federal, state and local governmental authorities, as well as approval of members of surrounding communities. Such operations are also subject to extensive federal, state, and local laws, regulations and policies governing various matters, including:
· | environmental protection; |
· | management and use of toxic substances and explosives; |
· | management of natural resources; |
· | exploration and development of mines, production and post-closure reclamation; |
· | taxation and mining royalties; |
· | regulations concerning business dealings with native groups; |
· | management of tailing and other waste generated by operations; |
· | labor standards and occupational health and safety, including mine safety; and |
· | historic and cultural preservation. |
Permits and studies may be necessary prior to operation of the exploration properties in which the Company has an interest and there can be no guarantee that the Company will be able to obtain or maintain all necessary permits that may be required to commence construction or operation of mining facilities at these properties on terms that enable operations to be conducted at economically justifiable costs. The Company cannot be certain that all permits and approvals which it may require for its future operations will be obtainable on reasonable terms or that such laws and regulations would not have an adverse effect on any mining project that it might undertake. To the extent such permits and approvals are required and are not obtained, the Company may be delayed or prohibited from proceeding with planned exploration or development of mineral properties, which would adversely affect the Company's business, prospects and operations.
Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements may result in enforcement actions 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. Parties 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 upon them for violation of applicable laws or regulations. Amendments to current laws and regulations and permits governing operations and activities of mining companies, or more stringent implementation thereof, could have a material adverse impact on the Company and cause increases in capital expenditures or exploration costs, reduction in levels of exploration or abandonment or delays in the development of mining properties.
The Company may face equipment shortages, access restrictions and lack of infrastructure.
Natural resource exploration, development and mining activities are dependent on the availability of mining, drilling and related equipment in the particular areas where such activities are conducted. A limited supply of such equipment or access restrictions may affect the availability of such equipment to the Company and may delay exploration, development or extraction activities. Certain equipment may not be immediately available, or may require long lead time orders. A delay in obtaining necessary equipment for mineral exploration, including drill rigs, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations and financial results.
Mining, processing, development and exploration activities also depend, to one degree or another, on the availability of adequate infrastructure. Reliable roads, bridges, power sources, fuel and water supply and the availability of skilled labor and other infrastructure are important determinants, which affect capital and operating costs. The lack of availability on acceptable terms or the delay in the availability of any one or more of these items could prevent or delay development of the Company’s projects.
In accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, the Company will need to obtain permits to drill water wells in connection with its future exploration and, if applicable, development and production activities at its Nevada properties. However, the amount of water that the Company will be entitled to use from those wells will not be determined by the appropriate regulatory authorities until a future date. A final determination of these rights will be dependent in part on the Company’s ability to demonstrate a beneficial use for the amount of water that it intends to use. Unless the Company is successful in developing its Nevada properties to a point where it can commence commercial production of gold or other precious metals, it may not be able to demonstrate such beneficial use. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the Company will have access to the amount of water needed to operate a mine at its Nevada properties.
The Company's activities are subject to environmental laws and regulations that may increase the Company's costs and restrict its operations.
All phases of the Company’s operations will be subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. These laws and regulations address, among other things, the maintenance of air and water quality standards, land reclamation, the generation, transportation, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous waste, and the protection of natural resources and endangered species. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner that will require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects, and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. Compliance with environmental laws and regulations may require significant capital outlays on behalf of the Company and may cause material changes or delays in the Company’s intended activities. Future changes in environmental regulation, if any, may adversely affect the Company’s operations, make its operations prohibitively expensive, or prohibit them altogether.
Environmental hazards may exist on the Company’s current properties and on properties in which the Company may hold interests in the future that are unknown to the Company at the present and that have been caused by the Company or by previous owners or operators of the properties, or that may have occurred naturally. The Company may be liable for remediating such damages.
Failure to comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations and permitting requirements may result in enforcement actions thereunder, 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.
Future production, if any, at the Company’s properties will involve the use of hazardous materials. Should these materials leak or otherwise be discharged from their containment systems, the Company may become subject to liability. At present, the Company maintains only limited insurance for environmental risks which may not cover or adequately protect the Company from all potential liabilities including, but not limited to, pollution or other hazards as a result of the disposal of waste products occurring from exploration or production.
In addition, neighbouring landowners and other third parties could file claims based on environmental statutes and common law for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the release of hazardous substances or other waste material into the environment on or around the Company’s properties. There can be no assurance that the Company’s defence of such claims will be successful. A successful claim against the Company could have a material adverse affect on its business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company is subject to the volatility in the market price of gold and other metals, which in the past have fluctuated widely.
The market price of gold and other metals has experienced volatile and significant price movements over short periods of time, and is affected by numerous factors beyond the Company’s control, including:
· | international economic and political trends; |
· | expectations of inflation; |
· | currency exchange fluctuations (specifically, the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies); |
· | global or regional consumption patterns; |
· | speculative activities; |
· | purchases and sales of gold by central banks; |
· | availability and costs of substitutes; and |
· | increased production due to improved mining and production methods. |
The effect of these factors on metal prices cannot be predicted. A decrease in the price of gold or other relevant metal prices at any time during exploration, development or production, if any, of the Company’s properties may prevent the Company’s properties from being economically mined or may result in the write-off of assets whose value is impaired as a result of lower metal prices. A sustained period of declining gold and other applicable metal prices would adversely affect the Company's financial performance, financial position and results of operations.
The Company’s competition is intense in all phases of its business.
The Company competes with many companies in the mining industry, including large, established mining companies. There is a limited supply of desirable mineral lands available for claim-staking, lease or acquisition in the United States, particularly Nevada, and other areas where the Company may conduct exploration activities. The Company may be at a competitive disadvantage in acquiring mineral properties, since it will be competing with individuals and companies, many of which have greater financial resources, operational experience and technical capabilities. The Company's competitors may be able to respond more quickly to new laws and regulations or emerging technologies, or devote greater resources to the expansion or efficiency of their operations than the Company can. In addition, current and potential competitors may make strategic acquisitions or establish cooperative relationships among themselves or with third parties. The Company’s inability to successfully compete with other companies would have a material adverse effect on its results of operation and business.
Legislation has been proposed that would significantly affect the mining industry.
Periodically, members of the U.S. Congress have introduced bills that would supplant or alter the provisions of the General Mining Law of 1872, which governs the unpatented claims that the Company currently controls within its properties. One such amendment has become law and has imposed a moratorium on patenting of mining claims, which reduced the security of title provided by unpatented claims such as those in the Company’s Railroad-Pinion, Safford-CVN, East Bailey and East Camp Douglas Projects. If additional legislation is enacted, it could substantially increase the cost of holding unpatented mining claims by requiring payment of royalties, and could significantly impair the Company’s ability to develop mineral resources on unpatented mining claims. Such bills have proposed, among other things, to make permanent the patent moratorium, to impose a federal royalty on production from unpatented mining claims and to declare certain lands as unsuitable for mining. Although it is impossible to predict at this time what royalties may be imposed in the future, the imposition of such royalties could adversely affect the potential for development of such mining claims, and the economics of operating mines on federal unpatented mining claims. Passage of such legislation could adversely affect the Company’s business.
The Company’s operations are subject to issues relating to security and human rights.
