Amendment No. Four to SB-2
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on November 9, 2005.
Registration Statement No. 333-127635
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form SB-2/A
AMENDMENT NO. 4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(Name of Small Business Issuer in its charter)
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Nevada |
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1041 |
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92-0185596 |
(State or jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
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(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number) |
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(I.R.S. Employee
Identification No.) |
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390 Union Blvd., Suite 360
Lakewood, CO, 80228 |
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303-988-5777 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
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(Registrants telephone number, including area code) |
Paracorp Incorporated
318 N Carson Street #208
Carson City, Nevada 89701
Phone: (775) 883-0104
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
Copies to:
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Kenneth Sam, Esq. |
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Philippe Tardif, Esq. |
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Andrew Foley, Esq. |
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Paul Goldman, Esq. |
Chris Doerksen, Esq.
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Lang Michener LLP |
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Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, |
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Goodmans |
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
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Suite 2500, 181 Bay Street |
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Wharton & Garrison LLP |
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355 Burrard Street, Suite 1900 |
1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3400
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Toronto, Ontario |
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1285 Avenue of the Americas |
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Vancouver, British Columbia |
Seattle, WA 98101
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Canada M5J 2T7 |
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New York, NY 10019-6064 |
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Canada V6C 2G8 |
(206) 903-8800
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(416) 307-4085 |
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(212) 373-3078 |
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(604) 608-4550 |
Approximate date of proposed sale to the public: From
time to time after the effective date of this registration
statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the
following
box. þ
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
please check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to
Rule 434, please check the following
box. o
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on
such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective
date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which
specifically states that this Registration Statement shall
thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this
Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as
the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may
determine.
The information
in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may
not sell these securities until the registration statement filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective.
This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we
are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state
where the offer or sale is not
permitted.
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(SUBJECT TO COMPLETION) DATED
NOVEMBER 8, 2005
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
GRYPHON GOLD CORPORATION
Cdn$17,500,000
($15,000,000)
Units
This is the initial public offering of our securities. We are
offering units
at a price of
Cdn$ per
unit. Each unit will consist of one (1) share of our common
stock and one-half of one (1/2) Class A Warrant. Each whole
Class A Warrant is exercisable to acquire one share of
common stock at a price of
Cdn$ until
5:00 p.m. (New York time)
on (one
year from the Closing Date). Our units are being offered for
sale concurrently by Canadian underwriters in each province of
Canada under the terms of a prospectus filed with Canadian
securities regulatory authorities; in the United States only to
Qualified Institutional Buyers as defined in Rule
144A of the Securities Act of 1933 by a group of selling agents
that includes Desjardins Securities International Inc., the
U.S. affiliate of Desjardins Securities Inc. and CIBC
World Markets Corp., the U.S. affiliate of CIBC World
Markets Inc., Orion Securities (USA) Inc., the
U.S. affiliate of Orion Securities Inc.; and in Europe
through selling agents in accordance with applicable law.
We currently expect the initial public offering price of our
units to be between Cdn$1.00 ($0.86) and Cdn$1.60 ($1.37) per
unit, and the exercise price of our Class A Warrants to be
between Cdn$1.20 ($1.03) and Cdn$2.00 ($1.71) per share. We
expect to issue approximately 13,461,538 units, assuming we
issue units at Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our
estimated range). We have granted the underwriters a 15%
over-allotment option, which if fully exercised, would allow
them to acquire approximately an additional 2,019,230 units at
the assumed offering price of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) to cover
over-allotments. The initial public offering price of the units
and the terms of the Class A Warrants will be determined by
negotiation between Gryphon Gold and the underwriters in the
context of the market. These prices may not reflect the market
price of our common stock after our offering.
No public trading market currently exists for our units, common
stock or warrants. We have received conditional listing approval
to list our common stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the
symbol GGN, subject to us fulfilling all of the
listing requirements of the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Investing in our common stock involves risks. See Risk
Factors and Uncertainties beginning on page 5.
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Underwriting Discounts | |
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Price to Public | |
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and Commissions(1) | |
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Net Proceeds to Company(3) | |
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Per
Unit(2)
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Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) |
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Cdn$0.104 ($0.089) |
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Cdn$1.196 ($1.02) |
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Total
Offering(3)
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Cdn$17,500,000 ($15,000,000) |
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Cdn$1,400,000 ($1,200,000) |
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Cdn$16,100,000 ($13,800,000) |
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(1) |
We have agreed to underwriting discounts and commissions equal
to 8% of the initial public offering price. Underwriters may pay
selling agents selling agent commissions from underwriting
discounts and commissions. In addition, we agreed to issue the
underwriters compensation options exercisable to acquire a
number of shares of common stock equal to 10% of the number of
units sold. The compensation options are exercisable to acquire
shares of common stock at the initial public offering price
until (one
year from the Closing Date). |
(2) |
Based on assumed initial public offering price of Cdn$1.30
($1.11), the midpoint of our range. |
(3) |
After deducting the underwriting discounts and commission but
before deducting the expenses of the offering which are
estimated at Cdn$1,400,000 ($1,200,000). The expenses of the
offering, including the underwriters expenses, will be
paid by us. |
We have granted the underwriters an over-allotment option,
exercisable until the date which is 30 days following the
closing of this offering, to purchase on the same terms a number
of additional units equal to up to 15% of the number of units
sold in the offering. If the underwriters exercise the
over-allotment option in full, the total offering will be
Cdn$20,125,000 ($17,249,000) and proceeds to us (before expenses
of the offering) will be approximately Cdn$18,515,000
($15,869,000). This prospectus covers the shares of common stock
issuable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants and the
underwriters compensation options.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of common stock
and Class A Warrants comprising the units on or
before ,
2005.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
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DESJARDINS SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL INC. |
CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP. |
ORION SECURITIES (USA) INC. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with
information different from the information contained in this
prospectus. The information contained in this prospectus is
accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of
when this prospectus is delivered or when any sale of our common
stock occurs.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
In this prospectus all references to $ or
dollars mean the U.S. dollar, and unless
otherwise indicated all currency amounts in this prospectus are
stated in U.S. dollars. All references to Cdn$
refer to the Canadian dollar. All financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States and are reported in
U.S. dollars.
EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION
The following table sets forth, for each of the years indicated,
the year end exchange rate, the average closing rate and the
high and low closing exchange rates of one Canadian dollar in
exchange for U.S. currency as quoted by the Bank of Canada.
On September 30, 2005, the closing rate was Cdn$1.00 equals
United States $0.8601. For the purposes of this prospectus,
U.S. dollars were converted into Canadian dollars at the
rate of Cdn$1.00 = US$0.8571, rounded to the nearest
thousand dollars, as applicable.
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Calendar Year Ended | |
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Fiscal Year Ended | |
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December 31 | |
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March 31 | |
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2004 | |
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2003 | |
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2005 | |
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2004 | |
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High
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0.8504 |
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0.7726 |
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0.8504 |
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0.7866 |
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Low
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0.7165 |
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0.6381 |
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0.7164 |
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0.6763 |
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Average
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0.7685 |
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0.7138 |
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0.7822 |
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0.7392 |
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Year End
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0.8319 |
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0.7713 |
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0.8267 |
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0.7626 |
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METRIC CONVERSION TABLE
For ease of reference, the following conversion factors are
provided:
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Metric Unit |
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U.S. Measure |
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U.S. Measure |
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Metric Unit | |
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1 hectare
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2.471 acres |
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1 acre |
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0.4047 hectares |
1 metre
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3.2881 feet |
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1 foot |
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0.3048 metres |
1 kilometre
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0.621 miles |
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1 mile |
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1.609 kilometres |
1 gram
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0.032 troy oz. |
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1 troy ounce |
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31.1 grams |
1 kilogram
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2.205 pounds |
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1 pound |
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0.4541 kilograms |
1 tonne
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1.102 short tons |
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1 short ton |
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0.907 tonnes |
1 gram/tonne
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0.029 troy ozs./ton |
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1 troy ounce/ton |
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34.28 grams/tonne |
ii
SUMMARY
This summary does not contain all of the information you
should consider before buying shares of our common stock. You
should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the
Risk Factors and Uncertainties section and our
consolidated financial statements and the related notes
appearing at the end of this prospectus, before deciding to
invest in shares of our common stock.
Summary of Our Business
We are a gold company focused on acquiring, exploring and
developing gold properties in the United States. Our objective
is to establish a producing gold company through the development
and extraction of gold deposits, beginning with our Borealis
Property.
Our principal asset is the Borealis Property located in the
Walker Lane Gold Belt in the Borealis District of Western
Nevada. In the 1980s, previous operators of the Borealis
Property operated a gold mine on the property. Operations at the
mine were shut down in 1991 and a full site reclamation was
completed in 1994.
In May 2005, Ore Reserves Engineering delivered to us a
technical report on the Borealis Property prepared in accordance
with National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities
Administrators.
We acquired our interest in the Borealis Property from Golden
Phoenix Minerals, Inc. in a series of transactions, which began
in July 2003. During 2004, we completed drilling, technical and
engineering work necessary to prepare a Plan of Operation to
allow the construction and operation of an open pit heap leach
mine on the Borealis Property. We submitted the Plan of
Operation to the United States Forest Service in August 2004,
and we are continuing our work to satisfy the requirements of
the various agencies, including the approval of the Nevada
Division of Environmental Protection. We anticipate that the
principal mine operating permits will be granted in early 2006.
We are preparing a feasibility study on the previously mined
area of the Borealis Property to further delineate the gold
mineralization available for the operation of a mine, to upgrade
some or all of the mineralized material to proven and probable
reserves, design the open pit mine, heap leach pads and gold
recovery plant and to estimate the capital and operating costs
of the proposed mining scenario. Metallurgical test work
completed to date indicates the material is amenable to
conventional heap-leach recovery methods. Once we have completed
a feasibility study and, if warranted have made a decision to
begin development, we intend to develop our Borealis Property
and place it into production. We estimate that we may be able to
commence mine operations during the second half of 2006.
We believe that we have the following business strengths that
will enable us to achieve our objectives:
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Our management team has significant mining industry experience
ranging from exploration to mine development and operation. |
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As the Borealis Property was the site of surface mining
operations from 1981 to 1990, we believe the process to receive
permits and start operations on previously mined operations is
less difficult than getting permits for a previously undisturbed
area. We have begun the environmental related regulatory review
and approval process, which we believe will allow us to resume
surface mining and on site gold recovery. We have received
approvals for surface exploration and water wells and have
successfully progressed through the required agency and public
review process for those permits. |
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Our land position is extensive, covering approximately
14,900 acres. We believe many surface showings of gold
mineralization on the property may provide opportunities for
discovery of gold deposits. Our property has multiple types of
gold deposits, including oxidized material, partial oxidized
material, and predominantly sulfide material; which we believe
may allow us flexibility in our future plans for mine
development and expansion. |
We cannot be certain that any mineral deposits will be
discovered in sufficient quantities and grade to justify
commercial operations. We have no proven or probable reserves.
Whether a mineral deposit will be
1
commercially viable depends on a number of factors, including
the particular attributes of the deposit; metal prices, which
are highly cyclical; the cost to extract and process the
mineralized material; and government regulations and permitting
requirements. We may be unable to upgrade our mineralized
material to proven and probable reserves in sufficient
quantities to justify commercial operations and we may not be
able to develop the Borealis Property.
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Borealis Property Mineralization |
Mineralized material is contained in several deposits within the
limits of a specific study area defined as the central core
group of mining claims for historical mining operations that
took place in the 1980s, and was estimated using
guidelines established in, and is compliant with, Canadian NI
43-101 standards. These gold deposits within the specific study
area include: the West Alluvial Deposit, Borealis, Crocodile
Ridge, Deep Ore Flats (also known as Polaris), East Ridge,
Freedom Flats, Gold View, Graben, Middle Ridge and Northeast
Ridge.
Known gold deposits outside the boundaries of the study area
with historical estimates include Cerro Duro, Jaimes Ridge,
Purdy Peak and Boundary Ridge Zone. These four deposits are all
located on mining claims that we control. The historical
estimates have not been verified by our Technical Report and
should not be relied upon.
Summary Financial Data
The following table summarizes our financial data. You should
read the following selected financial data together with our
consolidated financial statements and the related notes
appearing at the end of this prospectus and the
Managements Discussion and Analysis section
and other financial data included in this prospectus.
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Period From | |
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April 24, 2003 | |
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Six Months Ended | |
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From April 24, 2003 | |
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Fiscal Year Ended | |
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(Inception) to | |
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September 30, | |
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(Inception) to | |
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March 31, | |
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March 31, | |
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September 30, | |
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2005 | |
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2004 | |
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2005 | |
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2004 | |
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2005 | |
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(Restated)* | |
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(Restated)* | |
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(Unaudited) | |
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(Unaudited) | |
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(Unaudited) | |
Statement of Operations Data:
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Revenue
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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Net loss
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(2,525,420 |
) |
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(1,115,925 |
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(1,631,188 |
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(1,164,480 |
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(5,272,533 |
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Basic and diluted loss per common share
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(0.17 |
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(0.14 |
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(0.06 |
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(0.08 |
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Weighted average shares
outstanding(1)
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15,287,736 |
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7,879,432 |
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26,940,586 |
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14,388,691 |
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At March 31, | |
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At September 30, | |
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2005 | |
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2004 | |
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2005 | |
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(Unaudited) | |
Balance Sheet Data:
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Cash
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$ |
3,065,436 |
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$ |
975,551 |
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$ |
4,423,362 |
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Working capital
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1,702,953 |
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1,065,082 |
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3,795,068 |
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Total assets
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4,985,808 |
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1,588,107 |
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7,170,301 |
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Non-current liabilities
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Stockholders equity
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3,532,615 |
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1,379,275 |
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5,760,904 |
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(1) |
As of September 30, 2005, we had 27,722,370 Common
shares issued and outstanding. |
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* |
Restated for certain transactions, including shares issued to an
employee, shares issued to directors and options issued to a
consultant, to increase previously reported management salaries
and consulting fees, losses and loss per share. See Note 11
to our audited consolidated financial statements for the year
ended March 31, 2005. |
The Offering
This prospectus covers Units with the aggregate value of
Cdn$17,500,000 ($15,000,000), each Unit consisting of one share
of common stock and one-half of one Class A Warrant,
offered in our initial public offering, plus an over-allotment
option equal to 15% of the total number of Units sold in the
offering.
2
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Securities Offered |
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Units consisting of: |
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one share of common
stock, and |
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one-half of one
Class A Warrant. |
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Each whole Class A Warrant is exercisable to acquire one
share of common stock at
$ per
share and will expire
on . |
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This prospectus also
covers shares
of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Class A
Warrants
and shares
of common stock issuable upon exercise of the underwriters
compensation options. |
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Offering Price |
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Cdn$ per
Unit |
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Common Stock Outstanding as of September 30, 2005 |
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27,722,370 shares |
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Offering(1)(2) |
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Number of Units Offered |
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13,461,538 |
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Number of Shares of Common Stock Outstanding After
Offering |
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41,183,908 |
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Number of Class A Warrants Outstanding After Offering |
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6,730,769 |
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Number of Shares of Common Stock Outstanding Assuming
Exercise of all of the Class A Warrants |
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47,914,677 |
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(1) |
Assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to
purchase up to 15% of the number of units sold in the offering
to cover over-allotments, if any. |
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(2) |
Based on an assumed initial public offering price of Cdn$1.30
($1.11) per unit, the midpoint of our estimated price range of
between Cdn$1.00 ($0.86) and Cdn$1.60 ($1.37) per unit. The
actual number of units issued and the actual initial public
offering price of the units and the exercise price of the
Class A Warrants will be determined by negotiation between
Gryphon Gold and the underwriters in the context of market
conditions. The actual initial public offering price may differ
from the assumed initial public offering price. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering to finance
exploration and, if warranted, development of our Borealis
Property. In addition, we will use the proceeds from this
offering for general corporate purposes, including working
capital needs. Proceeds from the exercise of the
underwriters over-allotment option, if any, will be used
for general corporate purposes. We expect to incur approximately
Cdn$1,400,000 ($1,200,000) in expenses in connection with this
offering, including the reimbursement of expenses of the
underwriters. See Use of Proceeds. |
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Dividend Policy |
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We currently intend to retain any future earnings to fund the
development and growth of our business. Therefore, we do not
currently anticipate paying cash dividends. |
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Offering Restrictions |
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The Units are being offered to the public in Canada under a
Canadian prospectus. The Units are being offered in the United
States by a group of selling agents that includes Desjardins
Securities International Inc., the U.S. affiliate of
Desjardins Securities, Inc., CIBC World Markets Corp., the
U.S. affiliate of CIBC World Markets Inc., and Orion
Securities (USA) Inc., the U.S. affiliate of Orion
Securities Inc., only to qualified institu- |
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tional buyers as that term is defined in Rule 144A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. |
The number of shares of our common stock that will be
outstanding immediately after this offering includes
27,722,370 shares of common stock outstanding as of
November 7, 2005. This calculation excludes:
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2,515,000 shares of common stock issuable upon vested
exercise of options outstanding as of September 30, 2005 at
an exercise price of $0.75 per share for
2,300,000 options and at the initial public offering price
for 215,000 options; |
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6,694,193 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
warrants outstanding as of November 7, 2005 at a weighted
average exercise price of $0.89 per share; |
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485,000 shares of common stock available for future grant
under our Stock Option Plan as of November 7, 2005; |
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an exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option to
purchase up to 2,019,230 additional units from us to cover
over-allotments, if any, assuming an initial public offering
price of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our
range); and |
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shares of common stock issuable to the underwriters pursuant to
the compensation option granted to the underwriters hereunder at
a price of
Cdn$ per
share. |
Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus
assumes no exercise of the Class A Warrants, the
over-allotment option or the underwriters compensation options.
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Listing |
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The Toronto Stock Exchange has conditionally approved the
listing of our common stock, subject to our fulfilling all of
the listing requirements of the exchange by December 28,
2005. |
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Proposed Toronto Stock Exchange Symbol |
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GGN |
Investing in our securities involves risks more specifically
described under Risk Factors and Uncertainties
beginning on page 7.
Our principal business offices are located at 390 Union Blvd.,
Suite 360, Lakewood, Colorado 80228, and our telephone
number is 303-988-5777. We also have an administrative and
financing office in Canada at Suite 810, 1130 West
Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6E 4A4,
and our phone number is 604-261-2229.
4
RISK FACTORS AND UNCERTAINTIES
Readers should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties
described below before deciding whether to invest in shares of
our common stock.
Our failure to successfully address the risks and uncertainties
described below would have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition and/or results of operations, and
the trading price of our common stock may decline and investors
may lose all or part of their investment. We cannot assure you
that we will successfully address these risks or other unknown
risks that may affect our business.
Estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements
inherently subject to error. Although resource estimates require
a high degree of assurance in the underlying data when the
estimates are made, unforeseen events and uncontrollable factors
can have significant adverse or positive impacts on the
estimates. Actual results will inherently differ from estimates.
The unforeseen events and uncontrollable factors include:
geologic uncertainties including inherent sample variability,
metal price fluctuations, variations in mining and processing
parameters, and adverse changes in environmental or mining laws
and regulations. The timing and effects of variances from
estimated values cannot be accurately predicted.
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The feasibility of mining on the Borealis Property, our
only property, has not been established, which means we have not
completed exploration work to determine if it is commercially
feasible to develop the property. |
We have no probable or proven reserves on our property. The
mineralized material identified to date on the Borealis Property
does not have demonstrated economic viability, and we cannot
provide any assurance that mineral reserves will be identified
on the property. The feasibility of mining has not been, and may
never, be established. Whether a mineral deposit will be
commercially viable depends on a number of factors, some of
which are: the particular attributes of the deposit, such as
size, grade and proximity to infrastructure; metal prices, which
are highly cyclical; and government regulations, including
regulations relating to prices, taxes, royalties, land tenure,
land use, importing and exporting of minerals and environmental
protection. If we are unable to upgrade some or all of our
mineralized material to proven and probable reserves in
sufficient quantities to justify commercial operations, we may
not be able to develop a mine at the Borealis Property. The
market value of exploration stage companies is determined, in
part, by the existence of proven or probable reserves on the
companys property. If we are unable to establish such
reserves, the market value of our securities is expected to
decline significantly and you may lose some or all of your
investment. In addition, if we are unable to develop the
Borealis Property, we may never be able to generate revenues
from operations.
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Historical production on the Borealis Property may not be
indicative of the potential for future development. |
The Borealis Mine actively produced gold in the 1980s, but
we currently have no commercial production at the Borealis
Property and have never recorded any revenues. You should not
rely on the fact that there were historical mining operations at
the Borealis Property as an indication that we will ever place
the property into commercial production. We expect to continue
to incur losses unless and until such time, if ever, as our
property enters into commercial production and generates
sufficient revenues to fund our continuing operations. The
development of new mining operations at the Borealis Property
will require the commitment of substantial resources for
operating expenses and capital expenditures, which may increase
in subsequent years as needed consultants, personnel and
equipment associated with advancing exploration, development and
commercial production of our properties are added. The amounts
and timing of expenditures will depend on the progress of
ongoing exploration and development, the results of
consultants analysis and recommendations, the rate at
which operating losses are incurred, the execution of any joint
venture agreements with strategic partners, our acquisition of
additional properties, and other factors, many of which are
beyond our control. We may not be able to place the Borealis
Property into production or generate any revenues or achieve
profitability.
5
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Our operations may require further capital beyond what we
raise in this offering. |
We are an early stage company and currently do not have
sufficient capital to fully fund the Plan of Operation at the
Borealis Property. Currently, we have sufficient cash on hand to
fund the completion of a feasibility study, the current drilling
program and general and administrative expenses through our
fiscal year ending March 31, 2006. Although the proceeds of
this offering are expected to provide us with sufficient capital
to fund our initial mining, processing, development and
exploration of the Borealis Property based on managements
current assumptions, we may require substantial additional
financing for future exploration or development activities or if
we encounter unexpected costs or delays. Failure to obtain
sufficient financing may result in the delay or indefinite
postponement of exploration, development or production on any or
all of the Borealis Property and any properties we may acquire
in the future or even a loss of property interest. This includes
the Borealis Property, as our lease over claims covering the
principal deposits will expire in 2009 unless we are engaged in
active mining operations at that time. We have not obtained firm
bids or third party verification for completing work on the
Borealis Property, and we cannot be certain that the amounts we
allocate in our use of proceeds will be sufficient to fund this
work. We cannot be certain that additional capital or other
types of financing will be available if needed or that, if
available, the terms of such financing will be favorable or
acceptable to us. Future financings may cause dilution to our
shareholders.
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Our exploration activities on the Borealis Property may
not be commercially successful, which could lead us to abandon
our plans to develop the property and our investments in
exploration. |
Our long-term success depends on our ability to identify
additional mineral deposits on the Borealis Property and other
properties we may acquire, if any, that we can then develop into
commercially viable mining operations. Mineral exploration is
highly speculative in nature, involves many risks and is
frequently nonproductive. These risks include unusual or
unexpected geologic formations, and the inability to obtain
suitable or adequate machinery, equipment or labor. The success
of gold exploration is determined in part by the following
factors:
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the identification of potential gold mineralization based on
superficial analysis; |
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availability of government-granted exploration permits; |
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the quality of our management and our geological and technical
expertise; and |
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the capital available for exploration. |
Substantial expenditures are required to establish proven and
probable reserves through drilling and analysis, to develop
metallurgical processes to extract metal, and to develop the
mining and processing facilities and infrastructure at any site
chosen for mining. Whether a mineral deposit will be
commercially viable depends on a number of factors, which
include, without limitation, the particular attributes of the
deposit, such as size, grade and proximity to infrastructure;
metal prices, which fluctuate widely; and government
regulations, including, without limitation, regulations relating
to prices, taxes, royalties, land tenure, land use, importing
and exporting of minerals and environmental protection. We may
invest significant capital and resources in exploration
activities and abandon such investments if we are unable to
identify commercially exploitable mineral reserves. The decision
to abandon a project may have an adverse effect on the market
value of our securities and the ability to raise future
financing. We cannot assure you that we will discover or acquire
any mineralized material in sufficient quantities on any of our
properties to justify commercial operations.
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Planned exploration, and, if warranted, development and
mining activities on our Borealis Property involve a high degree
of risk. |
Our planned operations will be subject to all the hazards and
risks normally encountered in the exploration, development and
production of gold and other base or precious metals, including,
without limitation, unusual and unexpected geologic formations,
seismic activity, rock bursts, pit-wall failures, cave-ins,
flooding and other conditions involved in the drilling and
removal of material, any of which could result in damage to, or
destruction of, mines and other producing facilities, damage to
life or property, environmental
6
damage and legal liability. Milling operations, if any, are
subject to various hazards, including, without limitation,
equipment failure and failure of retaining dams around tailings
disposal areas, which may result in environmental pollution and
legal liability.
The parameters used in estimating mining and processing
efficiency are based on testing and experience with previous
operations. While the parameters used have a reasonable basis,
various unforeseen conditions can occur that may materially
affect the estimates. In particular, past operations indicate
that care must be taken to ensure that proper ore grade control
is employed and that proper steps are taken to ensure that the
leaching operations are executed as planned.
If we make a decision to develop the Borealis Property, we plan
to process the sulfide gold mineralization using technology that
has been demonstrated to be commercially effective at other gold
deposits in Nevada. These techniques may not be as efficient or
economical as we project, and we may never achieve profitability.
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A decline in gold prices may make it commercially
unfeasible for us to develop our property and may cause our
stock price to decline. |
The value and price of our units, common shares and warrants,
our financial results, and our exploration, development and
mining activities may be significantly adversely affected by
declines in the price of gold and other precious metals. Gold
prices fluctuate widely and are affected by numerous factors
beyond our control such as interest rates, exchange rates,
inflation or deflation, fluctuation in the value of the United
States dollar and foreign currencies, global and regional supply
and demand, and the political and economic conditions of gold
producing countries throughout the world. The price for gold
fluctuates in response to many factors beyond anyones
ability to predict. The prices used in making the estimates in
our plans differ from daily prices quoted in the news media. The
percentage change in the price of a metal cannot be directly
related to the estimated mineralized material quantities, which
are affected by a number of additional factors. For example, a
10 percent change in price may have little impact on the
estimated mineralized material quantities and affect only the
resultant positive cash flow, or it may result in a significant
change in the amount of mineralized material. Because mining
occurs over a number of years, it may be prudent to continue
mining for some periods during which cash flows are temporarily
negative for a variety of reasons including a belief that the
low price is temporary and/or the greater expense incurred in
closing a property permanently.
Mineralized material calculations and life-of-mine plans using
significantly lower gold and precious metal prices could result
in material write-downs of our investments in mining properties
and increased amortization, reclamation and closure charges.
In addition to adversely affecting our mineralized material
estimates and its financial condition, declining metal prices
can impact operations by requiring a reassessment of the
commercial feasibility of a particular project. Such a
reassessment may be the result of a management decision related
to a particular project. Even if the project is ultimately
determined to be economically viable, the need to conduct such a
reassessment may cause substantial delays in development or may
interrupt operations, if any, until the reassessment can be
completed.
Declines in gold prices may cause our stock price to decline,
which could cause you to lose money and make it difficult for us
to raise capital on terms acceptable to us.
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Title to the Borealis Property may be subject to other
claims, which could affect our property rights and
claims. |
Although we believe we have exercised commercially reasonable
due diligence with respect to determining title to properties we
own or control and the claims that are subject to the Borealis
mining lease, there is no guarantee that title to such
properties will not be challenged or impugned. The Borealis
Property may be subject to prior unrecorded agreements or
transfers or native land claims and title may be affected by
undetected defects. There may be valid challenges to the title
of the Borealis Property which, if successful, could impair
development and/or operations. This is particularly the case in
respect of those portions of the Borealis Property in which we
hold our interest solely through a lease with the claim holders,
as such interest
7
is substantially based on contract and has been subject to a
number of assignments (as opposed to a direct interest in the
property).
All of the mineral rights to the Borealis Property consist of
unpatented mining claims created and maintained in
accordance with the U.S. General Mining Law. Unpatented
mining claims are unique property interests, and are generally
considered to be subject to greater title risk than other real
property interests because the validity of unpatented mining
claims is often uncertain. This uncertainty arises, in part, out
of the complex federal and state laws and regulations under the
U.S. General Mining Law, including the requirement of a
proper physical discovery of valuable minerals within the
boundaries of each claim and proper compliance with physical
staking requirements. Also, unpatented mining claims are always
subject to possible challenges by third parties or validity
contests by the federal government. The validity of an
unpatented mining or millsite claim, in terms of both its
location and its maintenance, is dependent on strict compliance
with a complex body of U.S. federal and state statutory and
decisional law. In addition, there are few public records that
definitively determine the issues of validity and ownership of
unpatented mining claims.
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Estimates of mineralized materials at the Borealis
Property are subject to geologic uncertainty and inherent sample
variability, and actual mineralization encountered in further
exploration and development could differ from
these estimates. |
Although the mineralization estimates at the Borealis Property
have been delineated with appropriately spaced drilling, there
is inherent variability between duplicate samples taken adjacent
to each other and between sampling points that cannot be
reasonably eliminated. There also may be unknown geologic
details that have not been identified or correctly appreciated
at the current level of delineation. This results in
uncertainties that cannot be reasonably eliminated from the
estimation process. Some of the resulting variances can have a
positive effect and others can have a negative effect on mining
and processing operations. Acceptance of these uncertainties is
part of any mining operation.
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Reported mineralization contained in the prospectus are
only estimates and samples which may be unreliable. |
Although the mineralized material figures, including average
gold grades and drill results, reported in this prospectus have
been carefully prepared, these amounts are estimates and sample
results only, and we cannot be certain that any specified level
of recovery of gold or other mineral from mineralized material
will in fact be realized or that the Borealis Property or any
other identified mineral deposit will ever qualify as a
commercially mineable (or viable) ore body that can be
economically exploited. Mineralized material, which is not
mineral reserves, does not have demonstrated economic viability.
Any material change in the quantity of mineralization, grade or
stripping ratio, or the gold price may affect the economic
viability of our properties. In addition, we cannot be certain
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.
Even though gold has been mined and successfully recovered for
several years at the Borealis Property, until an unmined deposit
is actually mined and processed the quantity of mineral
reserves, if any, and grades must be considered as estimates
only. In addition, the quantity of mineral reserves, if any, may
vary depending on, among other things, metal prices. Any
material change in quantity of mineral reserves, mineral
resources, grade or stripping ratio may affect the economic
viability of the Borealis Property. In addition, we cannot be
certain that gold recoveries or other metal recoveries in small
scale laboratory tests will be duplicated in a larger scale test
under on-site conditions or during production.
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We currently depend on a single property the
Borealis Property. |
Our only mineral property is the Borealis Property. Even though
the Borealis Property encompasses several areas with known gold
mineralization, unless we acquire additional properties or
projects or discover additional deposits at the Borealis
Property, we will be solely dependent upon the success of the
Borealis Property as a source of future revenue and profits, if
any. We cannot provide any assurance that we will
8
establish any reserves or successfully commence mining
operations on the Borealis Property or that we will ever obtain
an interest in any other property with mineral potential in
order to diversify our business.
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Government regulation may increase costs or cause delay in
our business and planned operations. |
We believe that we currently comply with existing state and
federal environmental and mining laws and regulations at the
Borealis Property and that our proposed development of the
property will also meet those standards. Our mining, processing,
development and mineral exploration activities, if any, are
subject to various laws governing prospecting, mining,
development, production, taxes, labor standards and occupational
health, mine safety, toxic substances, land use, water use, land
claims of local people and other matters. We cannot assure you
that new rules and regulations will not be enacted or that
existing rules and regulations will not be applied in a manner
which could limit or curtail our exploration, production or
development. At present, there is no royalty payable to the
United States on production from unpatented mining claims,
although legislative attempts to impose a royalty have occurred
in recent years. Amendments to current laws and regulations
governing operations and activities of exploration, development
mining and milling or more stringent implementation thereof
could have a material adverse impact on our business and
financial condition and cause increases in exploration expenses,
capital expenditures or production costs or reduction in levels
of production assuming we achieve production or require
abandonment or delays in development of new mining properties.
We will require permits and approvals from the Bureau of Land
Management, U.S. Forest Service, the State of Nevada,
Nevada Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation and other
regulatory agencies in order to implement our planned operations
at the Borealis Property. See United States Mining
Laws and Permitting for additional
information. We have not obtained all of the required permits
and governmental approvals for our planned operations at the
Borealis Property, and we may require additional permits for
future operations.
Government approvals and permits are currently, and may in the
future be, required in connection with our operations, if any.
We still require environmental operating permits, approval of
our plan of operations and a water pollution control permit to
commence development of our Borealis Property. To the extent
other approvals are required and not obtained; we may be
curtailed or prohibited from commencing or continuing mining
operations or from proceeding with planned exploration or
development of mineral properties.
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Our operations are subject to environmental risks which
could expose us to significant liability and delay, suspend or
terminate our operations at the Borealis Property. |
All phases of our operations, if any, will be subject to
federal, state and local environmental regulation. See
United States Mining Laws and Permitting
for additional information. These regulations mandate, among
other things, the maintenance of air and water quality standards
and land reclamation. They also set forth limitations on the
generation, transportation, storage and disposal of solid and
hazardous waste. Environmental legislation is evolving in a
manner which 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. We cannot be certain that future
changes in environmental regulation, if any, will not adversely
affect our operations, if any. Environmental hazards may exist
on the Borealis Property and on properties which we hold and may
hold interests in the future that are unknown to us at present
and that have been caused by previous or existing owners or
operators of the properties.
Failure to comply with applicable 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.
Parties engaged in mining operations or in the exploration or
development of mineral properties may be required to compensate
those suffering loss or damage by reason of the mining
activities and may have civil or criminal fines or penalties
imposed for violations of applicable laws or regulations.
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Production, if any, at our mines will involve the use of
hazardous materials. Should these materials leak or otherwise be
discharged from their containment systems then we may become
subject to liability for hazards that we may not be insured
against or for clean up work that may not be insured.
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We will be required to locate mineral reserves for our
long-term success. |
Because mines have limited lives based on proven and probable
mineral reserves, we will have to continually replace and expand
our mineral reserves, if any, if and when the Borealis Property
produces gold and other base or precious metals. Our ability to
maintain or increase its annual production of gold and other
base or precious metals once the Borealis Property is restarted,
if at all, will be dependent almost entirely on its ability to
bring new mines into production.
The Borealis Property has an estimated nominal mine life of
approximately ten years, which is based solely on preliminary
engineering studies and commodity price assumptions which may
not be correct. An increasing gold price or discovery of
additional mineralized material could have the effect of
extending mine life; while a decreasing gold price could shorten
mine life.
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We do not insure against all risks which we may be subject
to in our planned operations. |
We currently maintain insurance to insure against general
commercial liability claims and losses of equipment. Our
insurance will not cover all the potential risks associated with
a mining companys operations. We may also be unable to
maintain insurance to cover these risks at economically feasible
premiums. Insurance coverage may not continue to be available or
may not be adequate to cover any resulting liability. Moreover,
we expect that insurance against risks such as environmental
pollution or other hazards as a result of exploration and
production may be prohibitively expensive to obtain for a
company of our size and financial means. We might also become
subject to liability for pollution or other hazards which may
not be insured against or which we may elect not to insure
against because of premium costs or other reasons. Losses from
these events may cause us to incur significant costs that could
negatively affect our financial condition and ability to fund
our activities on the Borealis Property. A significant loss
could force us to terminate our operations.
