COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
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Apr. 30, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
NOTE 12 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Mining Leases
The CK Gold property position consists of two State of Wyoming Metallic and Non-metallic Rocks and Minerals Mining Leases. These leases were assigned to the Company in July 2014 through the acquisition of the CK Gold Project. Leases to explore for or use of natural resources are outside the scope of ASU 2016-02 “Leases”.
The Company’s rights to the CK Gold Project arise under two State of Wyoming mineral leases; 1) State of Wyoming Mining Lease No. 0-40828, consisting of 640 acres, and 2) State of Wyoming Mining Lease No. 0-40858 consisting of 480 acres.
Lease 0-40828 was renewed in February 2023 for a third term and Lease 0-40858 was renewed for its second term in February 2014. Lease 0-40828 requires an annual payment of $3.00 per acre starting with the year ending February 2024 and Lease 0-40858 requires an annual payment of $2.00 per acre through February 2024. If Lease 0-40858 is renewed for another ten-year term the annual payment will increase to $3.00 per acre.
In connection with the Wyoming Mining Leases, production royalties of 2.1% of net receipts are required to be paid to the State of Wyoming, although once the project is in operation, the Board of Land Commissioners has the authority to reduce the royalty payable to the State of Wyoming.
U.S. GOLD CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS APRIL 30, 2023
The future minimum lease payments at April 30, 2023 under these mining leases are as follows, each payment to be made in the fourth quarter of the respective fiscal years:
The Company may renew each lease for a fourth term, which will require annual payments of $4.00 per acre.
NPRC option:
Pursuant to the Merger, the Company acquired from NPRC a mineral property called Challis Gold located in Idaho pursuant to an option agreement dated in February 2020 which was later amended in June 2020. The Company satisfied the minimum royalty payment of $25,000 for fiscal 2022 and 2023.
The annual advance minimum royalty payments at April 30, 2023 under the option agreement are as follows, each payment to be made on the first anniversary of the effective date of this option agreement and continuing until the tenth anniversary:
100% of the advance minimum royalty payments will be applied to the royalty credits.
Exploration Access and Option to Lease Agreement
On August 25, 2021 (“Effective Date”), the Company entered into an Exploration Access and Option to Lease Agreement (the “Agreement”) with a private-party landowner (the “Landowner”) whereby the Landowner granted the Company an option (the “Option”) to lease and right of way on a property located in Laramie County, Wyoming. The Company may exercise the Option for five years (“Option Term”) from the Effective Date. During the Option, the Landowner granted non-exclusive rights (the “Exploration Access Rights”) to the Company to use the surface of the property for an annual exploration and access right payment of $10,000, thirty days after the effective date and each year on the anniversary of the Effective Date during the Option Term until such time the Option is exercised or expires. The Company is also required to pay an annual Option payment of $35,780 for the lease and $6,560 for the right of way within thirty days after the Effective Date and each year on the anniversary of the Effective Date during the Option Term until such time the Option is exercise by the Company or expires. The Company paid a total of $42,340 for each of the period on September 1, 2021 and September 1, 2022 pursuant to this Agreement.
At any time during the Option Term, the Company may exercise the Option by providing a written notice to the Landowner and the Company shall pay a one-time right of way payment of $26,240 at closing and shall execute a lease agreement. The exclusive option to lease (the “Lease”) and right of way (the “Right of Way”) is for a term of ten years with the right to extend for an additional ten years and requires an annual lease payment of $50,000, compensation for loss of grazing of $40.00 per acre impacted land and annual Right of Way payments of $13,120.
U.S. GOLD CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS APRIL 30, 2023
In consideration for the option rights, lease rights and right of way rights under this Agreement, the Company agreed to grant the Landowner shares of the Company’s common stock worth $50,000, which shares will not vest, or be issued, until the Company executes the Lease. Currently, the Company has not executed the Lease.
At any time during the Option Term, the Company may terminate this Agreement by providing a written notice to the Landowner. Upon termination, the Landowner is entitled to retain any payments already made and the Company shall have no further obligation after the date of termination. The Agreement, including the Option and the Exploration Access Rights, may be extended for a period of five years upon written notice from the Company. In the absence of such notice, the Agreement shall automatically terminate at the end of the Option Term. Currently, the Company has not exercised the Option.
Legal Matters
From time to time the Company may be involved in claims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of business. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no material pending legal proceedings to which the Company is a party or of which any of the Company’s property is the subject.
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