Civil disturbances and criminal activities such as trespass, illegal mining, theft, vandalism and terrorism may cause disruptions at the Company’s operations in Nevada. Such incidents may halt or delay exploration, increase operating costs, result in harm to employees or trespassers, decrease operational efficiency, increase community tensions or result in criminal and/or civil liability for the Company or its employees and/or financial damages or penalties. The manner in which the Company’s personnel respond to civil disturbances and criminal activities can give rise to additional risks where those responses are not conducted in accordance with applicable laws. The failure to conduct security operations in accordance with these standards can result in harm to employees or community members, increase community tensions, result in reputational harm to the Company and its partners or result in criminal and civil liability for the Company or its employees and financial damages or penalties. It is not possible to determine with certainty the future costs that the Company may incur in dealing with the issues described above at its operations.
Risks Relating to Shares
The Company has never paid dividends and does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future.
The Company has not declared or paid any dividends on the Common Shares and does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future. Future earnings, if any, will likely be retained to finance growth. Any return on investment in the Common Shares will come from the appreciation, if any, in the value thereof. The payment of any future dividends will depend upon the Company’s earnings, if any, its then-existing financial requirements and other factors, and will be at the discretion of the Board.
The trading price for our Common Shares is volatile.
The Company's Common Shares are listed on the TSXV in Canada and NYSE MKT in the United States. During the past year, trading in the Company’s Common Shares has, at times, been limited, sporadic and subject to large fluctuations in market price, which may result in losses to investors. There are no assurances that an active, stable market will develop or be sustained in the future. Since January 1, 2014, the trading price of the Company’s Common Shares on the TSXV has ranged from a low of $0.47 per share to a high of $0.92 per share and on the NYSE MKT from a low of US$0.37 per share to a high of US$0.83 per share. If an active, stable public market for the Common Shares does not develop in the future, or if developed, is not sustained, the liquidity of the Common Shares may be limited. The liquidity of the trading market in the Company’s Common Shares, and the market price for the Common Shares, may be adversely affected by, among other things:
· | the price of gold and other metals; |
· | the Company’s operating performance and the performance of competitors and other similar companies; |
· | the public’s reaction to the Company’s press releases, other public announcements and the Company’s filings with the various securities regulatory authorities; |
· | the results of the Company’s exploration programs and/or resource estimates (initial or otherwise) for the Railroad-Pinion Project; |
· | the Company’s ability to obtain adequate financing for further exploration and development; |
· | changes in the Company’s financial performance or prospects; |
· | changes in general economic conditions; |
· | the number of Common Shares to be publicly traded after a public offering or private placement of securities of the Company; |
· | the arrival or departure of key personnel; |
· | acquisitions, strategic alliances or joint ventures involving the Company or its competitors; |
· | changes or perceived changes in the Company's creditworthiness; |
· | performance and prospects for companies in the mining industry generally; |
· | the number of holders of the Common Shares; |
· | the interest of securities dealers in making a market for the Common Shares; |
· | prevailing interest rates. |
· | changes in global business or macroeconomic conditions; and |
· | the factors listed under the heading “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Forward Looking Information”. |
The market price of the Company’s Common Shares is also affected by many variables not directly related to the Company’s success and therefore not within the Company’s control, including other developments that affect the market for all resource sector shares, the breadth of the public market for the Common Shares, and the attractiveness of alternative investments. In addition, the stock market in general, and the market for mining company stocks in particular, has historically experienced significant price and volume fluctuations, and in the mining sector such stocks have suffered significant declines. Volatility in the market price for a particular issuer's securities has often been unrelated to the operating performance of that issuer. As a result of any of these factors, the market price of the Common Shares at any given point in time may not accurately reflect the long-term value of the Company. Volatility in the Company’s share price also increases the risk of securities class action litigation.
Market Price of our Common Shares
Sales of a substantial number of our Common Shares or other equity-related securities in the public markets by the Company or its significant shareholders could also depress the market price of the Common Shares and impair the Company’s ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. The price of the Common Shares could be affected by possible sales of Common Shares by hedging or arbitrage trading activity which the Company anticipates may occur involving its Common Shares.
Future sales or issuances of Common Shares or the exercise of options and warrants could cause the market price of the Common Shares to decrease significantly, dilute investors' voting power and reduce earnings per share.
The Company may in the future sell additional equity or equity-linked securities or grant to some or all of its directors, officers, key employees and consultants options to purchase Common Shares. The Company cannot predict the size of future sales and issuances of equity or equity-linked securities or the effect, if any, that such future sales and issuances will have on the market price of the Common Shares. Sales or issuances of a substantial number of equity or equity-linked securities, or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect the prevailing market price for the Common Shares and impair the Company’s ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.
The Company’s current operations do not generate any cash flow and the Company will require significant additional financing to fund further exploration and/or development activities or to fulfill its obligations under applicable agreements for the Railroad-Pinion Project and other properties. The Board of the Company has the authority to authorize certain offers and sales of additional securities without the vote of, or prior notice to, shareholders, and given its current stage of development, the Company believes the most realistic source of funds presently available to it is through the sale of equity capital. While there are no assurances the Company will be able to raise additional financing on reasonably commercial terms or at all, such additional financings may involve the issuance of a significant number of Common Shares at prices less than the current market price for the Common Shares. Any future issuance of equity securities will dilute the voting power of existing shareholders and reduce earnings per share, if any. In addition, additional sales of equity securities may decrease the price of the Company's shares and/or result in a change of control.
Our Common Shares are subject to maintaining NYSE MKT requirements which could affect the continued listing.
Failure to meet the applicable maintenance requirements of the NYSE MKT could result in the Company’s Common Shares being delisted from the NYSE MKT. For continued listing, the NYSE MKT requires, among other things, an issuer which has continuing losses from operations to maintain certain levels of shareholders equity, subject to other tests involving market capitalization, assets and shareholdings. The Company is seeking additional equity capital to fulfill the NYSE MKT requirements. The NYSE MKT may allow an issuer up to 18 months to regain compliance with its maintenance requirements.
In the event the Company is delisted from the NYSE MKT, the Common Shares may be eligible for trading on the over-the-counter market in the United States. However, the over-the-counter market will likely be less liquid and more price volatile than the NYSE MKT, possibly resulting in lower prices that could impair future financings.
The Company may lose its foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses.
The Company is a foreign private issuer under applicable U.S. federal securities laws and, therefore, is not required to comply with all the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements of the U.S. Exchange Act. As a result, the Company does not file the same reports that a U.S. domestic issuer files with the SEC, although the Company is required to file with or furnish to the SEC the continuous disclosure documents that the Company is required to file in Canada under Canadian securities laws. Further, the Company’s officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and “short swing” profit recovery rules under Section 16 of the U.S. Exchange Act. In addition, as a foreign private issuer, the Company is exempt from the proxy rules under the U.S. Exchange Act and can prepare its financial statements using International Financial Reporting Standards.
The Company may in the future lose its foreign private issuer status if a majority of its Common Shares are held in the United States and it fails to meet any of the additional requirements necessary to avoid loss of foreign private issuer status. If the Company loses its status as a foreign private issuer and becomes subject to SEC reporting as a domestic issuer the aforementioned regulations would apply and the Company would also be required to commence reporting on forms required of U.S. companies, such as Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, which are more detailed and extensive than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. The regulatory and compliance costs under U.S. federal securities laws as a U.S. domestic issuer may be significantly more than the costs incurred as a Canadian foreign private issuer eligible to use the multi-jurisdictional disclosure system implemented by the SEC and the securities regulatory authorities in Canada (“MJDS”), and would require the Company's management to devote substantial time and resources to comply with the new regulatory requirements following a loss of the Company's foreign private issuer status. Further, to the extent that the Company was to offer or sell its securities outside of the United States, the Company would have to comply with the more restrictive Regulation S requirements that apply to U.S. companies, and would no longer be able to utilize the MJDS forms for registered offerings by Canadian companies in the United States, which could limit the Company's ability to access the capital markets in the future. In addition, the Company may lose the ability to rely upon certain exemptions from corporate governance requirements that are available to foreign private issuers. The Company may regain the foreign private issuer status upon re-meeting the eligibility requirements.