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We compete with larger, better capitalized competitors in
the mining industry. |
The mining industry is competitive in all of its phases,
including financing, technical resources, personnel and property
acquisition. It requires significant capital, technical
resources, personnel and operational experience to effectively
compete in the mining industry. Because of the high costs
associated with exploration, the expertise required to analyze a
projects potential and the capital required to develop a
mine, larger companies with significant resources may have a
competitive advantage over us. We face strong competition from
other mining companies, some with greater financial resources,
operational experience and technical capabilities than us. As a
result of this competition, we may be unable to maintain or
acquire financing, personnel, technical resources or attractive
mining properties on terms we consider acceptable or at all.
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Our growth will require new personnel, which we will be
required to recruit, hire, train and retain. |
We are expecting significant growth in our number of employees
if we determine that a mine at the Borealis Property is
commercially feasible and we elect to develop the property. This
growth will place substantial demands on us and our management.
Our ability to assimilate new personnel will be critical to our
performance. We will be required to recruit additional personnel
and to train, motivate and manage employees. We will also have
to adopt and implement new systems in all aspects of our
operations. This will be particularly critical in the event we
decide not to use a contract miner at the Borealis Property. We
have no assurance that we will be able to recruit the personnel
required to execute our programs or to manage these changes
successfully.
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Our directors and officers may have conflicts of interest
as a result of their relationships with
other companies. |
Certain of the directors and officers of Gryphon Gold have
served as officers and directors for other companies engaged in
natural resource exploration and development and may also serve
as directors and/or
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officers of other companies involved in natural resource
exploration and development. For example, Christopher Herald is
the President and CEO of Crown Resources and Richard Hughes is
President of Klondike Gold Corp. and a director of Alamos Gold
Inc. Consequently, there is a possibility that our directors
and/or officers may be in a position of conflict in the future.
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We are concurrently offering units to the public in Canada
under a Canadian prospectus which uses standards for reporting
mineralized material that are not permitted under United States
reporting standards. |
We use the terms measured mineral resources,
indicated mineral resources and inferred
mineral resources in our Canadian prospectus to comply
with reporting standards in Canada. We advise investors that
while those terms are recognized and required by Canadian
regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission, or the SEC, does not recognize them and we have not
reported them in this prospectus. Investors are cautioned not to
assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these
categories will ever be converted into mineral reserves. These
terms have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence,
and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal
feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of
measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources, or
inferred mineral resources referred to in our Canadian
prospectus will ever be upgraded to a higher category. In
accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral
resources cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic
studies. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of
the reported measured mineral resources, indicated mineral
resources, or inferred mineral resources in our Canadian
prospectus is economically or legally mineable.
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New legislation, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
may make it difficult for us to retain or attract officers and
directors. |
We may be unable to attract and retain qualified officers,
directors and members of board committees required to provide
for our effective management as a result of the recent and
currently proposed changes in the rules and regulations which
govern publicly-held companies. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has
resulted in a series of rules and regulations by the Securities
and Exchange Commission that increase responsibilities and
liabilities of directors and executive officers. We are a small
company with a very limited operating history and no revenues or
profits, which may influence the decisions of potential
candidates we may recruit as directors or officers. The
perceived increased personal risk associated with these recent
changes may deter qualified individuals from accepting these
roles.
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While we believe we have adequate internal control over
financial reporting, we will be required to evaluate our
internal controls under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, and any adverse results from such evaluation could
result in a loss of investor confidence in our financial reports
and have an adverse effect on the price of our shares of common
stock. |
Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
we expect that beginning with our annual report on
Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008,
we will be required to furnish a report by management on our
internal controls over financial reporting. Such report will
contain, among other matters, an assessment of the effectiveness
of our internal control over financial reporting, including a
statement as to whether or not our internal control over
financial reporting is effective. This assessment must include
disclosure of any material weaknesses in our internal control
over financial reporting identified by our management. Such
report must also contain a statement that our auditors have
issued an attestation report on our managements assessment
of such internal controls. Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board Auditing Standard No. 2 provides the professional
standards and related performance guidance for auditors to
attest to, and report on, our managements assessment of
the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting
under Section 404.
While we believe our internal control over financial reporting
is effective, we are still compiling the system and processing
documentation and performing the evaluation needed to comply
with Section 404, which is both costly and challenging. We
cannot be certain that we will be able to complete our
evaluation, testing and any required remediation in a timely
fashion. During the evaluation and testing process, if we
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identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control
over financial reporting, we will be unable to assert that such
internal control is effective. If we are unable to assert that
our internal control over financial reporting is effective as of
March 31, 2008 (or if our auditors are unable to attest
that our managements report is fairly stated or they are
unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our
internal controls), we could lose investor confidence in the
accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which would
have a material adverse effect on our stock price.
Failure to comply with the new rules may make it more difficult
for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director
and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept
reduced policy limits and coverage and/or incur substantially
higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. The impact
of these events could also make it more difficult for us to
attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of
directors, on committees of our board of directors, or as
executive officers.
Risks Related to this Offering
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You may lose your entire investment in our
securities. |
An investment in our common stock is highly speculative and may
result in the loss of your entire investment. Only potential
investors who are experienced investors in high risk investments
and who can afford to lose their entire investment should
consider an investment in us.
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We currently have no active market for our
securities. |
There is currently no market for Gryphon Golds common
shares and we cannot be certain that an active market will
develop or be sustained after the offering. We anticipate that
the primary market for our common stock will be on the Toronto
Stock Exchange in Canada. We have received conditional listing
approval for our common stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange,
subject to our meeting the listing requirements of the Exchange.
In order to meet the listing requirements of the Toronto Stock
Exchange we must complete the offering by December 28,
2005. In addition, at least 1,000,000 of the shares of common
stock comprising the units offered under the prospectus must be
purchased by at least 300 purchasers. The Toronto Stock
Exchange also requires that we amend our by-laws to include
provisions in respect of certain specified rights of
shareholders and certain specified limitations on the discretion
of the directors as it relates to our share capital. The Toronto
Stock Exchange requires that we undertake to seek the
ratification of our shareholders to such amendment at our next
shareholders meeting. Moreover, we will require the prior
approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange to any future amendment
to our by-laws. If shareholders do not ratify the amendment to
our by-law, we will be in breach of our listing agreement with
the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange will
have the right to suspend or cease the listing of our common
stock.
We have not applied for a listing of our common stock in the
United States. We anticipate that our common stock will be
quoted on the NASD over-the-counter bulletin board or the pink
sheets in the United States, but we expect that the primary
market for our common stock will be in Canada on the Toronto
Stock Exchange. The lack of an active public market in the
United States could have a material adverse effect on the price
and liquidity of our common stock. The price of the common stock
to the public and the commission to the underwriters was
established by negotiation between Gryphon Gold and the
underwriters, and may not be indicative of fair market value or
future market prices.
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If we do not maintain an effective registration statement
covering the warrants offered in our units, or comply with
applicable state securities laws, you may not be able to
exercise the warrants or you may be restricted from selling the
underlying common stock. |
In order for you to exercise the Class A Warrants, the
shares of common stock underlying them must be covered by an
effective registration statement filed with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission unless an exemption from such
requirements is otherwise available. If the issuance of shares
is not exempt under state securities laws, the shares must be
properly registered with state securities regulators. At
present, we plan to maintain an effective registration statement
when the Class A Warrants are exercised. However, we cannot
provide any assurance that state exemptions will be available,
the state authorities will
12
permit us to register the underlying shares, or that an
effective registration statement will be in place at all
relevant times. These factors may limit your ability to exercise
the Class A Warrants unless an applicable registration
exemption is available. Even if such an exemption is available,
the underlying shares of common stock may be subject to
regulatory resale restrictions that would effectively limit your
ability to sell the shares.
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Our officers and directors own approximately 30% of our
issued and outstanding common stock and shareholders holding
more than 5% of our common stock own approximately 37% of our
issued and outstanding stock, which may limit your ability to
influence corporate matters. |
As of September 30, 2005, Allen Gordon, our President and
Chief Executive Officer and a director, owned
2,250,000 shares of common stock and options exercisable to
acquire an additional 350,000 shares of our common stock;
Albert Matter, our Executive Chairman and Chairman of our Board,
owned 2,250,000 shares of common stock and options
exercisable to acquire an additional 350,000 shares of our
common stock; and our other officers and directors,
collectively, as a group, owned 3,830,000 shares of our
common stock and options to acquire 1,600,000 shares of our
common stock. Together, as of September 30, 2005, our
officers and directors own 8,330,000 shares of our common
stock (approximately 30.0% of our issued and outstanding shares
of common stock) and options exercisable to acquire an
additional 2,300,000 shares of common stock (approximately
7.4% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock, if
fully exercised). In addition, Standard Bank plc holds
3,846,154 shares of our common stock and warrants
exercisable to acquire 1,923,077 shares of common stock
(approximately 13.9% of our issued and outstanding shares of
common stock, or 19.5% assuming the exercise of the warrants)
and Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership holds
2,000,000 shares of common stock and warrants exercisable
to acquire 250,000 shares of common stock (approximately
7.2% of our issued and outstanding common stock, or 8.0%
assuming the exercise of the warrants). Together, Allen Gordon,
Albert Matter, Standard Bank and Bolder Opportunities I hold
10,346,154 shares of common stock or approximately 37% of
our issued and outstanding common stock, excluding options or
warrants. These shareholders could control the outcome of any
corporate transaction or other matter submitted to our
shareholders for approval, including mergers, consolidations and
the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, and also
could prevent or cause a change in control. The interests of
these shareholders may conflict with the interests of our other
shareholders.
Third parties may be discouraged from making a tender offer or
bid to acquire us because of this concentration of ownership.
After the completion of this offering, as a result of the sale
of the units by us, our officers and directors, as a group,
together with Standard Bank and Bolder Opportunities I will
have their aggregate holdings of our outstanding shares of
common stock reduced to 25.1%, excluding their options and
warrants and exercise by the underwriters of their
over-allotment option to purchase up to 2,019,230 additional
units from us to cover over-allotments (assuming we issue units
at Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our range)),
if any, and their compensation options.
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Purchasers of shares of common stock offered in this
offering will suffer an immediate dilution due to this
offering. |
Purchasers of the shares of common stock offered hereby will
incur an immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible
book value per share of the shares of common stock from the
initial public offering price. Dilution per share to
new investors in this offering represents the difference between
the amount per share paid by new investors for a share of our
common stock and the as-adjusted, net tangible book value per
common share immediately following our offering. Set forth under
the heading Dilution in this prospectus, we have
provided information to new investors, excluding the exercise by
the underwriters of their over-allotment option to purchase up
to 2,019,230 additional units from us to cover over-allotments
(assuming we issue units at Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the
midpoint of our range)), if any, and compensation options
exercisable to acquire common shares equal to 10% of the number
of units sold in the offering. In these calculations, we have
counted one share per unit but have not included any of the
warrants included in the units. After giving effect to the sale
of 13,461,538 units at an assumed offering price of Cdn$1.30
($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our range), the
as-adjusted, net tangible book value of our common stock would
have
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been $19,174,174 or $0.47 per share at June 30, 2005.
Although these calculations show an immediate increase in the
pro forma net tangible book value per common share of $0.23,
they also disclose the immediate dilution per common share
purchased by new investors of $0.64. See Dilution
below.
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Future sales of our common stock may depress our stock
price thereby decreasing the value of your investment. |
The market price of our common stock could decline as a result
of sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the
public market, or the perception that these sales could occur.
In addition, these factors could make it more difficult for us
to raise funds through future offerings of common stock. There
will be an aggregate of 41,183,908 shares of common stock
outstanding immediately after this offering assuming we sold the
maximum number of units offered at an assumed offering price of
Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our range),
excluding the exercise of over-allotment option to purchase up
to 2,019,230 additional units to cover over-allotments and the
exercise of the underwriters compensation options to
acquire common shares equal to 10% of the total number of units
sold in the offering. All of the shares of common stock sold in
the offering will be freely transferable without restriction or
further registration under the Securities Act, except for any
shares purchased by our affiliates, as defined in
Rule 144 of the Securities Act. The remaining shares of our
common stock outstanding will be restricted
securities as defined in Rule 144. After the
scheduled lock up periods imposed on our existing shareholders,
which permit the immediate sale of up to the greater of 5,000
shares or 20% of a shareholders common stock during each
quarter (except for officers and directors who, during each
quarter, may not sell any shares for the first 6 months and
may thereafter sell up to the greater of 5,000 shares or 20% of
their common stock) these shares may be sold without
registration under the Securities Act to the extent permitted by
Rule 144 or other exceptions under the Securities Act. The
lockup agreements expire after 18 months, but our executive
officers and directors are also subject to applicable escrow
requirements under Canadian securities regulatory policies. See
Escrowed Shares below.
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If our common stock is not regularly traded on an
established securities market, you may be subject to
U.S. federal income tax on the disposition of your
securities. |
We believe that we currently are a United States real
property holding corporation under Section 897(c) of
the Internal Revenue Code, referred to as a USRPHC, and that
there is a substantial likelihood that we will continue to be
USRPHC. Generally, gain recognized by a Non-U.S. Holder on
the sale or other taxable disposition of common stock should be
subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at
normal graduated U.S. federal income tax rates if we
qualify as a USRPHC at any time during the 5-year period ending
on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition of the
common stock (or the Non-US. Holders holding period for
the common stock, if shorter). Under an exception to these
rules, if the common stock is regularly traded on an
established securities market, the common stock will be
treated as stock of a USRPHC only with respect to a
Non-U.S. Holder that held (directly or under certain
constructive ownership rules) more than 5% of the common stock
during the 5-year period ending on the date of the sale or other
taxable disposition of the common stock (or the Non-US.
Holders holding period for the common stock, if shorter).
There can be no assurances that the common stock will be
regularly traded on an established securities
market. See United States Federal Income Tax
Consequences To Non-United States Holders below.
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Broker-dealers may be discouraged from effecting
transactions in our common shares because they are considered a
penny stock and are subject to the penny stock rules. |
Rules 15g-1 through 15g-9 promulgated under the Exchange
Act impose sales practice and disclosure requirements on certain
brokers-dealers who engage in certain transactions involving a
penny stock. Subject to certain exceptions, a penny
stock generally includes any non-NASDAQ equity security that has
a market price of less than $5.00 per share. Our common
stock is expected to trade below $5.00 per share
immediately upon closing of the offering. The additional sales
practice and disclosure requirements imposed upon broker-dealers
may discourage broker-dealers from effecting transactions in our
shares, which could severely limit the market liquidity of the
shares and impede the sale of our shares in the secondary market.
14
A broker-dealer selling penny stock to anyone other than an
established customer or accredited investor,
generally, an individual with net worth in excess of $1,000,000
or an annual income exceeding $200,000, or $300,000 together
with his or her spouse, must make a special suitability
determination for the purchaser and must receive the
purchasers written consent to the transaction prior to
sale, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise
exempt. In addition, the penny stock regulations require the
broker-dealer to deliver, prior to any transaction involving a
penny stock, a disclosure schedule prepared by the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the penny stock
market, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise
exempt. A broker-dealer is also required to disclose commissions
payable to the broker-dealer and the registered representative
and current quotations for the securities. Finally, a
broker-dealer is required to send monthly statements disclosing
recent price information with respect to the penny stock held in
a customers account and information with respect to the
limited market in penny stocks.
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In the event that your investment in our shares is for the
purpose of deriving dividend income or in expectation of an
increase in market price of our shares from the declaration and
payment of dividends, your investment will be compromised
because we do not intend to pay dividends. |
We have never paid a dividend to our shareholders, and we intend
to retain our cash for the continued development of our
business. We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common
stock in the foreseeable future. As a result, your return on
investment will be solely determined by your ability to sell
your shares in a secondary market.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
We use words like expects, believes,
intends, anticipates, plans,
targets, projects or
estimates in this prospectus. When used, these words
and other, similar words and phrases or statements that an
event, action or result will, may,
could, or should occur, be taken or be
achieved identify forward-looking statements. This
prospectus contains forward-looking information
which may include, but is not limited to, statements with
respect to the following:
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the timing and possible outcome of pending regulatory and
permitting matters; |
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the timing and outcome of our feasibility study; |
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the parameters and design of our planned initial mining
facilities on the Borealis Property; |
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future financial or operating performances of Gryphon Gold, its
subsidiaries and its projects; |
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the estimation of mineral resources and the realization of
mineral reserves, if any, based on mineral resource estimates; |
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the timing of exploration, development and production activities
and estimated future production, if any; |
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estimates related to costs of production, capital, operating and
exploration expenditures; |
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requirements for additional capital; |
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government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks,
reclamation and rehabilitation expenses; |
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title disputes or claims; |
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limitations of insurance coverage; and |
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the future price of gold, silver or other metals. |
Such forward-looking statements reflect our current views with
respect to future events and are subject to certain risks,
uncertainties and assumptions, including, the risks and
uncertainties outlined under the sections titled Risk
Factors and Uncertainties beginning at page 5 of this
prospectus, Gryphon Gold Corporation beginning at
page 15 of this prospectus and Managements
Discussion and Analysis beginning at page 71 of
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this prospectus. Should one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions
prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those
anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
Our management has included projections and estimates in this
prospectus, which are based primarily on managements
experience in the industry, assessments of our results of
operations, discussions and negotiations with third parties and
a review of information filed by our competitors with the
Securities and Exchange Commission or otherwise publicly
available. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any
such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date
made. We disclaim any obligation subsequently to revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence
of anticipated or unanticipated events.
We qualify all the forward-looking statements contained in this
prospectus by the foregoing cautionary statements.
GRYPHON GOLD CORPORATION
Name and Incorporation
Gryphon Gold Corporation was formed under the laws of the State
of Nevada on April 24, 2003.
Our principal business offices are located at 390 Union Blvd.,
Suite 360, Lakewood, Colorado 80228, and our telephone
number is 303-988-5777. We also have an administrative and
financing office in Canada at Suite 810, 1130 West
Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,
V6E 4A4, and our telephone number there is 604-621-2229.
We own 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of our
operating subsidiary, Borealis Mining Company. We have no other
subsidiary. Borealis Mining Company was formed under the laws of
the State of Nevada on June 5, 2003.
DESCRIPTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS
History and Background of the Company
We were established as a private company in April 2003 by our
two co-founders, Albert Matter and Allen Gordon, to acquire and
develop gold properties in the United States.
During the period from our inception on April 24, 2003
through March 31, 2004, we funded our capital needs by
raising $2,419,200 in private placements, issuing
14,376,000 shares of common stock at prices ranging from
$0.10 per share to $0.225 per share.
In July 2003, through our wholly-owned subsidiary Borealis
Mining, we acquired from Golden Phoenix an option to earn up to
a 70% joint venture interest in the mining lease for the
Borealis Property (July 2003 Option and Joint Venture Agreement)
by making qualified development expenditures on that property.
In October 2003, we engaged Behre Dolbear & Company,
Inc., mining consultants, to prepare a preliminary scoping study
for the redevelopment of the Borealis Property. Behre Dolbear
prepared a report entitled Preliminary Scoping Study
dated June 7, 2004, which we refer to as the
Behre Dolbear Report.
During 2004, we completed drilling, technical and engineering
work necessary to prepare a Plan of Operation in respect of the
development of an open pit, a heap leach mine on the Borealis
Property. We submitted the Plan of Operation to the
U.S. Forest Service on August 27, 2004, and we
continue to work on satisfying all the requirements of the
various approval agencies and completing all necessary reviews,
including the approval of the Nevada Division of Environmental
Protection. We anticipate that the principal mine operating
permits will be granted in early 2006.
Following the course established by the recommendations in the
Behre Dolbear Report, and based on additional geologic field
work that was completed in 2004, we retained Ore Reserves
Engineering, consulting
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resource modeling engineers, to complete an updated resource
estimate model in accordance with NI 43-101. In May 2005, Ore
Reserves Engineering delivered the report titled
Technical Report on the Mineral Resources of the
Borealis Gold Project Located in Mineral County,
Nevada which we refer to as the Technical
Report throughout this prospectus.
During our fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, we raised
$175,000 by issuing 500,000 shares of common stock to an
executive officer at $0.35 per share under the terms of his
employment agreement. We raised an additional $4,430,375 by
issuing 6,815,962 units in a series of private placements.
Each unit consisted of one share of common stock and one-half of
one share purchase warrant, each whole warrant exercisable to
acquire one share of common stock at $0.90 per share until
the earlier of two years from the issue date and nine months
following the date on which common stock is listed on a public
stock exchange.
On January 10, 2005, Borealis Mining entered into a
purchase agreement with Golden Phoenix which gave Borealis
Mining the right to purchase the interest of Golden Phoenix in
the Borealis Property for $1,400,000. Golden Phoenix transferred
its interest in the Borealis Property to Borealis Mining on
January 28, 2005. Borealis Mining paid $400,000 of the
purchase price to Golden Phoenix upon closing of the purchase,
with four additional payments of $250,000 due to Golden Phoenix
on a quarterly basis thereafter.
As of August 17, 2005, Borealis had completed the first two
payments and the final two payments of $250,000 are due on
October 28, 2005 and January 27, 2006, respectively.
Gryphon Gold guaranteed Borealis Minings payment
obligations to Golden Phoenix in the Borealis Property by
depositing as security 150,000 shares or fifteen percent
(15%) of the issued shares of Borealis Mining into escrow. As
Borealis Mining makes each quarterly payment of $250,000, one
quarter of the escrowed shares shall be returned to us. As of
September 30, 2005, 75,000 shares have been released
from the escrow.
As sole shareholder of Borealis Mining, we control all of the
lease rights to a portion of the Borealis Property, subject to
advance royalty, production royalty, and other payment
obligations imposed by the lease. Our acquisition of the
interest of Golden Phoenix in the Borealis Property terminated
the July 2003 Option and Joint Venture Agreement. In addition to
our leasehold interest to a portion of the Borealis Property, we
also own through Borealis Mining numerous unpatented mining
claims that make up the balance of the Borealis Property, and
all of the documentation and samples from years of exploration
and development programs carried out by the previous operators
of the Borealis Property, totaling thousands of pages of data
including, but not limited to, geophysical surveys,
mineralogical studies and metallurgical testing reports.
During our fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2005, we raised
$3,919,765 by issuing 6,030,408 units in a series of
private placements. Each unit consisted of one share of common
stock and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole
warrant exercisable to acquire one share of common stock at
$0.90 per share until the earlier of two years from the
issue date and nine months following the date on which common
stock is listed on a public stock exchange.
On July 11, 2005, we accepted a joint proposal for a
feasibility study from the firms of Samuel Engineering, Inc. and
Knight Piesold and Company. Samuel Engineering provides services
including metallurgical process development and design, and
Knight Piesold provides mining, metallurgical and environmental
engineering services. Both companies have worked together
recently on completing similar studies.
Effective August 11, 2005, we increased our authorized
capital to consist of 150,000,000 shares of common stock,
par $0.001, and 15,000,000 shares of preferred stock,
par $0.001.
Business Objectives
We are in the business of acquiring and developing gold
properties in the United States. Our objective is to establish a
producing gold company through the development and extraction of
gold deposits, beginning with our Borealis Property. We aim to
achieve our objective by upgrading our mineralized material to
proven and probable reserves at our Borealis Property through
completion of a feasibility study. Once we have completed a
feasibility study and, if warranted, have made a decision to
begin development, we intend to develop our Borealis Property
and place it into production. The Plan of Operations does not
present an
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economic analysis, and we have not placed any information in the
Plan of Operations regarding capital expenditures, operating
costs, ore grade, anticipated revenues, or projected cash flows.
The Plan of Operation, as submitted to the US Forest Service,
was based on the general economic concepts as presented in the
Behre Dolbear Report.
Corporate Strengths
We believe that we have the following business strengths that
will enable us to achieve our objectives.
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Our management team has significant mining industry experience
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As the Borealis Property was the site of surface mining
operations from 1981 to 1990, we believe the process to receive
permits and start operations on previously mined operations is
less difficult than getting permits for a previously undisturbed
area. We have begun the environmental related regulatory review
and approval process, which we believe will allow us to resume
surface mining and on site gold recovery. We have received
approvals for surface exploration and water wells and have
successfully progressed through the required agency and public
review process for those permits. |
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Our land position is extensive, covering approximately
14,900 acres. We believe many surface showings of gold
mineralization on the property may provide opportunities for
discovery of gold deposits. Our property has multiple types of
gold deposits including oxidized material, partial oxidized
material, and predominantly sulfide material; which we believe
may allow us flexibility in our future plans for mine
development and expansion. |
We cannot be certain that any mineral deposits will be
discovered in sufficient quantities and grade to justify
commercial operations. We have no proven or probable reserves.
Whether a mineral deposit will be commercially viable depends on
a number of factors, including the particular attributes of the
deposit; metal prices, which are highly cyclical; the cost to
extract and process the mineralized material; and government
regulations and permitting requirements. We may be unable to
upgrade our mineralized material to proven and probable reserves
in sufficient quantities to justify commercial operations and we
may not be able to develop the Borealis Property.
We have specifically focused our activities on Nevada, which was
rated the highest jurisdiction in the world for mining
investment attractiveness by an independent
survey(1).
Mining is an integral part of Nevadas economy. In 2004,
the mining industry increased Nevadas output by
$5.89 billion including both direct and indirect impacts,
up from $5.35 billion in 2002. Nevada ranks third in the
world in gold production, after South Africa and Australia.
Located in the State of Nevada are well known geological trends
such as the Carlin Trend, Battle Mountain, Getchell Trend and
the Walker Lane Trend. The Borealis Property is also located
along the Aurora-Bodie trend which crosses the principal Walker
Lane Trend as shown in the illustration below. Borealis, Bodie,
Aurora, and other historical producing districts, are aligned
along this northeast-southwest belt of significant gold deposits.
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Survey conducted by the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining
Companies 2004/2005 Publication Date: March 2005 Publication
Format: Survey (an independent public policy organization based
in Vancouver). The survey ranked 64 jurisdictions including,
selected U.S. states, Australian states, Canadian
provinces. The regions were rated based on mineral potential and
effects of government policies on mineral exploration investment. |
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(Source: A. Noble, Ore Reserves Engineering, Technical Report,
2005; Gryphon Gold, 2005)
GOLD INDUSTRY AND THE GOLD MARKET
Gold Industry
Gold is used as a monetary standard for many nations and is also
used in jewelry, dentistry, and in electronics. Gold is unusual
in that it is both a commodity and a monetary asset. Gold is
virtually indestructible and the majority of gold
previously mined still exists above ground in some form or
another. Because gold is relatively easy to transport, upward
spikes in price are often met by the resale of existing stock.
Gold Prices and Market Statistics
In 2004, gold prices, as expressed in U.S. dollars per
ounce, continued to strengthen, ending the year 12.9% higher
over 2003 at an average of $410 per ounce, as quoted on the
London Bullion Market (the primary trading and pricing market in
the world), marking the fourth year of consecutive gains in
price. In December of 2004, gold prices peaked as high as $454.
The average spot price in 2004 as quoted on the London Bullion
Market was $409.53 per ounce, compared to $363.83 in 2003.
The London P.M fix on August 2, 2005 was $431 per oz
of gold.
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The chart below shows the historical price of gold for the
period from January 1996 to July 2005 and the net long
non-commercial positions (measured in tons of gold) throughout
the period.
(Source: Bloomberg)
Supply and Demand Fundamentals
It is estimated that at the end of 2004, above-ground stocks
represented a total quantity of approximately 153,000 tonnes, of
which 63% had been mined since 1950. The supply of gold that
satisfies demand each year comes both from mine production and
from the recycling of metal that has been mined in previous
years. The gold from recycling forms a small proportion of total
annual supply flows. Investment holdings, or private investor
stocks, account for 16% of the total stocks of gold. Over the
last five years, annual world investment demand has accounted
for 13% of total demand, worth around $5.4 billion. This
calculation of world investment demand includes identified bar
hoarding and official coins. Other elements of gold demand can
also be attributed to investment, including medals/imitation
coins and changes in stocks held in gold exchange traded funds.
It is estimated that investment demand increased from a low of
4.8% of total end-use demand in 2000 to 14% in 2004. Jewelry
fabrication has historically been the largest component of
demand. The industrial component includes electronics,
dentistry, other industrial and decorative applications and
medals and imitation coins. The following charts show the last
ten years of world supply of gold and world demand for gold:
(Source: Gold Field Mineral Services Gold Survey 2005)
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BOREALIS PROPERTY
Unless stated otherwise, information of a technical or
scientific nature related to the Borealis Property is summarized
or extracted from the Technical Report on the Mineral
Resources of the Borealis Gold Project dated May 25,
2005, prepared by Mr. Alan C. Noble, P.E. of Ore Reserves
Engineering in Lakewood, CO, a Qualified Person, as
defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Noble is independent from
us. The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with the
requirements of NI 43-101. Managements plans,
expectations and forecasts related to our Borealis Property are
based on assumptions, qualifications and procedures which are
set out only in the full Technical Report.
The Borealis Property in Nevada is our principal asset, which we
hold through our subsidiary, Borealis Mining. In the 1980s
previous operators of the Borealis Property mined approximately
600,000 ounces of gold from near-surface oxide deposits. In this
prospectus, the previously mined area is referred to as the
Borealis site, the previously disturbed
area or the previously mined area, while our
references to the Borealis Property refer to the entire property
we own or lease through Borealis Mining. Echo Bay Mines Limited
ceased active mining operations in 1991. Full site reclamation
was completed in 1994. Reclamation bonds were released and Echo
Bay relinquished its lease in 1996.
At Borealis, there is one large hydrothermal system, containing
at least 14 known gold deposits, some of which are contiguous.
There has been historical production from 8 of these deposits.
As there are several other showings of gold mineralization
across the property, there is an opportunity to identify
additional gold deposits.
BOREALIS PROPERTY DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION
The Borealis Property is located in Mineral County in southwest
Nevada, 12 miles northeast of the California border. The
Borealis Property covers approximately 14,900 acres. The
approximate center of the property is at longitude 118°
45 34 North and latitude 38° 22 55
West. The figure below shows the location and access to the
Borealis Property.
Location map of the Borealis Property
(Source: A. Noble, Ore Reserves Engineering, Technical Report,
2005)
The Borealis Property is comprised of 747 unpatented mining
claims of approximately 20 acres each, totaling about
14,900 acres, and one unpatented millsite claim of
approximately 5 acres. Of the 747 unpat-
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ented mining claims, 122 claims are owned by others but
leased to Borealis Mining, and 625 of the claims were staked by
Golden Phoenix or Gryphon Gold and transferred to Borealis
Mining.
Our rights, through Borealis Mining as the owner or lessee of
the claims, allow us to explore, develop and mine the Borealis
Property, subject to the prior procurement of required operating
permits and approvals, compliance with the terms and conditions
of the mining lease, and compliance with applicable federal,
state, and local laws, regulations and ordinances. We believe
that all of our claims are in good standing.
The 122 leased claims are owned by John W. Whitney,
Hardrock Mining Company and Richard J. Cavell, whom we
refer to as the Borealis Owners. Borealis Mining leases the
claims from the Borealis Owners under a Mining Lease dated
January 24, 1997 and amended as of February 24, 1997.
The mining lease was assigned to Borealis Mining by the prior
lessee, Golden Phoenix. The mining lease contains an area
of interest provision, such that any new mining claims
located or acquired by Borealis Mining within the area of
interest after the date of the mining lease shall automatically
become subject to the provisions of the mining lease.
The term of the mining lease extends to January 24, 2009
and continues indefinitely thereafter for so long as any mining,
development or processing is being conducted on the leased
property on a continuous basis.
The remainder of the Borealis Property consists of
625 unpatented mining claims and one unpatented millsite
claim staked by Golden Phoenix or Gryphon Gold. Claims staked by
Golden Phoenix were transferred to Borealis Mining in
conjunction with our January 28, 2005 purchase of all of
Golden Phoenixs interest in the Borealis Property. A total
of 151 claims of the total 625 claims held by Gryphon Gold
are contiguous with the claim holdings, are located outside of
the area of interest, and are not subject to any of the
provisions of the lease.
All of the mining claims (including the owned and leased claims)
are unpatented, such that paramount ownership of the land is in
the United States of America. Claim maintenance payments and
related documents must be filed annually with the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) and with Mineral County, Nevada to keep
the claims from terminating by operation of law. Borealis Mining
is responsible for those actions. At present, the annual BLM
maintenance fees are $125 per claim, or $93,500 per
year for all of the Borealis Property claims
(747 unpatented mining claims plus one millsite claim).
Required documents were submitted and the fee was paid to the
BLM on August 6, 2005 fulfilling the 2006 maintenance
requirements. In addition, a county filing fee of $8.50 per
claim plus document fees totaling $6,366 was paid to Mineral
County on August 6, 2005, in fulfillment of the annual
filing requirements.
The leased portion of the Borealis Property is currently subject
to advance royalty payments of approximately $8,614 per
month, payable to the Borealis Owners. These advance royalty
payments are subject to annual adjustments based on change in
the United States Consumer Price Index.
The terms of the mining lease require the payment of a net
smelter returns production royalty by Borealis Mining to the
Borealis Owners in respect of the sale of gold (and other
minerals) extracted from those claims within the area of
interest specified in the mining lease. The royalty rate for
gold is determined by dividing the monthly average market gold
price by 100, with the result expressed as a percentage. The
royalty amount is determined by multiplying that percentage by
the amount of monthly gold production from the claims in the
area of interest and by the monthly average market
gold price, after deducting all smelting and refining charges,
various taxes and certain other expenses. For example, using an
assumed monthly average market gold price of $400, the royalty
rate would be 4%. Using an assumed monthly production of
5,000 ounces of gold from the leased claims, the monthly
royalty amount would be 5,000 ounces times $400 per
ounce, less allowable deductions, multiplied by 4%.
At present, there is no royalty payable to the United States or
the State of Nevada on production from unpatented mining claims,
although legislative attempts to impose a royalty have occurred
in recent years.
22
ACCESSIBILITY, CLIMATE, LOCAL RESOURCES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND
PHYSIOGRAPHY
Primary access to the Borealis Property is gained from an all
weather county gravel road located about two miles south of
Hawthorne from State Highway 359. Hawthorne is about 133
highway miles southeast of Reno. The Borealis Property is about
16 road miles from Hawthorne.
The elevation on the property ranges from 7,200 ft to
8,200 ft above sea level. This relatively high elevation
produces moderate summers with high temperatures in the
90°F (32°C) range. Winters can be cold and windy with
temperatures dropping to 0°F (-18°C). Average annual
precipitation is approximately 10 inches, part of which
occurs as up to 60 inches of snowfall. Historically, the
Borealis Property was operated throughout the year with only
limited weather related interruptions.
Topography ranges from moderate and hilly terrain with rocky
knolls and peaks, to steep and mountainous terrain in the higher
elevations.
The vegetation throughout the project area is categorized into
several main community types: pinyon/ juniper woodland,
sagebrush, ephemeral drainages and areas disturbed by mining and
reclaimed. Predominate species include pinyon pine, Utah
juniper, greasewood, a variety of sagebrush species, crested
wheat grass and fourwing saltbush.
