INCOME TAXES | NOTE 10 - INCOME TAXES The components of income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022 consist of the following: 2023 2022 Current tax provision $ — $ — Deferred tax benefit (270,829 ) (221,000 ) Valuation allowance 270,829 221,000 Total income tax provision $ — $ — Reconciliations between the statutory rate and the effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022 consist as follows: 2023 2022 Federal statutory tax rate (21.0 )% (21.0 )% State taxes, net of federal benefit 0 % 0 % Permanent differences — — % Valuation allowance 21.0 % 21.0 % Effective tax rate — — Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2023, and 2022 are summarized below. The calculations presented below reflect the new U.S. federal statutory corporate tax rate of 21% effective January 1, 2018. See Note 2 – Income Taxes 2023 2022 Deferred tax assets: Net operating loss carry forwards 8,079,829 $ 7,809,000 Impairment of assets 6,941,000 6,941,000 Stock based compensation 2,228,000 2,228,000 Loss on settlement of debt (25,572 ) 32,000 Change in prior estimates (798,000 ) (798,000 ) Total deferred tax asset 16,425,257 16,212,000 Valuation allowance (16,425,257 ) (16,212,000 ) $ — $ — Management decisions are made annually and could cause the estimates above to vary significantly. As of December 31, 2023, the Company revised the estimate of its deferred tax asset, and corresponding valuation allowance, for prior years in the amount of approximately $798,000. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $108,000,000 of federal net operating loss carry forwards. These carry forwards, if not used, will begin to expire in 2028. Future utilization of their net operating loss carry forwards is subject to certain limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Company believes that the issuance of their common stock in exchange for the Shea Mining and Milling properties in March of 2011 resulted in an “ownership change” under the rules and regulations of Section 382. Accordingly, the Company’s ability to utilize their net operating losses of $69,000,000 generated prior to this date is limited to approximately $1,000,000 annually. As of December 31, 2023, we do not believe any of our net operating loss carry forward consists of deductions generated by the exercise of warrants or options to purchase our stock. In the future, the stock options referenced in the above table of deferred tax items may be exercised and we may receive a tax deduction. To the extent that the tax deduction is included in a net operating loss carry forward and is in excess of amounts recognized for book purposes, no benefit will be recognized until the loss carry forward is recognized. Upon utilization and realization of the carry forward, the corresponding change in the deferred asset and valuation allowance will be recorded as additional paid-in capital. We provide for a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that we will not realize a portion of the deferred tax assets. We have established a valuation allowance against our net deferred tax asset due to the uncertainty that enough taxable income will be generated in those taxing jurisdictions to utilize the assets. Therefore, we have not reflected any benefit of such deferred tax assets in the accompanying financial statements. We reviewed all income tax positions taken or that we expect to be taken for all open years and determined that our income tax positions are appropriately stated and supported for all open years. The Company is subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations by tax authorities for years after 2011 |