As a foreign private issuer whose shares are listed on the NYSE MKT, we may follow certain home country corporate governance practices instead of certain NYSE MKT requirements.
As a foreign private issuer whose shares are listed on the NYSE MKT, the Company is permitted to follow certain home country (i.e. Canadian) corporate governance practices instead of certain requirements of the NYSE MKT rules. Among other things, as a foreign private issuer the Company may follow home country practice with regard to, the composition of the Board, director nomination procedure, compensation of officers and quorum at shareholders’ meetings. In addition, the Company may follow its home country law, instead of the NYSE MKT rules, which require that the Company obtain shareholder approval for certain dilutive events, such as for the establishment or amendment of certain equity based compensation plans, an issuance that will result in a change of control of the Company, certain transactions other than a public offering involving issuances of a 20% or more interest in the Company and certain acquisitions of the stock or assets of another company. Accordingly, the Company’s shareholders may not be afforded the same protection as provided under NYSE MKT’s corporate governance rules. A foreign private issuer that elects to follow a home country practice instead of such requirements must submit to NYSE MKT in advance a written statement from an independent counsel in the issuer’s home country certifying that the issuer’s practices are not prohibited by the home country’s laws. In addition, a foreign private issuer must disclose in its annual reports filed with the SEC each such requirement that it does not follow and describe the home country practice followed by the issuer instead of any such requirement.
The Company may be a “passive foreign investment company” for U.S. tax purposes which could subject U.S. shareholders to increased tax liability.
The Company believes that it was a passive foreign investment company for the taxable year ended December 31, 2014 and expects to be a passive foreign investment company for the taxable year ending December 31, 2015. As a result, a United States holder of Common Shares could be subject to increased tax liability, possibly including an interest charge, upon the sale or other disposition of the United States holder’s Common Shares or upon the receipt of “excess distributions”.
Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risks, uncertainties and other factors is not exhaustive.
ITEM 9: DIVIDENDS
All of the Common Shares of the Company are entitled to an equal share in the dividends declared and paid by the Company. There are no restrictions in the Company's articles which could prevent the Company from paying dividends as long as there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the Company is insolvent or the payment of the dividend would render the Company insolvent. However, the Company has not paid any dividends since incorporation and it is not contemplating that any dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future.
The Company intends to retain all future earnings, if any, and other cash resources for the future operation and development of its business, and accordingly, does not intend to declare or pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion of the Company’s Board after taking into account many factors including the Company’s operating results, financial condition and current and anticipated cash needs.
ITEM 10: DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE
The authorized capital of the Company consists of an unlimited number of Common Shares without par value. The following Common Shares of the Company were issued and outstanding as of the dates set out below:
Type of Security | Amount Authorized or to be Authorized | Outstanding as at December 31, 2014 | Outstanding as at March 31, 2015 |
Common Shares | Unlimited | 123,739,878 | 142,771,878 |
The Company's issued Common Shares are fully paid and not subject to any future call or assessment. In addition, all Common Shares rank equally as to voting rights, participation in a distribution of the assets of the Company on a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company and the entitlement to dividends. The holders of the Common Shares are entitled to receive notice of all meetings of shareholders and to attend and vote the shares at the meetings. Each Common Share carries with it the right to one vote. The Common Shares have no pre-emptive, conversion, exchange, redemption, retraction, purchase for cancellation or surrender provisions and there are no sinking fund provisions in relation to the Common Shares.
In the event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Issuer or other distribution of its assets, the holders of the Common Shares will be entitled to receive, on a pro rata basis, all of the assets remaining after the Company has paid out its liabilities. Distribution in the form of dividends, if any, will be set by the Board. See Item 9 “DIVIDENDS” above for particulars of the Company's dividend policy.
Provisions as to the modification, amendment or variation of the rights attached to the capital of the Company are contained in the Company's Articles and the BCBCA. Generally speaking, substantive changes to the share capital require the approval of the shareholders by either an ordinary (50% +1 of the votes cast) or special resolution (at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast). However, in certain cases, the directors may, subject to the BCBCA, alter the Issuer's authorized and issued share capital to, inter alia, create one or more classes of shares or, if none of the shares of a class are allotted or issued, eliminate that class of shares; increase, reduce or eliminate the maximum number of shares that the Issuer is authorized to issue out of any class of shares; subdivide or consolidate all or any of its unissued, or fully paid issued, shares; or alter the identifying name of any of its shares.
On June 1, 2011, the Company adopted a shareholder rights plan (the ‘‘Rights Plan’’) for the purpose of encouraging potential offerors seeking to make a takeover bid for the Company to comply with certain minimum conditions or be subject to the dilutive features of the Rights Plan. The Rights Plan provides that one ‘‘right’’ attaches to each outstanding Common Share entitling the holder to purchase, in the prescribed circumstances and subject to exceptions, additional Common Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of the rights agreement dated June 1, 2011 between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as rights agent. At the Company's 2014 annual general meeting held on September 9, 2014, the shareholders of the Company approved an extension of the Rights Plan for a further three years.
ITEM 11: MARKET FOR SECURITIES
11.1 Trading Price and Volume
The Common Shares of the Company currently trade on the TSXV in Canada and NYSE-MKT in the United States under the symbol “GSV”. As of March 30, 2015 the closing price of the Company’s Common Shares was $0.59 per share on the TSXV and US$0.46 on the NYSE-MKT.