During the initial phase of operations, if any, we anticipate
that power could be generated on site. There is a power line
crossing the Borealis Property within 2 miles of the center
of the planned operations, which we will evaluate as an
alternative power source during our planned engineering
feasibility work. Water is available from two water basins
located approximately 5 miles and 7 miles south of the
planned mine site, respectively. Water for historical mining
operations was supplied from the basin 5 miles away from
the site. We have obtained permits from the Nevada Division of
Water Resources to access water from each of these basins. We
believe that each of these basins, individually, would provide a
sufficient water supply for our planned operations.
The Borealis site has been reclaimed by the prior operator to
early 1990s standards. The pits and the project boundary
are fenced for public safety. Currently, access to the pits and
leach heap areas is gained through a locked gate. No buildings
or power lines or other mining related facilities located on the
surface remain. All currently existing roads in the project area
are two track roads with most located within the
limits of the old haul roads that have been reclaimed.
The nearest available services for both mine development work
and mine operations are in the small town of Hawthorne, via a
wide well-maintained gravel road. Hawthorne has substantial
housing available, adequate fuel supplies and sufficient
infrastructure to meet basic supply requirements. Material
required for property development and mine operations are
generally available from suppliers located in Reno, Nevada.
History of the District and Borealis Property
The original Ramona mining district, now known as the Borealis
mining district, produced less than 1,000 ounces of gold
prior to 1981. In 1978 the Borealis gold deposit was discovered
by S. W. Ivosevic (1979), a geologist working for Houston
International Minerals Company (a subsidiary of Houston Oil and
Minerals Corporation). The property was acquired from the
Whitney Partnership, which later became the Borealis Owners,
following Houstons examination of the submitted property.
Initial discovery of ore-grade gold mineralization in the
Borealis district and subsequent rapid development resulted in
production beginning in October 1981 as an open pit mining and
heap leaching operation. Tenneco Minerals acquired the assets of
Houston International Minerals in late 1981, and continued
production from the Borealis mine. Subsequently, several other
gold deposits were discovered and mined by open pit methods
along the generally northeast-striking Borealis trend, and also
several small deposits were discovered further to the northwest
in the Cerro Duro area. Tennecos exploration in early 1986
discovered the Freedom Flats deposit beneath thin alluvial cover
on the pediment southwest of the Borealis mine. In October 1986,
Echo Bay Mines acquired the assets of Tenneco Minerals.
23
With the completion of mining of the readily available oxide ore
in the Freedom Flats deposit and other deposits in the district,
active mining was terminated in January 1990, and leaching
operations ended in late 1990. Echo Bay left behind a number of
oxidized and sulfide-bearing gold mineral resources. All eight
open pit operations are reported to have produced
10.7 million tons of ore averaging 0.059 ounces of gold per
ton (opt Au). Gold recovered from the material placed on heaps
was approximately 500,000 ounces, plus an estimated
1.5 million ounces of silver. Reclamation of the closed
mine began immediately and continued for several years. Echo Bay
decided not to continue with its own exploration, and the
property was farmed out as a joint venture in 1990-91 to
Billiton Minerals, which drilled 28 reverse circulation
(RC) exploration holes on outlying targets for a total of
8,120 ft. Billiton stopped its farm-in on the property with no
retained interest.
Subsequently Santa Fe Pacific Mining, Inc. entered into a
joint venture with Echo Bay in 1992-93, compiled data,
constructed a digital drill-hole database and drilled 32 deep RC
and deep core holes, including a number of holes into the Graben
deposit. Echo Bay completed all reclamation requirements in 1994
and then terminated its lease agreement with the Borealis Owners
in 1996.
In 1996 J.D. Welsh & Associates, Inc. negotiated an
option-to-lease agreement for a portion of the Borealis Property
from the Borealis Owners. Prior to 1996, J.D. Welsh had
performed contract reclamation work for Echo Bay and was
responsible for monitoring the drain-down of the leach heaps.
Upon signing the lease, J.D. Welsh immediately joint
ventured the project with Cambior Exploration U.S.A., Inc.
Cambior performed a major data compilation program and several
gradient IP surveys. In 1998 Cambior drilled 10 holes which
succeeded in extending one existing deposit and in identifying
new zones of gold mineralization.
During the Cambior joint venture period, in late 1997, Golden
Phoenix entered an agreement to purchase a portion of
J.D. Welshs interest in the mining lease.
J.D. Welsh subsequently sold its remaining interest in the
mining lease to a third party, which in turn sold it to Golden
Phoenix, resulting in Golden Phoenix controlling a 100% interest
in the mining lease beginning in 2000. Golden Phoenix personnel
reviewed project data, compiled and updated a digital drill-hole
database (previous computer-based resource modeling databases),
compiled exploration information and developed concepts,
maintained the property during the years of low gold prices, and
developed new mineral resource estimates for the entire property.
In July 2003 Borealis Mining acquired an option to earn an
interest in a joint venture in a portion of the Borealis
Property and in January 2005 Borealis Mining acquired full
interest in the mining lease and mining claims comprising the
Borealis Property. See, Description and Development of the
Business: History and Background of the Company, above.
We have expended considerable effort consolidating the available
historical data and flat files since acquiring our interest in
the Borealis Property. This data has been scanned, and converted
into a searchable electronic form. The electronic database has
formed the basis of re-interpretation of the district geologic
setting, and helped to form the foundation for a new
understanding of the districts potential. We acquired this
data from Golden Phoenix in May 2003.
|
|
|
Historical Gold Production |
The Borealis Property is not currently a producing mine.
Historical data is presented for general information and is not
indicative of existing grades or expected production. We have no
probable or proven reserves on any of our properties. We cannot
be assured that minerals will be discovered in sufficient
quantities to justify commercial operations.
24
Photograph of Borealis district.
View to the east, with Freedom Flats pit in the
foreground.
The photograph shows the site as it was circa 1991.
(Source: A. Noble, Ore Reserves Engineering, Technical Report,
2005)
Several gold deposits have been previously defined through
drilling on the Borealis Property by prior owners. Some gold
deposits have been partially mined. Reports on past production
vary. The past gold production from pits on the Borealis
Property, as reported by prior owners is tabulated below. The
total of past gold production was approximately
10.6 million tons of ore averaging 0.057 ounces per ton
(opt) gold. Mine production resulting from limited
operations in 1990 is not included. Although no complete
historical silver production records still exist at this time,
the average silver content of ore mined from all eight pits
appears in the range of five ounces of silver for each ounce of
gold. We have not included silver in our mine planning to date,
but intend to monitor the potential viability of silver
recovery, if warranted, as our feasibility study and more
detailed mine planning progress.
25
Reported past Borealis production,
1981-1990(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crushed and Agglomerated Ore(2) |
|
Tons | |
|
Grade | |
|
Contained Gold | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(opt Au) | |
|
(oz) | |
Borealis
|
|
|
1,488,900 |
|
|
|
0.103 |
|
|
|
153,360 |
|
Freedom Flats
|
|
|
1,280,000 |
|
|
|
0.153 |
|
|
|
195,800 |
|
Jaimes/ Cerro Duro/ Purdy
|
|
|
517,900 |
|
|
|
0.108 |
|
|
|
55,900 |
|
East Ridge
|
|
|
795,000 |
|
|
|
0.059 |
|
|
|
46,900 |
|
Gold View
|
|
|
264,000 |
|
|
|
0.047 |
|
|
|
12,400 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
4,345,800 |
|
|
|
0.107 |
|
|
|
464,360 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Run of Mine
Ore(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
East Ridge
|
|
|
2,605,000 |
|
|
|
0.021 |
|
|
|
54,700 |
|
Polaris (Deep Ore Flats)
|
|
|
250,000 |
|
|
|
0.038 |
|
|
|
9,500 |
|
Gold View
|
|
|
396,000 |
|
|
|
0.009 |
|
|
|
3,500 |
|
Northeast Ridge
|
|
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
|
0.025 |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
6,251,000 |
|
|
|
0.023 |
|
|
|
142,700 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Total
|
|
|
10,596,800 |
|
|
|
0.057 |
|
|
|
607,060 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
The numbers presented in this table are based on limited
production records. A later report in 1991 published by the
Geologic Society of Nevada reports that production totaled
10.7 million tons with an average grade of 0.059 opt. |
|
(2) |
Crushed and agglomerated ore is that material which has been
reduced in size by crushing, and as a result may contain a
significant portion of very fine particles which is then, with
the aid of a binding agent such as cement, reconstituted into
larger particles and subsequently leached in a heap. The
agglomerated ore typically has greater strength allowing for
higher stacked heaps and may allow better percolation of leach
solutions if the ore has high clay content. |
|
(3) |
Run of mine ore is that material which was fragmented by
blasting only, and then stacked on the heaps without being
further reduced in size by crushing or other beneficiation
processes. |
|
|
|
Borealis Property Development Background |
In October 2003, we engaged Behre Dolbear & Company,
Inc., mining consultants, to develop a preliminary scoping study
for the redevelopment of the Borealis Property. Behre Dolbear
prepared a report titled Preliminary Scoping Study
dated June 7, 2004, which we refer to as the Behre
Dolbear Report. Qingping Deng, a Qualified
Person as defined in NI 43-101, who is independent
from us, authored the Behre Dolbear Report. The following
information is based on the Behre Dolbear Report. Portions of
the following information are based on assumptions,
qualifications and procedures which are set out only in the
Behre Dolbear Report.
In its report, Behre Dolbear performed a resource estimate in
which it identified mineralized material on the Borealis
Property and concluded that the Borealis Property had excellent
exploration potential. Behre Dolbear also analyzed the
historical data on the property and produced a series of
recommendations to evaluate and potentially develop the Borealis
Property.
Following our consideration of the Behre Dolbear Report, and
based on additional geologic field work, we retained Ore
Reserves Engineering, consulting resource modeling engineers, to
complete an updated resource estimate model in accordance with
NI 43-101. In May 2005, Ore Reserves Engineering delivered a
report titled the Technical Report on the Mineral
Resources of the Borealis Gold Project Located in Mineral
County, Nevada. The Behre Dolbear Report, which
preceded the Technical Report, was reviewed by Alan C. Noble,
the author of the Technical Report.
26
The Technical Report states that the preferred course of action
for Gryphon Gold is to continue with the three phased business
plan contained in the Behre Dolbear Report, resulting in mine
development if such development is technically warranted and
commercially feasible.
The three phase business plan referred to in the Technical
Report and the Behre Dolbear Report is to evaluate:
|
|
|
|
(a) |
the existing leach pads and mine dump materials for the
possibility of releaching and gold production, |
|
|
(b) |
the remaining oxide ores that could be mined and transported to
the new leach pad, and |
|
|
(c) |
the deeper high grade sulfide mineralization. |
It is our intention to continue with the recommendations
established in the Technical Report with the objective of
developing the Borealis Property, subject to further optimizing
of the mining scenario contemplated as more detailed information
becomes available.
The principal steps to the development of the Borealis Property
consist of:
|
|
|
|
|
completing the permitting process; |
|
|
|
continuing our drilling program, database enhancement and
geophysical surveys on the previously disturbed area of the
Borealis Property, also referred to as the Borealis
site; |
|
|
|
implementing a systematic metallurgical testing program for gold
bearing samples collected; |
|
|
|
completion of the feasibility study; |
|
|
|
building the mine facilities, if warranted by project economics,
on the Borealis site; and |
|
|
|
developing an exploration program for the areas of the Borealis
Property outside the Borealis site. |
We aim to complete these principal steps by the second half of
2006, subject to receiving required permits and approvals. In
addition and in accordance with the recommendations contained in
the Technical Report, we propose to undertake an exploration
program on areas of the Borealis Property outside the Borealis
Site.
The cost of the principal steps referred to above, other than
construction of the mine facilities, was estimated in the
Technical Report at $3.5 million (Cdn$4.1 million). We
have estimated the capital costs of the construction of the mine
facilities at $5.6 million (Cdn$6.6 million) and the
initial payment to secure a surety contract to satisfy a
reclamation bond at $3 million (Cdn$3.5 million).
The principal steps are described in further detail under the
heading Development and Exploration.
GEOLOGICAL SETTING
Regional Geology
The Borealis mining district lies within the northwest-trending
Walker Lane mineral belt of the western Basin and Range
province, which hosts numerous gold and silver deposits.
Mesozoic metamorphic rocks in the region are intruded by
Cretaceous granitic plutons. In the Wassuk range the Mesozoic
basement is principally granodiorite with metamorphic rock
inclusions. Overlying these rocks are minor occurrences of
Tertiary rhyolitic tuffs and more extensive andesite flows. Near
some fault zones, the granitic basement rocks exposed in the
eastern part of the district are locally weakly altered and
limonite stained.
The oldest exposed Tertiary rocks are rhyolitic tuffs in small
isolated outcrops which may be erosional remnants of a more
extensive unit. The rhyolitic tuffs may be correlative with
regionally extensive Oligocene rhyolitic ignimbrites found in
the Yerington area to the north and within the northern Wassuk
Range. On the west side of the Wassuk Range, a thick sequence of
older Miocene andesitic volcanic rocks unconformably overlies
and is in fault contact with the granitic and metamorphic rocks,
which generally occur east of the Borealis district. The age of
the andesites is poorly constrained due to limited regional
dating, but an age of 19 to 15 Ma is suggested (Ma
refers to million years before present). In the Aurora district,
10 miles southwest
27
of the Borealis district, andesitic agglomerates and flows dated
at 15.4 to 13.5 Ma overlie Mesozoic basement rocks and host
gold-silver mineralization. Based on these data, the andesites
in the Borealis region can be considered as 19 to 13.5 Ma.
The Borealis district lies within the northeast-trending
Bodie-Aurora-Borealis mineral belt; the Aurora district, with
1.9 million ounces of past gold production, lies
10 miles southwest of Borealis and the Bodie district, with
1.5 million ounces of gold production, lies 19 miles
southwest in California. All three mining districts are hosted
by Miocene volcanics. The intersection of northwesterly and
west-northwesterly trending Walker Lane structures with the
northeasterly trending structures of the Aurora-Borealis zone
probably provided the structural preparation conducive to
extensive hydrothermal alteration and mineralization at Borealis.
Local Geology
The Borealis district mineralization is hosted by Miocene
andesite flows, laharic breccias, and volcaniclastic tuffs,
which exceed 1000 to 1200 ft in thickness, strike
northeasterly, and dip shallowly to the northwest. The andesite
is internally subdivided into upper and lower volcanic packages
which are laterally extensive and constitute the predominant
bedrock in the district. These packages host most of the gold
ore deposits. The most favorable host horizon is the upper
andesite and the contact zone between the two andesite packages.
An overlying upper tuff is limited in aerial extent due to
erosion. All of these units are cut by steeply dipping
northeast-trending faults that probably provided conduits for
mineralizing hydrothermal fluids in the principal mineralized
trends. Pediment gravels cover the altered-mineralized volcanic
rocks at lower elevations along the range front and overlie many
of the best exploration targets. Wide-spaced drilling indicates
that the majority of the altered-mineralized area is covered by
pediment gravels over a seven-mile long zone in the southern and
southwestern parts of the district. Much of this area has
received only minor testing.
Structures in the district are dominantly northeast-striking
normal faults with steep northwest dips, and generally
west-northwest-striking range-front faults with steep southerly
dips. Both of these fault systems lie in regional trends which
are defined large structural zones in the earths crust and
by the locations of several known district scale mineral
deposits and other smaller mineralized systems. Borealis appears
to be at a major intersection of two of these mineralized
trends, the Walker Lane and the Bodie-Aurora-Borealis cross
trend.
A number of the pre-mineral faults of both orientations in the
Borealis district appear to control the occurrence and
concentration of gold mineralization, and may have been conduits
for migration of higher-grade gold bearing hydrothermal
solutions. The hydrothermal solutions often followed the planes
of the faults to zones where the proper geologic conditions
allowed for concentration of the solutions and formation of gold
deposits.
Movement along most of the faults in the Borealis district
appears to be normal, although some faults also display a
strike-slip component of movement. In the mined part of the
district, rocks are mostly down dropped on the northwest side of
northeast-trending faults, which is part of a graben. The Graben
gold deposit appears to be controlled by a north-northeast
trending structure dipping steeply to the east, and no other
structures of this orientation have been identified.
Mineral Deposits
The gold deposits contained within the larger, district scale,
Borealis hydrothermal system are recognized as high-sulfidation
type systems with high-grade gold mineralization occurring along
steeply dipping structures and lower grade gold mineralization
both surrounding the high-grade and commonly controlled by more
permeable volcanic rocks in relatively flat-lying zones. The
gold deposits, some with minor amounts of silver mineralization
are hosted by Miocene andesitic flows, laharic breccias, and
volcaniclastic tuffs, which all strike northeasterly and dip
shallowly to the northwest. Pediment gravels cover the
altered-mineralized volcanic rocks at lower elevations along the
mountain front and there is potential for discovery of more
blind deposits, similar to the Graben deposit.
The surface footprints of the high-grade pods or
pipe-like bodies, found to date are rather small and they can be
easily missed with patterns of too widely spaced geophysical
surveys and drill holes. Most of the
28
drilling on the property by prior owners, including the Graben
deposit, is vertical, and therefore did not adequately sample
the steep higher-grade zones. Drill-hole orientation has
compounded the underestimation of grades within the district.
The coarse gold component can best be captured with very careful
sampling of drill cuttings and core and collecting large samples.
Several drill holes to the west of Freedom Flats and Borealis
encountered gold within the alluvium stratigraphically above
known deposits. These holes trace a gold-bearing zone that in
plan appears to outline a paleochannel of a stream or gently
sloping hillside that may have had its origin in the eroding
Borealis deposit. The zone is at least 2,500 feet long, up
to 500 feet wide, and several tens up to 100 feet
thick. At this point it is unknown if this is a true placer
deposit, an alluvial deposit of broken ore, or some combination
of both. Additional drilling and beneficiation tests are needed
to determine if an economic gold deposit exists.
EXPLORATION
Since the late 1970s, considerable exploration has been
completed at the Borealis Property with the primary objective of
finding near surface deposits with oxide type gold
mineralization. Exploration work has consisted of field mapping,
surface sampling, geochemical surveys, geophysical surveys, and
shallow exploration drilling. Only limited drilling and
geological field work has been completed in areas covered by
pediment gravels, even though Freedom Flats was an unknown,
blind deposit, without surface expression when discovered.
Many geophysical surveys have been conducted by others in the
Borealis district since 1978. In addition, regional magnetics
and gravity maps and information are available through
governmental sources. The most useful geophysical data from the
exploration programs has been induced polarization (IP)
(chargeability), aeromagnetics, and, to a lesser degree,
resistivity.
Areas with known occurrences of gold mineralization, which have
been defined by historical exploration drilling, and have had
historical mine production include: East Ridge and Gold View,
Northeast Ridge, Freedom Flats, Borealis, and Deep Ore Flats
(also known as Polaris). All of these deposits still have gold
mineralization remaining in place, contiguous with the portions
of each individual deposit which has been mined
Discovery potential on the Borealis Property includes oxidized
gold mineralization adjacent to existing pits, new oxide gold
deposits at shallow depth within the large land position, gold
associated with sulfide minerals below and adjacent to the
existing pits, in possible feeder zones below surface mined ore
and deeper gold-bearing sulfide mineralization elsewhere on the
property. Both oxidized and sulfide-bearing gold deposits
exhibit lithologic and structural controls for the locations and
morphologies of the gold deposits.
The following areas have not been subject to historic mine
production, but have been subject to historical exploration that
has identified gold mineralization.
The Borealis Extension deposit occurs at shallow to intermediate
depth beneath the northern and western parts of the former
Borealis pit. Most of the mineralization begins at 110 to 375 ft
below the surface. Generally the top of this target occurs at or
slightly below the 7,000-ft elevation. The primary target is
defined by 16 contiguous drill holes completed by previous
operators that have potential ore-grade intercepts and that
penetrate beneath the 7,000-ft elevation. Thickness of low-grade
mineralized intercepts ranges from 15 to 560 ft with nine
holes having from 155 to 560 ft of +0.01 opt of gold; average
thickness of the zone is 236 ft. Grades have been divided into
sub-zones of 0.01-0.03 opt, which averages 0.018 opt of gold,
and of +0.03 opt, which averages 0.084 opt of gold.
The Graben deposit is currently defined with approximately 36 RC
holes and 19 core holes. Drilling has defined a zone of gold
mineralization, using an 0.01 opt Au boundary, that extends at
least more than 2,000 ft in a north-south direction and between
200 and 750 ft east-west, and up to 300 ft thick. The top of the
deposit
29
is from 500 to 650 ft below the surface. Near its southern
margin the axis of the deposit is within 800 ft of the Freedom
Flats deposit and along one portion of the southeastern margin
low-grade mineralization may connect with the Freedom Flats
mineralization through an east-west trending splay. Drilling
data appears to confirm mineralization at the southern margin of
the deposit is closed off. Along the western margin a suspected
post-mineralization fault may have down-dropped the deposit and
apparently serves as an effect western boundary to
mineralization and brings tertiary gravels in contact with the
Graben zone. Much of the eastern margin has not been defined by
drilling. To the north mineralization remains open. An airborne
magnetic survey and a gradient IP survey reveal anomalies along
the northern extension of the Graben zone, suggesting that the
deposit continues in that direction.
The North Graben prospect is defined by the projection of known
mineralization, verified by drilling sampling and coincident
with a large intense aeromagnetic low and a broad chargeability
(IP) high. Only one hole has been drilled, but not
completed, into the southern margin of the North Graben
prospect, about 1,400 ft north of the most northerly
significant Graben mineralization. While this hole failed to
reach its target depth, alteration typical of the margin of the
Graben deposit was encountered. This blind untested target lies
on trend of the north-northeast-elongate Graben mineralized
zone. In 1989, Echo Bay had completed a district-wide helicopter
magnetic/electromagnetic survey, which identified a large,
intense type aeromagnetic low in the North Graben area. This
coincident magnetic low/chargeability high is now interpreted as
being caused by an intensive and extensive hydrothermal
alteration-mineralization system.
Cambior conducted a gradient IP survey in 1997, which identifies
a deep-source broad chargeability anomaly that extends northerly
from the northern margin of the Freedom Flats deposit, covers
only part of the Graben zone and most of the North Graben area,
and extends to the limit of the surveyed area. This anomaly is
interpreted to be caused by high-sulfide mineralization. The
North Graben prospect thus represents the possible extension of
known mineralization of the Graben zone.
One angle hole was drilled by Cambior in 1998 to test the
southern most portion of the North Graben target chargeability
anomaly, and it was well south of a large aeromagnetic low. The
upper 725 ft of this hole contained post-mineral gravel and
sediments and relatively unaltered andesitic volcanics, before
intersecting altered and mineralized andesite near the bottom of
the hole. The pre-mineral andesite flows contain alteration
ranging from propylitic to chalcedonic silica down the hole.
Hole 98005 was lost at a depth of 780 ft due to hole caving.
Although no significant gold mineralization was encountered in
the hole, alteration was most intense at the bottom.
Hydrothermal alteration noted in samples from the hole fits
better with patterns found at the margin of a Graben-type
deposit.
The Sunset Wash prospect consists of a gravel-covered pediment
underlain by extensive hydrothermal alteration in the western
portion of the Borealis district. Sixteen holes drilled by Echo
Bay Mines indicate that intense alteration occurs within a
loosely defined west-southwest belt that extends westerly from
the Jaimes Ridge/ Cerro Duro deposits. At the western
limit of the west-southwest belt, Cambiors IP survey and
drilling results can be interpreted to indicate that the
alteration system projects toward the southeast into the
pediment along a mineralized northwest-oriented fault. Cambior
conducted a gradient array induced polarization (IP) survey
over the Sunset Wash area effectively outlining a 1,000 by 5,000
ft chargeability anomaly. The anomaly corresponds exceptionally
well to alteration and sulfide mineralization identified by Echo
Bays drill-hole results. Two structures appear to be
mapped by the chargeability anomaly; one is a 5,000-ft long
west-southwest-trending structure and the other is a smaller,
northwest-trending structure that cuts off the W-SW structure at
its western limit. Alteration types and intensity identified by
the drilling, combined with the strong IP chargeability high and
the aeromagnetic low, strongly suggest that the robust
hydrothermal system at Sunset Wash is analogous to the
mineralized systems at Graben and Freedom Flats.
Geologic observations based on mapping and drill hole logging
indicate that both the Freedom Flats and the Graben deposits are
localized along a favorable horizon near the contact between the
upper and lower
30
volcanic units. This same contact zone appears to underlie the
Sunset Wash pediment at a shallow depth. The target concept
suggests that mineralization should favor zones where
mineralizing structures crosscut the upper and lower volcanic
contact. Cambior drilled three holes to test portions of the
Sunset Wash geophysical anomaly and to offset other preexisting
drill holes with significant alteration. Each of the three holes
was drilled vertically to maximize the depths tested. The three
holes were collared in the upper volcanic unit, but only one
crossed the contact.
The westernmost of Cambiors three holes encountered the
most encouraging alteration and best gold mineralization
suggesting that this drillhole is near the most prospective
area. This drill-hole intercepted altered rock from bedrock
surface to total depth, including an extremely thick zone of
chalcedonic replacement in the lower two-thirds of the hole.
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Bullion Ridge/ Boundary Ridge |
The northeast-trending alteration zone extending along Boundary
Ridge into Bullion Ridge contains intense silicification that is
surrounded by argillization, with abundant anomalous gold.
Widely spaced shallow holes completed by previous operators have
tested several of the alteration/anomalous gold zones defining
discrete zones of mineralized material.
Another prospect area similar to North Graben and Sunset Wash is
the Lucky Boy area, which may be in a shallower pediment
environment in the central portion of the district near the
range front. Drill holes in the periphery have thick zones of
silification and traces of gold mineralization. Echo Bays
aeromagnetic map shows another magnetic low and Cambiors
IP map shows a coincident chargeability high in the area of the
silicification.
MINERALIZATION
Overview
Finely disseminated gold mineralization found in the Borealis
epithermal system was associated with pyrite and other gold
bearing sulfide minerals such as marcasite when initially
deposited by the gold rich hydrothermal fluids. In some portions
of the deposits, over time through natural oxidation, the pyrite
was transformed to limonite releasing the gold particles.
Through this geologic process, the mineral character of the
deposit was altered, and gold was exposed so that conventional
hydrometallurgical processes (e.g. gold heap leaching) could be
effectively applied to recover the gold. Gold still bound in
pyrite or pyrite-silica which was not as readily oxidized in the
geologic process, is not as easily recovered by a simple heap
leach operations and may require some type of more advanced
milling operation. Limited evidence suggests that in certain
deposits such as the Borealis and Freedom Flats deposits, that
some coarse gold exists, probably in the higher-grade zones.
Oxide Gold Mineralization
Oxide gold mineralization is generally more amenable to direct
cyanidation processes such as heap leaching as compared to
sulfide gold mineralization.
Oxide deposits in the district have goethite, hematite, and
jarosite as the supergene oxidation products after iron
sulfides, and the limonite type depends primarily on original
sulfide mineralogy and abundance. Iron oxide minerals occur as
thin fracture coatings, fillings, earthy masses, as well as
disseminations throughout the rock. The degree of supergene
oxidation, mineral constituents, and form and occurrence of the
oxide minerals in the host rock are significant factors in
determining metallurgical performance and ultimate gold
recovery. As demonstrated in previous operations, this type of
gold bearing material is amenable to conventional heap leaching
methodology.
Depth of oxidation is variable throughout the district and is
dependent on alteration type, structure, and rock type.
Oxidation ranges from approximately 250 ft in argillic and
propylitic altered rocks to over 600 ft in
31
fractured silicified rocks. A transition zone from oxides to
sulfides with depth is common with a mixing of oxide and sulfide
minerals.
Except for the Graben deposit, all of the known gold deposits
are at least partially oxidized. Typically the upper portion of
a deposit is totally oxidized and the lower portions unoxidized.
In places, such as the Ridge deposits, there is an extensive
transition zone of partially oxidized sulfide bearing gold
mineralization. Oxidation has been observed to at least 1,000 ft
below the surface. Therefore, we believe that if additional gold
deposits are found under gravel cover, some portion of them may
be oxidized.
Sulfide Gold Mineralization
Sulfide gold mineralization is generally less amenable to
conventional direct cyanidation metallurgical processes, and may
require more advanced processes such as milling, flotation and
oxidation prior to cyanidation.
Sulfide deposits in the district are mostly contained within
quartz-pyrite alteration with the sulfides consisting mostly of
pyrite with minor marcasite, and lesser arsenopyrite and
cinnabar. Many trace minerals of copper, antimony, arsenic,
mercury and silver have also been identified. Pyrite content
ranges from 5 to 20 volume percent with local areas of
nearly massive sulfides in the quartz-pyrite zone and it occurs
with grain sizes up to 1mm. At Borealis, euhedral pyrite grains
are commonly rimmed and partially replaced with a later stage of
anhedral pyrite overgrowths. Study of this phenomenon in other
epithermal districts in Nevada has shown that gold occurs only
in the late overgrowths. Mineralogical studies of Borealis
samples suggest that this may also be true at Borealis, but are
not fully conclusive.
The Graben deposit is the best example found to date of the size
and quality of sulfide deposits within the district. In addition
sulfide mineral resources occur in the bottoms of most of the
pits, but the most significant mineral resource in a pit
environment is found beneath the Freedom Flats pit. Potential
targets below most pits would include the feeder structures,
many of which would be expected to have high-grade sulfide gold
mineralization.
The following illustration is a representation which graphically
demonstrates our generalized interpretation of the three
predominate types of gold bearing material that have been
defined in the Graben, Freedom Flats, and Borealis deposits by
drilling and sampling. Drilling at the Graben indicates that
this deposit contains predominantly sulfide gold mineralization.
Limited drilling in the Borealis Extension deposit shows that
the deposit is comprised of a mix of partially oxidized and
oxidized gold mineralization. Near-surface deposits at Freedom
Flats, Borealis and other deposits that were partially mined,
and shown to be amenable to gold heap leaching, still contain
potentially heap leachable gold mineralization in zones
immediately adjacent to historical pits.
Drilling completed by us and previous operators shows that gold
mineralization often extends beyond the limits of previously
mined pits. In addition, past mining operations have left dumps
and heaps which were previously processed. We have evaluated
portions of this stockpiled material with drilling, sampling,
assaying and metallurgical testing and have determined that
certain of these stockpiles still contain mineralized material
with significant gold values.
32
(Source: Gryphon Gold)
DRILLING
We have conducted a drilling program of existing heaps and dumps
of the Borealis site. Set out below is a summary of the drilling
work conducted on the Borealis Property by prior owners and by
us.
Historical Drill Hole Database
The drill-hole database used for the main Borealis project study
area contains 1,747 drill holes with a total drilled length of
510,712 ft, including 1,626 which intersected gold
mineralization. These holes were drilled by various prior
operators. Drill-hole types include diamond core holes, reverse
circulation (RC) holes and rotary holes. Only a few core
holes have down-hole survey information. Mineralized zones
covered by these drill holes include the Freedom Flats, Graben,
Borealis, Polaris, East Ridge and Northeast Ridge. Except for
Graben, all have been partially mined by previous operators of
the project; the Borealis and Deep Ore Flats (also known as
Polaris) pits have been back-filled with waste from the Freedom
Flats pit. There are an additional 487 drill holes with a total
drilled length of 103,562 ft scattered throughout the district,
and mostly in the Cerro Duro, Jamies Ridge, and Purdy Peak
area, at approximately three miles distant northwest of the main
Borealis mine area. The total existing drilling for the entire
Borealis Property, therefore, is 2,234 holes with a total
drilled length of 614,274 ft. None of these historical holes
were drilled by us.
Drill hole sampling length is generally 5 ft for the RC holes,
but varies for the core holes based on geological intervals.
Sampling length is up to 25 ft for some of the early rotary
holes. Gold assays in parts per billion (ppb) and troy
ounces per short ton (opt) are provided for most of the
sampling intervals. Silver assays in parts per million
(ppm) and opt are also provided for some of the sampling
intervals. Silver grade was not modeled in this study.
33
Summary of Drill Hole Sample Statistics for
Drill Holes intersecting the Mineralized
Zones(1)(2)
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Average | |
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Total | |
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Intervals | |
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|
Total | |
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Assay | |
|
Average | |
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|
Number | |
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Sample | |
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Not | |
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Intervals | |
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Assayed | |
|
Length | |
|
Gold Grade | |
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|
Holes(3) | |
|
Intervals(4) | |
|
Assayed | |
|
Assayed | |
|
Footage | |
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(Feet) | |
|
opt of Gold | |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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| |
|
| |
Graben
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61 |
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2,620 |
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|
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131 |
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2,489 |
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12,362 |
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|
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4.97 |
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|
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0.054 |
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Freedom Flats
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143 |
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6,223 |
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217 |
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|
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6,006 |
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30,029 |
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|
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5.00 |
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|
|
0.064 |
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Borealis
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|
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321 |
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|
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5,611 |
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127 |
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|
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5,484 |
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|
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27,835 |
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|
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5.08 |
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|
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0.042 |
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Deep Ore Flats (Polaris)
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163 |
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6,223 |
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217 |
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|
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6,006 |
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|
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30,029 |
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|
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5.00 |
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|
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0.064 |
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Crocodile Ridge
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37 |
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2,593 |
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25 |
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|
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2,568 |
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|
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12,879 |
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|
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5.02 |
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|
|
0.012 |
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Alluvium
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253 |
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1,673 |
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175 |
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|
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1,498 |
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|
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7,490 |
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|
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5.00 |
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|
|
0.007 |
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East Ridge
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188 |
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4,466 |
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104 |
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4,362 |
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|
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21,892 |
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|
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5.02 |
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|
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0.020 |
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Mid Ridge
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60 |
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1,307 |
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24 |
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1,283 |
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6,415 |
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5.00 |
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|
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0.008 |
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Northeast Ridge
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210 |
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6,008 |
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115 |
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5,893 |
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29,495 |
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5.01 |
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0.016 |
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Outside Zones
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1,342 |
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56,188 |
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3,564 |
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52,624 |
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267,047 |
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5.07 |
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0.001 |
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Southwest Model Total
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1,080 |
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69,221 |
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4,144 |
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65,077 |
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328,339 |
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5.05 |
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0.012 |
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Northeast Model Total
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546 |
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18,020 |
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341 |
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17,679 |
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89,850 |
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5.08 |
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0.011 |
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(1) |
Reference should be made to the Technical Report for further
explanation of the above tabular information |
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(2) |
This table summarizes drilling within known gold deposits of
1,747 holes and does not reflect the remaining 487 drill holes.
Total drilling amounts to 2,234 holes with a total footage of
614,274 feet. |
|
(3) |
Drill holes may intersect more than one zone, therefore the
number of holes by zone is not additive. |
|
(4) |
All distances are presented in feet. |
The database subset used for the computer generated resource
model referred to in the Technical Report consists of 1,604 of
the drill holes with a total footage of 447,860 ft and 82,756
assayed intervals. Many of the high-grade intervals were assayed
more than once to check and confirm the actual grades, so the
total number of assays exceeds 82,756. The average depth of
holes is 275 ft but the bulk of the holes are less than 200 ft
with a limited number of holes in selective locations extending
1,000-2,000 ft to test deeper mineralization. The average
assayed interval was slightly larger than 5 ft, with the bulk of
the samples representing 5-ft intervals. The drill holes
discussed above were completed by other operators at Borealis,
and were not drilled by Gryphon.
Drilling of Existing Heaps and Dumps
In May 2004 we completed a drilling program on the five Borealis
site heaps and parts of the Freedom Flats and Borealis site
dumps. This program consisted of 32 holes totaling 2,478.5
ft. Dump holes were drilled deep enough to penetrate the soil
horizon below the dump, while holes on the heaps were drilled to
an estimated 10-15 ft above the heaps liner. We are
currently conducting an ongoing drill program targeted at
expanding the limits of known gold deposits. See
Development and Exploration Resource Expansion
and Exploration Program.
SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
General
The Borealis Mine operated from 1981 through 1990 producing
approximately 10.7 million tons of ore averaging
0.059 ounces of gold per ton from seven open pits. The
mined ore contained approximately 635,000 ounces of gold of
which approximately 500,000 ounces of gold were recovered
through a heap leach operation (please refer to footnote to
table Reported Past Borealis Production 1981-1990).
This historic production can be considered a bulk sample of the
deposits validating the database that was used for feasibility
studies and construction decisions through the 1980s. With over
2,200 drill holes in the database that was compiled over a
20-year period by major companies, the amount of information on
the project is extensive. It
34
is primarily these data that have been used as the foundation of
the current mineral resource estimate. The bulk of the data was
collected beginning in 1978, the year of discovery of the
initial ore-grade mineralization, and was continuously collected
through the final year of full production. Subsequent owners who
conducted exploration programs through the 1990s added to the
database.
Previous Mining Operations Sampling,
Analysis, Quality Control and Security
Specific detailed information on sampling methods and approaches
by the various mine operators is not available to us. However, a
report written in 1981 (referred to in the Technical Report)
noted that the drilling, sampling and analytical procedures as
well as assay checks were reported as acceptable by industry
practice.
Echo Bay Mines performed quality checks on their drill cuttings,
sampling and assaying methods as part of their evaluation of the
property prior to and following its purchase from Tenneco
Minerals, indicating that the original assays were reliable and
representative. During their exploration and development
programs they also drilled a number of core hole twins of
reverse circulation rotary drill holes to compare assay results
in the same areas.
Houston Oil and Minerals, Tenneco, and Echo Bay Mines are
reported to have used standard sample preparation and analytical
techniques in their exploration and evaluation efforts, but
detailed descriptions of the procedures have not been found.
Most of the drill-hole assaying was accomplished by major
laboratories that were in existence at the time of the drilling
programs. Various labs including Monitor Geochemical, Union
Assaying, Barringer, Chemex, Bondar-Clegg, Metallurgical
Laboratories, Cone Geochemical, the Borealis Mine lab and others
were involved in the assaying at different phases of the
exploration and mining activity.
We believe that early work on the property relied on assay
standards that were supplied by the laboratories doing the
assaying. However, Echo Bay Mines (1986) reported using
seven internal quality control standards for their Borealis Mine
drill-hole assaying program. The seven standards ranged in gold
concentrations from 170 ppb to 0.37 opt. Assay labs involved in
the standards analyses were Cone Geochemical, Chemex, and the
Borealis Mine lab, and the precision of the three labs was
reported as excellent (+/- 1 to 8%) for the higher gold grades
(0.154-0.373 opt); acceptable (+/- 3 to 14%) for the lower
grades (0.029-0.037 opt); and fair (+/- 4 to 20%) for the
geochemical anomaly grades (0.009 opt to 170 ppb). These
data provide an initial estimation of the precision and accuracy
of gold analyses of Borealis mineralization.
During 1986, Echo Bay instructed Chemex to analyze duplicate
samples for five selected drill holes. A comparison was made of
(a) 1/2
assay-ton fire assay with a gravimetric finish, versus
(b) 1/2
assay-ton fire assay with an atomic absorption finish, versus
(c) hot cyanide leach of a 10-gram sample. The
1/2
assay-ton fire assay gravimetric and the
1/2
assay-ton fire assay atomic absorption gave
essentially the same results. However the hot cyanide leach gave
results that were 5-11 percent higher in one comparison and
significantly lower in another, prompting Chemex to conclude
that cyanide leach assaying was not appropriate for Borealis
samples. The great majority of the assays in the database are
based on fire assays.
We have no information relating to the sample security
arrangements made by the previous operators.
Gryphon Gold Operations Sampling,
Analysis, Quality Control and Security
We engaged an independent contractor in 2004 to drill 32 holes
on the five previously leached heaps and two waste dumps. The
drilling was completed with a sonic rig to retrieve a core-like
sample. All drill holes were drilled vertical, and samples
represent true thickness of the dump or heap
material.
Sampling intervals were originally designed to be every 10 ft,
but were contingent upon drilling conditions. During drilling,
sample intervals were subject to when the sample tube was
extracted from the hole. Individual runs varied from 1 to 3 ft,
which were then combined to produce a sample with an interval
length as close to 10 ft as practicable (the combination was
completed at American Assay Labs). Combined intervals varied
from 9 ft to 11 ft, except at the bottom of a hole where the
interval was as short as 4 ft.
35
When the sample tube was extracted from the hole, the sample was
immediately slid into a plastic sleeve that was sealed and
marked with the drill hole number and footage interval. These
plastic sample sleeves were not reopened until they reached the
analytical lab. All of the drill procedures and handover to the
analytical lab was monitored by an independent geologist hired
through Geotemps Inc. The contract field geologist also
maintained lithology logs for each drill hole. A non-blind
standard was added as the last sample of each hole, which was
obvious to the lab since the standard was in a pulp bag,
although the lab did not know the gold value of the standard.
All samples were submitted to American Assays Labs of Sparks,
Nevada. At the lab each of the individual samples were combined
into an analytical sample at approximated 10 ft intervals. Each
analytical sample was split in a rotary splitter with a
one-fifth of the sample removed for assay and the remaining
four-fifths retained for metallurgical testing. Each analytical
split was weighed, dried and weighed again. The difference
between the two weights represents the amount of water in the
original sample. Each dried sample was crushed to one-quarter
inch passing and a 300 to 500 gram sample was riffled off for
assay. The remaining sample was retained at the lab. Each assay
sample was pulverized and assayed for gold and silver by one
assay ton fire assay, and a two hour 200 gram cyanide shake
assay for dissolvable gold.
Two additional samplings were undertaken on one of the heaps.
Twelve samples were collected along the new road cut and one
bulk sample was collected from a backhoe cut made
during reclamation. The road cut samples were collected as rock
chips over 10 ft intervals. Each sample was about 5 pounds of
material that was collected to represent the size distribution
of the material in the cut. Six of the samples were from the
south side mid-point along the heap and six from near the east
base. Each sample was assayed by American Assay Labs using one
assay ton fire assay for gold and silver. The average grade of
the 12 samples is 0.009 opt Au, which compares favorably with
the average grade of the three holes drilled into the heap,
which is 0.008 opt Au. About 20 pounds of representative
material was collected from the backhoe trench. At American
Assay Labs one-quarter of the sample was split out and assayed
by one assay ton fire assay for gold and silver. This sample
contains 0.008 opt Au, which corresponds with the average value
for the heap as determined by drilling. The remaining
three-quarters of the sample was sieved into four size fractions
and assayed in the same manner as noted above.
As part of the quality control program standards were submitted
to American Assay Labs (AAL) with each drill hole, several
assayed pulps and two standards were submitted to ALS Chemex,
and three of the duplicates and two standards were submitted to
ActLabs-Skyline.
Historical Mining and Metallurgical Operations
The historical mining operations processed both a run-of-mine
ore and an ore that was crushed to a nominal
11/2-inch
product as the primary feed material that was placed on the heap
for leaching. The fines fraction was agglomerated with cement,
mixed with the coarse fraction, and leached with sodium cyanide
solution. Gold mineralization is finely disseminated and/or
partially bonded with pyrite, and although there are very little
ore mineralogy data available, historical operating reports
suggest that some coarse gold may exist. Gold that is bound in
pyrite or pyrite-silica is not easily recovered by simple heap
leach cyanidation, however gold recovery in oxide ores is
reported to average about 80% for the ore treated. There are no
reports of carbonaceous refractory components within the old
heap or dump materials. The previous mine operators employed a
Merrill Crowe circuit to enhance ease of silver recovery,
followed by a retort to remove mercury.
Laboratory testing subsequent to mine shut down in 1990
indicates that gold recoveries of 55 to 80 percent can be
expected from remaining oxide material on the Borealis Property
by heap leaching.
Based on limited testwork, gold bearing sulfide material appears
to respond to conventional flotation concentration and
cyanidation of oxidized concentrates. In the laboratory testing,
chemical oxidation and bioxidation treatment of the sulfide
material yield a high level of oxidation and correspondingly
high gold recoveries after cyanidation of the oxidized material.
Aeration of concentrate slurries may be a suitable oxidation
method for the sulfide material.
36
DEVELOPMENT AND EXPLORATION
Our development and exploration plans are based on the
recommendations contained in the Technical Report and are
outlined below:
Permitting Process
We will continue the process of obtaining the permits necessary
for mine start up. Obtaining the permits necessary for mine
start up does not require us to complete a feasibility study.
The principal permits are expected to be issued in early 2006,
while ordinary course permits will be sought prior to mine start
up.
The permitting process is described below under the heading
Permitting and consists principally of:
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Filing a Plan of Operation with the U.S. Forest Service to
obtain a mine operation permit. We filed our Plan of Operation
in August 2004. |
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Preparation of an Environmental Assessment. We have retained a
third party contractor to prepare the assessment for us, and we
expect this process will be completed in early 2006. |
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Obtaining water rights from the Nevada Division of Water Rights.
We have obtained the rights to one basin and applied for rights
to a second basin. |
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Obtaining a Water Pollution Control Permit from the Nevada
Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Mining
Regulation and Reclamation (the BMRR) in respect of
the heap leach and process solution ponds. We filed our
application in February 2005. |
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Obtaining a reclamation permit from the BMRR. Our application
for a reclamation permit was filed in August 2004. We will need
to post a reclamation bond with the U.S. Forest Service
prior to commencement of site disturbance. |
Drilling and Feasibility
We plan to continue our drilling program and develop a
feasibility study designed to delineate gold reserves to support
construction of mining operations. On July 11, 2005, we
accepted a joint proposal for a feasibility study by Samuel
Engineering, Inc. and Knight Piesold and Company. Samuel
Engineering provides services including metallurgical process
development and design, and Knight Piesold provides mining,
metallurgical, and environmental engineering services. Both
companies have worked together recently on completing similar
studies. Work has begun on the feasibility study.
Future Mine Development
We propose to build a mine operation, if warranted by project
economics, on the Borealis site. Our plan could change based on
additional information as it is acquired and analyzed in our
ongoing engineering studies and feasibility study. We have
described below the principal steps to the proposed development
of the mine operations which is based substantially on the Plan
of Operations, and which is subject to review by the
U.S. Forest Service. The Plan of Operations does not
present an economic analysis, and we have not placed any
information in the Plan of Operations regarding capital
expenditures, operating costs, ore grade, anticipated revenues,
or projected cash flows.
We have submitted a Plan of Operations #2-04-08 to the
U.S. Forest Service in August 27, 2004. The proposed
Plan of Operations consists of the reopening of a previously
reclaimed open pit mining operation. The proposed surface
disturbance consists of pit and waste rock facility expansion
and the construction of a new leach pad, processing and support
facilities, surface water diversions, yard areas, utilities, and
mine roads. The proposed disturbance is approximately
455 acres and is located entirely within the footprint of
the previously disturbed and reclaimed project area. The
proposed mine will initially be located in and around mine
workings left by previous operators. We anticipate that mine
development will start, if warranted, after the acquisition of
the principal federal and State of Nevada environmental
protection and operating permits. We anticipate that mine
construction and construction of support facilities will be
scheduled soon after receipt
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of permits, and as weather and seasonal climatic conditions
allow. We plan to begin exploiting known mineral deposits using
conventional surface mining methods.
We plan to initially use a mining and crushing contractor for
the mining and crushing operations. Leaching and gold production
is expected to be undertaken by company employees. Initial
permits are expected to allow for an initial heap size of
approximately 10 million tons of material. The heaps are
expected to be expanded as the operation grows to occupy
additional surface area as required to continue the operation.
The projected initial mine life, based on our current plans, is
10 to 12 years, which includes: eight to ten years of
active gold production, heap drain down, and reclamation; and
two to three years of post reclamation monitoring and repairs.
Mine life may be adjusted as mining plans are further refined
through the feasibility study and the property is further
explored and developed.
Planned Heap Leach Operations. The Plan of Operations
calls for a new double-lined heap leach pad to be constructed
within and adjacent to two of the existing reclaimed pads in a
two phase approach. Phasing of the construction will allow for
the re-mining of the existing ore on these pads and limit the
extent of the areas disturbed for mineral processing. The
re-mined material from existing heaps, and material newly mined
from the five pits will be crushed and agglomerated with lime
and then placed on the new leach pads in lifts up to
25 feet high using a conveyor system. The leach pad is
designed to hold 10-million tons of mineralized material once
the phased construction is completed.
Our plan calls for the agglomerated material to be placed on the
heap leach pad and leached with a dilute cyanide solution. After
the solution percolates through the heaped material, it will be
collected in a series of pipes and lined ditches that will drain
to the Pregnant Solution Tank. The pregnant solution will then
be pumped to the Adsorption, Desorption and Refining
(ADR) Plant where gold and other precious minerals will be
removed from the solution. Two large storage ponds will also be
located in this area. The first pond, which will have a double
synthetic liner with leak detection system, will be used for
recycling barren solution and storing excess water generated
during storm events. The second pond, which will have a single
synthetic liner, will be constructed when the second phase leach
pad construction is completed. It will be used solely to contain
excess water generated during storm events.
Planned Access and Access Roads. Secondary access roads
are proposed around the perimeter of the new heap leach pad.
Ditches and culverts will be installed, wherever necessary, to
maintain adequate drainage.
Planned Surface Mining Activities. Planned mining in the
pits will consist of conventional drilling and blasting,
loading, and hauling. Surface mining equipment sized for
moderate sized open pit mine operation should be used. The final
equipment list will be contingent on availability form a mining
contractor. Any acid-generating waste identified during mining
will be encapsulated within the non-acid-generating waste rock.
Mining is scheduled to begin with the East Ridge and Polaris
Pits. The waste rock will be transported to the East Ridge Waste
Rock Facility (WRF) and Polaris WRF, respectively. As the
schedule progresses, open pit mining operations is planned to
gradually shift to the Borealis and Northeast Ridge Pits
starting with pre-stripping of waste rock. The waste rock from
the Borealis will be hauled to the Borealis South WRF and the
Borealis North WRF while the NE Ridge waste rock will be hauled
to the NE Ridge WRF.
Planned Ancillary Facilities and Infrastructure
Requirements. The site laboratory, administration,
warehouse, and leach pad maintenance facilities are planned to
be centrally located near the ADR plant and storage Ponds.
Standard manufactured modular facilities will be placed on
concrete slabs. A graded parking lot is also planned for
construction in this area for employees and visitors.
The truck maintenance shop, light vehicle shop, fuel storage
area, and truck ready line will be located north of the storage
ponds.
The Projects water will be supplied by two new production
wells to be installed approximately three miles south of the
mining area at a water basin in respect of which we have
obtained water rights. The pre-existing production waterline,
which was left buried in place by the previous operator, will be
utilized to convey the water to the ADR plant and storage ponds
if it is still in good condition. If the existing line is in
poor condition, a new pipeline will be installed within the same
pipeline corridor.
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A propane storage tank will be located in a fenced area near the
ADR. Propane will be used to supply fuel for heat to the various
buildings and processing equipment (i.e., solution heater,
rotary kiln, and melting furnace). A new electrical line will be
installed to the project area from a nearby utility power line
using the same utility corridor as was used for the previous
mine operation. Generators may also be used to provide
additional electrical power for the project during the start-up
operations.
Future Exploration and Reclamation. The Plan of
Operations also contemplates eventual underground exploration as
well as post mining reclamation and land use.
Depending on the results of exploration, and development
drilling and other factors, a higher grade underground mining
operation may be deemed feasible in the future. If this is the
case, a more efficient metallurgical process and mill may be
required to treat higher grade ores.
Mineralized Materials and Exploration Program
The Borealis property embraces numerous areas with potential for
discovery of mineable gold deposits. The defined target areas
can be grouped into categories based on our expectation for
deposit expansion or potential for discovery. Our current
emphasis is focused on targets which are the extensions of
previously mined deposits, specifically the East Ridge-Gold
View-Northeast Ridge mineralized trend, and around the margins
of the Borealis, Freedom Flats, and Deep Ore Flats/ Polaris
deposits. Each has the potential to add to the material that can
be developed as part of the initial mine plan. Results from
drilling will be incorporated into the preparation of the
feasibility study.
In addition to the drilling program required for the preparation
of the feasibility study, we propose to undertake a systematic
district scale exploration program designed to discover and
delineate large gold deposits within the greater Borealis
Property, outside of the known mineral deposits, which will
focus along known mineralized trends that project into untested
gravel-covered areas with coincident geophysical anomalies. The
greatest potential in the district lies beneath a large
gravel-covered area at the mountain front with several potential
blind deposits (with no surface expression). The Graben zone is
an example of this type of deposit, and other high-potential
targets include North Graben, Sunset Wash, Lucky Boy, and others
yet to be named.
Planned activities and expenditures include both field and
compilation geology, geophysics, geochemistry, permitting and
claim maintenance, road construction and drill-site preparation,
reverse circulation (RC) and core drilling, drill-hole
assaying, sampling protocol studies and assay quality control,
preliminary metallurgical testing, and database management. We
estimate that nearly 50% of the budget would be spent directly
on drilling (mostly on RC drilling) with approximately 13% on
geologists, 10% on assaying, and the remainder divided among the
other items. The budget is expected to be sufficient to discover
and delineate one or more deposits, but additional funding will
be required for detailed development drilling and other
development activities.
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Our most significant mineral resource exploration and expansion
prospects are described below. All except for Sunset Wash and
Lucky Boy are included (or partially included, as is the case
for North Graben) within the boundaries of the previously
disturbed area. In addition, several other identified resource
areas on the Borealis Property are open for further discovery.
These prospect (or target) areas have known or projected
mineralization and coincident geophysical signatures, and extend
under alluvial cover in pediment areas in the southern and
southwestern portion of the property. In some areas of the
Borealis Property, alluvial gravel covers the
altered-mineralized volcanic rocks at lower elevations along the
mountain front and overlies some of the best exploration
targets. The names of deposits and exploration targets on the
Borealis Property are shown on the map below. The map also shows
the boundary of the claim holdings that comprise the Borealis
Property.
Borealis gold district
23 square miles
(Source: A. Noble, Ore Reserves Engineering, Technical Report,
2005)
The following describes some of the target areas that have
gold-bearing rock reported in drill holes or areas that have
been mined historically, or are on trend or at depth that have
not been tested adequately. Several deposits have been targeted
for sampling in the current drill program as noted below.
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Targets with Potential for Expansion of Known Gold
Deposits |
Freedom Flats. The silicified zone under the current
resource has been inadequately drill tested. Several deeper
holes have intercepted gold below and adjacent to the current
pit bottom. Limited drill evidence, an aeromagnetic survey
anomaly, and structural reconstruction of geology in the pit
suggest that a second zone may exist a short distance to the
south of the pit. Additional drilling is planned to define the
limits of the northern and southwestern edges of the deposit and
the edges of the mineralized zone found in the bottom of the
pit. These holes may range from 200 to about 800 ft deep.
Borealis Extension. Beneath the Borealis deposit ranging
from 250 to 500 ft below the surface, several holes intercepted
a flat lying to shallowly dipping mineralized zone that has yet
to be fully delineated. Furthermore, the Borealis deposit
appears to be cut on the northwest side by the extension of the
Freedom Flat fault and a portion of the Borealis deposit may be
in this down-dropped block. The primary target is defined by 16
contiguous drill holes that have potential ore-grade intercepts
and that penetrate beneath the
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7,000 ft. elevation, as shown below. Additional drilling is
planned to better define the limits of the mineralization along
edges of the old Borealis pit for mining purposes as well as
testing the deeper mineralized area to the north and northwest
of the previously mined Borealis pit area. These planned holes
may range from 100 to 500 ft deep, and if warranted up to
800 ft in special circumstances.
Schematic cross section of Borealis extension deposit area
(Source: A. Noble, Ore Reserves Engineering, Technical Report,
2005)
The grades shown above are the average of the intercepts for a
particular drill hole (calculated over the lengths of the drill
hole indicated).
Deep Ore Flats (also referred to as Polaris). Additional
drilling is planned to better define the limits of the
mineralization along edges of the existing pit for mining
purposes. These planned holes may be 100- to 200-ft deep.
Crocodile Ridge. This silicified zone is an extension of
the Borealis deposit to the northeast. Several holes have
intercepted low-grade gold mineralization. Additional and deeper
drilling is required to fully test this target;
East Ridge. The feeder zone to the East Ridge deposit has
never been drill tested. This zone lies either underneath the
current pit or lies to the south and originates from a major
fault zone bringing up basement granite. Additional drilling is
planned to better define the limits of the mineralization along
the south flank and bottom of the existing pit for mining
purposes. These planned holes may be 50- to 500-ft deep.
Northeast Ridge. As with East Ridge, the feeder zone to
the Northeast Ridge deposit has never been drill tested. This
untested zone lies either underneath the current pit or lies to
the south and originating from a major fault zone. Additional
drilling is planned to better define the limits of the
mineralization around the pit for mining purposes. These planned
holes may be 50- to 500-ft deep.
Other targets have been defined based on historical exploration
activities. The most important of these targets include the
areas noted below. In general, in these target areas, additional
field work will be required preceding further drilling.
Cerro Duro. The Cerro Duro deposit is localized along the
major Cerro Duro fault zone. Additional deeper drilling into the
root zone of this pipe is required and new drilling should be
done to identify other blind deposits that may also be localized
along this fault. Specific drilling plans will be finalized as
more field work is completed.
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Jaimes Ridge. Several drill holes drilled to the
west of the Jaimes Ridge deposit identified some low grade
mineralization along splays of the major Cerro Duro fault
system. Additional drilling should be conducted to determine if
mineable reserves could be found in the area. Specific drilling
plans will be finalized as more field work is completed.
Purdys Peak. The Purdys Peak mineralization
needs to be further drilled with deeper holes and offset holes.
The area lies at the juncture of two faults along trend with the
Cerro Duro fault system. Specific drilling plans will be
finalized as more field work is completed.
Bullion Ridge/ Boundary Ridge. The northeast-trending
alteration zone extending along Boundary Ridge into Bullion
Ridge contains intense silicification that is surrounded by
argillization, with abundant anomalous gold. Widely spaced
shallow holes have tested several of the alteration/anomalous
gold zones defining mineral resources, but more exploration is
needed to determine the total potential of the area.
Graben Deposit. The Graben deposit is a north-trending,
mineralized zone that appears to have at least three mineralized
bodies which may be similar to the Freedom Flats deposit. These
have yet to be fully delineated by drilling, but existing drill
holes demonstrate a higher grade zone which may continue for
more than 1,400 feet in strike length. The trend remains
open to the north and has been traced by geophysical surveys,
which suggest that this is a superior exploration target.
Schematic cross section of the Graben deposit area
(Source: A. Noble, Ore Reserves Engineering, Technical
Report, 2005)
The grades shown above are the average of the intercepts for a
particular drill hole (calculated over the lengths of the drill
hole indicated).
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Identified Targets with Potential for New
Discoveries |
North Graben Extension. Prior surface exploration has
defined an extension of the mineralized structural trend
identified in the Graben deposit. This new target is defined by
an aeromagnetic anomaly with a coincident IP anomaly. Several
test holes are warranted, and will be located as determined
through further geologic evaluation and analysis.
West Pediment. This defined target area incorporates the
prospects referred to as Sunset Wash, Flatlands, and Gnat Flats.
The target has thin to modest thickness of alluvial cover, as
revealed by several
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widely scattered drill holes. A large intense aeromagnetic low
over the area suggests strong alteration in the underlying
andesite and a coincident subtle chargeability high anomaly
indicates a mineralized system. This aeromagnetic
low/chargeability high anomaly along the projection of a known
mineralized trend has not been drilled. In an adjacent area,
very widely spaced and relatively shallow drill holes in the
area of a strong chargeability anomaly intersected substantial
pyrite, argillization, and silicification, and locally anomalous
gold in bedrock beneath the alluvium. It appears from an initial
review of the data that several untested targets exist which
will require further analysis and future drill sampling and
testing.
Lucky Boy Prospect. Another prospect area similar to
North Graben and Sunset Wash is the Lucky Boy area, which may be
in a shallower pediment environment in the central portion of
the district near the range front. Drill holes in the periphery
have thick zones of silification and traces of gold
mineralization. Echo Bays aeromagnetic map shows another
bulls-eye magnetic low and Cambiors IP map shows a
coincident chargeability high in the area of the silicification.
Additional required data compilation work is in progress.
UNITED STATES MINING LAWS
Mining in the State of Nevada is subject to federal, state and
local law. Three types of laws are of particular importance to
the Borealis Property: those affecting land ownership and mining
rights; those regulating mining operations; and those dealing
with the environment.
The Borealis Property is situated on lands owned by the United
States (Federal Lands). Borealis Mining, as the owner or lessee
of the unpatented mining claims, has the right to conduct mining
operations on the lands subject to the prior procurement of
required operating permits and approvals, compliance with the
terms and conditions of the mining lease, and compliance with
applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and
ordinances. On Federal Lands, mining rights are governed by the
General Mining Law of 1872 as amended, 30 U.S.C.
§§ 21-161 (various sections), which allows the
location of mining claims on certain Federal Lands upon the
discovery of a valuable mineral deposit and proper compliance
with claim location requirements. A valid mining claim provides
the holder with the right to conduct mining operations for the
removal of locatable minerals, subject to compliance with the
General Mining Law and Nevada state law governing the staking
and registration of mining claims, as well as compliance with
various federal, state and local operating and environmental
laws, regulations and ordinances. Historically, the owner of an
unpatented mining claim could, upon strict compliance with legal
requirements, file a patent application to obtain full fee title
to the surface and mineral rights within the claim; however,
continuing Congressional moratoriums have precluded new mining
claim patent applications since 1993.
The operation of mines is governed by both federal and state
laws. Part of the Borealis Property is situated within the
Toiyabe National Forest, and that part is administered by the
U.S. Forest Service. The rest of the Borealis Property is
administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In general,
the federal laws that govern mining claim location and
maintenance and mining operations on Federal Lands, including
the Borealis Property, are administered by the BLM. The Forest
Service is concerned with surface land use, disturbances and
rights-of-way on Federal Lands that it manages. Additional
federal laws, such as those governing the purchase, transport or
storage of explosives, and those governing mine safety and
health, also apply. Various permits or approvals from the BLM
and other federal agencies will be needed before any mining
operations on the Borealis Property can begin.
The State of Nevada likewise requires various permits and
approvals before mining operations can begin, although the state
and federal regulatory agencies usually cooperate to minimize
duplication of permitting efforts. Among other things, a
detailed reclamation plan must be prepared and approved, with
bonding in the amount of projected reclamation costs. The bond
is used to ensure that proper reclamation takes place, and the
bond will not be released until that time. The bond amount for a
large mining operation is significant. Local jurisdictions (such
as Mineral County) may also impose permitting requirements (such
as conditional use permits or zoning approvals).
Mining activities on the Borealis Property are subject also to
various environmental laws, both federal and state, including
but not limited to the federal National Environmental Policy
Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act, the Resource Recovery and Conservation Act, the
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Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species
Act, and certain Nevada state laws governing the discharge of
pollutants and the use and discharge of water. Various permits
from federal and state agencies are required under many of these
laws. See, Permitting Requirements, below. Local
laws and ordinances may also apply to such activities as waste
disposal, road use and noise levels.
PERMITTING
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Permit Acquisition and Fundamental Environmental Permitting
Considerations |
We have initiated a plan to obtain the required principal
environmental operating permits in anticipation of a possible
mine start-up in 2006. Current engineering, results from permit
negotiations, and updated mineral resource estimates will serve
as the basis for a feasibility study that is scheduled for
completion by the end of 2005.
A staged permit acquisition program is in progress. The first
permitting stage, started in the fall of 2003, has been
completed. Permits obtained at that time authorized exploration
activities needed to prove the mineral resource, condemn the
heap sites and support infrastructure, and obtain environmental
baseline data to support the permitting packages. A second stage
of application for exploration drilling permits was submitted in
December 2004 and approval was obtained in May 2005. A Plan of
Operations for a new mine was submitted in August 2004 to the
U.S. Forest Service and Nevada State agencies. A Water
Pollution Control Permit application for the reopening and
expansion of the mine was submitted to the Nevada Bureau of
Mining Regulation and Reclamation in January 2005. Future
exploration activities and mine expansion initiatives will be
included in applications for subsequent approvals on a
case-by-case and as-needed basis.
The permit we applied for focuses on the approximately
460 acre area previously disturbed by mining operations.
Deposits within this boundary, subject to permit applications
generally, include the oxidized and partially oxidized portions
of Borealis, Deep Ore Flats (also known as Polaris), East Ridge,
Freedom Flats, and Northeast Ridge which are amenable to a
conventional hydrometallurgical gold recovery process such as
heap leaching. Also included in the Plan of Operations is the
option for development of underground access to the Graben
deposit to be used for exploration and future development
activities, although no production plan has been submitted for
consideration in this mineralized zone at this date. Crocodile
Ridge, Middle Ridge, and other deposits within the study area
boundaries of the Borealis Property will be added to the permit
applications if warranted based on ongoing engineering and
in-fill drilling results.
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Permitting Process Overview |
The development, operation, closure and reclamation of mining
projects in the United States require numerous notifications,
permits, authorizations and public agency decisions. This
section does not attempt to exhaustively identify all of the
permits and authorizations that need to be gained, but instead
focuses on those that are considered to be the main efforts that
are on the critical path for project start-up.
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Environmental Inventories |
There are certain environmental evaluations that routinely must
be completed in order to provide the information against which
project impacts are measured. Both the U.S. Forest Service
and the Nevada Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation
(BMRR) have requirements to profile existing conditions and
to evaluate what effects will result from implementing the
project plans on those mineral resources.
Background information on geology, air quality, soils, biology,
water resources, social and economic conditions, and cultural
resources are currently being assembled for us and will be
submitted to the appropriate regulatory agency.
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Permitting Requirements |
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U.S. Forest Service Requirements |
The Bridgeport Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service
will be the lead agency regulating mining and reclamation
activities at the Borealis Property. The permitting process with
the U.S. Forest Service consists of filing a Plan of
Operations pursuant to the requirements of 36 CFR
Part 228, Subpart A. Our Plan of Operations was filed in
August 2004 describing the project plans in a step-by-step
process. The Plan of Operations describes the development of the
deposits identified in the Technical Report and recognizes and
anticipates the effects of market impacts such as reductions or
increases in gold price, and describes the measures that will be
taken to adjust for these changing conditions. The emphasis of
the Plan of Operations is on defining the spatial and temporal
aspects, as they will affect the land that is managed by the
agency. The Plan of Operations also describes the plans to
reclaim the site, and includes an estimate of the cost to
accomplish that reclamation. This cost estimate is the first
step toward establishing the reclamation surety for the site.
In order to satisfy the reclamation surety requirements of the
U.S. Forest Service, we propose to obtain an insurance
policy for its benefit. This policy, if obtained on terms
acceptable to us, would require us to pay into a
commutation account of the insurer the agreed cost
of the initial future reclamation work. The initial amount
covered under the policy will be funded by a deposit of
$2.8 million into the commutation account. The
amount covered by the policy is expected to increase as
reclamation costs increase due to expanded mining related
disturbances. This additional policy coverage is expected to be
funded from mining revenue once the mine is in operation. Once
funded, the account will be available to pay for concurrent and
final reclamation expenses as they are incurred. The policy is
expected to provide us a mechanism to manage the overall cost of
reclamation for a known cost for the entire life of mine and
provide financial assurance required by the U.S. Forest
Service. We would propose to acquire the policy once the plan of
operations and associated reclamation plan are approved by the
U.S. Forest Service.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that
any decision made by a Federal agency must consider the
environmental effects of that decision. The USFS will decide
whether or not there is a decision to be made, and whether that
decision is significant or not. If there is no decision to be
made, as in the instance of Categorical Exclusions (CE), the
project can proceed with notification only. CEs are
allowed when surface disturbances are limited to less than one
mile of new road building. If a decision must be made, an
environmental impact evaluation is completed and from that
analysis, a determination of whether the environmental impact is
significant or not. If the determination is a finding of
no significant impact (FONSI), then the agency is
authorized to approve the plan based on the Environmental
Assessment (EA) findings. If the decision is that the
impacts are in fact significant, then an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) is required to arrive at the final
decision. There is a significantly increased time period for
review and public comment for an EIS versus an EA. Approvals of
Gryphon Golds site exploration activities to date were
authorized under a CE.
The USFS Bridgeport Ranger District (District) has determined
that preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) is
necessary to comply with the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The USFS and we have mutually
agreed to have Knight Piesold and Co. (KPCO), a third-party NEPA
contractor, prepare the EA.
At the completion of the NEPA process and decision, the
reclamation surety must be posted with the USFS prior to any
surface disturbance on site. The reclamation cost estimate
provided in the Plan of Operations will be reviewed and refined
by the agency and an acceptable amount agreed upon among the
U.S. Forest Service, BMRR and us.
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Nevada Division of Water Resources Requirements |
Development of the Borealis Property will involve significant
water demand in an arid region where the water basin has been
over-appropriated and for which project water rights have been
withdrawn. Successful
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mining and processing will require careful control of project
water and efficient reclamation of project solutions back into
the leaching process.
The Nevada Division of Water Resources (NDWR) is the
responsible agency for granting water rights permits. There are
two basins from which water rights could be appropriated. The
first basin was the water supply for the mining reclamation
activities at Borealis during the 1980s and early
1990s. Although this basin appears to be over allocated to
various users, many of these rights go unused, so it may be
possible to transfer existing appropriations to the project if
necessary. The second basin, located south of the Borealis
Property boundary, is undeveloped.
We believe that water rights granted to us by the NDWR are
sufficient to conduct planned operations. A wellfield to perfect
this water supply has not yet been tested or developed. We are
negotiating with the NDWR for a second set of water rights to
the second basin. Granting of the second water right will allow
for sufficient capacity to allow for a backup source and
capacity for expansion if required.
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NDEP Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation
Requirements |
The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of
Mining Regulation and Reclamation (BMRR) regulates mining
activities within the state including water pollution control
and reclamation.
The heap leach and process solution ponds are presented in the
water pollution control permit application that was filed in
January 2004. The permit application package includes the
engineering design report for the heap and ponds, certified by a
Nevada registered professional engineer. In addition to the
engineering report, operating plans describing the mineral
processing circuit, fluid management plan, monitoring plans,
emergency response plan, temporary closure plan and tentative
permanent closure plan were presented. The Water Pollution
Control Permit is expected to be issued before the end of 2005
and such permits are issued on five year, renewable terms.