The following table sets out the high and low sale prices and the volume of trading of the Common Shares on the TSXV and NYSE-MKT on a monthly basis since the commencement of the Company's fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
Period | TSXV | NYSE-MKT |
| $ High | $ Low | Volume | US$ High | US$ Low | Volume |
March 1 - 30, 2015 | 0.6500 | 0.4900 | 1,381,801 | 0.4926 | 0.3701 | 4,885,738 |
February 2015 | 0.6700 | 0.5400 | 8,514,444 | 0.5400 | 0.4900 | 1,487,244 |
January 2015 | 0.6900 | 0.5000 | 957,345 | 0.5700 | 0.4256 | 2,380,406 |
December 2014 | 0.5800 | 0.4700 | 1,257,033 | 0.5012 | 0.4000 | 2,794,212 |
November 2014 | 0.6100 | 0.5200 | 1,193,208 | 0.5400 | 0.4700 | 1,990,391 |
October 2014 | 0.7300 | 0.5900 | 1,559,837 | 0.6600 | 0.5000 | 2,343,646 |
September 2014 | 0.8000 | 0.6500 | 2,217,444 | 0.7225 | 0.5900 | 2,650,492 |
August 2014 | 0.8000 | 0.6900 | 1,025,383 | 0.7300 | 0.6226 | 726,942 |
July 2014 | 0.8400 | 0.6700 | 1,709,581 | 0.8000 | 0.6230 | 2,107,723 |
June 2014 | 0.9000 | 0.6500 | 3,461,888 | 0.8300 | 0.6000 | 4,018,053 |
May 2014 | 0.7800 | 0.5700 | 3,054,300 | 0.7195 | 0.5149 | 3,190,171 |
April 2014 | 0.7100 | 0.5700 | 686,774 | 0.6299 | 0.5002 | 1,429,255 |
March 2014 | 0.8100 | 0.5900 | 1,072,764 | 0.7399 | 0.5373 | 2,718,894 |
February 2014 | 0.8400 | 0.6600 | 2,421,487 | 0.7500 | 0.6020 | 2,856,208 |
January 2014 | 0.9200 | 0.6500 | 2,378,701 | 0.8295 | 0.5955 | 2,244,470 |
TOTAL | | | 32,891,990 | | | 37,823,845 |
11.2 Prior Sales
The following table summarizes the details of Common Shares and securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Shares issued or granted by the Company since the commencement of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014:
Date Issued /Granted | Type of Transaction | Number and Type of Securities | Price Per Security ($) |
February 17, 2015 | Grant of Stock Options | 75,000 Stock Options (1) | $0.63 |
February 11, 2015 | Grant of Stock Options | 600,000 (2) | $0.63 |
February 3, 2015 | Public Offering | 19,032,000 Common Shares | $0.5854 (3) |
November 3, 2014 | Property acquisition | 1,250,000 Common Shares (4) | $0.62 (deemed) |
October 10, 2014 | Debt Settlement | 194,765 Common Shares (5) | $0.72 (deemed) |
September 12, 2014 | Grant of Stock Options | 1,080,000 Stock Options (6) | $0.77 |
August 19, 2014 | Public Offering | 9,850,000 Common Shares | $0.6995 (7) |
June 2, 2014 | Grant of Stock Options | 125,000 Stock Options | $0.71 (8) |
March 18, 2014 | Grant of Stock Options | 2,179,000 Stock Options | $0.79 (9) |
March 5, 2014 | Property acquisition (10) | 5,500,000 Common Shares | $0.87 (deemed) |
March 4, 2014 | Private Placement | 15,188,495 Units (11) | $0.72 |
| (1) | Each option entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.63 on or before February 17, 2020. |
| (2) | Each option entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.63 on or before February 11, 2018. |
| (3) | These shares were issued at a price of US$0.47 per share pursuant to a prospectus supplement dated January 28, 2015 to the Company's accompanying short form base shelf prospectus dated June 23, 2014. This figure represents the Canadian dollar equivalent of US$0.47 as of February 3, 2015. |
| (4) | These shares were issued to Scorpio by way of “Bonus Shares” upon the Company's receipt of the Pinion Resourece Report estimating total resources within the Pinion Deposit in excess of 1,000,000 ounces of gold (aggregating all categories) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Company’s acquisition of the Scorpio Pinion Interests from Scorpio on March 5, 2014. See Item 5.4 “Mineral Properties - Railroad-Pinion Project, Elko County, Nevada - Acquisition of Remaining Interest in the Pinion Deposit” above. |
| (5) | These shares were issued at a deemed price of $0.72 per share to David C. Mathewson, a former officer and director of the Company, as part of a transition payment due to Mr. Mathewson by the Company following Mr. Mathewson's resignation as the Vice-President of Exploration and a director of the Company on May 30, 2014. See Item 5.2 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS - Three Year History" above. |
| (6) | Each option entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.77 on or before September 12, 2019. |
| (7) | These shares were issued at a price of US$0.64 per share pursuant to a prospectus supplement dated August 13, 2014 to the Company's accompanying short form base shelf prospectus dated June 23, 2014. This figure represents the Canadian dollar equivalent of US$0.64 as of August 19, 2014. |
| (8) | Each option entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.71 on or before June 2, 2019. |
| (9) | Each option entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.79 on or before March 17, 2018. |
| (10) | These shares were issued to Scorpio in connection with the Company’s acquisition of the Scorpio Pinion Interests as more particularly described in Item 5.4 “Mineral Properties - Railroad-Pinion Project, Elko County, Nevada - Acquisition of Remaining Interest in the Pinion Deposit” above. |
| (11) | Each Unit consisted of one Common Share and one-half (1/2) of one transferable share purchase warrant (each whole warrant a “Warrant”), each Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of $1.00 until March 4, 2016, subject to acceleration. The Company has the right, in its discretion, to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants at any time upon 30 days notice if the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSXV equals or exceeds $1.35 per share for a period of 15 consecutive trading days or more. |
ITEM 12: ESCROWED SECURITIES AND SECURITIES SUBJECT TO CONTRACTUAL RESTRICTION ON TRANSFER
To the knowledge of the directors and officers of the Company, no securities of the Company are subject to escrow, hold period or a contractual restriction on transfer as of the date of this AIF, save and except for the 6,750,000 Scorpio GSV Shares issued to Scorpio in connection with the Company's acquisition of the Scorpio Pinion Interests which are subject to the Orderly Sale Agreement. See Item 5.4 "Mineral Properties - Railroad-Pinion Project, Elko County, Nevada - Acquisition of Remaining Interest in the Pinion Deposit".
ITEM 13: DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
(a) 13.1 Name, Occupation and Security Holding
The following are the names and provinces/states of residence of the directors and executive officers of the Company, the positions and offices they currently hold with the Company, their principal occupations within the five preceding years, and the number of Common Shares beneficially held by each of them. Each director will hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company unless his office is earlier vacated in accordance with the provisions of the BCBCA or the articles of the Company.
Name, Province/State of Residence and Position with the Company | Principal occupation during last five years | Date of first appointment as a Director of the Company | Number and Percentage of Company Shares held at March 27, 2015 (1) |
Jonathan T. Awde British Columbia, Canada Director, President, Chief Executive Officer | President and Chief Executive Officer of Gold Standard, July 2010 to present; President and Chief Executive Officer of JKR, since incorporation on March 30, 2009 | Director since July 13, 2010 (date of completion of the Arrangement) | 3,659,200 or 2.56% |
David M. Cole Colorado, U.S.A. Director | President and Chief Executive Officer, Eurasian Minerals Inc. (TSX-V – EMX and NYSE-MKT - EMXX); March 2003 to present | Director since March 29, 2012 | 100,000 or 0.07% |
Mac R. Jackson, Jr. Oregon, U.S.A. Vice-President, Exploration | Certified Professional Geologist; Vice-President, Exploration, Gold Standard, May 2014 to present; Senior Geologist, Gold Standard, Aug. 2011 to May 2014; Teacher, Sept. 2002 to June 2011; Geologist, Newmont Mining Corporation, 1992 to 2000 | N/A | 7,200 or 0.005% |
Robert J. McLeod British Columbia, Canada Director | Exploration geologist, March 2003 to present; Chief Executive Officer, Vice-President, Operations, and director, Full Metal Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V – FMM), June 2003 to present | Initially appointed a Director on July 13, 2010 (date of completion of the Arrangement) Subsequently re-elected on June 28, 2011 (2) | Nil |
Richard S. Silas British Columbia, Canada Director and Corporate Secretary | Principal of Universal Solutions Inc., private company providing management and administration services to TSX Venture Exchange issuers; Secretary, Gold Standard, July 14, 2010 to present (President and Chief Executive Officer from Aug. 26, 2009 to July 13, 2010) | Director since April 2009 | 764,650 or 0.54% |
Jamie D.R. Strauss London, United Kingdom Director | Director, Strauss Partners, London based boutique mining finance firm, 2009 to present; former Managing Director of UK, BMO Capital Markets, 2007 to 2009 | Director since September 5, 2012 | 16,000 or 0.01% |
William E. Threlkeld Colorado, U.S.A. Director | Geologist, Senior Vice-President, Seabridge Gold Inc. since 2001 | Director since March 17, 2011 | Nil |
Michael N. Waldkirch British Columbia, Canada Chief Financial Officer | Certified General Accountant since 1998, Chief Financial Officer, Gold Standard Ventures Corp., July 2010 to present | N/A | 787,750 or 0.55% |
| (1) | The approximate number and percentage of Common Shares of the Company beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, or over which control or direction is exercised by each director or executive officer as of March 31, 2015. This information is not within the knowledge of the management of the Company and has been furnished by the respective individuals, or has been extracted from the register of shareholdings maintained by the Company’s transfer agent or from insider reports filed by the individuals and available through the Internet at www.sedi.ca. |
| (2) | Mr. McLeod was initially appointed as a director of the Company in connection with the completion of the Arrangement on July 13, 2010. On March 17, 2011, Mr. McLeod stepped down as a director of the Company in order to accommodate the appointment of William E. Threlkeld as a director of the Company. Mr. McLeod was subsequently re-elected as a director of the Company at the Company’s annual general meeting held on June 28, 2011. |
The members of the Company’s audit committee are Robert J. McLeod (Chair), William E. Threlkeld and David M. Cole. See Item 19 “AUDIT COMMITTEE” below.