BMRR also administers and enforces the requirements relating to
the reclamation of land subject to mining or exploration
projects.
A Reclamation Plan that contains the identical information as
was contained in the Plan of Operations was submitted to the
BMRR in August 2004. The Reclamation Plan is currently under
review and a decision may be received by the end of 2005.
We may be required to post a reclamation bond from a financial
institution or otherwise set aside a corresponding amount for
the benefit of BMRR. We anticipate that BMRR will accept the
reclamation bond we post for the benefit of the U.S. Forest
Service.
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Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Air Quality Requirements |
Prior to the commencement of construction activities, an air
quality permit will be necessary. The Nevada Bureau of Air
Quality (BAQ) regulations state that a process flow diagram
must be generated to communicate the technical aspects of the
process/activity and determine which class of permit will be
required. We plan to prepare the required process flow diagram
and submit our permit application in the third quarter of 2005.
The time period prescribed by Nevada rules for an air quality
permit of the type we expect to require is 10 business days
for technical completeness plus 60 calendar days to issue or
deny the permit.
|
|
|
United States Regulatory Matters |
All of our exploration activities in the United States are
subject to regulation by governmental agencies under various
mining and environmental laws. The nature and scope of
regulation depends on a variety of factors, including the type
of activities being conducted, the ownership status of land on
which the operations are located, the nature of the resources
affected, the states in which the operations are located, the
delegation
46
of federal air and water-pollution control and other programs to
state agencies, and the structure and organization of state and
local permitting agencies. We believe that we are in substantial
compliance with all such applicable laws and regulations. While
these laws and regulations govern how we conduct many aspects of
our business, we do not believe that they will have a material
adverse effect on our operations or financial condition. We
evaluate our projects in light of the cost and impact of
regulations on the proposed activity, and evaluate new laws and
regulations as they develop to determine the impact on, and
changes necessary to, our operations.
Generally, compliance with environmental and related laws and
regulations requires us to obtain permits issued by regulatory
agencies and to file various reports and keep records of our
operations. Some permits require periodic renewal or review of
their conditions and may be subject to a public review process
during which opposition to our proposed operations may be
encountered.
|
|
|
U.S. Federal and State Environmental Law |
Our past and future activities in the United States may cause us
to be subject to liability under various federal and state laws.
Proposed mining activities on federal land trigger regulations
promulgated by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM), and potentially other federal
agencies, depending on the nature and scope of the impacts. For
operations on federal public lands administered by the BLM that
disturb more than five acres, an operator must submit a Plan of
Operations to BLM. On USFS-administered lands, the USFS requires
the submission of a notice for all mining operations, regardless
of size, and a Plan of Operations if the USFS determines that
there will be any significant disturbance of the
surface.
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980, as amended (CERCLA), imposes strict,
joint, and several liability on parties associated with releases
or threats of releases of hazardous substances. Liable parties
include, among others, the current owners and operators of
facilities at which hazardous substances were disposed or
released into the environment and past owners and operators of
properties who owned such properties at the time of such
disposal or release. This liability could include response costs
for removing or remediating the release and damages to natural
resources. We are unaware of any reason why our undeveloped
properties would currently give rise to any potential CERCLA
liability. We cannot predict the likelihood of future CERCLA
liability with respect to our properties or surrounding areas
that have been affected by historic mining operations.
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) and related state laws, mining companies may
incur costs for generating, transporting, treating, storing, or
disposing of hazardous or solid wastes associated with certain
mining-related activities. RCRA costs may also include
corrective action or clean up costs.
Mining operations may produce air emissions, including fugitive
dust and other air pollutants, from stationary equipment, such
as crushers and storage facilities, and from mobile sources such
as trucks and heavy construction equipment. All of these sources
are subject to review, monitoring, permitting, and/or control
requirements under the federal Clean Air Act and related state
air quality laws. Air quality permitting rules may impose
limitations on our production levels or create additional
capital expenditures in order to comply with the permitting
conditions.
Under the federal Clean Water Act and delegated state
water-quality programs, point-source discharges into
Waters of the State are regulated by the National
Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program.
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act regulates the discharge
of dredge and fill material into Waters of the United
States, including wetlands. Stormwater discharges also are
regulated and permitted under that statute. All of those
programs may impose permitting and other requirements on our
operations.
The National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) requires an assessment of the environmental
impacts of major federal actions. The federal
action requirement can be satisfied if the project
involves federal land or if the federal government provides
financing or permitting approvals. NEPA does not establish any
47
substantive standards. It merely requires the analysis of any
potential impact. The scope of the assessment process depends on
the size of the project. An Environmental Assessment
(EA) may be adequate for smaller projects. An Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS), which is much more detailed and broader
in scope than an EA, is required for larger projects. NEPA
compliance requirements for any of our proposed projects could
result in additional costs or delays.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is administered by
the U.S. Department of Interiors U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. The purpose of the ESA is to conserve and
recover listed endangered and threatened species and their
habitat. Under the ESA, endangered means that a
species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a
significant portion of its range. Threatened means
that a species is likely to become endangered within the
foreseeable future. Under the ESA, it is unlawful to
take a listed species, which can include harassing
or harming members of such species or significantly modifying
their habitat. We conduct wildlife and plant inventories as
required as part of the environmental assessment process prior
to initiating exploration projects. We currently are unaware of
any endangered species issues at any of our projects that would
have a material adverse effect on our operations. Future
identification of endangered species or habitat in our project
areas may delay or adversely affect our operations.
We are committed to fulfilling our requirements under applicable
environmental laws and regulations. These laws and regulations
are continually changing and, as a general matter, are becoming
more restrictive. Our policy is to conduct our business in a
manner that safeguards public health and mitigates the
environmental effects of our business activities. To comply with
these laws and regulations, we have made, and in the future may
be required to make, capital and operating expenditures.
|
|
|
U.S. Federal and State Reclamation Requirements |
We are subject to land reclamation requirements under state and
federal law, which generally are implemented through reclamation
permits that apply to exploration activities. These requirements
often mandate concurrent reclamation and require the posting of
reclamation bonds or other financial assurance sufficient to
guarantee the cost of reclamation. If reclamation obligations
are not met, the designated agency could draw on these bonds and
letters of credit to fund expenditures for reclamation
requirements.
Reclamation requirements generally include stabilizing,
contouring and re-vegetating disturbed lands, controlling
drainage from portals and waste rock dumps, removing roads and
structures, neutralizing or removing process solutions,
monitoring groundwater at the mining site, and maintaining
visual aesthetics. We believe that we currently are in
substantial compliance with and are committed to maintaining all
of our financial assurance and reclamation obligations pursuant
to our permits and applicable laws.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of units in this
offering, prior to expenses, will amount to Cdn$16,100,000
($13,800,000), or Cdn$18,515,000 ($15,869,000) if the
underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, and
after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions. We
estimate that our expenses from this offering will be
approximately Cdn$1,400,000 ($1,200,000) resulting in net
proceeds of approximately Cdn$14,700,000 ($12,600,000), or
Cdn$17,115,000 ($14,669,000) if the underwriters exercise their
over-allotment option in full, after expenses of the offering
and deducting underwriting discounts and commissions.
48
The following table illustrates how we estimate we will use
those net proceeds from our offering:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Description |
|
Amount of Net Proceeds | |
|
|
| |
Exploration, sampling and testing of the Borealis
Property(1)
|
|
|
Cdn$1.7 million ($1.5 million) |
|
Mine capital
costs(2)
|
|
|
Cdn$6.6 million ($5.6 million) |
|
Reclamation bond
deposit(3)
|
|
|
Cdn$3.5 million ($3.0 million) |
|
General corporate purposes, including working capital needs
|
|
|
Cdn$2.9 million ($2.5 million) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Cdn$14.7 million ($12.6 million) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Exploration, sampling and testing consists of an exploration
program outside the Borealis site (previously disturbed area) to
target new potential new deposits. This work includes
geophysical and geochemical surveys, drilling, assays,
metallurgical testing and related permitting. |
|
(2) |
Mine capital costs consist of construction of heap leach pads
(Cdn$2.35 million or $2.0 million), construction of an ADR
gold recovery plant (Cdn$2.25 million or
$1.9 million), infrastructure construction including water
supply and power distribution (Cdn$0.7 million or
$0.6 million), engineering, procurement and construction
management (Cdn$0.95 million or $0.8 million) and
equipment mobilization (Cdn$0.35 million or
$0.3 million) |
|
(3) |
Reclamation bond deposit represents an up front payment to
secure a surety contract to satisfy future reclamation
obligations as will be required by regulatory agencies. |
Net proceeds received from the exercise of the over-allotment
option, Class A Warrants or underwriters compensation
options, if any, will be allocated to general corporate purposes.
We had working capital of $3.8 million as at
September 30, 2005, which we propose to apply to fund the
completion of our definition drilling program and feasibility
study (Cdn$1.17 million or $1.0 million), site
permitting (Cdn$700,000 or $600,000), costs related to lease and
claim maintenance fees (Cdn$233,000 or $200,000), and general
corporate purposes (Cdn$2.3 or $2.0 million). The payments
to Golden Phoenix in respect of the balance of the purchase
price for the Borealis Property ($500,000) are reflected in the
calculation of working capital.
The Technical Report recommends that a number of activities be
undertaken at the Borealis Property. The cost of these
activities is estimated in the Technical Report at
Cdn$4.1 million or $3.5 million. Such costs will be
funded from the net proceeds of the offering (in respect of
exploration, surveys sampling and testing
Cdn$1.7 million or $1.4 million) and from working
capital. The Technical Report also contemplates mine
development, if such development is technically warranted and
commercially feasible. The capital cost of the mine and the
associated reclamation bond deposit will be funded from the
proceeds of this offering.
We intend to spend the net proceeds available as stated above.
There may be circumstances where, for sound business reasons, a
reallocation of funds may be necessary. We expect that such a
reallocation would principally arise based on the results of our
feasibility study and ongoing exploration. For example, our
estimates relating to mine planning and exploration have had no
third party confirmation as to costs, and may need to be
adjusted.
Pending the uses described above, we intend to invest the net
proceeds in short- to medium-term, interest-bearing,
investment-grade securities.
DIVIDEND POLICY
We anticipate that we will retain any earnings to support
operations and to finance the growth and development of our
business. Therefore, we do not expect to pay cash dividends in
the foreseeable future. Any further determination to pay cash
dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors
and will be dependent on the financial condition, operating
results, capital requirements and other factors that our board
deems relevant. We have never declared a dividend.
49
CONSOLIDATED CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our consolidated capitalization
as at the dates indicated after giving effect to this offering.
The table should be read in conjunction with our consolidated
financial statements and notes thereto and
Managements Discussion and Analysis contained
elsewhere in this prospectus.
The as-adjusted capitalization at September 30, 2005
reflects our sale of 13,461,538 units in this offering at
an offering price of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the
midpoint of our estimated range) and after deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering
expenses payable by us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actual | |
|
Actual | |
|
As Adjusted(1)(2) | |
|
|
As at | |
|
As at | |
|
As at | |
|
|
March 31, 2005 | |
|
September 30, 2005 | |
|
September 30, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited) | |
|
(Unaudited) | |
Cash
|
|
|
$ 3,065,436 |
|
|
|
$ 4,423,362 |
|
|
|
$17,023,362 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock, $0.001 par value, 150,000,000 shares
authorized(3)
|
|
|
$ 21,692 |
|
|
|
$ 27,722 |
|
|
|
$ 41,184 |
|
|
|
|
(21,691,962 shares |
) |
|
|
(27,722,370 shares |
) |
|
|
(41,183,908 shares |
) |
Preferred Stock, $.001 par value, 15,000,000 shares
authorized, none issued and outstanding actual
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional paid in capital
|
|
|
7,152,268 |
|
|
|
11,005,715 |
|
|
|
23,592,253 |
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(3,641,345 |
) |
|
|
(5,272,533 |
) |
|
|
(5,272,533 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
$ 3,532,615 |
|
|
|
$ 5,760,904 |
|
|
|
$18,360,904 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to
purchase up to 15% of the number of units sold in the offering
to cover over-allotments, if any. |
|
(2) |
We estimate offering expenses to be approximately Cdn$1,400,000
($1,200,000). |
|
(3) |
Effective August 11, 2005, we amended our articles of
incorporation to increase our authorized capital to consist of
165,000,000 shares, including 150,000,000 shares of
common stock, $0.001 par value, and 15,000,000 shares
of preferred stock, $0.001 par value. |
DILUTION
Our net tangible book value was $5,760,904 or $0.21 per
share of common stock as of September 30, 2005. Net
tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total
tangible assets reduced by the amount of our total liabilities,
divided by 27,722,370 shares of common stock outstanding as
of September 30, 2005.
Dilution per share to new investors in this offering
represents the difference between the amount per share paid by
new investors for a share of our common stock and the as
adjusted, net tangible book value per common share immediately
following our offering. Set forth below, we have provided
information to new investors, assuming the successful sale of
the maximum number of units. In these calculations, we have
counted one share per unit but have not included any of the
warrants included in the units or the exercise by the
underwriters of their option to purchase up to 15% of the number
of units sold in the offering to cover over-allotments, if any,
or their compensation options. Accordingly, after giving effect
to the sale of 13,461,538 units in our offering at an offering
price of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our
estimated range) and the use of the net proceeds derived from
their sale, the as adjusted, net tangible book value of our
common stock would have been $18,360,904 or $0.45 per
share at September 30, 2005. Although these calculations
show an immediate increase in the pro forma net tangible book
value per common share of $0.24, they also disclose the
immediate dilution per common share purchased by new investors
of $0.66.
50
The following table illustrates the per share effect of this
dilution on the common shares purchased by new investors in this
offering of Cdn$17,500,000 ($15,000,000) at an assumed offering
price of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our
estimated range) based on a September 30, 2005
pro forma:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Units(1)(2)(3) | |
|
|
| |
Initial public offering price
|
|
$ |
1.11 |
|
|
Net tangible book value per share at September 30, 2005
|
|
$ |
0.21 |
|
|
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to
new investors
|
|
$ |
0.24 |
|
As adjusted net tangible book value
|
|
$ |
0.45 |
|
Dilution per share to new investors
|
|
$ |
0.66 |
|
Dilution percentage per share to new investors
|
|
|
59.5% |
|
|
|
(1) |
Assumes the sale of 13,461,538 units in our offering at an
offering price of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our
estimated range). |
|
(2) |
Assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their option to
purchase up to 15% of the number of units sold in the offering
to cover over-allotments, if any, or their compensation options.
Assumes no exercise of the warrants included in the units, which
are exercisable at
Cdn$ per
share. |
|
(3) |
Expressed in United States dollars. The offering price and
proceeds of the offering have been converted from Cdn$ at the
exchange rate of Cdn$1.00 = $0.8571, and rounded as
applicable. |
PRIOR SALES OF SECURITIES
During the 12 month period prior to date of this
prospectus, we sold securities in the following transactions:
|
|
|
On September 7, 2004, we reserved for issuance and later
sold 500,000 shares of common stock to Thomas Sitar, our
chief financial officer at $0.35 per share under the terms
of his employment agreement. |
|
|
On September 28, 2004, we sold 778,500 shares of
common stock at $0.65 per share for gross proceeds of
$506,025. On January 26, 2005, we issued to each of those
purchasers one-half of one warrant for each common share
purchased for no consideration in conjunction with a private
placement of units consisting of one share and one-half of one
warrant. Each whole warrant is exercisable to acquire one share
of common stock at $0.90 per share until the earlier of
September 28, 2006 and nine months following the date on
which common stock is listed on a public stock exchange. The
proceeds of this offer and sale were used for general corporate
purposes. |
|
|
On January 26, 2005, we sold 1,410,077 units at
$0.65 per unit for gross proceeds of $916,550. Each unit
consisted of one share of common stock and one-half of one share
purchase warrant, each whole warrant exercisable to acquire one
share of common stock $0.90 per share until the earlier of
January 26, 2007 and nine months following the date on
which common stock is listed on a public stock exchange. The
proceeds of this offer and sale were used for general corporate
purposes. |
|
|
On March 28, 2005, we sold 4,627,385 units at
$0.65 per unit for gross proceeds of $3,007,800. Each unit
consisted of one share of common stock and one-half of one share
purchase warrant, each whole warrant exercisable to acquire one
share of common stock $0.90 per share until the earlier of
March 28, 2007 and nine months following the date on which
common stock is listed on a public stock exchange. The proceeds
of this offer and sale were used for general corporate purposes. |
|
|
On April 1, 2005, we sold 1,300,000 units at
$0.65 per unit for gross proceeds of $845,000. Each unit
consisted of one share of common stock and one-half of one share
purchase warrant, each whole warrant exercisable to acquire one
share of common stock $0.90 per share until the earlier of
April 1, 2007 and nine months following the date on which
common stock is listed on a public stock exchange. The proceeds
of this offer and sale were used for general corporate purposes. |
|
|
On April 25, 2005, we sold 4,221,154 units at
$0.65 per unit for gross proceeds of $2,743,750. Each unit
consisted of one share of common stock and one-half of one share
purchase warrant, each whole warrant |
51
|
|
|
exercisable to acquire one share of common stock $0.90 per
share until the earlier of April 25, 2007 and nine months
following the date on which common stock is listed on a public
stock exchange. The proceeds of this offer and sale were used
for general corporate purposes. |
|
|
On June 22, 2005, we sold 509,254 units at
$0.65 per unit for gross proceeds of $331,015. Each unit
consisted of one share of common stock and one-half of one share
purchase warrant, each whole warrant exercisable to acquire one
share of common stock $0.90 per share until the earlier of
June 22, 2007 and nine months following the date on which
common stock is listed on a public stock exchange. The proceeds
of this offer and sale were used for general corporate purposes. |
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Except as provided below, neither we nor any of our property,
including the Borealis Property, are currently subject to any
material legal proceedings or other regulatory proceedings, and
to our knowledge no such proceedings are contemplated.
On September 16, 2005, our subsidiary, Borealis Mining
Company, was named as a co-defendant in an ongoing civil action
pending in the United States District Court for the District of
Nevada, entitled United States v. Walker River
Irrigation District (Court Doc. No. In Equity C-125,
Subfile C-125-B). The action seeks to determine the existence
and extent of water rights held by the federal government in the
Walker River drainage area for use on federally reserved lands
such as Indian reservations, National Forests, military
reservations, and the like. The suit does not dispute nor seek
to invalidate any existing water rights (including ours);
rather, it seeks to determine the extent and priority of the
federal governments water rights. On May 27, 2003,
the Court stayed all proceedings to allow the United States, the
State of Nevada, the State of California, the Walker River
Paiute Tribe, the Walker River Irrigation District, Mono County,
California, Lyon County, Nevada, Mineral County, Nevada and the
Walker Lake Working Group to attempt to mediate a settlement.
Borealis Mining Company was named as one of several hundred
co-defendants in this action because it owns water rights within
a portion of the Walker River drainage area in Nevada, which
were granted under a permit on September 16, 2005. We, like
most private water right owners, do not intend to participate in
the merits of the lawsuit. We do not believe that this civil
action, which will determine the extent and priority of
federally reserved water rights in the area, will have any
effect on our planned business operations as we currently have
permits to access water from two sites for our Borealis
Property, one of which is not subject to this action and either
of which, individually, would provide a sufficient water supply
for our planned operations.
52
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Directors and Executive Officers
Our directors hold office until the next annual meeting of the
stockholders and the election and qualification of their
successors. Officers are elected annually by the Board of
Directors and serve at the direction of the Board of Directors.
The following table and information that follows sets forth as
of September 30, 2005, the names and positions of our
directors and executive officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name and Municipality of |
|
Current Office with |
|
Principal Occupation |
|
|
Residence |
|
Gryphon Gold |
|
Last Five Years |
|
Director Since |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allen S. Gordon
|
|
Director, |
|
Chief Executive Officer, |
|
April 30, 2003 |
Lakewood, Colorado |
|
Chief Executive Officer and President |
|
Gryphon Gold Corporation since August 2005; President, 2003 to
present, and Chief Operating Officer, 2003 to August 2005,
Gryphon Gold Corporation; Senior Vice President of Mining
Operations, National Gold Corporation in 2002; Chief Operating
Officer of NRX Global (USA) Corp., 2000 to 2002. |
|
|
|
Albert J. Matter
|
|
Director and |
|
Executive Chairman, |
|
April 30, 2003 |
Vancouver,
British Columbia |
|
Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board |
|
since August 2005; Chairman of the Board and Vice President of
Corporate Development, Gryphon Gold Corporation, 2003 to
present. President National Gold Corporation, 1999 to 2002. |
|
|
|
Donald E. Ranta
|
|
Director, |
|
Vice President, Gryphon |
|
June 14, 2003 |
Lakewood, Colorado |
|
Vice President of Exploration |
|
Gold Corporation 2003 to present. Consulting geologist
2001-2003. President, NRX Global (USA) Corp., 2000-2002. |
|
|
|
Christopher E. Herald
|
|
Director |
|
President and CEO, |
|
December 30, 2003 |
Wheat Ridge, Colorado |
|
|
|
Crown Resources Corporation, 1988 to present. |
|
|
|
Richard W. Hughes
|
|
Director |
|
President of Klondike |
|
June 14, 2003 |
Vancouver,
British Columbia |
|
|
|
Gold Corp. 1985 to present. |
|
|
53
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name and Municipality of |
|
Current Office with |
|
Principal Occupation |
|
|
Residence |
|
Gryphon Gold |
|
Last Five Years |
|
Director Since |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rohan Hazelton
|
|
Director |
|
Corporate Controller, |
|
July 6, 2005 |
North Vancouver,
British Columbia |
|
|
|
2004 to present and Mgr. Treasury and Finance, 2002 to 2004,
Goldcorp Inc. (and Predecessor Wheaton River Minerals Ltd.)
Auditor, Deloitte & Touche LLP, 1999 to 2002. |
|
|
|
Donald W. Gentry
|
|
Director |
|
President, Chief Executive |
|
July 18, 2005 |
Bella Vista, Arkansas |
|
|
|
Officer, Chairman and Director of PolyMet Mining Corporation,
1998 to 2003. |
|
|
|
Anthony (Tony) D. J. Ker
|
|
Director, |
|
Executive Vice President, |
|
May 7, 2004 |
Vancouver,
British Columbia |
|
Executive Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer |
|
Gryphon Gold Corporation, 2003 to present, General Manager,
Transcontinental Printing Inc., 1996 to 2004. |
|
|
|
Thomas Sitar
|
|
Chief Financial |
|
Chief Financial Officer, |
|
|
Vancouver,
British Columbia |
|
Officer |
|
Gryphon Gold Corporation, 2004 to present, Vice President
Finance, Weldwood of Canada Limited, 1998 to 2003. |
|
|
The following is a description of the business background of the
directors and executive officers of the Corporation.
Allen S. Gordon, 55, Director, has served as our
President and Chief Operating Officer since its inception in
early 2003 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer on
August 10, 2005. From 2000 to the present, Mr. Gordon
has served as Executive Director and sole member of Evergreen
Mineral Ventures LLC, a privately held management services
company. During 2002 Mr. Gordon served as Senior Vice
President of Mining Operations for National Gold Corporation, a
public mining development company listed on the TSX Venture
Exchange (Canada). From 2000 to 2002 Mr. Gordon served as
Chief Operating Officer of NRX Global (USA) Corp., (London
Stock Exchange AIM listed) a mining software developer. During
2000 Mr. Gordon also served as interim Chairman of the
Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Greenstone
Resources Ltd., a Toronto Stock Exchange and NASDAQ listed gold
mining company. From 1997 to 2000 Mr. Gordon served as
Managing Director of Union Hill Partners, a private mining
investment adviser. Prior to 1997 Mr. Gordon served as
Senior Vice President Technical Services and Project Development
for Kinross Gold Corporation. Kinross Gold Corporation is a
public corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the
New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Gordons experience
includes international business experience in North America,
Mexico, Central America, Europe, Central Asia, and the Russian
Far East. Mr. Gordon has a M.S. in Mining Engineering and a
B.S. in Geology from University of Idaho.
Albert J. Matter, 58, Director, has served as our
Chairman of the Board, Vice President of Corporate Development,
past Secretary and Treasurer since its inception in early 2003
and was appointed Executive Chairman on August 10, 2005.
From 1999 to December of 2002 Mr. Matter served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of National Gold
Corporation. From spring of 1998 to fall of 1999 Mr. Matter
was in retirement. Mr. Matter has over 30 years of
experience of providing corporate finance, strategic planning,
mergers and acquisition, and business development assistance to
numerous corporations and high net worth
54
individuals, especially in Western Canada. Successful corporate
financing highlights include projects for Consumers Distributing
Ltd., CN/ CP Telecom, Madison Ventures Ltd., Rea Gold
Corporation, Echo Bay Mines Ltd., Russell Steel Ltd., Blackdome
Mining Ltd., Southward Energy Ltd., Winspear Resources Ltd. and
National Gold Corporation. Mr. Matter holds a B.A. in
Economics from the University of British Columbia.
Donald E. Ranta, 62, Director, has served as our Vice
President of Exploration since June 14, 2003, has held the
following positions for the past five years: Director, President
and Managing Director, Union Hill Partners, 1997-2000;
President, NRX Global (USA) Corp., 2000-2002; Consulting
Geologist, 2001 to 2003. Mr. Ranta is an internationally
recognized exploration executive experienced in planning,
implementing, and directing successful exploration and
acquisition programs throughout North America, South America,
Africa and other international locations. Mr. Ranta has
extensive experience in generative exploration, project
exploration and appraisal, geologic-engineering-economic
evaluation, strategic and business planning, and management.
Mr. Ranta has over 30 years of business experience and
has served in various positions for mining companies, including
President, Managing Director, Vice President of Exploration,
Manager of North American Exploration, Project Manager and Chief
Geologist. Mr. Ranta has a Ph.D. in Geological Engineering/
Geology from Colorado School of Mines, a M.S. in Geological
Engineering/ Geology from University of Nevada and a B.S. in
Geological Engineering from University of Minnesota.
Christopher E. Herald, 52, Director, has been President
and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Resources Corporation since
1993. Prior to that Mr. Herald was Vice President of
Exploration for Crown Resources Corporation. Crown Resources
Corporation is a public company listed on the over the counter
bulletin board. Mr. Herald also has served as Chief
Executive Officer and a director of Solitario Resources
Corporation since 1993. Solitario Resources Corporation is a
public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He is also
a Director of TNR Gold Corp. and Maestro Ventures Ltd., both of
which are public companies. Mr. Herald has over
25 years in domestic and international mineral exploration
with an emphasis in the gold sector. Mr. Heralds
experience ranges from in-the-field supervision of significant
gold projects to corporate management of US-based public
exploration companies. He holds a M.S. in Geology from Colorado
School of Mines and a B.S. in Geology from the University of
Notre Dame.
Richard W. Hughes, 72, Director, has been the President
of Klondike Gold Corp. for over 10 years. Mr. Hughes
is currently a Director of Alamos Gold Inc., a Toronto Stock
Exchange listed company. He is a founder of the Hemlo gold mines
in Ontario and the Balmoral Mine in Quebec. Mr. Hughes
controls Hastings Management Corp., and is the president of
Sedex Mining Corp., Golden Chalice Resources, and Abitibi Mining
Corp. He is also a Director of Golden Goliath Resources Limited,
Kalahari Resources Inc. and Neodym Technology Inc., all of which
are public companies. He was also involved in discovering and
putting into production the Sleeping Giant Mine and the Beaufor
Mine which are located in Northwestern Quebec.
Rohan Hazelton, 31, Director, joined our board in
July 2005 and was appointed Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Mr. Hazelton is currently Corporate Controller for Goldcorp
Inc. Prior to Goldcorps merger with Wheaton River Minerals
Ltd; he was a key member of Wheatons management team since
2002 during Wheatons rapid growth and significant increase
in shareholder value. Mr. Hazelton is a Chartered
Accountant and previously worked for Deloitte & Touche
LLP and Arthur Andersen LLP. Prior to that, Mr. Hazelton
was a commercial loans officer for Dialog Bank Moscow, Russia.
Mr. Hazelton holds a B.A. in Math and Economics from
Harvard University.
Donald W. Gentry, 62, Director, joined our board in July
2005 after retiring from PolyMet Mining Corporation as its
President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Director from
1998 to 2003. He is a retired Professor Emeritus of the Colorado
School of Mines, having served that institution from 1972 to
1998 as Professor, Department Head and Dean of Engineering. He
has an international reputation as a consulting mining engineer,
professional educator and mining executive. His primary
interests center on the financial aspects of project evaluation,
investment decision analysis, project financing, and corporate
investment strategies. He previously served as a Director of
Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation, Newmont Mining
Corporation, and Newmont Gold Company and currently is a
Director of Golden Gryphon Explorations (a company which is
unrelated to Gryphon Gold Corporation). He was elected President
of the Society for
55
Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc. in 1993 and the
American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum
Engineers in 1996, and to the National Academy of Engineering in
1996. He holds B.S., M.S. and PhD. degrees in mining engineering
from the University of Illinois, Mackay School of Mines, and
University of Arizona, respectively.
Anthony Ker, 49, Director, has served as our Secretary
and Treasurer since August 2003. From 1999 to February 2003,
Mr. Ker served as Director, Treasurer, Secretary and Chief
Financial Officer for National Gold Corporation, a TSX Venture
Exchange listed company that merged into Alamos Gold, Inc.
(TSX) during the spring of 2003. From 1996 and concurrent
with the positions at National Gold Corporation, he was General
Manager for Transcontinental Printing, Inc., British Columbia
Division, a Toronto Stock Exchange listed company, and the
second largest printer in Canada. Prior to the Transcontinental
Printing, Inc. position, Mr. Ker managed a large coastal
sawmill for International Forest Products Limited and Weldwood
of Canada Limited in British Columbia. Mr. Ker holds a
Bachelor of Science in Forestry from University of British
Columbia.
Thomas Sitar, 50, has served as our Chief Financial
Officer of Gryphon Gold since November 2004. From 1998 to 2003
Mr. Sitar was Vice President, Finance of Weldwood of Canada
Limited, a large Western Canadian forest products producer,
which merged into West Fraser Timber Ltd., previously owned by
International Paper Company. Mr. Sitar has 25 years of
experience in the financial management of public companies,
including his position as Treasurer of Weldwood when it was a
Toronto Stock Exchange listed company. Mr. Sitar has a
Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Windsor and is a
member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of B.C.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors has established four board committees: an
Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Corporate
Governance/ Nominating Committee and a Project Development,
Environmental & Sustainability Committee.
The information below sets out the current members of each of
Gryphon Golds board committees and summarizes the
functions of each of the committees in accordance with their
mandates.
Our Audit Committee has been structured to comply with Canadian
Multilateral Instrument 52-110-Audit Committees (MI 52-110)
and Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. Our Audit Committee is comprised of Chris Herald, Don
Gentry and Rohan Hazelton, all of whom are independent directors
under MI 52-110 and the audit committee rules of the
American Stock Exchange. Rohan Hazelton is the Chairman of the
Audit Committee. Both Rohan Hazelton and Chris Herald satisfy
the criteria for an audit committee financial expert under
Item 401(e) of Regulation S-B of the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Audit Committee meets with management and Gryphon
Golds external auditors to review matters affecting
financial reporting, the system of internal accounting and
financial controls and procedures and the audit procedures and
audit plans. The Audit Committee reviews Gryphon Golds
significant financial risks, will be involved in the appointment
of senior financial executives and will annually review Gryphon
Golds insurance coverage and any off-balance sheet
transactions.
The Audit Committee is mandated to monitor Gryphon Golds
audit and the preparation of financial statements and to review
and recommend to the board of directors all financial disclosure
contained in Gryphon Golds public documents. The Audit
Committee is also mandated to appoint external auditors, monitor
their qualifications and independence and determine the
appropriate level of their remuneration. The external auditors
report directly to the Audit Committee and to the board of
directors. The Audit Committee and board of directors each have
the authority to terminate the external auditors
engagement (subject to confirmation by shareholders). The Audit
Committee will also approve in advance any services to be
provided by the external auditors which are not related to the
audit.
56
The Compensation Committee is comprised of Richard Hughes, Chris
Herald, and Rohan Hazelton, all of whom are independent
directors. The Compensation Committee is responsible for
considering and authorizing terms of employment and compensation
of Directors, executive officers and providing advice on
compensation structures in the various jurisdictions in which
Gryphon Gold operates. In addition, the Compensation Committee
reviews both the overall salary objectives of Gryphon Gold and
significant modifications made to employee benefit plans,
including those applicable to directors and executive officers,
and proposes any awards of stock options, incentive and deferred
compensation benefits.
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Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee |
The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee is comprised
of Richard Hughes, Chris Herald, Don Gentry and Don Ranta. The
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee is responsible for
developing Gryphon Golds approach to corporate governance
issues and compliance with governance rules. The Corporate
Governance and Nominating Committee is also mandated to plan for
the succession of Gryphon Gold, including recommending director
candidates, review of board procedures, size and organization,
and monitoring of senior management with respect to governance
issues. The committee is responsible for the development and
implementation of corporate communications to ensure the
integrity of Gryphon Golds internal control and management
information systems. The purview of the Corporate Governance and
Nominating Committee also includes the administration of the
boards relationship with the management of Gryphon Gold,
monitoring the quality and effectiveness of Gryphon Golds
corporate governance system and ensuring the effectiveness and
integrity of Gryphon Golds communication and reporting to
shareholders and the public generally.
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Project Development, Environmental &
Sustainability Committee |
The Project Development, Environmental & Sustainability
Committee is comprised of Don Gentry, Don Ranta and Tony Ker.
The committee is to review and provide technical and commercial
guidance for major project development plans, ensure management
has appropriate systems in place to plan, implement and track
performance of project development. The Committee shall
establish environmental policy, monitor compliance and audit our
performance relative to policy. The Committee shall establish
health and safety policies monitor compliance and audit our
practices and actions. The Committee shall establish policy for
involving communities of interest in the design and
implementation of project development towards sustainable mining
development.
We adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to
all of our directors, officers and employees. The Code of
Business Conduct and Ethics summarizes the legal, ethical and
regulatory standards that we must follow and serves as a
reminder to our directors, officers and employees, of the
seriousness of that commitment. Compliance with this code and
high standards of business conduct is mandatory for each of our
employees.
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Corporate Cease Trade Orders and Bankruptcies |
Except as disclosed in this prospectus, none of our directors or
officers is, or has been within the ten years before the date of
this prospectus, a director or officer of any other company
that, while such person was acting in that capacity or within
two years prior thereto, was the subject of a cease trade or
similar order, or an order that denied the company access to any
statutory exemptions under the Canadian securities legislation,
for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, or was declared
bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to
bankruptcy or insolvency or was subject to or instituted any
proceedings, arrangements or compromise with creditors or had a
receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the
assets of that business.
57
Allen Gordon served as interim President, Chief Executive
Officer and as a director of Greenstone Resources Ltd. from
February through June of 1999, ten months prior to the
insolvency of Greenstone in March 2000.
Donald E. Ranta served as a director of Greenstone Resources
from February 1999 to December 1999, four months prior to the
insolvency of Greenstone in March 2000.
Christopher Herald was Chief Executive Officer at Crown
Resources Corporation when it filed to reorganize under
Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy laws in May 2002.
Crown subsequently emerged from the reorganization.
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Penalties and Sanctions |
None of our directors or officers has 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 be considered important to a reasonable
investor in making an investment decision.
None of our directors or officers has been subject to any order,
judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or
vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or
temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting
his involvement in any business, securities, or banking activity
during the past five years. None of our directors or officers
has been found in violation of any federal or state securities
or commodity laws by any court of competent jurisdiction, the
Commodity Futures Trading commission or the SEC during the past
five years.
None of our directors or officers have, within the ten years
before the date of this prospectus, become bankrupt, made a
proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or
insolvency or was subject to or instituted any proceedings,
arrangements or compromises with creditors, or had a receiver,
receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets of the
director or officer.
To our knowledge, and other than as disclosed in this
prospectus, there are no known existing or potential conflicts
of interest among us, our promoters, directors and officers, or
other members of management, or of any proposed director,
officer or other member of management as a result of their
outside business interests except that certain of the directors
and officers serve as directors and officers of other companies,
and therefore it is possible that a conflict may arise between
their duties to us and their duties as a director or officer of
such other companies.
None of our directors or officers has been convicted in any
criminal proceeding during the past five years or is currently
subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic
violations and minor offenses).
58
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth compensation paid to each of the
individuals who served as our Chief Executive Officer and our
other most highly compensated executive officers (the
named executives officers) for the fiscal years
ended March 31, 2005 and 2004.
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Annual Compensation | |
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Long Term Compensation | |
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| |
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Awards | |
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Payouts | |
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| |
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| |
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Restricted | |
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Long Term | |
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Common | |
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Shares or | |
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Incentive | |
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Other Annual | |
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Shares Under | |
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Restricted | |
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Plan | |
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All Other | |
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Salary | |
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Bonus(2) | |
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Compensation | |
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Options/SARs | |
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Share Units | |
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Payouts | |
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Compensation | |
Name and Principal Position |
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Fiscal Year | |
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($) | |
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($) | |
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($) | |
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Granted(#) | |
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($) | |
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($) | |
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($) | |
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| |
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Allen Gordon
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2005 |
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120,000 |
(1) |
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42,550 |
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President and
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2004 |
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105,000 |
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130,000 |
(5) |
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12,500 |
(6) |
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Chief Executive Officer
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Albert Matter
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2005 |
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120,000 |
(1) |
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42,550 |
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Executive Chairman
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2004 |
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105,000 |
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130,000 |
(5) |
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12,500 |
(6) |
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Anthony
Ker(3)
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2005 |
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120,000 |
(1) |
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42,550 |
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Executive Vice President
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2004 |
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11,375 |
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12,000 |
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12,500 |
(6) |
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Thomas
Sitar(4)
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2005 |
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66,750 |
(1) |
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24,800 |
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150,000 |
(6) |
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Chief Financial Officer
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Donald E. Ranta
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2005 |
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66,350 |
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42,550 |
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Vice President
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2004 |
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19,556 |
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13,500 |
(6) |
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of Exploration
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(1) |
Includes salary paid to the applicable officer in his capacity
as an employee from January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2005
in the amount of $30,000. Prior thereto, each of those named
executive officers was retained through a consulting arrangement
either individually or through an entity controlled by the
individual, and the balance of all amounts recorded as salary
and bonus paid to them represents consulting fees. |
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(2) |
Performance bonuses paid or payable to officer or an entity
controlled by the officer since April 24, 2003 (inception). |
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(3) |
Mr. Ker was appointed Executive Vice President on
February 1, 2004. |
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(4) |
Mr. Sitar was appointed Chief Financial Officer on
November 1, 2004. |
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(5) |
Includes signing bonus in the amount of $60,000. |
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(6) |
Compensation deemed to be received by officers as a result of
securities issued below market value. |
Stock Option/ Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs)
Grants
We adopted a Stock Plan during the year ended March 31,
2005. The plan permits the company to issue up to
3,000,000 shares of common stock to officers, directors,
employees and consultants, in the form of options. The plan was
approved by our shareholders at the annual meeting of
shareholders held on May 13, 2005.
59
The following table sets forth the stock options granted to our
named executive officers and directors during the year ended
March 31, 2005. No stock appreciation rights were awarded.
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Number of | |
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Percent of Total | |
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Market Value |
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Securities | |
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Options/SARs | |
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of Underlying |
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Underlying | |
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Granted to | |
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Exercise or | |
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Securities on |
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Options/SARs | |
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Employees in | |
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Base Price | |
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the Date of |
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Name |
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Granted (#) | |
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Fiscal Year(1) | |
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($/Share) | |
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Grant(2) |
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Expiration Date | |
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Allen Gordon
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350,000 |
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18.4% |
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$ |
0.75 |
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$ |
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March 29, 2010 |
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President, Chief Executive Officer |
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Albert Matter
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350,000 |
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18.4% |
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$ |
0.75 |
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$ |
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March 29, 2010 |
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Executive Chairman |
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Anthony Ker
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325,000 |
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17.1% |
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$ |
0.75 |
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$ |
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March 29, 2010 |
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Executive Vice President |
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Thomas Sitar
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250,000 |
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13.2% |
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$ |
0.75 |
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$ |
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March 29, 2010 |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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Donald E. Ranta
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325,000 |
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17.1% |
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$ |
0.75 |
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$ |
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March 29, 2010 |
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Director, Vice President of Exploration |
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(1) |
We issued options to acquire a total of 1,900,000 shares of
common stock to our officers, directors and employees during the
fiscal year ended March 31, 2005. Subsequent to
March 31, 2005, we granted options exercisable to acquire a
total of 300,000 shares of common stock at $0.75 per share to
two directors upon their appointment and further 215,000 options
to three employees and a consultant at an exercise price equal
to the initial public offering price of our units. |
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(2) |
Our common shares were not traded on any public market on the
date of grant. We issued units consisting of one share of common
stock and one-half of one share purchase warrant in 2005 at a
price of $0.65 per unit. Accordingly, $0.65 may be
considered to be a measure of market value of a share of common
stock on the date of grant. |
Aggregated Option/ SAR Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and
Fiscal Year-End Option/ SAR Values
We had no option/ SAR exercises during our fiscal year ended
March 31, 2005.
Long Term Incentive Plan Awards
No long-term incentive awards have been made by us to date.
Defined Benefit or Actuarial Plan Disclosure
We do not provide retirement benefits for the directors or
officers.
Compensation of Directors
Beginning in July 2005, independent board members who are not
employed by us in any capacity other than as a director will be
compensated for their services as follows:
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For any Board or Committee meeting not requiring travel, such as
a telephone conference call a meeting fee of $250. |
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For any fully constituted meeting of the Board or a Committee
requiring travel of over four hours in aggregate a
meeting fee of $1,000. |
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Any expenses, travel, administrative, telephone or other costs
associated with a Board members fulfilling his or her
duties as a Board member will be reimbursed by Gryphon Gold. |
Previously, we had no standard arrangement pursuant to which
directors were compensated for their services in their capacity
as such. During our most recently completed financial year,
directors did not receive any compensation from us in their
capacity as directors of Gryphon Gold.
60
Employment Contracts and Termination of Employment and
Change-In-Control Arrangements
Gryphon Gold is a party to employment contracts providing for an
annual salary of $120,000 for each of Messrs. Matter,
Gordon, Ker and Sitar. Pursuant to those agreements they are
entitled to compensation for termination of their employment in
certain circumstances, including termination without cause and
change of control. Mr. Ranta is a party to an employment
agreement under which he is paid on a per diem basis an
annualized salary of $120,000, and pursuant to which he is
entitled to compensation for termination of his employment in
certain circumstances, including termination without cause and
change of control. The employment agreements provide for the
payment of compensation that will be triggered by a termination
of the executive officers employment by either Gryphon
Gold or the executive officer following a change of control of
Gryphon Gold, or by Gryphon Gold at any time, other than for
cause. In such event, each officer will be entitled
to receive an amount equal to one years annual salary plus
bonus (equal to the amount of bonus in the prior year) earned in
the year of change of control, and existing benefits for a
period of 12 months. The agreements with
Messrs. Matter, Gordon, Ker and Sitar include limited
non-competition and non-solicitation covenants for a period of
12 months following termination.
Except as described above, and the payment of directors
fees, there are no service contracts of any director or officer
of Gryphon Gold and there is no arrangement or agreement made or
proposed to be made between Gryphon Gold and any of its named
executive officers pursuant to which a payment or other benefit
is to be made or given by way of compensation in the event of
that officers resignation, retirement or other termination
of employment, or in the event of a change of control of Gryphon
Gold or a change in the named executive officers
responsibilities following such change in control.
Report on Repricing of Options/ SARs
None.
Stock Options
As of November 7, 2005 we had granted 2,515,000 stock
options pursuant to the terms of our stock option plan as
described below, with expiry dates in 2010:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Common | |
|
|
Class of Optionee (Number of Optionees in Class) |
|
Shares Under Option | |
|
Exercise Price | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Executive officers as a group(5)
|
|
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
$ |
0.75 |
|
Directors who are not also executive officers as a group(4)
|
|
|
600,000 |
|
|
$ |
0.75 |
|
Non-executive officer(1)
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
$ |
|
(1) |
Employees(2)
|
|
|
95,000 |
|
|
$ |
|
(1) |
Consultants(2)
|
|
|
120,000 |
|
|
$ |
0.75/ |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL All options
|
|
|
2,515,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
We granted options with an exercise price equal to the initial
public offering price of our units. |
|
|
|
(2) |
We granted 20,000 options to a consultant with an exercise price
equal to the initial public offering price of our units. |
|
We may issue up to 3,000,000 shares of common stock under
the terms of our stock option plan; accordingly, we may issue
options to purchase up to an additional 485,000 shares of
common stock under our stock option plan.
On March 29, 2005, our board of directors adopted a stock
option plan (which we sometimes refer to as the Incentive Plan).
The Plan was approved by our shareholders on May 13, 2005.
We have no equity compensation plans that have not been approved
by our shareholders.
61
Stock Option Plan
Our Stock Option Plan provides that the total number of shares
of common stock which may be issued pursuant to the Plan shall
not exceed 3,000,000 shares of common stock.
It is intended that the Plan be administered by the Compensation
Committee, which will have full and final authority with respect
to the granting of options thereunder. Options may be granted
under the Plan to such directors, officers, employees or
consultants of Gryphon Gold and its subsidiaries as the
Compensation Committee may from time to time designate (referred
to as a participant). Each option will generally
entitle a participant to purchase one share of common stock
during the term of the option upon payment of the exercise
price. The exercise price of any options granted under the Plan
shall be determined by the Compensation Committee and may not be
less than the market price of our common stock on the date of
grant of the options (calculated in accordance with the rules of
the Toronto Stock Exchange as the volume weighted average
trading price for the five trading days preceding the date of
grant). Gryphon Gold may provide financial assistance to
eligible persons to purchase shares of common stock under the
Plan, subject to applicable law and the rules and policies of
any securities regulatory authority or stock exchange with
jurisdiction over the Corporation or a trade in its securities.
Any financial assistance so provided will be repayable with full
recourse and the term of any such financing shall not exceed the
term of the option to which the financing applies.
The term of any options granted shall be determined by the
Compensation Committee at the time of the grant but the term of
any options granted under the Plan shall not exceed ten years.
If desired by the Compensation Committee, options granted under
the Plan may be subject to vesting provisions. Options granted
under the Plan are not transferable or assignable other than by
will or otherwise by operation of law. In the event of death or
disability of an option holder, options granted under the Plan
expire one year from the death or disability of the option
holder.
Certain restrictions contained in the Plan include:
|
|
|
|
|
the number of shares of common stock which may be issued
pursuant to the Plan (or any other employee-related plan or
options for service) to any one person may not exceed 5% of all
the common shares issued and outstanding on a non-diluted basis
from time to time; and |
|
|
|
the number of shares of common stock which may be issued
pursuant to the Plan (or any other employee-related plan or
options for services) to insiders (as defined in the rules of
the Toronto Stock Exchange to include generally directors,
senior officers of Gryphon Gold or its subsidiaries or
shareholders who own more than 10% of our common stock) during
any twelve month period may not exceed 10% of the common stock
issued and outstanding on a non-diluted basis from time to time
(unless approval of disinterested shareholders has been obtained
in accordance with the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange). |
|
|
|
the number of shares of common stock which may be reserved for
issuance in respect of options granted to insiders pursuant to
the Plan (or any other employee-related plan or options for
service) may not exceed 10% of the common stock issued and
outstanding on a non-diluted basis from time to time unless
approval of disinterested shareholders has been obtained in
accordance with the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange). |
Gryphon Golds board of directors may at any time terminate
or amend the Plan in any respect, provided however, that the
board may not, without the approval of the shareholders, amend
the Plan or any option granted thereunder in any manner that
requires shareholder approval under applicable law or the rules
and policies of any stock exchange or quotation system upon
which the common shares are listed or quoted.
62
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
The following tables set forth information as of
September 30, 2005 regarding the ownership of our common
stock by:
|
|
|
|
|
each person who is known by us to own more than 5% of our shares
of common stock; and |
|
|
|
each named executive officer, each director and all of our
directors and executive officers as a group. |
The number of shares beneficially owned and the percentage of
shares beneficially owned are based on 27,722,370 shares of
common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2005
and shares
of common stock outstanding upon consummation of this offering
at an offering price of
$ per
unit and excluding share of common stock issuable upon exercise
of warrants underlying the units.
For the purposes of the information provided below, shares
subject to options and warrants that are exercisable within
60 days following September 30, 2005 are deemed to be
outstanding and beneficially owned by the holder for the purpose
of computing the number of shares and percentage ownership of
that holder but are not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose
of computing the percentage ownership of any other person.
Except as indicated in the footnotes to these tables, and as
affected by applicable community property laws, all persons
listed have sole voting and investment power for all shares
shown as beneficially owned by them.
Principal Stockholders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Immediately After | |
|
|
|
|
the Consummation of | |
|
|
As of September 30, 2005 | |
|
this Offering* | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) |
|
Shares | |
|
Percent | |
|
Shares | |
|
Percent | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Allen Gordon
|
|
|
2,600,000 |
(3) |
|
|
9.26% |
(3) |
|
|
2,600,000 |
(3) |
|
|
6.26% |
(3) |
390 Union Blvd., Suite 360
Lakewood, CO 80228 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Albert Matter
|
|
|
2,600,000 |
(3) |
|
|
9.26% |
(3) |
|
|
2,600,000 |
(3) |
|
|
6.26% |
(3) |
Suite 810, 1130 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anthony Ker
|
|
|
1,475,000 |
(4) |
|
|
5.23% |
(4) |
|
|
1,475,000 |
(4) |
|
|
3.54% |
(4) |
Director, Executive Vice President
Suite 810, 1130 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Standard Bank plc
|
|
|
5,769,231 |
(5) |
|
|
19.46% |
(5) |
|
|
5,769,231 |
(5) |
|
|
13.38% |
(5) |
25 Dowate Hill, Cannon Bridge House
London, United Kingdom EC4R 2SB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership
|
|
|
2,250,000 |
(6) |
|
|
8.04% |
(6) |
|
|
2,250,000 |
(6) |
|
|
5.43% |
(6) |
800 1450 Creekside Dr.
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6J 5B3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Directors and Officers as a group
(2)
|
|
|
4,127,500 |
(7) |
|
|
14.22% |
(7) |
|
|
4,127,500 |
(7) |
|
|
9.72% |
(7) |
|
|
(1) |
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules
of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and
includes voting and investment power with respect to shares.
Unless otherwise indicated, the persons named in this table have
sole voting and sole investment control with respect to all
shares beneficially owned. Figures shown are on a non-diluted
basis. |
|
(2) |
Figure shown represents the sum of shares owned or controlled
individually by directors and officers (other than
Mr. Matter and Mr. Gordon) and includes ownership by
spouses (335,000 shares) where it may be considered that
direction and control over these shares rests with the director
or officer. |
|
(3) |
Includes 350,000 shares acquirable upon exercise of vested
stock options. |
|
(4) |
Includes vested options exercisable to acquire
325,000 shares of common stock and 50,000 shares upon
exercise of warrants. |
|
(5) |
Includes 1,923,077 shares acquirable upon exercise of
warrants. |
|
(6) |
Includes 250,000 shares acquirable upon exercise of
warrants. |
|
(7) |
Includes 1,175,000 shares acquirable upon exercise of
vested stock options and 122,500 shares acquirable upon
exercise of warrants. |
|
|
|
|
* |
Assumes an issuance of 13,461,538 units at Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per
unit (the midpoint of our estimated range). Assumes no exercise
of the over-allotment option exercisable by the underwriters to
purchase 15% of the number of units sold to cover
over-allotments or exercise of the underwriters compensation
options. |
63
Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd., one of the Canadian
underwriters, is the controlling shareholder of the general
partner of Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership. The
compensation of the general partner is based in part on the net
asset value of Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership. Our
decision to issue and sell the units, including the
determination of the terms of the offering, has been made
through negotiations between us and the Canadian underwriters.
Neither Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership nor its
general partner has had any involvement in such decision or
determination. None of Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd., Bolder
Opportunities I Limited Partnership, the general partner of
Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership, or any related
issuer of Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd. will receive any
proceeds of the offering, other than the receipt by Bolder
Investment Partners, Ltd. of its proportionate share of the
underwriting commission and discount.
Management
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Immediately After | |
|
|
|
|
the Consummation of | |
|
|
As of September 30, 2005 | |
|
this Offering* | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) |
|
Shares | |
|
Percent | |
|
Shares | |
|
Percent | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Allen Gordon
|
|
|
2,600,000 |
(2) |
|
|
9.26% |
(2) |
|
|
2,600,000 |
(2) |
|
|
6.26% |
(2) |
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
390 Union Blvd., Suite 360
Lakewood, CO 80228 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Albert Matter
|
|
|
2,600,000 |
(2) |
|
|
9.26% |
(2) |
|
|
2,600,000 |
(2) |
|
|
6.26% |
(2) |
Executive Chairman
Suite 810, 1130 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anthony Ker
|
|
|
1,475,000 |
(3) |
|
|
5.23% |
(3) |
|
|
1,475,000 |
(3) |
|
|
3.54% |
(3) |
Director, Executive Vice President
Suite 810, 1130 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas Sitar
|
|
|
937,500 |
(4) |
|
|
3.33% |
(4) |
|
|
937,500 |
(4) |
|
|
2.25% |
(4) |
Chief Financial Officer
Suite 810, 1130 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald E. Ranta
|
|
|
990,000 |
(5) |
|
|
3.51% |
(5) |
|
|
990,000 |
(5) |
|
|
2.37% |
(5) |
Director, Vice President of Exploration
390 Union Blvd., Suite 360
Lakewood, CO 80228 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All directors and executive officers as a group (9 persons)
|
|
|
10,732,500 |
(6) |
|
|
35.63% |
(6) |
|
|
10,732,500 |
(6) |
|
|
24.62% |
(6) |
|
|
(1) |
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules
of the SEC and includes voting and investment power with respect
to shares. Unless otherwise indicated, the persons named in this
table have sole voting and sole investment control with respect
to all shares beneficially owned. |
|
(2) |
Includes vested options exercisable to acquire
350,000 shares of common stock. |
|
(3) |
Includes vested options exercisable to acquire
325,000 shares of common stock and 50,000 shares upon
the exercise of warrants. |
|
(4) |
Includes vested options exercisable to acquire
250,000 shares of common stock and 62,500 shares upon
the exercise of warrants. |
|
|
(5) |
Includes vested options exercisable to acquire
325,000 shares of common stock and 80,000 shares upon
the exercise of warrants. |
|
|
|
(6) |
Includes vested options exercisable to acquire
2,200,000 shares of common stock and 202,500 shares
upon the exercise of warrants. |
|
|
|
|
|
* |
Assumes an issuance of 13,461,538 units at Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per
unit (the midpoint of our estimated range). Assumes no exercise
of the over-allotment option exercisable by the underwriters to
purchase 15% of the number of units sold to cover
over-allotments or exercise of the underwriters compensation
options. |
We have no knowledge of any arrangements, including any pledge
by any person of our securities, the operation of which may at a
subsequent date result in a change in our control.
We are not, to the best of our knowledge, directly or
indirectly owned or controlled by another corporation or foreign
government.
As of September 30, 2005, we had 150 shareholders of
record of our common stock.
64
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Except for the transactions described below, none of our
directors, senior officers or principal shareholders, nor any
associate or affiliate of the foregoing have any interest,
direct or indirect, in any transaction, from April 23, 2003
(date of inception) to the date of this prospectus, or in any
proposed transactions, in which such person had or is to have a
direct or indirect material interest.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 and the period
from April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31,
2004, our directors and officers received loans bearing interest
at a rate of
11/2%
to 2% from us for the purpose of purchasing shares of the
company. Most loans were repaid during the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2005 and all loans were fully repaid by
June 30, 2005. Details of the loans are listed below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial Assisted | |
|
|
Largest Amount | |
|
|
|
Securities | |
|
|
Outstanding during | |
|
Amount | |
|
Purchased during | |
|
|
the Year Ended | |
|
Outstanding as at | |
|
Year Ended | |
Name and Principal Position |
|
March 31, 2005 | |
|
September 30, 2005 | |
|
March 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
$ | |
|
$ | |
|
(Common stock) | |
Albert J.
Matter(1)
|
|
|
87,500 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
750,000 |
|
Executive Chairman and Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allen
Gordon(2)
|
|
|
87,500 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
750,000 |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher
Herald(3)
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
333,333 |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anthony
Ker(4)
|
|
|
96,250 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
516,666 |
|
Executive Vice-President and Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald E.
Ranta(5)
|
|
|
30,375 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
202,800 |
|
Vice-President of Exploration and Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
Hughes(6)
|
|
|
37,500 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
250,000 |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
Sitar(7)
|
|
|
96,625 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
300,000 |
|
Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
We loaned a total of $162,500 to Mr. Matter, evidenced by
three secured promissory notes dated May 15, 2003 in the
amount of $50,000, with an interest rate of 1.5% per annum, due
May 15, 2005 (paid December 31, 2004); June 15,
2003 in the amount of $75,000, with an interest rate of
1.5% per annum, due June 15, 2005 (paid
December 31, 2003); and February 1, 2004 in the amount
of $37,500 with an interest rate of 1.5% per annum, due
January 1, 2005 (paid December 31, 2004). |
|
(2) |
We loaned a total of $162,500 to Mr. Gordon, evidenced by
three secured promissory notes dated May 15, 2003 in the
amount of $50,000, with an interest rate of 1.5% per annum, due
May 15, 2005 (paid December 31, 2003); June 15,
2003 in the amount of $75,000, with an interest rate of
1.5% per annum, due June 15, 2005 (paid March 28,
2005); and February 1, 2004 in the amount of $37,500, with
an interest rate of 1.5% per annum, due May 30, 2005
(paid June 7, 2005). |
|
(3) |
We loaned a total of $50,000 to Mr. Herald, evidenced by a
secured promissory note dated December 31, 2003 in the
amount of $50,000, with an interest rate of 1.5% per annum,
December 31, 2004 (paid December 16, 2004). |
|
(4) |
We loaned a total of $96,250 to Mr. Ker, evidenced by three
secured promissory notes dated June 15, 2003 in the amount
of $18,750, with an interest rate of 1.5% per annum, due
May 15, 2004 (paid May 4, 2004); February 1, 2004
in the amount of $37,500, with an interest rate of 1.5% per
annum, due January 10, 2005 (paid September 29, 2004);
and December 17, 2003 in the amount of $40,000 with an
interest rate of 1.5% per annum, due May 15, 2004 (paid
May 29, 2004) and permitted monthly instalment payments for
an amount of $8,438 (paid May 4, 2004). |
|
(5) |
We loaned a total of $30,375 to Mr. Ranta, on June 15,
2003 ($20,250) and September 16, 2003 ($10,125) (paid
April 10, 2004). |
|
(6) |
We loaned a total of $93,750 to Mr. Hughes, on
June 15, 2003 ($37,500) and repaid on May 4, 2004 and
permitted monthly instalment payments for an amount of $56,250,
(paid February 1, 2004). |
|
(7) |
We loaned a total of $96,625 to Mr. Sitar, evidenced by a
secured promissory note dated November 1, 2004 in the
amount of $96,625, with an interest rate of 2% per annum,
due October 31, 2006 (paid May 29, 2005). |
65
Purchases of Securities
During the past two years beginning October 1, 2003 through
September 30, 2005, officers, directors and 10%
shareholders of Gryphon Gold purchased securities of Gryphon
Gold on the following terms:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Price of |
|
|
Officer, Director, 10% Shareholder |
|
Type of Security |
|
Security |
|
Date of Purchase |
|
|
|
|
|
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Allen S. Gordon
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250,000 shares of common stock |
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$0.15 per share |
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March 8, 2004 |
Albert J. Matter
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250,000 shares of common stock |
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$0.15 per share |
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March 8, 2004 |
Christopher K. Herald
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500,000 shares of common stock |
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$0.15 per share |
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March 8, 2004 |
Donald E. Ranta
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270,000 shares of common stock
95,000 shares of common stock
60,000
units.(1) |
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$0.15 per share
$0.15 per share
$0.65 per unit |
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September 16, 2003
December 6, 2003
January 26, 2005 |
Rohan Hazelton
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20,000
units.(1) |
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$0.65 per unit |
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April 25, 2005 |
Thomas Sitar
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500,000 shares of common stock |
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$0.35 per share |
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November 1, 2004 |
Anthony (Tony) D. J. Ker
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287,500 shares of common stock
37,500 shares of common stock
250,000 shares of common stock |
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$0.20 per share
$0.225 per share
$0.15 per share |
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December 17, 2003
December 17, 2003
March 8, 2004 |
Standard Bank plc
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3,846,154
units.(1) |
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$0.65 per unit |
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April 26, 2005 |
Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership
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1,000,000 shares of common stock
500,000 shares of common stock
500,000
units.(1) |
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$0.20 per share
$0.20 per share
$0.65 per unit |
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August 15, 2003
December 3, 2003
April 1, 2005 |
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(1) |
Each unit consisted of one share of common stock and one-half of
one share purchase warrant, each whole warrant exercisable to
acquire one share of common stock at $0.90. |
Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership beneficially
owns 2,250,000 shares of our common stock, including
2,000,000 shares of common stock and warrants exercisable to
acquire an additional 250,000 shares of common stock at
$0.65 per share. Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd., one of
the Canadian underwriters, is the controlling shareholder of the
general partner of Bolder Opportunities I Limited
Partnership. The compensation of the general partner is based in
part on the net asset value of Bolder Opportunities I
Limited Partnership. Our decision to issue and sell the units,
including the determination of the terms of the offering, has
been made through negotiations between us and the Canadian
underwriters. Neither Bolder Opportunities I Limited
Partnership nor its general partner has had any involvement in
such decision or determination. None of Bolder Investment
Partners, Ltd, Bolder Opportunities I Limited Partnership,
the general partner of Opportunities I Limited Partnership,
or any related issuer of Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd. will
receive any proceeds of the offering, other than the receipt by
Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd. of its proportionate share of
the underwriting commission and discount.
Other than compensatory arrangements described under
Executive Compensation, and the transactions
described above, we have had no other transactions, directly or
indirectly, during the past two years with our directors, senior
officers or principal shareholders, or any of their associates
or affiliates in which they had or have a direct or indirect
material interest.
66
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
Our authorized capital stock of Gryphon Gold consists of one
hundred fifty million (150,000,000) shares of common stock, par
value $0.001 per share and fifteen million (15,000,000)
shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share. No
other class or series of capital stock is currently authorized
under the Corporations articles of incorporation.
Common Stock
We had 27,722,370 shares of common stock outstanding as of
September 30, 2005.
Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on
all matters subject to stockholder vote. The common stock has no
preemptive or other subscription rights. All of the presently
outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non
assessable. If the corporation is liquidated or dissolved,
holders of shares of common stock will be entitled to share
ratably in assets remaining after satisfaction of liabilities
and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of our
preferred stock.
The holders of the common stock are entitled to receive
dividends when and as declared by the Board of Directors, out of
funds legally available therefore. The corporation has not paid
cash dividends with respect to its common stock in the past. No
share of common stock of the corporation which is fully paid is
liable to calls or assessment by the corporation.
Preferred Stock
Our articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors
to issue, by resolution and without any action by our
stockholders, one or more series of preferred stock and to
establish the designations, dividend rights, dividend rate,
conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption,
liquidation preference, sinking fund terms and all other
preferences and rights of any series of preferred stock,
including rights that could adversely affect the voting power of
the holders of our common stock.
One of the effects of undesignated preferred stock may be to
enable the board of directors to render more difficult or to
discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a
tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise, and thereby to
protect the continuity of our management. The issuance of shares
of preferred stock pursuant to the board of directors
authority described above may adversely affect the rights of
holders of common stock. For example, preferred stock issued by
us may rank prior to the common stock as to dividend rights,
liquidation preference or both, may have full or limited voting
rights and may be convertible into shares of common stock.
Accordingly, the issuance of shares of preferred stock may
discourage bids for the common stock at a premium or may
otherwise adversely affect the market price of the common stock.
Our Units
Each of our units consists of one share of common stock and
one-half of one Class A Warrant. Each whole Class A
Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of our common
stock. At the closing of our offering of units we will deliver
certificates to the investors representing shares of common
stock and Class A Warrants.
Our Class A Warrants
Each unit of our offering includes one-half of one Class A
Warrant. The Class A Warrants will be governed by the terms
of a warrant indenture we will enter into with Computershare
Trust Company of Canada (Toronto) as the warrant trustee, on or
prior to the date of the issuance of the Units. Each whole
Class A Warrant we will issue in this offering as part of
our units may be exercised at any time until 5:00 p.m.
(Toronto time)
on (one
year from the Closing Date). Each whole warrant entitles the
holder to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise
price of
$ per
share. The shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the
Class A Warrants are covered under this prospectus. This
exercise price will be adjusted upon the occurrence of certain
events, described below. A warrantholder will not be deemed a
shareholder of our underlying common stock until the warrant is
exercised.
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Warrantholders may exercise their warrants only if the common
shares underlying their warrants are covered by an effective
registration statement or an exemption from registration is
available under the Securities Act; provided that the common
shares issuable upon their exercise are qualified for sale under
the securities laws of the state in which the warrantholder
resides. We intend to use commercially reasonable efforts to
have the registration statement, which this prospectus forms a
part, effective when the warrants are exercised.
If an effective registration statement is not available at the
time of exercise, a holder may exercise the Class A
Warrants as follows:
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A holder that is not a U.S. person (as defined in
Regulation S of the Securities Act) may exercise the
Class A Warrant if the holder is not in the United States;
is not exercising the Class A Warrants for, or on behalf or
benefit of, a U.S. Person or person in the United States; does
not execute or deliver the warrant exercise form in the United
States; agrees not to engage in hedging transactions with regard
to the common stock prior to the expiration of a one-year
distribution compliance period; acknowledges that the shares of
common stock issuable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants
are restricted securities as defined in
Rule 144 of the Securities Act and acknowledges that
Gryphon Gold shall refuse to register any transfer of the common
stock not made in accordance with the provisions of
Regulation S, pursuant to registration under the Securities
Act, or pursuant to an available exemption from registration
under the Securities Act. |
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Other holders may exercise the Class A Warrants in
transactions that do not require registration under the
Securities Act or any applicable U.S. state laws and regulations
upon furnishing Gryphon Gold an opinion of counsel of recognized
standing in form and substance satisfactory to Gryphon Gold. |
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A holder may elect to exercise on a cashless exercise basis only
if there is no effective registration statement. A holder
electing to exercise on a cashless exercise basis will receive
that number of shares of common stock with a fair market value
equal to the difference between the fair market value of the
shares acquirable upon exercise of the warrants and the exercise
price the holder would otherwise pay to exercise the warrants.
The number of shares issued to a holder exercising on a cashless
basis is calculated as the product of (x) the number of
Class A Warrants being exercised multiplied by (y) a
fraction, the numerator of which is (i) the current market
price per share of common stock less (ii) the exercise
price and the denominator of which is the current market price
per share of common stock. |
Under no circumstances will we be required to pay any holder the
net cash exercise value of any Class A Warrant regardless
of whether an effective registration statement or an exemption
from registration is available or not.
Investors should be aware, however, that we cannot provide
absolute assurances that state exemptions will be available to
us or that we will have an effective registration statement in
place at the time warrantholders intend to exercise their
warrants.
To exercise a warrant, a warrantholder must deliver to our
transfer agent the warrant certificate on or before the warrant
expiration date with the form on the reverse side of the warrant
certificate fully executed and completed as instructed on the
certificate, accompanied by payment of the full exercise price
for the number of warrants being exercised. We will not issue
any fractional shares of common stock upon exercise of the
warrants.
The warrant indenture provides for adjustment in the number of
shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the
Class A Warrants and/or the exercise price per share in the
event of: (i) the subdivision or consolidation of our
shares of common stock or issuance of a stock dividend on our
shares or other distribution of shares or securities convertible
into shares (other than a dividend paid in the ordinary
course, as defined in the warrant indenture);
(ii) the issuance of rights, options or warrants to
purchase shares or securities convertible into shares to holders
of shares of common stock at less than 95% of the current
market price (as defined in the warrant indenture) of the
shares of common stock; and (iii) the distribution to all or
68
substantially all the holders of shares of common stock or any
other class or of rights, options or warrants (other than those
referred to in (ii), above) to acquire shares of common stock or
securities convertible into shares of common stock or property
or other assets of the corporation or of evidences of
indebtedness or of assets. The warrant indenture also provides
for adjustment in the class and/or number of securities issuable
upon the exercise of the Class A Warrants and/or exercise
price per security in the event of: (i) any
reclassification of our common stock; (ii) an amalgamation,
merger, consolidation or other business combination of the
corporation with another entity; or (iii) the transfer of
all or substantially all of our assets.
No adjustment in the exercise price or the number of shares of
common stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Class A
Warrants will be required to be made unless the cumulative
effect of such adjustment or adjustments would change the
exercise price by at least 1%. Holders of Class A Warrants
do not have any voting or pre-emptive rights or any other rights
which a holder of common stock has, and a warrant holder will
not be deemed a shareholder of our underlying common stock until
the warrant is exercised. The rights of the holders of
Class A Warrants are subject to modification by
extraordinary resolution, which is defined in the
warrant indenture as a resolution either passed at a meeting of
the holders of Class A Warrants by holders of not less than
66% of the Class A Warrants represented at the meeting or
adopted by instruments in writing signed by the holders of not
less than 66% of all Class A Warrants then outstanding.
Underwriters Compensation Options
We agreed to grant the underwriters compensation options
exercisable to acquire a number of shares of common stock equal
to 10% of the number of units sold. Each underwriters
compensation option may be exercised at any time until
5:00 p.m. (Toronto time)
on (one
year from the Closing Date) to purchase one share of common
stock at an exercise price of
Cdn$ per
share. This prospectus covers the shares of common stock
issuable upon exercise of the underwriters compensation
options.