The Company has also appointed a compensation committee, a corporate governance committee and a nominating committee whose members are as follows:
Name of Committee | Members of Committee |
Compensation Committee | Robert J. McLeod (Chair) William E. Threlkeld David M. Cole |
Corporate Governance Committee | Jamie D. Strauss (Chair) Robert J. McLeod William E. Threlkeld |
Nominating Committee | Jamie D.R. Strauss (Chair) Robert J. McLeod Jonathan T. Awde |
As of March 31, 2015, the directors and executive officers of the Company, as a group, beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, 5,334,800 Common Shares representing 3.74% of the total issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company.
Management
The following sets forth further background information on each of the directors and executive officers of the Company.
Jonathan T. Awde (age 37), President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Awde is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Gold Standard and is the person primarily responsible for the implementation and execution of the Company’s business plan and operations. Mr. Awde is also the key individual responsible for negotiating and acquiring the Company’s interests in the Railroad-Pinion Project.
Mr. Awde holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Finance) from Acadia University in Nova Scotia (1999) and is a former sales and trading professional at Wolverton Securities Inc.
Mac R. Jackson, Jr. (age 54), Vice-President, Exploration
Mr. Jackson has over 18 years experience as an exploration geologist, including 8 years with Newmont. During his tenure with Newmont, Mr. Jackson was a significant contributor to the discovery of the West Leeville and Turf deposits, both of which are on the Carlin Trend, and the Fiber Line deposit at the Twin Peaks complex. Mr. Jackson has been with the Company since July 26, 2011 and has been instrumental in expanding its understanding of the stratigraphy and structural geology and advancing new target opportunities on the Railroad-Pinion Project. Mr. Jackson is a certified professional geologist (CPG - 11661) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists (January 2014) and holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Nevada (June 1988).
Michael N. Waldkirch (age 45), Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Waldkirch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of British Columbia and has been a Certified General Accountant since 1998. From 1997 to 2011, he held the position of principal with JBH Professional Services Inc., a business consulting firm located in Richmond, B.C., Canada. Since 1999, Mr. Waldkirch has also held the position of Senior Partner with the Public Accounting firm Michael Waldkirch and Company Inc., Certified General Accountant, in Vancouver, B.C.
Richard S. Silas (age 43), Corporate Secretary
Mr. Silas is the President of Universal Solutions Inc., a private company providing management and administrative services to TSXV listed companies, and has served as a director and/or officer of various other publicly traded companies over the past 15 years. Mr. Silas also holds a certificate (securities program) from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.
David Cole (age 53), Director
Mr. Cole has over 28 years of mining and mineral exploration industry experience. In December 2003, Mr. Cole founded Eurasian Minerals Inc. (“Eurasian Minerals”), as a public company. Just after founding Eurasian, Mr. Cole co-founded Standard Uranium Corporation, a public uranium exploration and development company which was later sold to Energy Metals Corporation. Prior to founding Eurasian Minerals and Standard Uranium Corp., Mr. Cole worked for Newmont where he held a number of management and senior geologic positions, gaining extensive global business and technical experience. Mr. Cole's success as part of Newmont's exploration team includes contributions at the world class Carlin Trend (Nevada, USA), Yanacocha (Peru), and Minihasa (Indonesia) mines. Subsequently, he established and managed Newmont's exploration programs in Turkey.
Mr. Cole earned his Masters Degree from Colorado State University in 1991 and is a member of several professional organizations and local and international societies.
Robert J. McLeod (age 44), Director
Mr. McLeod is professional geologist (March 2003) with a Masters of Science, Geology, from Queens University, Kingston, Ontario (1998) and a Bachelors of Science, Geology, from the University of British Columbia (1993).
Mr. McLeod has been the Chief Executive Officer, Vice-President, Operations and a director of Full Metal Minerals Corp., a junior exploration company listed on the TSXV, since June 2003. He is also a director of various other publicly listed companies including Revolution Resources Corp. (TSX–RV), Vendetta Mining Corp. (TSXV–VDT) and Entourage Metals Ltd. (TSXV-EMT), and formerly Vice-President, Exploration for Atna Resources Ltd. (TSX-ATN) from February 2003 to February 2004. From 2000 to 2003 Mr. McLeod was a Project Geologist for Miramar Mining Corp. and a Senior Geologist for Grayd Resource Corporation from 1998 to 2000.
Jamie D.R. Strauss (age 45), Director
Mr. Strauss is currently a director of a boutique mining finance firm, Strauss Partners, based in London, England and has worked as a stockbroker in the City of London for 25 years, specializing in the corporate resource arena, including a term as Managing Director of UK for BMO Capital Markets 2007-2009. He has raised capital for projects spanning the globe in both the energy and mineral world on behalf of leading institutions in North America, Australia and Europe and was a committee member of the Association of Mining Analysts for six years until resigning in 2010. Mr. Strauss is also a non-executive director of Wildhorse Energy Ltd. (AIM, ASX) and Altius Minerals Corporation (TSX).
William E. Threlkeld (age 59), Director
Mr. Threlkeld is a designee of FCMI Parent Co. (see Item 15 “INTEREST OF MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS”). Since 2001, he has been a Senior Vice President of Seabridge Gold, Inc. where he is responsible for, among other things, designing and executing exploration and resource delineation programs. From 1997 to 2000, he was Vice-President, Exploration, for Greenstone Resources Ltd., responsible for resource delineation on three Central American gold deposits and development of an organization and strategy to identify new mineral investments. From 1991 to 1997, he was a Vice President and Exploration Manager at Placer Dome Inc. where he was responsible for its exploration activity and investment in South America. Mr. Threlkeld obtained a Master of Science in Economic Geology from the University of Western Ontario.
None of the members of the Company’s management or key personnel has entered into a non-competition agreement with the Company. Each of Jonathan T. Awde, Mac R. Jackson, Jr., Richard S. Silas and Michael N. Waldkirch are bound by non-disclosure covenants in their respective consulting or employment agreements with the Company.
13.2 Cease Trade Orders, Bankruptcies, Penalties or Sanctions
Corporate Cease Trade Orders
No director or executive officer of the Company is, or within the ten years prior to the date of this AIF, has been, a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of any other issuer that was the subject of a cease trade or similar order, or an order that denied the other issuer access to any statutory exemptions, for a period of more than thirty consecutive days:
| (a) | while that person was acting as a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer; or |
| (b) | after that person ceased acting as a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer which resulted from an event that occurred while that person was acting in that capacity. |
Corporate Bankruptcies
Except as disclosed below, no director, executive officer or securityholder holding a sufficient number of securities of the Company to affect materially the control of the Company, is, or within the ten years prior to the date of this AIF has been, a director or executive officer of any other issuer that, while that person was acting in that capacity, or within one year of that person ceasing to act in that capacity, became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency or was subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets.
Messrs. Awde, Silas and Waldkirch are former directors and/or officers of Northern Star Mining Corp. (“Northern Star”), a reporting issuer whose common shares were previously listed for trading on the TSXV. Mr. Awde resigned as a director and officer of Northern Star on July 13, 2010. Effective August 18, 2010 Northern Star filed a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal (the “Proposal”) under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (the “Bankruptcy Act”) and appointed Deloitte & Touche Inc. as its trustee. On January 24, 2011, the deadline for filing its Proposal under the Bankruptcy Act expired and Northern Star was deemed to have filed an assignment in bankruptcy as of such date. Messrs. Silas and Waldkirch also resigned as directors and/or officers of Northern Star effective such date.
Penalties or Sanctions
No director, executive officer or securityholder holding a sufficient number of securities to materially affect the control of the Company has, to the knowledge of the Company, been subject to any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to Canadian securities legislation or by a Canadian securities regulatory authority or has entered into a settlement agreement with a Canadian securities regulatory authority or been subject to any other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body that would likely to be considered important to a reasonable investor in making an investment decision.
Richard S. Silas and Michael N. Waldkirch are directors and/or officers of Spirit Bear Capital Corp., a capital pool company that was suspended from trading by the TSXV on May 15, 2014 for failure to complete a qualifying transaction within 24 months of its listing.
On September 2, 2014, Jonathan T. Awde was fined a total of $46,000 by the Autorité Des Marchés Financiers in Quebec for 11 counts of filing late insider trading reports.
Personal Bankruptcies
No director, executive officer or securityholder holding a sufficient number of securities of the Company to affect materially the control of the Company has, within the ten years prior to the date of this AIF, to the knowledge of the Company, become bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or been subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold his or her assets.
13.3 Conflicts of Interest
The directors and officers of the Company may, from time to time, serve as directors or officers of other issuers or organizations or may be involved with the business and operations of other issuers or organizations, in which case a conflict of interest may arise between their duties as a director or officer of the Company and their duties as a director or officer of such other issuers or organizations. In particular, certain of the directors and officers of the Company are involved in executive or director positions with other mineral exploration companies whose operations may, from time to time, be in direct competition with those of the Company or with entities which may, from time to time, provide financing to, or make equity investments in, competitors of the Company. See ITEM 13.1 “DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS - Name, Occupation and Security Holding” above for a description of other mineral exploration companies in which the directors and officers of the Company are currently involved with.
The directors and officers of the Company are aware of the existence of laws governing accountability of directors and officers for corporate opportunity and requiring disclosure by directors of conflicts of interest and the Company will rely upon such laws in respect of any directors’ or officers’ conflicts of interest or in respect of any breaches of duty by any of its directors or officers. All such conflicts will be disclosed by such directors or officers in accordance with the BCBCA and they will govern themselves in respect thereof to the best of their ability in accordance with the obligations imposed upon them by law.
Save and except as aforesaid or otherwise disclosed in this AIF, in the notes to the Company’s Financial Statements and its MD&A, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no known existing or potential conflicts of interest between the Company and any director or officer of the Company.
ITEM 14: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS
14.1 Legal Proceedings
The Company is not and was not a party to, and its property is not and was not the subject of, any legal proceedings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 and no such proceedings are known by the Company to be contemplated.
14.2 Regulatory Actions
There were no penalties or sanctions imposed against, or settlement agreements with any court or securities regulatory authority relating to securities legislation entered into by, the Company or any other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body against the Company during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 that would likely be considered important to a reasonable investor in making an investment decision.
ITEM 15: INTEREST OF MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS
Other than as disclosed in this AIF, in the notes to the Company’s Financial Statements and its MD&A, no director or executive officer of the Company, and no shareholder holding of record or beneficially, directly or indirectly, more than 10% of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares, and none of the respective associates or affiliates of any of the foregoing, had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction with the Company or in any proposed transaction within the three most recently completed financial years or the current financial year of the Company that has materially affected or is reasonably expected to materially affect the Company, save and except as follows:
1. | 631208 B.C. Ltd., a private company controlled by Jonathan T. Awde, currently receives a management fee of $220,000 per annum, plus discretionary bonus (2014 - $54,650), in consideration for providing management services to the Company. Mac R. Jackson, Jr. receives a salary of US$162,000 per annum, plus discretionary bonus (2014 – US$29,840), in his capacity as Vice-President, Exploration of the Company. Universal Solutions Inc., a private company controlled by Richard S. Silas, receives the sum of $134,000 per annum, plus discretionary bonus (2014 - $17,035), in consideration for providing general administrative services to the Company. Michael Waldkirch & Company Inc., a private company controlled by Michael N. Waldkirch, receives the sum of $163,000 per annum, plus discretionary bonus (2014 - $18,150), in consideration for providing general accounting and financial management services to the Company. |
2. | David M. Cole, Robert J. McLeod and Jamie Strauss, as non-executive directors of the Company, each receive annual directors’ fees of $24,000 ($2,000 per month) in consideration for their services as directors of the Company. William E. Threlkeld, who is FCMI Parent Co.’s nominee director on the Board (see paragraph 7 below), has voluntarily waived payment of such fee. |
3. | During the immediately preceding three fiscal years, the Company has granted stock options to the directors and officers of the Company as follows: |
Name | Position | Number of Options | Exercise Price | Expiry Date |
Jonathan T. Awde | President, CEO and Director | 150,000 300,000 222,000 200,000 | $1.16 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | February 2, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
Mac R. Jackson, Jr. | Vice-President, Exploration | 20,000 150,000 150,000 75,000 | $1.16 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | February 2, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
Richard S. Silas | Secretary and Director | 40,000 102,000 102,000 50,000 | $1.16 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | February 2, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
Robert J. McLeod | Director | 40,000 150,000 102,000 75,000 | $1.16 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | February 2, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
William E. Threlkeld | Director | 25,000 150,000 102,000 75,000 | $1.16 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | February 2, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
David M. Cole | Director | 150,000 150,000 102,000 75,000 | $1.82 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | March 29, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
Jamie Strauss | Director | 150,000 150,000 150,000 75,000 | $1.81 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | September 5, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
Michael N. Waldkirch | Chief Financial Officer | 50,000 102,000 102,000 50,000 | $1.16 $0.79 $0.76 $0.77 | February 2, 2017 March 17, 2018 May 23, 2018 September 12, 2019 |
TOTAL | | 3,586,000 | | |
4. | On March 3, 2011, FCMI Parent Co. (“FCMI”) acquired, by way of private placement, a total of 11,000,000 Common Shares in the capital stock of the Company at a price of $0.95 per share for a gross purchase price of $10,450,000. FCMI is a private company based in Toronto, Ontario and controlled by Albert D. Friedberg and members of his family. Under the terms of its subscription agreement and subject to FCMI beneficially owning not less than ten (10%) percent of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company, FCMI had the right, which expired on March 3, 2013, to (a) nominate one member to the Company’s Board, and (b) participate, on a pro rata basis, in any future equity financing undertaken by the Company (excluding stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s stock option plan and then outstanding share purchase warrants). William E. Threlkeld is FCMI’s nominee on the Company’s Board. On March 4, 2014, FCMI acquired an additional 1,944,444 Units of the Company at a price of $0.72 per Unit in connection with the 2014 Private Placement. On August 19, 2014, FCMI acquired an additional 1,300,000 Common Shares of the Company at a price of US$0.64 per share for an aggregate purchase price of US$832,000 pursuant to the 2014 Public Offering. On February 3, 2015, FCMI acquired an additional 11,400,000 Common Shares of the Company at a price of US$0.47 per share for an aggregate purchase price of US$5,358,000 pursuant to the 2015 Public Offering. As of March 27, 2015, FCMI owns and/or exercises control or direction over a total of 27,418,744 Common Shares or 19.20% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company. |
ITEM 16: TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
The Company’s registrar and transfer agent for its Common Shares is Computershare Investor Services Inc. located at 3rd Floor - 510 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 3B9.