The underwriters may exercise their compensation options only
if the common shares underlying the options are covered by an
effective registration statement or an exemption from
registration is available under the Securities Act. We intend to
use commercially reasonable efforts to have the registration
statement, which this prospectus forms a part, effective when
the warrants are exercised. The underwriters compensation
options are exercisable subject to substantially the same
restrictions as our Class A Warrants, described above.
Other Warrants
As at September 30, 2005, we had 6,423,185 share
purchase warrants issued and outstanding. Each whole warrant
entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock at an
exercise price of $0.90 per share. The warrants were
exercisable for a period of two years from the date of issuance
and expire as follows:
1,094,289 warrants were issued on January 26, 2005;
2,313,692 warrants were issued on March 31, 2005;
650,000 warrants were issued on April 1, 2005;
2,110,577 warrants were issued on April 25, 2005; and
254,627 warrants were issued on June 22, 2005.
These warrants are administered by Computershare Trust Company,
Inc., Golden, Colorado, under the terms of a warrant agreement
dated August 10, 2005.
In addition, we issued a total of 271,008 broker compensation
warrants exercisable at a price of $0.65 per share, of
which 141,008 expire on January 26, 2008 and 130,000 expire
on April 1, 2007.
The exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted if we
declare any stock dividends to our stockholders or if we effect
a stock split or share combination in connection with our common
stock. If we effect a stock split or stock combination involving
our common stock, the warrant exercise price in effect
immediately prior to the stock split or combination will be
proportionately reduced or increased, as the case may be. Any
adjustment to the warrant exercise price will also result in an
adjustment to the number of our common shares underlying a
warrant or, if we elect, an adjustment of the number of warrants
outstanding.
69
Investor Rights Agreement
Our shareholders are subject to an Investor Rights Agreement
dated as of May 1, 2003, as amended. The following
describes the material terms of our Investor Rights Agreement:
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our shareholders are entitled to preemptive rights to purchase
their pro rata share if we allot, issue, sell or resell shares
of common stock at a price lower than the shareholder paid for
its shares, except for certain issuances including issuance
under incentive stock option plans, stock dividends and shares
issued in a qualified initial public offering; |
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our shareholders agreed not to sell, transfer, assign or dispose
of shares of common stock unless the shares are offered first to
us and then to other shareholders, on a pro rata basis, prior to
offering their shares to third parties; provided that a
shareholder may transfer shares to certain family members; |
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Allen Gordon and Albert Matter, our founders, agreed to offer
their shares first to us then to the other shareholders on a pro
rata basis; provided that a shareholder may transfer shares to
certain family members; |
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our shareholders agreed to take actions as may be required to
elect up to six directors and to elect directors designated by
our founders, provided that at least two members shall not be
members of our senior management and at all times 25% of our
board shall be outside directors; |
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our shareholders have agreed to enter into lock up arrangements
for the period(s) specified by the agent or underwriter
following the effective date of a registration statement in
connection with a qualified initial public offering; |
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we shall maintain an audit committee, compensation committee and
corporate compliance committee; and |
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we shall deliver certain reports to our shareholders, including
audited financial statements. |
The Investor Rights Agreement will terminate upon our completion
of a qualified initial public offering or if more than 75% of
the shares subject to the agreement agree in writing to
terminate the agreement. A qualified initial public offering is
defined as either an underwritten public offering resulting in
gross proceeds of more than $5,000,000 or obtaining a listing
for our shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the TSX Venture
Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
Exchange, the NASDAQ Stock Market or the National Association of
Security Dealers Automated Quotation bulletin board.
This offering will qualify as a qualified initial public
offering under the terms of the Investor Rights Agreement and
the agreement will terminate upon the closing of this offering.
We have agreed to use reasonable efforts to cause shareholders
holding at least 95% of our issued and our standing common stock
to furnish lock up agreements to the underwriters. Each of our
current shareholders is expected to enter into a lock up
agreement in connection with the offering.
Nevada Laws
The Nevada Business Corporation Law contains a provision
governing Acquisition of Controlling Interest. This
law provides generally that any person or entity that acquires
20% or more of the outstanding voting shares of a publicly-held
Nevada corporation in the secondary public or private market may
be denied voting rights with respect to the acquired shares,
unless a majority of the disinterested stockholders of the
corporation elects to restore such voting rights in whole or in
part. The control share acquisition act provides that a person
or entity acquires control shares whenever it
acquires shares that, but for the operation of the control share
acquisition act, would bring its voting power within any of the
following three ranges:
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20 to
331/3%; |
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331/3
to 50%; or |
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more than 50%. |
70
A control share acquisition is generally defined as
the direct or indirect acquisition of either ownership or voting
power associated with issued and outstanding control shares. The
stockholders or board of directors of a corporation may elect to
exempt the stock of the corporation from the provisions of the
control share acquisition act through adoption of a provision to
that effect in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the
corporation. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws do not
exempt our common stock from the control share acquisition act.
The control share acquisition act is applicable only to shares
of Issuing Corporations as defined by the Nevada
law. An Issuing Corporation is a Nevada corporation, which;
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has 200 or more stockholders, with at least 100 of such
stockholders being both stockholders of record and residents of
Nevada; and |
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does business in Nevada directly or through an affiliated
corporation. |
At this time, we do not have 100 stockholders of record
resident in Nevada. Therefore, the provisions of the control
share acquisition act do not apply to acquisitions of our shares
and will not until such time as these requirements have been
met. At such time as they may apply, the provisions of the
control share acquisition act may discourage companies or
persons interested in acquiring a significant interest in or
control of us, regardless of whether such acquisition may be in
the interest of our stockholders.
The Nevada Combination with Interested Stockholders
Statute may also have an effect of delaying or making it
more difficult to effect a change in control of us. This statute
prevents an interested stockholder and a resident
domestic Nevada corporation from entering into a
combination, unless certain conditions are met. The
statute defines combination to include any merger or
consolidation with an interested stockholder, or any
sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other
disposition, in one transaction or a series of transactions with
an interested stockholder having;
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an aggregate market value equal to 5 percent or more of the
aggregate market value of the assets of the corporation; |
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an aggregate market value equal to 5 percent or more of the
aggregate market value of all outstanding shares of the
corporation; or |
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representing 10 percent or more of the earning power or net
income of the corporation. |
An interested stockholder means the beneficial owner
of 10 percent or more of the voting shares of a resident
domestic corporation, or an affiliate or associate thereof. A
corporation affected by the statute may not engage in a
combination within three years after the interested
stockholder acquires its shares unless the combination or
purchase is approved by the board of directors before the
interested stockholder acquired such shares. If approval is not
obtained, then after the expiration of the three-year period,
the business combination may be consummated with the approval of
the board of directors or a majority of the voting power held by
disinterested stockholders, or if the consideration to be paid
by the interested stockholder is at least equal to the highest
of:
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the highest price per share paid by the interested stockholder
within the three years immediately preceding the date of the
announcement of the combination or in the transaction in which
he became an interested stockholder, whichever is higher; |
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the market value per common share on the date of announcement of
the combination or the date the interested stockholder acquired
the shares, whichever is higher; or |
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if higher for the holders of preferred stock, the highest
liquidation value of the preferred stock. |
Proposed Amendments to our By-Law
In accordance with the requirements of the Toronto Stock
Exchange, we will be amending our by-law prior to completion of
the offering to include provisions in respect of certain
specified rights of shareholders and certain specified
limitations on the discretion of the directors. The proposed
amendments to our by-law
71
will include a provision requiring that the approval of our
shareholders be obtained for any future amendment to our by-laws
insofar as such amendment relates to specified rights and
limitations. The text of the proposed by-law amendments has not
been finalized and must be in form satisfactory to the Toronto
Stock Exchange. The Toronto Stock Exchange requires that we
undertake to seek the ratification of our shareholders to such
amendment at our next shareholders meeting. Moreover, we will
require the prior approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange to any
future amendment to our by-laws.
We also intend to amend our by-laws to reduce the quorum
requirement for shareholder meetings from shareholders holding a
majority of our issued and outstanding common stock to
shareholders holding
331/3%
of our issued and outstanding common stock.
72
MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our
financial condition and results of operations together with our
financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in
this prospectus. This discussion and analysis contains
forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of
many factors, including, but not limited to, those set forth
under Risk Factors and Uncertainties and elsewhere
in this prospectus.
This Managements Discussion and Analysis provides an
analysis of our business and compares our financial results for
the year ended March 31, 2005 with the period from our
incorporation (April 24, 2003) to March 31, 2004 and
the three month periods ended June 30, 2005 and
June 30, 2004. You should read this information together
with our consolidated financial statements and the notes to our
consolidated financial statements, which appear elsewhere in
this prospectus. References to any year are to a financial year,
thus a reference to in year 2005, or similar, means
the year ended March 31, 2005, unless specifically noted
otherwise.
This section contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding our
plans, objectives, goals, strategies and financial performance.
Our actual activities and results could differ materially from
those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a
result of factors described under Risks Factors and
Uncertainties and elsewhere in this prospectus.
Overview and Plan of Operations
Gryphon Gold Corporation was incorporated in Nevada on
April 24, 2003 and has corporate offices in Vancouver,
British Columbia, and Lakewood, Colorado. Our objective is to
establish a producing gold company through the development and
extraction of gold deposits, beginning with the Borealis
Property. Currently our sole asset is a 100% interest in the
Borealis Property, located in Mineral County, Nevada. We have
not determined if the mineralized material from the Borealis
Property can be economically exploited.
In July 2003 we initially acquired from Golden Phoenix Minerals,
Inc. an option to earn a 70% joint venture interest in the
Borealis Property by incurring qualified development
expenditures. On January 28, 2005 we acquired the remaining
interest held by Golden Phoenix in the Borealis Property for
$1,400,000. Our subsidiary, Borealis Mining, paid to Golden
Phoenix $400,000 upon closing of the purchase on
January 28, 2005, with four additional quarterly payments
of $250,000 due to Golden Phoenix. As of August 17, 2005,
Borealis completed the first two payments and the final two
payments of $250,000 are due October 28, 2005 and
January 27, 2006, respectively. We guaranteed these payment
obligations to Golden Phoenix and deposited as security fifteen
percent (15%) of the issued shares of our subsidiary, Borealis
Mining Company, into escrow. As each quarterly payment of
$250,000 is made, a pro rata portion of the escrowed shares
shall be released to us.
A portion of the Borealis Property is subject to the mining
lease. We are required to make monthly lease payments of $8,614,
adjusted annually based on change in the Consumer Price Index.
In addition, the production of precious metals from the Borealis
Property will be subject to the payment of the royalty under the
terms of the mining lease. The terms of the mining lease and
royalty are described under Borealis Property. We
have also entered into office lease arrangements for offices in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Lakewood, Colorado and Hawthorne,
Nevada.
In May 2005 we initiated a new drilling program, expected to
continue through the summer of 2005. Approximately 140 holes
(30,000 feet of RC drilling) are planned in the area of
existing mineralization in order to allow us to complete a
feasibility study with the aim of identifying gold reserves and,
if economically feasible, building a mine.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements is in
accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States. We do not reconcile our consolidated financial
statements to
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Canadian generally accepted accounting principles. The following
are critical accounting policies and estimates which we believe
are important to understanding our financial results.
The preparation of financial statements requires us to make
estimates and assumptions which affect the reported amounts of
assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements
and the revenues and expenses for the period reported. By their
nature, these estimates are subject to measurement uncertainty
and the effect on the financial statements of changes in such
estimates in future periods could be significant. Actual results
will likely differ from these estimates.
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Exploration of mineral property interests |
We expense exploration costs as they are incurred. When we
determine that a mining deposit can be economically and legally
extracted or produced based on established proven and probable
reserves, development costs incurred after such determination
will be capitalized. The establishment of proven and probable
reserves is based on results of final feasibility studies which
indicate whether a property is economically feasible. Upon
commencement of commercial production, we will transfer
capitalized costs to the appropriate asset category and amortize
them over their estimated useful lives. We capitalize the cost
of acquiring mineral property interests (including claims
establishment and maintenance) until we have determined the
viability of the property. We expense capitalized acquisition
costs if we determine that the property has no future economic
value. We will also write down capitalized amounts if estimated
future cash flows, including potential sales proceeds, related
to the mineral property are estimated to be less than the
carrying value of the property.
As permitted by the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
we have elected to follow Accounting Principles Board Opinion
No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, and
related interpretations for our employee stock-based
compensation. Based on these standards, no compensation expense
is recognized at the time of any option grant if the exercise
price of the employee stock option is fixed and equals or
exceeds the fair value of the underlying common stock on the
date of the grant and the number of shares to be issued pursuant
to the exercise of such option are known and fixed at the date
of grant.
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Asset retirement obligations |
We record the present value of an asset retirement obligation as
a liability in the period in which we incur a legal obligation
associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets
that results from the acquisition, construction, development or
normal use of the assets with a corresponding increase in the
carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. This amount is
depreciated over the estimated useful life of the related
assets. The liability is subsequently accreted through charges
to expense over its expected life. Currently, we have no asset
retirement obligations.
We have recorded a valuation allowance that fully reserves for
our deferred tax assets because at this time we cannot establish
that we will be able to utilize the tax loss carryforwards in
the future. If in the future we determine that we will be able
to use all or a portion of our deferred tax assets in the
future, based on our projections of future taxable income, we
will reduce the valuation allowance, thereby increasing income
in that period.
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Foreign currency translation |
The United States dollar is our functional currency.
Transactions involving foreign currencies for items included in
operations are translated into U.S. dollars using average
exchange rates; monetary assets and liabilities are translated
at the exchange rate prevailing at the balance sheet date and
all other balance sheet
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items are translated at the historical rates applicable to the
transactions that comprise those amounts. Translation gains and
losses are included in our determination of net income.
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Recent Accounting Pronouncements |
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission recently
announced that it would provide for a phased-in implementation
process for FASB Statement No. 123(R), Share-Based Payment
(SFAS 123(R)). Registrants must adopt
SFAS 123(R)s fair value method of accounting for
share-based payments to employees no later than the beginning of
the first interim or annual period beginning after
December 15, 2005. We plan to adopt SFAS 123(R)
effective January 1, 2006.
The Financial Accounting Standards Board ratified the consensus
of the Emerging Issues Task Force that stripping costs incurred
during the production phase of a mine are variable production
costs that should be included in the costs of the inventory
produced during the period that the stripping costs are
incurred. This consensus is effective for the first reporting
period in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005,
with early adoption permitted. To date the Company has not
incurred any stripping costs. We plan to adopt the consensus
effective April 1, 2006.
Results of Operations
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Year ended March 31, 2005 compared to period from
incorporation to March 31, 2004 |
We are in an exploration stage and currently have no producing
mineral properties and thus we had no revenues during all
relevant reporting periods.
For the year ended March 31, 2005 we had a net loss of
$2.5 million, or $0.17 per share, compared to a net
loss of $1.1 million in the period from incorporation on
April 23, 2003 to March 31, 2004. Expenditure levels
increased in all categories as activities gradually increased
from the initial start-up from incorporation and acquisition of
an earn-in option on the Borealis Property in 2004. This
included activities on the Borealis Property (exploration and
permitting) and corporate activities, all of which were
performed by our officers and by contract consultants. During
fiscal year 2004 and until December 2004, management and
consulting services of four of our senior officers
(Messrs. Matter, Gordon, Ker and Sitar) were provided
pursuant to consulting contracts. Starting on January 1,
2005 these senior officers entered into employment relationships
with Gryphon Gold and are compensated by way of salaries,
bonuses and stock options.
Exploration and development expenses reached $1,009,000 in 2005,
up from $442,000 in the prior period reflecting the fact that we
entered into the Option and Joint Venture Agreement part way
through the 2004 fiscal year. As a result, many costs incurred
in 2004 related to due diligence activities and early evaluation
of the Borealis Property. In addition, the 2004 fiscal year was
only 11 months. During 2005, activities related to the
Borealis Property continued to increase in scope. Efforts were
directed to the preparation of the Plan of Operations, which was
submitted to the U.S. Forest Service in August 2004, and
improving our geologic understanding of the Borealis Property.
This involved spending in the following categories: drilling
$129,000, engineering $119,000, project management $198,000 and
property maintenance $461,000, all up significantly from the
partial prior period.
Legal and audit costs increased from $105,000 to $217,000 in
2005 reflecting the costs related to the negotiation of our
purchase of a 100% interest in the Borealis property and
increased level of financing activity during the year.
Management salaries, bonuses and consulting fees were $1,060,000
in 2005, up from $405,000 due to increased use of consultants,
the addition of two officers (Messrs. Ker and Sitar) as
business activity increased significantly in 2005, and the
recognition of compensation expense related to the sale of
shares to Mr. Sitar.
Three months ended
September 30, 2005 compared to three months ended
September 30, 2004
We are in an exploration stage and currently have no producing
mineral properties and thus we had no revenues during all
reporting periods.
75
For the three month period ended September 30, 2005 we had
a net loss of $813,270 or $0.03 per share compared to a net
loss of $473,223 or $0.03 per share in the same period in
the prior year. We had expenses of $854,510 during the quarter
ended September 30, 2005 compared to $473,231 in the same
period in the prior year. During the quarter ended
September 30, 2005, all costs directly related to our
proposed initial public offering totalling $746,000 (principally
legal, audit and filing fees and printing costs) have been
deferred and recorded as prepaid expenses. If the initial public
offering is completed these costs will be reclassified into
stockholders equity as share issue expense, otherwise the
costs will be expensed. Exploration costs, all related to our
Borealis property, are our largest expense and reached $503,248
or 59% of our total expenses in the quarter ended
September 30, 2005 compared to $111,027 or 23% of total
expenses in the quarter ended September 30, 2004. The
increase in spending was related to the drilling program and
feasibility study initiated in May 2005 and ongoing. Exploration
expenses are anticipated to continue as we work to complete the
feasibility study early in 2006. Management salaries and
consulting fees in the quarter ended September 30, 2005
were $244,643 compared to $245,896 incurred in the quarter ended
September 30, 2004. Salaries and consulting fees are
expected to increase in future periods as we expect to hire
additional personnel if we commence mine development on the
Borealis property. Legal and audit fees expensed during the
quarter were $19,612 compared to $34,538 during the quarter
ended September 30, 2004 as most legal work during the
current quarter related to the initial public offering and thus
was deferred. Other expenses included during the quarter ended
September 30, 2005 included travel and accommodation of
$42,170 and compared to $22,781 in the prior year quarter,
general and administrative expenses of $46,968 compared to
$56,386 in the prior year quarter. Travel and general and
administrative expenses will increase in future periods as
staffing in both Lakewood and Vancouver offices increase with
the expected continuing increase in activity to support the
development of our Borealis property and with the additional
obligations as a public company in the United States and in
Canada. We had interest income of $41,240 in the quarter ended
September 30, 2005 as cash balances increased significantly
compared to 2004 and bank accounts were converted to interest
bearing accounts.
Six months ended
September 30, 2005 compared to six months ended
September 30, 2004.
For the six month period ended September 30, 2005 we had a
net loss of $1,631,118 or $0.06 per share compared to a loss of
$1,164,480 or 0.08 per share in the six months ended
September 30, 2004. The current year period loss does not
reflect the costs directly related to our proposed initial
public offering totaling $746,000, described above, which have
been deferred. Exploration expenses during the six month period
ending September 30, 2005 were $843,320 or 49% of our total
expenses during the period compared to $640,085 or 55% of total
expenses in the six month period ended September 30, 2004.
The increase in spending was related to the drilling program and
feasibility study initiated in May 2005 and ongoing. Management
salaries and consulting fees in the six month period ended
September 30, 2005 were $440,943 compared to $344,918
expended in the six months ended September 30, 2004 as
staffing increased in the 2005 period with the addition of a
chief financial officer and a vice president of Borealis project
development. Legal and audit fees expensed during the current
six month period were $189,471 compared to $44,492 during the
six month period ended September 30, 2004, the increase in
costs reflecting activity related to exploring financing
alternatives and changing our accounting to US generally
accepted accounting principles from Canadian basis. Our travel
and accommodation expenses were $96,157 during the first six
months of 2005 and compared to $53,509 spent in the six month
period ending September 30, 2004, the increase due to
higher staffing and travel related to financing activity and
work on Borealis property. General and administrative expenses
during the six month period ended September 30, 2005 were
$126,059 compared to $74,916 in the prior year six month period,
the increase mainly due to higher insurance, rent and telephone
costs. Interest income earned in the six month period ending
September 30, 2005 was $79,129 compared to $595 in the same
period in 2004 due to higher cash balances and the use of
interest bearing bank accounts in 2005.
76
Outlook
Our plan for the 2006 fiscal year (ending March 31, 2006)
is to work towards designing and building an open pit heap-leach
mine. The following activities are planned for fiscal 2006:
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Continuation of the permitting process, with the aim of
obtaining substantial permits for mine development expected in
early 2006. We will also work on obtaining minor permits which
will continue right up to the mine start-up. |
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Completion of a drilling program and a feasibility study
designed to classify current resources into ore reserves and to
develop an economic mine plan. |
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In preparation for mine start-up we will be initiating
additional engineering work, securing long lead-time material
and equipment and securing key mine personnel. |
We have also initiated an exploration program primarily focused
on the mineralized Graben area. This is a longer-term project
which will depend primarily on the availability of funds and
personnel.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our principal source of liquidity is cash which was raised by
way of sale from treasury of common shares and warrants (on a
private placement basis). The majority of our cash balance is
deposited in an interest-bearing bank account. At March 31,
2005 we had a cash balance of $3.1 million and working
capital including cash of $1.7 million (March 31,
2004 $1.1 million). During the quarter ended
June 30, 2005, we issued 6,030,408 units at
$0.65 per unit to raise an additional $3.9 million of
cash. No units or shares were issued during the quarter ended
September 30, 2005.
We had current liabilities at March 31, 2005 consisting of
$453,193 in accounts payable and accrued liabilities plus a
mineral property obligation of $1 million owed to Golden
Phoenix related to our purchase of the Borealis Property. The
Golden Phoenix obligation is repayable in four equal quarterly
installments of $250,000, two of which have been paid as of
September 30, 2005, and two final payments which are due on
October 28, 2005 and January 27, 2006, respectively.
As of September 30, 2005, we had working capital including
cash of $3,795,068, and we had current assets consisting of
$4,423,362 in cash, $20,530 in accounts receivable and $760,573
in prepaid expenses. We had $1,409,397 in current liabilities at
September 30, 2005, consisting of $909,397 in accounts
payable and accrued liabilities and $500,000 in obligations to
Golden Phoenix. We believe we have sufficient working capital to
fund completion of our drilling program, permitting and
feasibility study, costs related to lease and claim maintenance
fees, our payment obligations to Golden Phoenix and general and
administrative expenses for approximately 12 months
(without giving effect to the offering).
We will need substantial additional funds to allow us to develop
the mine, secure a reclamation bond and to fund future property
exploration activities. In order to initiate the mine
development on the Borealis Property we will require a minimum
additional $10 million of financing. Failure to obtain
sufficient financing may result in delaying or indefinite
postponement of exploration, development or production on the
property. We cannot be certain that additional capital or other
types of financing will be available if and when needed or that,
if available, the terms of such financing will be favorable to
us.
Our only long term commitments at present are our obligations
under the Mining Lease, the Office Leases and under the
employment contracts described above. We expect our long term
commitments to increase significantly if, as and when, we commit
to the building of the mine on the Borealis site.
77
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no off-balance sheet arrangements other than operating
lease commitments.
Contractual Obligations
Our contractual obligations as of September 30, 2005, were
as follows:
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Payments Due by Period | |
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Less than | |
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More than | |
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Total | |
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1 Year | |
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2-3 Years | |
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4-5 Years | |
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5 Years | |
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| |
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(Unaudited) | |
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Long-term Debt
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Nil |
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Mineral property acquisition obligations
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$ |
500,000 |
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$ |
500,000 |
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Operating Leases
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$ |
281,000 |
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$ |
67,600 |
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$ |
137,200 |
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$ |
76,200 |
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Total
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$ |
781,000 |
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$ |
567,000 |
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$ |
137,200 |
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$ |
76,200 |
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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Our major market risk exposure is potential fluctuation in the
price of gold. Historically, gold prices have been volatile, and
that volatility is expected to continue. We are engaged in
exploring gold properties and related activities. As a result,
changes in the price of gold could significantly affect our
stock price. We do not have any debt that would expose us to
market risks related to changes in interest rates.
DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY
We lease our principal executive office at 390 Union Blvd.,
Suite 360, Lakewood, CO 80228. We also lease an
administrative and finance office at Suite 810,
1130 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4. We do
not currently maintain any investments in real estate, real
estate mortgages or securities of persons primarily engaged in
real estate activities, nor do we expect to do so in the
foreseeable future.
We describe our mineral properties under the heading
Description and Development of Business in this
prospectus.
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
The registrar and transfer agent for our shares of common stock
will be Computershare Trust Company, Inc. at its offices in
Golden, Colorado, with Computershare Trust Company of Canada at
its offices in Toronto, Canada as co-agent.
The trustee registrar and transfer agent for our Class A
Warrants will be Computershare Trust Company of Canada at its
offices in Toronto, Canada.
LEGAL
The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed
upon for Gryphon Gold Corporation by Snell and Wilmer LLP.
78
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO
NON-UNITED STATES HOLDERS
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following is a summary of the anticipated material
U.S. federal income tax consequences to a
Non-U.S. Holder (as defined below) arising from and
relating to the exercise of Class A Warrants and the
acquisition, ownership, and disposition of common stock.
This summary is for general information purposes only and does
not purport to be a complete analysis or listing of all
potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may
apply to a Non-U.S. Holder as a result of the exercise of
Class A Warrants or the acquisition, ownership, and
disposition of common stock. In addition, this summary does not
take into account the individual facts and circumstances of any
particular Non-U.S. Holder that may affect the
U.S. federal income tax consequences of the exercise of
Class A Warrants and the acquisition, ownership, and
disposition of common stock. Accordingly, this summary is not
intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or
U.S. federal income tax advice with respect to any
Non-U.S. Holder. Each Non-U.S. Holder should consult
its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant
regarding the U.S. federal, U.S. state and local, and
foreign tax consequences of the exercise of Class A
Warrants and the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of
common stock.
Scope of this Disclosure
This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, referred to in this section as the Code,
Treasury Regulations (whether final, temporary, or proposed),
published rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
published administrative positions of the IRS, and
U.S. court decisions that are applicable and, in each case,
as in effect and available, as of the date of this registration
statement. Any of the authorities on which this summary is based
could be changed in a material and adverse manner at any time,
and any such change could be applied on a retroactive basis.
This summary does not discuss the potential effects, whether
adverse or beneficial, of any proposed legislation that, if
enacted, could be applied on a retroactive basis.
For purposes of this summary, a Non-U.S. Holder
is a beneficial owner of Class A Warrants or common stock,
as the case may be, that, for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, is other than (a) an individual who is a citizen
or resident of the U.S., (b) a corporation, or any other
entity classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income
tax purposes, that is created or organized in or under the laws
of the U.S. or any state in the U.S., including the
District of Columbia, (c) an estate if the income of such
estate is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of
the source of such income, or (d) a trust if (i) such
trust has validly elected to be treated as a U.S. person
for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (ii) a
U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the
administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons
have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such
trust.
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Non-U.S. Holders Subject to Special U.S. Federal
Income Tax Rules Not Addressed |
This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax
consequences of the exercise of Class A Warrants or the
acquisition, ownership, and disposition of common stock to
Non-U.S. Holders that are subject to special provisions
under the Code, including the following Non-U.S. Holders:
(a) a Non-U.S. Holder that is a tax-exempt
organization or governmental entity; (b) a
Non-U.S. Holder that is a financial institution or
insurance company; (c) a Non-U.S. Holder that is a
dealer in securities or currencies or a Non-U.S. Holder
that is a trader in securities that elects to apply a
mark-to-market accounting method; (d) a
Non-U.S. Holder that is liable for the alternative minimum
tax under the Code; (e) a Non-U.S. Holder that owns
common stock or Class A Warrants as part of a straddle,
hedging transaction, conversion transaction, constructive sale,
or other arrangement involving more than one position;
(f) a Non-U.S. Holder that acquired common stock or
Class A Warrants in connection with the exercise of
employee stock options or otherwise as compensation for
79
services; (g) a Non-U.S. Holder that is a
controlled foreign corporation under
Section 957 of the Code; (h) a Non-U.S. Holder
that is a passive foreign investment company under
Section 1297 of the Code; (i) a Non-U.S. Holder
that is a former citizen or long-term resident of the
U.S. subject to Section 877 of the Code; or (j) a
Non-U.S. Holder that holds common stock or Class A
Warrants other than as a capital asset within the meaning of
Section 1221 of the Code. Non-U.S. Holders that are
subject to special provisions under the Code, including
Non-U.S. Holders described immediately above, should
consult their own financial advisor, legal counsel or accountant
regarding the U.S. federal, U.S. state and local, and
foreign tax consequences of the exercise of Class A
Warrants and the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of
common stock.
If an entity that is classified as a partnership (or
pass-through entity) for U.S. federal income
tax purposes holds Class A Warrants or common stock, the
U.S. federal income tax consequences to such partnership
(or pass-through entity) and the partners of such
partnership (or owners of such pass-through entity)
generally will depend on the activities of the partnership (or
pass-through entity) and the status of such partners
(or owners). Partners of entities that are classified as
partnerships (or owners of pass-through entities)
for U.S. federal income tax purposes should consult their
own financial advisor, legal counsel or accountant regarding the
U.S. federal income tax consequences of the exercise of
Class A Warrants and the acquisition, ownership, and
disposition of common stock.
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Tax Consequences Other than U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences Not Addressed |
This summary does not address the U.S. state and local,
U.S. federal estate and gift, or foreign tax consequences
to Non-U.S. Holders of the exercise of Class A
Warrants or the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of
common stock. Each Non-U.S. Holder should consult its own
financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding the
U.S. state and local, U.S. federal estate and gift,
and foreign tax consequences of the exercise of Class A
Warrants and the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of
common stock.
Allocation of Purchase Price With Respect to Units
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the acquisition of a
Unit by a Non-U.S. Holder should be treated as the
acquisition of an investment unit consisting of two
components: one share of common stock and one-half of a
Class A Warrant. The purchase price for each Unit will be
allocated between these two components in proportion to their
relative fair market values on the date that the Unit is
purchased by the Non-U.S. Holder. This allocation of the
purchase price for each Unit will establish a
Non-U.S. Holders initial tax basis in the share of
common stock and the one-half of a Class A Warrant that
comprise each Unit for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
For this purpose, we will allocate
$ of
the purchase price for each Unit to the share of common stock
and
$ of
the purchase price for each Unit to the one-half of a
Class A Warrant. The IRS will not be bound by our
allocation of the purchase price for each Unit between the share
of common stock and the one-half of a Class A Warrant, and
accordingly, the IRS may allocate the purchase price for each
Unit between the share of common stock and the one-half of a
Class A Warrant in a manner that is different than the
allocation set forth above. Each Non-U.S. Holder should
consult its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant
regarding the allocation of the purchase price for each Unit
between the share of common stock and the one-half of a
Class A Warrant.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Exercise of
Class A Warrants
A Non-U.S. Holder should not recognize gain or loss on the
exercise of a Class A Warrant and related receipt of common
stock. A Non-U.S. Holders initial tax basis in the
common stock received on the exercise of a Class A Warrant
generally should be equal to the sum of (a) such
Non-U.S. Holders tax basis in such Class A
Warrant plus (b) the exercise price paid by such
Non-U.S. Holder on the exercise of such Class A
Warrant. A Non-U.S. Holders holding period for the
common stock received on the exercise of a Class A Warrant
generally should begin on the day after the date that such
Class A Warrant is exercised by such Non-U.S. Holder.
This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax
consequences of a cashless exercise of a
Class A Warrant. A Non-U.S. Holder that exercises a
Class A Warrant on a cashless basis
80
should consult its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or
accountant regarding the U.S. federal income tax
consequences of exercising such Class A Warrant.
Under Section 305 of the Code, an adjustment to the number
of shares of common stock that will be issued on exercise of the
Class A Warrants, or an adjustment to the exercise price of
the Class A Warrants, may be treated as a constructive
distribution by us to a Non-U.S. Holder of the Class A
Warrants if, and to the extent that, such adjustment has the
effect of increasing such Non-U.S. Holders
proportionate interest in our earnings and profits
or assets, depending on the circumstances of such adjustment
(for example, if such adjustment is to compensate for a
distribution of cash or other property to our shareholders).
(See more detailed discussion of the rules applicable to
distributions made by us at Distributions on Common
Stock below).
Upon the lapse or expiration of a Class A Warrant, a
Non-U.S. Holder should recognize a loss in an amount equal
to such Non-U.S. Holders tax basis in the
Class A Warrant. Any such loss generally should be a
capital loss (provided that the common stock to be issued on the
exercise of such Class A Warrant would have been a capital
asset if acquired by the Non-U.S. Holder). Any such capital
loss will be short-term capital loss or long-term capital loss,
depending on whether the Class A Warrants are held for more
than one year. Deductions for capital losses are subject to
complex limitations under the Code.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Acquisition,
Ownership, and Disposition of Common Stock
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Distributions on Common Stock |
A distribution by us, including a constructive distribution,
with respect to the common stock will be treated as a dividend
to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and
profits. To the extent that a distribution exceeds our
current and accumulated earnings and profits, such
distribution will be treated (a) first, as a tax-free
return of capital to the extent of a Non-U.S. Holders
tax basis in the common stock and, (b) thereafter, as gain
from the sale or exchange of such common stock. (See more
detailed discussion at Disposition of common stock
below).
Except as discussed below, a dividend paid by us to a
Non-U.S. Holder should be subject to U.S. federal
income tax at a rate of 30% (or a reduced rate under an income
tax treaty) on the gross amount of such dividend. We generally
will be required to withhold this U.S. federal income tax
upon the payment of a dividend to a Non-U.S. Holder. In
order to obtain a reduced U.S. federal income tax rate
under an income tax treaty with respect to a dividend, a
Non-U.S. Holder generally must complete and deliver a
Form W-8BEN to us. Each Non-U.S. Holder should consult
its own financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant
regarding the procedure for claiming a reduced U.S. federal
income tax rate under an income tax treaty.
A dividend paid by us to a Non-U.S. Holder that is
effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business
within the U.S. by such Non-U.S. Holder (and if an
income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent
establishment or fixed base in the U.S. of such
Non-U.S. Holder) should be subject to U.S. federal
income tax on a net income basis at normal graduated
U.S. federal income tax rates. In addition, such a dividend
may also be subject to a 30% U.S. branch profits tax (or
reduced U.S. branch profits tax rate under an income tax
treaty) if the recipient Non-U.S. Holder is a corporation.
Such a dividend generally should not be subject to the
U.S. federal withholding tax described above if a
Non-U.S. Holder completes and delivers a Form W-8ECI
to us. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2009,
such a dividend generally should be taxed at the preferential
tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains if (a) the
Non-U.S. Holder receiving such dividend is an individual,
estate, or trust, and (b) such dividend is paid on common
stock that has been held by such Non-U.S. Holder for at
least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning
60 days before the ex-dividend date.
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Disposition of Common Stock |
A Non-U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss on the sale
or other taxable disposition of common stock in an amount equal
to the difference, if any, between (a) the amount of cash
plus the fair market value of any
81
property received and (b) such Non- U.S. Holders
tax basis in the common stock sold or otherwise disposed of.