ITEM 17: MATERIAL CONTRACTS
Other than contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, the only material contracts entered into by the Company since the commencement of the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 or before such time that are still in effect are as follows:
1. | Minerals Lease and Agreement dated April 5, 2011 between the Company and Newmont to lease four sections of land totalling 2,560 acres comprising part of the Railroad Project in Elko County, Nevada. See Item 5.4 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS – Mineral Properties – Railroad-Pinion Project – Elko County, Nevada - Minerals Lease and Agreement with Newmont Mining Corporation”. |
2. | Shareholder rights plan agreement dated June 1, 2011 between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as rights agent, with respect to the Company’s Rights Plan. See Item 10 “DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE”. |
3. | Pereira Lease dated on or about November 9, 2012 between the Company and Pereira Family, LLC with respect to various percentage holdings in the Pinion Project in Elko County, Nevada. See Item 5.4 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS – Mineral Properties – Railroad-Pinion Project, Elko County, Nevada - Pinion and Pereira Leases”. |
4. | Agency agreement dated March 4, 2014 between the Company and Macquarie, Medalist Capital Ltd., TD Securities Inc. and National Bank Financial Inc., as agents, in connection with the Company’s 2014 Private Placement of 15,188,495 Units at a price of $0.72 per Unit for gross proceeds of $10,935,716 completed on March 4, 2014. See Item 5.2 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS – Three Year History – Recent Financings”. |
5. | Agreement for Sale of Mining Properties dated March 4, 2014 between the Company, as purchaser, and Scorpio, as seller, with respect to the Company’s acquisition of the Scorpio Pinion Interests on March 5, 2014. See Item 5.4 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS – Mineral Properties – Railroad-Pinion Project, Elko County, Nevada - Acquisition of Remaining Interest in the Pinion Deposit”. |
6. | Letter of intent dated May 29, 2014, as amended, between the Company, as seller, and Tanqueray, as purchaser, with respect to the proposed sale of the Safford-CVN Project, the East Bailey Project and the East Camp Douglas Project. See Item 5.3 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS – Significant Acquisitions and Dispositions - Proposed Dispositions”. |
7. | Underwriting agreement dated August 13, 2014 between the Company and Macquarie, Loewen Ondaatje McCutcheon USA Limited, Tempest Capital Corp. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as underwriters, in connection with the Company’s 2014 Public Offering of 9,850,000 Common Shares at a price of US$0.64 per share for gross proceeds of US$6,304,000 completed on August 19, 2014. See Item 5.2 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS – Three Year History – Recent Financings”. |
8. | Underwriting agreement dated January 28, 2015 between the Company and Macquarie and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as underwriters, in connection with the Company’s 2015 Public Offering of 19,032,000 Common Shares at a price of US$0.47 per share for gross proceeds of US$8,945,040 completed on February 3, 2015. See Item 5.2 “GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS – Three Year History – Recent Financings”. |
ITEM 18: INTERESTS OF EXPERTS
18.1 Names of Experts
The following table lists the persons and companies who have prepared or certified a report, valuation, statement or opinion described or included in a filing, or referred to in a filing, made under National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations by the Company during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 or subsequent thereto:
Name of Individual or Company | Document Prepared or Certified |
Davidson & Company LLP | Audited financial statements of the Company for the years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 |
Andrew Turner, B.Sc., P. Geol. and Michael B. Dufrene, M.Sc., P. Geol., of APEX Steven R. Koehler, B.Sc., CPG 10216 | 2015 Railroad-Pinion Report dated March 31, 2015 |
Michael B. Dufrene, M.Sc., P. Geol., P. Geo., Steven J. Nicholls, BA.Sc., MAIG and Andrew Turner, B.Sc., P. Geol., of APEX | Pinion Resource Report dated October 24, 2014 |
Michael B. Dufrene, M.Sc., P. Geol.and Andrew Turner, B.Sc., P. Geol, of APEX Steven R. Koehler, B.Sc., CPG 10216 | 2014 Railroad-Pinion Report dated March 31, 2014 |
18.2 Interests of Experts
To the knowledge of the Company, none of the experts named above or their respective associates or affiliates held, as of the date of the applicable report, valuation, statement or opinion referred to in Item 18.1 “Names of Experts” above, or currently hold any registered or beneficial interests, direct or indirect, in any securities or other property of the Company, other than Steven R. Koehler, the Company’s Manager of Projects, who holds stock options to purchase an aggregate of 525,000 Common Shares of the Company at exercise prices ranging from $0.76 per share to $1.16 per share and expiring between February 2, 2017 and September 12, 2019.
ITEM 19: AUDIT COMMITTEE
National Instrument 52-110 Audit Committees of the Canadian Securities Administrators (“NI 52-110”) requires the Company to disclose annually in its AIF certain information concerning the constitution of its audit committee and its relationship with its external auditor as set forth below.
1. The Audit Committee Charter
The Company’s audit committee is governed by an audit committee charter, the text of which is attached as Schedule A to this AIF.
2. Composition of Audit Committee
The audit committee is comprised of three directors, being Robert J. McLeod (Chair), William E. Threlkeld and David M. Cole. All three members of the audit committee are considered “independent” as that term is defined in applicable securities legislation.
In addition, each member has the ability to read and understand financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of the issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Company’s financial statements and is therefore considered “financially literate”.
3. Relevant Education and Experience
All of the audit Committee members are businessmen with experience in financial matters; each has an understanding of accounting principles used to prepare financial statements and varied experience as to general application of such accounting principles, as well as the internal controls and procedures necessary for financial reporting, garnered from working in their individual fields of endeavor.
Robert J. McLeod has been the Chief Executive Officer, Vice-President, Operations and a director of Full Metal Minerals Corp., a junior exploration company listed on the Exchange, since June 2003. He is also a director of various other publicly listed companies including Revolution Resources Corp. (TSX–RV), Vendetta Mining Corp. (TSXV–VDT) and Entourage Metals Ltd. (TSXV-EMT), and a former Vice-President, Exploration for Atna Resources Ltd. (TSX-ATN) from February 2003 to February 2004. From 2000 to 2003 Mr. McLeod was a Project Geologist for Miramar Mining Corp. and a Senior Geologist for Grayd Resource Corporation from 1998 to 2000. Mr. McLeod is professional geologist (March 2003) with a Masters of Science, Geology, from Queens University, Kingston, Ontario (1998) and a Bachelors of Science, Geology, from the University of British Columbia (1993).
William E. Threlkeld is a Senior Vice President of Seabridge Gold, Inc. where he is responsible for, among other things, designing and executing exploration and resource delineation programs. From 1997 to 2000, he was Vice-President, Exploration, for Greenstone Resources Ltd., responsible for resource delineation on three Central American gold deposits and development of an organization and strategy to identify new mineral investments. From 1991 to 1997, he was a Vice President and Exploration Manager at Placer Dome Inc. where he was responsible for its exploration activity and investment in South America. Mr. Threlkeld holds a Master of Science in Economic Geology from the University of Western Ontario.
David M. Cole is the President, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Eurasian Minerals Inc. (“Eurasian Minerals”), as a public company listed on the TSXV and NYSE-MKT. Just after founding Eurasian, Mr. Cole co-founded Standard Uranium Corporation, a public uranium exploration and development company which was later sold to Energy Metals Corporation. Prior to founding Eurasian Minerals and Standard Uranium Corp., Mr. Cole worked for Newmont Mining Corporation (“Newmont”) where he held a number of management and senior geologic positions, gaining extensive global business and technical experience. Mr. Cole earned his Masters Degree from Colorado State University in 1991 and is a member of several professional organizations and local and international societies.
4. Reliance on Certain Exemptions
Since the commencement of the Company’s financial year ended December 31, 2014, the Company has not relied on the exemptions contained in sections 2.4 (De Minimis Non-Audit Services), 3.2 (Initial Public Offeirngs), 3.4 (Events Outside Control of Member), 3.5 (Death, Disability or Resignation of Audit Committee Member) or Part 8 (Exemptions) of NI 52-110.
5. Reliance on the Exemption in Subsection 3.3(2) or Section 3.6
Since the commencement of the Company’s financial year ended December 31, 2014, the Company has not relied on the exemptions contained in subsections 3.3(2) (Controlled Companies) or section 3.6 (Temporary Exemption for Limited and Exceptional Circumstances) of NI 52-110.
6. Reliance on Section 3.8
Since the commencement of the Company’s financial year ended December 31, 2014, the Company has not relied on the exemption contained in section 3.8 (Acquisition of Financial Literacy) of NI 52-110.
7. Audit Committee Oversight
Since the commencement of the Company’s financial year ended December 31, 2014, the Board has not failed to adopt a recommendation of the audit committee to nominate or compensate an external auditor.
8. Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The audit committee has not adopted specific policies and procedures for the engagement of non-audit services, save for the requirement that all non-audit services to be performed by the Company’s external auditor must be pre-approved and monitored by the audit committee. Subject to the requirements of NI 52-110, the engagement of non-audit services is considered by the Company’s Board, and where applicable the audit committee, on a case-by-case basis.
9. External Audit Service Fees (By Category)
In the following table, “audit fees” are fees billed by the Company’s external auditor for services provided in auditing the Company’s annual financial statements for the subject year. “Audit-related fees” are fees not included in audit fees that are billed by the auditor for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements. “Tax fees” are fees billed by the auditor for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. “All other fees” are fees billed by the auditor for products and services not included in the foregoing categories.
The fees paid by the Company to its external auditor, Davidson & Company LLP, for services rendered to the Company in each of the last two fiscal years, by category, are as follows:
Financial Year Ending | Audit Fees | Audit Related Fees | Tax Fees | All Other Fees |
December 31, 2014 | $51,000 | Nil | Nil | $41,565 (1) |
December 31, 2013 | $45,900 | Nil | Nil | $7,650 (1) |
(1) | Review of quarterly filings. |
ITEM 20: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information relating to the Company may be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Additional information including directors’ and officer’s remuneration and indebtedness, principal holders of the Company’s securities, and securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans, if applicable, is contained in the Company’s information circular dated July 29, 2014 for its 2014 annual general meeting of shareholders held on September 9, 2014. Additional financial information is provided in the Company’s audited Financial Statements and related MD&A for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
Schedule “A”
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
B. PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE
The purpose of the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company is to provide an open avenue of communication between management, the Company’s external auditor and the Board and to assist the Board in its oversight of:
· | the integrity, adequacy and timeliness of the Company’s financial reporting and disclosure practices; |
· | the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements related to financial reporting; and |
· | the independence and performance of the Company’s external auditor. |
The Committee shall also perform any other activities consistent with this Charter, the Company’s articles and governing laws as the Committee or Board deems necessary or appropriate.
The Committee shall consist of a minimum of three directors who are appointed and may be removed by the Board in its discretion. The members of the Committee shall elect a Chairman from among their number. A majority of the members of the Committee must not be officers or employees of the Company or of an affiliate of the Company. The quorum for a meeting of the Committee is a majority of the members who are not officers or employees of the Company or of an affiliate of the Company. With the exception of the foregoing quorum requirement, the Committee may determine its own procedures.
The Committee’s role is one of oversight. Management is responsible for preparing the Company’s financial statements and other financial information and for the fair presentation of the information set forth in the financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). Management is also responsible for establishing internal controls and procedures and for maintaining the appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles and policies designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and all applicable laws and regulations.
The external auditor’s responsibility is to audit the Company’s financial statements and provide its opinion, based on its audit conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, that the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company in accordance with IFRS.
The Committee is responsible for recommending to the Board the external auditor to be nominated for the purpose of auditing the Company’s financial statements, preparing or issuing an auditor’s report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company, and for reviewing and recommending the compensation of the external auditor. The Committee is also directly responsible for the evaluation of and oversight of the work of the external auditor including the resolution of any disagreements between management and the external auditor regarding financial reporting. The external auditor shall report directly to the Committee. The Committee is also entitled to engage independent counsel and other advisers in the performance of its duties and to set and pay the compensation for such counsel or advisers.
AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In addition to the foregoing, in performing its oversight responsibilities the Committee shall:
1. | Monitor the adequacy of this Charter and recommend any changes to the Board from time to time. |
2. | Review the appointments of the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and any other key financial executives involved in the financial reporting process. |
3. | Review with management and the external auditor the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s accounting and financial controls and the adequacy and timeliness of its financial reporting processes. |
4. | Review with management and the external auditor the annual financial statements and related documents and review with management the unaudited quarterly financial statements and related documents, prior to filing or distribution, including matters required to be reviewed under applicable legal or regulatory requirements. |
5. | Where appropriate and prior to release, review with management the Company’s financial statements, MD&A and any news releases that disclose annual or interim financial results or contain other significant financial information that has not previously been released to the public. |
6. | Review the Company’s financial reporting and accounting standards and principles and significant changes in such standards or principles or in their application, including key accounting decisions affecting the financial statements, alternatives thereto and the rationale for decisions made. |
7. | Review the quality and appropriateness of the accounting policies and the clarity of financial information and disclosure practices adopted by the Company, including consideration of the external auditor’s judgment about the quality and appropriateness of the Company’s accounting policies. This review may include discussions with the external auditor without the presence of management. |
8. | Review with management and the external auditor significant related party transactions and potential conflicts of interest. |
9. | Pre-approve and monitor all non-audit services to be provided to the Company by the external auditor. |
10. | Monitor the independence of the external auditor by reviewing all relationships between the external auditor and the Company including reviewing and approving the Company’s hiring policies regarding partners, employees and former partners and employees of the Company’s current and formal external auditors. |
11. | Establish and review the Company’s procedures for the: |
| (a) | receipt, retention and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, financial disclosure, internal controls or auditing matters; and |
| (b) | confidential, anonymous submission by employees regarding questionable accounting, auditing and financial reporting and disclosure matters. |
12. | Conduct or authorize investigations into any matters that the Committee believes is within the scope of its responsibilities. The Committee has the authority to retain independent counsel, accountants or other advisors to assist it, as it considers necessary, to carry out its duties, and to set and pay the compensation of such advisors at the expense of the Company. |
13. | Perform such other functions and exercise such other powers as are prescribed from time to time for the audit committee of a reporting company in Parts 2 and 4 of National Instrument 52-110 Audit Committees of the Canadian Securities Administrators, the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and the articles of the Company. |