Gain, if any, recognized by a Non-U.S. Holder on the sale
or other taxable disposition of common stock should not be
subject to U.S. federal income tax, except as described
below.
Gain recognized by a Non-U.S. Holder that is effectively
connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the
U.S. by such Non-U.S. Holder (and, if an income tax
treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment or
fixed base in the U.S. of such Non-U.S. Holder) should
be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis
at normal graduated U.S. federal income tax rates.
Preferential tax rates generally should apply to long-term
capital gains of a Non-U.S. Holder that is an individual,
estate, or trust. Deductions for capital losses are subject to
complex limitations under the Code. There are currently no
preferential tax rates for long-term capital gains of a
Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation. In addition, such
gain may also be subject to a 30% U.S. branch profits tax
(or reduced U.S. branch profits tax rate under an income
tax treaty) if the Non-U.S. Holder is a corporation.
Gain recognized by a Non-U.S. Holder who is an individual
and who is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more
during the taxable year of the sale or other taxable disposition
of the common stock (and who satisfies certain other conditions)
should be subject U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30%,
which gain generally may be offset by U.S. source capital
losses.
Gain recognized by a Non-U.S. Holder should, except as
discussed below, be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a
net income basis at normal graduated U.S. federal income
tax rates if we qualify as a United States real property
holding corporation under Section 897(c) of the Code
(a USRPHC) at any time during the 5-year period
ending on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition of
the common stock (or the Non-U.S. Holders holding
period for the common stock, if shorter). Preferential tax rates
generally should apply to long-term capital gains of a
Non-U.S. Holder that is an individual, estate, or trust.
Deductions for capital losses and net capital losses are subject
to complex limitations under the Code. There are currently no
preferential tax rates for long-term capital gains of a
Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation. Under an exception
to these rules, if the common stock is regularly traded on
an established securities market, the common stock should
be treated as stock of a USRPHC only with respect to a
Non-U.S. Holder that held (directly or under certain
constructive ownership rules) more than 5% of the common stock
during the 5-year period ending on the date of the sale or other
taxable disposition of the common stock (or the
Non-U.S. Holders holding period for the common stock,
if shorter). We generally will be a USRPHC if the fair market
value of our United States real property interests
as defined in Section 897(c) of the Code
(USRPIs) equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair
market value of (a) our USRPIs, (b) our interests in
foreign real property, and (c) our other assets that are
used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we
currently are a USRPHC and that there is a substantial
likelihood that we will continue to be USRPHC. There can be no
assurances, however, that the common stock will be
regularly traded on an established securities
market. Each Non-U.S. Holder should consult its own
financial advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding our
potential qualification as a USRPHC and whether the common stock
is regularly traded on an established securities
market.
Information Reporting; Backup Withholding Tax
We generally will be required to report certain information to
the IRS upon the payment of a dividend to a Non-U.S. Holder
(regardless of whether any withholding of tax was required by
us). Copies of these information returns also may be made
available under the provisions of a specific income tax treaty
in which the Non-U.S. Holder is a resident. Dividends paid
by us to a Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to
U.S. backup withholding tax at the rate of 28%, unless a
Non-U.S. Holder certifies its non-U.S. status
(generally on Form W-8BEN) or otherwise establishes an
exemption.
The payment of proceeds from the sale or other taxable
disposition of common stock effected by or through a
U.S. office of a broker (whether U.S. or foreign)
generally will be subject to information reporting to the IRS
and U.S. backup withholding tax at the rate of 28%, unless
a Non-U.S. Holder certifies its non-U.S. status
(generally on Form W-8BEN) or otherwise establishes an
exemption. The payment of proceeds from the sale or other
taxable disposition of common stock effected by or through a
foreign office of
82
a foreign broker generally will not be subject to information
reporting to the IRS or U.S. backup withholding tax. The
payment of proceeds from the sale or other taxable disposition
of common stock effected by or through a foreign office of
broker generally will be subject to information reporting to the
IRS (but not U.S. backup withholding tax) if such broker is
(a) a U.S. person, (b) a foreign person that
derived 50% or more of its gross income for certain periods from
the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S., (c) a
controlled foreign corporation under
Section 957 of the Code, or (d) a foreign partnership
at least 50% of the capital or profits interest in which is
owned by U.S. persons or that is engaged in a trade or
business within the U.S., unless such broker has documentary
evidence of a Non-U.S. Holders non-U.S. status
or the Non-U.S. Holder otherwise establishes an exemption.
Any amounts withheld under the U.S. backup withholding tax
rules will be allowed as a credit against a
Non-U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax
liability, if any, or will be refunded, if such
Non-U.S. Holder furnishes required information to the IRS.
Each Non-U.S. Holder should consult its own financial
advisor, legal counsel, or accountant regarding the information
reporting and U.S. backup withholding tax rules.
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Upon completion of this offering we will have 41,183,908 shares
of common stock issued and outstanding, assuming we raise
Cdn$17,500,000 ($15,000,000) at an offering price of Cdn$1.30
($1.11) per unit (the midpoint of our estimated range),
based on 27,722,370 shares of common stock outstanding as
of September 30, 2005. All of the shares of common stock
sold in this offering will be freely transferable without
restriction or further registration or qualification, except
that shares held by our affiliates, as that term is
defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, may generally
only be sold in compliance with the limitations of Rule 144
described below.
Future sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the
public market, or the perception that such sales could occur,
could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common
stock or make it difficult for us to raise additional equity
capital in the future.
Lock-up Agreements
All of our shareholders are subject to an Investor Rights
Agreement dated March 3, 2003, as amended. Under the terms
of the Investor Rights Agreement, each shareholder has agreed
that it would enter into a lock up arrangement imposed by the
underwriters in connection with a qualified initial public
offering of our common stock. This offering is expected to
satisfy the requirements of a qualified initial public offering,
and each shareholder and we are expected to comply with the lock
up arrangements imposed by the underwriters in connection with
this offering. See Description of Securities
Investor Rights Agreement.
We anticipate that all of the shares of our common stock
currently outstanding will be subject to lock-up agreements.
Under the terms of the proposed lock up agreements, our
shareholders are expected to agree not to, without the prior
consent of the managing underwriter, directly or indirectly,
offer, sell or otherwise dispose of any common stock (including
common stock acquirable upon exercise of options or warrants
after the closing date of the offering) except as follows:
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During each quarter immediately following the termination of the
offering, shareholders may sell up to the greater of
5,000 shares or 20% of the number of shares of common stock
held by such shareholder, plus that number of shares which were
eligible for sale during previous quarters, but not sold by the
shareholders, if any, on a cumulative basis; and |
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the lock up provisions terminate 18 months after the
termination of the offering. |
Under the terms of the proposed lock up agreements, in addition
to the lockup provisions applicable to all shareholders,
officers and directors of Gryphon Gold are expected to agree not
to, directly or indirectly, offer, sell or otherwise dispose of
any common stock except as follows:
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during the period beginning six months after the termination of
the offering, officers and directors may sell up to the greater
of 5,000 shares or 20% of the number of shares of common
stock held by such |
83
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officer or director during each quarter, plus that number of
shares which were eligible for sale during previous quarters,
but not sold by the officer or director, if any, on a cumulative
basis; and |
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the lock up provisions terminate 18 months after the
termination of the offering. |
All shareholders will be required to enter into lock up
agreements as a condition to closing of the offering.
With the exception of the underwriting agreement, there are no
present agreements between the underwriters and us or any of our
executive officers or directors releasing them or us from these
lock-up agreements. The underwriters, however, may waive or
shorten the lockup period. The granting of any waiver of release
would be conditioned, in the judgment of the underwriters, on
such sale not materially adversely impacting the prevailing
trading market for our common stock on the Toronto Stock
Exchange. Specifically, factors such as average trading volume,
recent price trends and the need for additional public float in
the market for our common stock would be considered in
evaluating such a request to waive or shorten the lockup period.
In addition, all of our executive officers and directors are
subject to the escrow provisions under applicable Canadian
securities regulatory policy. See Escrowed
Securities described below.
Rule 144
Rule 144 provides a safe harbor from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act. In general, under
Rule 144, a person (or persons whose shares are aggregated)
who owns shares that were acquired from us or one of our
affiliates at least one year prior to the proposed sale will be
entitled to sell, in any three-month period, a number of shares
that does not exceed the greater of (a) 1% of the
then-outstanding shares of our common stock, which will equal
approximately 411,839 shares after the offering (assuming we
issue 13,461,538 units at an assumed offer price of Cdn$1.30
($1.11) (the midpoint of our estimated range)) or (b) the
average weekly trading volume in our common stock on all
national securities exchanges and/or reported through the
automated quotation system of a registered securities
association during the four calendar weeks preceding the date on
which notice of such sale is filed. Sales under Rule 144
are also subject to certain requirements concerning availability
of public information, manner of sale, and notice of sale. In
addition, our affiliates must comply with the restrictions and
requirements of Rule 144, other than the one-year holding
period requirement, in order to publicly sell shares of our
common stock that are not restricted securities. Our common
stock will be eligible to be sold pursuant to Rule 144,
subject to the volume restrictions and lock-up restrictions
described above, beginning 90 days after the date of this
prospectus.
Rule 144(k)
Under Rule 144(k), a stockholder who is not one of our
affiliates and has not been our affiliate for at least three
months prior to the sale and who has beneficially owned
restricted shares of our common stock for at least two years may
resell the shares without limitation. In meeting the one and two
year holding periods described above, a holder of restricted
shares of our common stock can include the holding periods of a
prior owner who was not our affiliate. The one and two year
holding periods described above do not begin to run until the
full purchase price is paid by the person acquiring the
restricted shares of our common stock from us or one of our
affiliates. Based on the shares outstanding as of the date of
this prospectus, an aggregate of approximately
1,585,000 shares of our common stock will be eligible to be
sold pursuant to Rule 144(k) after the date of this
prospectus. However, all such shares are subject to the Lock-up
Agreements applicable to existing shareholders and to officers
and directors of Gryphon Gold described above and will only
become eligible for sale under the terms and schedule in such
agreements or termination of such agreements. In addition, all
of our executive officers and directors are subject to the
escrow provisions under applicable Canadian securities
regulatory policy. See Escrowed Securities described
below.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act as
currently in effect, each of our directors, officers, employees,
consultants or advisors who purchased shares from us before the
date of this prospectus in
84
connection with a compensatory stock plan or other written
compensatory agreement plan or other written compensatory
agreement is eligible to resell such shares 90 days after
the effective date of this offering in reliance on
Rule 144, but without compliance with restrictions,
including the holding period, contained in Rule 144.
However, all such shares are subject to the Lock-up Agreements
applicable to existing shareholders and to officers and
directors of Gryphon Gold described above and will only become
eligible for sale under the terms and schedule in such
agreements or termination of such agreements. In addition, all
of our executive officers and directors are subject to the
escrow provisions under applicable Canadian securities
regulatory policy. See Escrowed Securities described
below.
Stock Plans
On March 29, 2005, our board of directors adopted our 2004
Stock Option Plan, and the plan was approved by our shareholders
on May 13, 2005. We reserved 3,000,000 shares of
common stock for issuance to our employees, officers, directors,
consultants and advisors under the plan. As of November 7,
2005, we had granted options exercisable to acquire
2,515,000 shares of common stock under the plan.
Escrowed Securities
Following completion of our initial public offering, applicable
Canadian securities regulatory policy requires that our
promoters, officers, directors and 20% shareholders place their
stock in us into escrow with
85
Computershare Trust Company of Canada, our co-transfer agent. As
of the closing of our initial public offering, the following
securities will be placed into escrow.
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Number of Securities | |
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Percentage of | |
Designation of Class |
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Held in Escrow | |
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Class | |
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Common
Stock(1)
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10,832,500 |
(2) |
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35.63 |
% |
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(1) |
Includes 2,300,000 shares issuable upon exercise of stock
options and 202,500 shares issuable upon exercise of warrants. |
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(2) |
The aggregate number of shares of common stock will be released
from escrow as to 25% on the closing of our initial public
offering, as to a further 25% six months after the closing of
our initial public offering, as to the next 25% 12 months
after the closing of our initial public offering, and as to the
remaining escrowed securities, 18 months after the closing
of our initial public offering. |
UNDERWRITING
We intend to enter into an underwriting agreement with
Desjardins Securities Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc.,
Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd. and Orion Securities Inc., as
Canadian underwriters, with respect to the units being offered.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting
agreement, the underwriters have agreed to purchase from us the
number of units set forth on the cover page of this prospectus
at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts
and commissions, set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.
Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting
agreement, each underwriter has agreed to purchase, and we have
agreed to sell to that underwriter, the number of units set
forth opposite each underwriters name below.
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Number of | |
Underwriter |
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units | |
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Desjardins Securities Inc.
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CIBC World Markets Inc.
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Bolder Investment Partners, Ltd.
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Orion Securities Inc.
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Total
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We currently expect the initial public offering price of our
units to be between Cdn$1.00 ($0.86) and Cdn$1.60
($1.37) per unit, and the exercise price of our
Class A Warrants to be between Cdn$1.20 ($1.03) and
Cdn$2.00 ($1.71) per share. We expect to issue 13,461,538 units,
assuming we issue units at Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the
midpoint of our estimated price range).
The obligations of the underwriters under the underwriting
agreement are several (and not joint and several) and
conditional and may be terminated at their discretion on the
basis of their assessment of the state of the financial markets
and may also be terminated in certain stated circumstances and
upon the occurrence of certain stated events. The underwriting
agreement moreover provides that the obligations of the
underwriters to purchase the units included in this offering are
subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to other
conditions. The underwriters however are obligated to purchase
all the units (other than those covered by the over-allotment
option described below) if they purchase any of the units under
the underwriting agreement.
The units will be offered concurrently in each of the provinces
of Canada, in Europe and in the United States. The units will be
offered in the United States only to qualified
institutional buyers as that term is defined in
Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on a
selling agent basis through a selling agent group, which
includes Desjardins Securities International Inc., the U.S.
affiliate of Desjardins Securities, Inc., CIBC World Markets
Corp., the U.S. Affiliate of CIBC World Markets Inc.
and Orion Securities (USA) Inc., the U.S. affiliate of
Orion Securities Inc. The underwriters have agreed to purchase
all of the units set forth on the cover page of this prospectus,
and any units not sold in the United States will be sold by the
underwriters in Canada or Europe. The obligations of the United
States selling group are governed under a selling agent
agreement between Desjardins Securities Inc. and each member of
the United States selling group. Activities by United States
selling group members are on a selling agent basis and all
obligations under the selling agreement
86
terminate upon close of the offering contemplated in this
prospectus. United States selling agents will receive no
compensation other than the standard selling commissions paid by
the underwriters as set forth in the selling agreement of 4% of
the sale price of each unit or Cdn$0.052 ($0.044) per unit based
on the assumed offering of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per unit (the
midpoint of our estimated price range).
The underwriters propose to offer shares directly to the public
in Canada, through the United States selling group if to a
U.S. person or person in the United States and through
selling agents in Europe in accordance with applicable European
law, at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of
this prospectus.
We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for
30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to
an additional 15% of the number of units sold in the offering at
the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and
commissions. The underwriters may exercise the option solely for
the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, in connection
with this offering. To the extent the option is exercised, each
underwriter must purchase a number of additional units
approximately proportionate to that underwriters initial
purchase commitment.
Our units in this offering contain one common share and one-half
of one Class A Warrant. Each Class A Warrant entitles
its holder to purchase one share of our common stock at the
exercise price of
Cdn$ at
any time after the effective date of this prospectus. Our
Class A Warrants will only be exercisable if we have an
effective registration statement covering the common shares
underlying our warrants or an exemption from such registration
is otherwise available; except that in the event there is no
effective registration statement, a holder may elect to exercise
on a cashless exercise basis. The registration statement, in
which this prospectus form a part, registers the shares of
common stock issuable upon exercise of the Class A
Warrants. A holder electing to exercise on a cashless exercise
basis will receive that number of shares of common stock equal
to the difference between the fair market value of the shares
acquirable upon exercise of the warrants and the exercise price
the holder would otherwise pay to exercise the warrants. A
cashless exercise election can only be made if there is no
effective registration statement registering the issuance of the
shares underlying the Class A Warrants. We will use
commercially reasonable efforts to keep the effective
registration statement, in which this prospectus forms a part,
in effect during the term of the Class A Warrants and the
underwriters compensation options.
We have received conditional listing approval to list our common
stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol
GGN, subject to our meeting the listing requirements
of the Toronto Stock Exchange. In order to meet the listing
requirements of the Toronto Stock Exchange, we must complete the
offering by December 28, 2005. In addition, at least
1,000,000 of the common shares comprising the units offered
under the prospectus must be purchased by at least 300
purchasers. The Toronto Stock Exchange also requires that we
amend our by-laws to include provisions in respect of certain
specified rights of shareholders and certain specified
limitations on the discretion of the directors as it relates to
our share capital. The Toronto Stock Exchange requires that we
undertake to seek the ratification of our shareholders to such
amendment at our next shareholders meeting. Moreover, we will
require the prior approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange to any
future amendment to our by-laws. If shareholders do not ratify
the amendment to our by-law, we will be in breach of our listing
agreement with the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock
Exchange will have the right to suspend or cease the listing of
our common stock. We also anticipate that our common stock will
be quoted for trading in the United States on the NASD
over-the-counter bulletin board or the pink sheets.
We have agreed not to issue or sell, or enter into an agreement
to issue or sell, any shares of our common stock or securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of
our common stock without the prior written consent of the agent,
for a period of 120 days after the date of the closing of
this offering, subject to certain exceptions, including
issuances under our 2004 Stock Option Plan, issuances in certain
acquisition transactions and issuance under the terms of
currently issued and outstanding options and warrants.
87
The following table shows the underwriting discounts and
commissions that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection
with this offering. These amounts are shown assuming both no
exercise and full exercise of the underwriters option to
purchase additional units to cover over-allotments.
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Per Unit* | |
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No Exercise* | |
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Full Exercise* | |
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Total Offering Proceeds
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Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) |
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Cdn$17,500,000 ($15,000,000) |
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Cdn$20,125,000 ($17,249,000) |
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Underwriting Discounts and Commissions
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Cdn$0.104 ($0.089) |
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Cdn$1,400,000 ($1,200,000) |
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Cdn$1,610,000 ($1,380,000) |
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Proceeds to Gryphon Gold
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Cdn$1.196 ($1.021) |
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Cdn$16,100,000 ($13,800,000) |
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Cdn$18,515,000 ($15,869,000) |
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* |
Based on an assumed offering price of Cdn$1.30 ($1.11) per
unit, the midpoint of our range. |
In addition to underwriting discounts and commissions, we have
agreed to pay the reasonable expenses of the underwriters
incurred in connection with the offering, and the legal fees of
the underwriters.
We estimate that the total expenses of this offering payable by
us will be Cdn$1,400,000 ($1,200,000).
In addition, we have agreed to issue the underwriters
compensation options exercisable to acquire a number of shares
of common stock equal to 10% of the number of units sold. The
underwriter compensation options are exercisable to acquire
shares of common stock at
$ per
share
until (one
year from the closing date). The shares of common stock issuable
upon exercise of the underwriters compensation options are
covered under this prospectus.
In the event an effective registration statement is not
available at the time of exercise, the holder may exercise the
underwriting compensation option on a cashless exercise basis,
and will receive that amount of shares of common stock with a
fair market value equal to the difference of the fair market
value of the shares acquirable upon exercise of the options and
the exercise price the holder would otherwise pay to exercise
the options.
In connection with this offering the underwriters may purchase
and sell shares of common stock in the open market in Canada.
These transactions may include short sales, syndicate covering
transactions and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve
sales of common stock in excess of the number of shares to be
purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a
short position. Covered short sales are sales of
shares made in an amount up to the number of shares represented
by the underwriters over-allotment option. In determining
the source of shares to close out the covered short position,
the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of
shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to
the price at which they may purchase shares through the
over-allotment option. Transactions to close out the covered
short involve either purchases of the common stock in the open
market after the distribution has been completed or the exercise
of the over-allotment option. The underwriters may also make
naked short sales of shares in excess of the
over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked
short position by purchasing shares of common stock in the open
market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if
the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward
pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after
pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in
the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids for or
purchases of shares in the open market while the offering is in
progress.
Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or
retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock.
They may also cause the price of the common stock to be higher
than the price that would otherwise exist in the open market in
the absence of these transactions. If the underwriters commence
any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.
Pursuant to rules of certain Canadian securities regulators, the
underwriters may not, throughout the period of distribution, bid
for or purchase shares of common stock. The policy statements
allow certain exceptions to the foregoing prohibitions. The
underwriters may only avail themselves of such exceptions on the
condition that the bid or purchase not be engaged in for the
purpose of creating actual or apparent active trading in, or
raising the price of, the shares of common stock. These
exceptions include a bid or purchase permitted under the
Universal Market Integrity Rules for Canadian Marketplaces of
Market Regulation Services Inc., relating to market
stabilization and passive market making activities and a bid or
purchase made for and on behalf of a customer where the order
was not solicited during the period of distribution. Pursuant to
the
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first mentioned exception, in connection with the offering, the
underwriters may over-allot or effect transactions which
stabilize or maintain the market price of the shares of common
stock at levels other than those which otherwise might prevail
on the open market. Such transactions, if commenced, may be
discontinued at any time.
We expect to deliver the common stock against payment for the
shares on or about the date specified in the last paragraph of
the cover page of this prospectus.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain
liabilities related to the offering, including liabilities under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable Canadian
securities laws and liabilities arising from breaches of the
representations and warranties contained in the underwriting
agreement, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters
may be required to make for these liabilities.
Offering Price and Warrant Exercise Price Determination
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our
common stock. The initial public offering price and the exercise
price of the Class A Warrants have been negotiated between
the underwriters and us. In determining the initial public
offering price of our units and the exercise price of the
Class A Warrants, we and the underwriters considered:
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prevailing market conditions; |
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the market capitalizations and states of development of other
companies that we and the underwriters believed to be comparable
to us; |
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estimates of our business potential and prospects; |
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our results of operations in recent periods; |
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an overall assessment of our management and our present state of
development; and |
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the consideration of these factors in relation to market
valuation of similarly situated companies. |
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2005
and 2004 and for the year ended March 31, 2005 and for the
periods from April 24, 2003 (inception) to
March 31, 2004 and 2005, included in this prospectus and
elsewhere in the registration statement have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as indicated in their report with respect
thereto, and are included herein in reliance upon the authority
of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting in giving
said reports.
The estimates of our mineralized material have been included in
this prospectus in reliance upon the Technical Report on
the Mineral Resources of the Borealis Gold Project dated
May 23, 2005, prepared by Mr. Alan C. Noble, P.E. of
Ore Reserves Engineering in Lakewood, CO, a Qualified
Person, as defined in National Instrument 43-101.
The Preliminary Scoping Study of Project Development for
the Borealis Gold Project, Nevada, USA dated June 7,
2004 referred to in this prospectus was prepared by Qingping
Deng of Behre Dolbear and Company, Inc. in Denver, CO, a
Qualified Person, as defined in National Instrument
43-101.
CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MATTERS
Our financial statements as of March 31, 2005 and 2004 for
the year ended March 31, 2005 and for the periods from
April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31, 2004 and
2005, included in this prospectus have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm as stated in their report appearing elsewhere
herein, and are included in reliance upon the report of such
firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and
auditing.
89
Effective on or about June 20, 2005, we terminated the
services of our former independent auditor, DeVisser Gray,
Chartered Accountants of Vancouver, British Columbia.
No adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion was issued during
the past two years by our former accountant, and no opinion of
our former accountant was qualified or modified as to
uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.
The change in auditors was recommended by our Board of
Directors.
During the two most recent fiscal years and the interim period
preceding such dismissal, we are not aware of any disagreements
with our former accountant on any matter of accounting
principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or
auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement(s), if not
resolved to the satisfaction of our former accountant, would
have caused it to make references to the subject matter of the
disagreement(s) in connection with its report.
We are not aware of any events (reportable under Item 304
(a)(1)(iv)(B) of Regulation S-B) that have occurred
during the two most recent fiscal years and the interim period
preceding the dismissal of our former accountant.
We have engaged Ernst & Young LLP, Vancouver, as our
new principal independent accountant effective on or about
June 20, 2005, to audit our financial statements. During
the two most recent fiscal years and the interim period
preceding the appointment of Ernst & Young, we have not
consulted Ernst & Young regarding either:
|
|
|
|
|
The application of accounting principles to a specified
transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit
opinion that might be rendered on our financial statements, and
neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to us that
we considered an important factor in reaching a decision as to
the accounting or financial reporting issue; or |
|
|
|
Any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement or
event (reportable under Regulation S-B,
Item 304(a)(1)(iv)(B)). |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on
Form SB-2 (including exhibits, schedules and amendments)
under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of units to
be sold in this offering. This prospectus does not contain all
the information set forth in the registration statement. For
further information with respect to us and the shares of common
stock to be sold in this offering, please refer to the
registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus
as to the contents of any contract, agreement or other document
referred to include those terms of such documents that we
believe are material. Whenever a reference is made in this
prospectus to any contract or other document of ours, you should
refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration
statement for a copy of the contract or document.
You may read and copy all or any portion of the registration
statement or any other information that Gryphon Gold Corporation
files at the SECs public reference room at One Station
Place, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You
can request copies of these documents, upon payment of a
duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the
public reference room. Our SEC filings, including the
registration statement, are also available to you on the
SECs website at www.sec.gov.
As a result of this offering, we will become subject to the
information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and,
in accordance with those requirements, will file periodic
reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC.
Such periodic reports, proxy statements and other information
will be available for inspection and copying at the public
reference room and on the SEC website referred to above.
90
DEFINITIONS OF TECHNICAL TERMS
Following are definitions of certain technical terms used in
this prospectus.
|
|
|
Au. The chemical symbol for gold. |
|
|
Aeromagnetic. Detection of changes in the Earths
magnetic field with survey instruments mounted in an aircraft.
Provides an interpretation of subsurface geology and indications
of the presence of certain mineral assemblages which may
indicate traces of hydrothermal activity. |
|
|
Alluvium/ alluvial. Unconsolidated, to loosely
consolidated, gravel, silt, sand, clay, etc. deposited in
valleys, usually by water. |
|
|
Andesite. Igneous (formed from molten material) rock that
solidified at the Earths surface and is principally
composed of plagioclase feldspar, biotite, and hornblende. |
|
|
Andesite flow. A lava flow composed of andesite. |
|
|
Anomaly. Geophysical or geochemical measurements that are
outside of the normal, or average, range of values. |
|
|
Argillization. The conversion of minerals to clay by
either hydrothermal alteration, or during the weathering process. |
|
|
Assay. To analyze the proportions of metals in an ore; to
test an ore or mineral for composition, purity, weight, or other
properties of commercial interest. |
|
|
Assay Ton. A weight of 29.166+ g, used in assaying to
represent proportionately the assay value of an ore. Because it
bears the same ratio to 1 mg that a ton of 2,000 lb
bears to the troy ounce, the weight in milligrams of precious
metal obtained from an assay ton of ore equals the number of
ounces to the ton. |
|
|
Basin and Range. The geologic province centered on Nevada
consisting of northerly striking mountain ranges and intervening
valleys. |
|
|
Breccia. A rock made of fragments of one or more rock
types that has formed as a result of movement along faults, or
the activity of fluids that may carry mineralization. |
|
|
Chalcedonic. Extremely fine-grained quartz. |
|
|
Chargeability. A geophysical measurement of how much
electricity can be stored in the ground that is commonly used to
development an estimate of the abundance of metallic sulfide
minerals below the surface. |
|
|
Cretaceous. The geologic time that is part of the
Mesozoic era covering the period from 144 to 66 million
years ago. |
|
|
Crushed and Agglomerated Ore. That material which has
been reduced in size mechanically by crushing, (and which may as
a result contain a significant portion of very fine particles)
which is then, with the aid of a binding agent such as cement,
reconstituted into larger particles and subsequently leached in
a heap. The agglomerated ore typically has greater strength
allowing for higher stacked heaps and may allow better
percolation of leach solutions if the ore has high clay or fine
particle content. |
|
|
Fault. A planar feature produced by breaking of the
Earths crust with movement on one, or both, sides of the
plane. |
|
|
Feasibility Study. A comprehensive study of a deposit in
which all geological, engineering, operating, economic and other
relevant factors are considered in sufficient detail that it
could reasonably serve as the basis for a final decision by a
financial institution to finance the development of the deposit
for mineral production. |
|
|
Geophysics/geophysical. Surveys that are conduced to
measure the Earths physical properties as a means of
identify areas where anomalous features may exist. |
91
|
|
|
Gold deposit. An accumulation of gold mineralization in
the Earths crust, with no reference to size and grade of
the deposit. |
|
|
Gold Heap-leaching. A hydrometallurgical process whereby
gold is recovered from ore by heaping broken ore on sloping
impermeable pads, repeatedly spraying the heaps with a diluted
cyanide solution which dissolves the gold content in the ore,
collecting the gold-laden solutions, and stripping the solution
of gold. |
|
|
Granite. An igneous (formed from molten material) rock
that solidified within the Earths crust and is principally
composed of quartz, feldspar, and biotite. |
|
|
Hydrothermal. Hot water that originates within the
Earths crust and ascend toward the surface. This water is
commonly associated with the formation of mineral deposits and
hot springs. |
|
|
Hydrothermal Alteration. Changes brought about in rock by
the exposure to hydrothermal solutions, or mineral laden hot
water from within the Earths crust. |
|
|
Induced Polarization/ IP. A geophysical survey technique
that measures the passage of electrical current sent into the
ground (see chargeability). |
|
|
Lahar. A mudflow composed principally of volcanic
material. |
|
|
Lithology/lithologic. A general term used to define
specific types of rocks. |
|
|
Leach. The dissolution of soluble constituents from a
rock or orebody by the natural or artificial action of
percolating solutions. |
|
|
Ma. In geological terms, a million years. |
|
|
Marcasite. A yellow iron sulphide mineral similar to
pyrite in physical and chemical properties but which is less
stable; and at Borealis is an important ore forming mineral
containing gold. |
|
|
Mesozoic. A subdivision of geologic time that covers the
period from about 245 to 66 million years ago. |
|
|
Mine. An opening or excavation in the ground for the
purpose of extracting minerals; a pit or excavation from which
ores or other mineral substances are taken by digging; an
opening in the ground made for the purpose of taking out
minerals; an excavation properly underground for digging out
some usual product, such as ore, including any deposit of any
material suitable for excavation and working as a placer mine;
collectively, the underground passage and workings and the
minerals themselves. At Borealis there is potential for both
surface and underground mining operations. |
|
|
Mineralizing/mineralized. Material added by hydrothermal
solutions, principally in the formation of ore deposits. Often
refers to the presence of a mineral of economic interest in a
rock. |
|
|
Miocene. This is a subdivision of geologic time that
covers the period from about 5 to 24 million years ago. |
|
|
Open Pit Mining. The process of excavating an ore body
from the surface in progressively deeper layered cuts or steps.
Sufficient waste rock adjacent to the ore body is removed to
maintain mining access and to maintain the stability of the
resulting pit. |
|
|
Open Pit. A surface mine working open to daylight, such
as a quarry. |
|
|
OPT/opt. Abbreviation for ounces per ton, generally used
in this prospectus to refer to the number of ounces of gold per
ton. |
|
|
Ore. The naturally occurring material from which a
mineral or minerals of economic value can be extracted
profitably or to satisfy social or political objectives. The
term is generally but not always used to refer to metalliferous
material, and is often modified by the names of the valuable
constituent; e.g., gold ore. |
92
|
|
|
Ounce or oz.. A unit of weight equal
to 31.1 grams. |
|
|
Oxidization/oxidized. The conversion of sulfide minerals
to oxide minerals, usually through weathering at, or near, the
Earths surface. |
|
|
Pediment. A gravel covered bedrock surface that is along
the margin of a mountain range. The bedrock surface commonly has
a gentle dip into the valley, outward from the mountain range. |
|
|
Pipe-like. Geologic masses that have two short dimensions
and one long dimension, and commonly have a near vertical
orientation. |
|
|
Propylitic Alteration. A type of hydrothermal alteration
that produces only a modest change in the character of the rock.
This type of alteration is commonly found at the margins of
mineralized areas. |
|
|
Pyrite. A yellow iron sulphide mineral, which at Borealis
is an important ore forming mineral containing gold. |
|
|
Qualified Person. The term qualified person
refers to an individual who is an engineer or geoscientist with
at least five years of experience in mineral exploration, mine
development, production activities and project assessment, or
any combination thereof, including experience relevant to the
subject matter of the project or report and is a member in good
standing of a self-regulating organization. |
|
|
Resistivity. A measurement of conductivity of electricity
through rock. |
|
|
RC or Reverse Circulation. The
circulation of bit-coolant and cuttings-removal liquids,
drilling fluid, mud, air, or gas down the borehole outside the
drill rods and upward inside the drill rods. Often used to
describe an advanced drilling and sampling method that takes a
discrete sample from a drill interval with the objective of
maintaining sample integrity. |
|
|
Reserve. Measurement of size and grade of a mineral
deposit that infers parameters have been applied to assess the
potential for economic development. |
|
|
Resource. The measurement of size and grade of a mineral
deposit, without any inferred economic parameters. |
|
|
Run of Mine Ore. Material which was fragmented by
blasting only, and then stacked on the heaps without being
further reduced in size by crushing or other beneficiation
processes. |
|
|
Stratigraphic. The relationship of layered rocks to each
other. |
|
|
Sediments. Material that has been deposited on the
surface of the Earth through geologic means, usually transported
and deposited by water. This material may eventually be cemented
into rock. |
|
|
Silicification. The process by which quartz is added to
rock by hydrothermal solutions. |
|
|
Strike. The course or bearing of the outcrop of an
inclined bed, vein, or fault plane on a level surface; the
direction of a horizontal line perpendicular to the direction of
the dip. |
|
|
Structural Zone. Area that commonly contain several
faults and fractured rock. |
|
|
Sulfide. Minerals that contain metals combined with
sulfur. |
|
|
TCV. Tertiary Coal Valley formation, a local sedimentary
rock unit which in may areas at the Borealis Property covers
rocks hosting gold mineralization. |
|
|
Tertiary. A geologic time period ranging from
approximately 66 to 26 million years before the present. |
|
|
Tons. A unit of weight measurement. In this prospectus it
means dry short tons (2,000 pounds). |
|
|
Unconformable. Two groups of sedimentary rocks that are
separated by a break in the depositional cycle and commonly have
different orientations. |
93
|
|
|
Unpatented mining claims. Land which has been staked and
recorded in appropriate mining registries and in respect of
which the owner has the right to explore for and exploit the
minerals contained in such land and to conduct mining operations
thereon. In this prospectus, unpatented mining claims refers to
lode claims (and not placer claims). |
|
|
Volcanic Rock. A group of igneous rocks that consolidated
from molten material at the surface of the earth. |
94
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Gryphon Gold Corporation
a Nevada corporation
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
for the Year Ended March 31, 2005 and
the Period from April 24, 2003 (inception) to
March 31, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
|
|
F-3 |
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2005 and
March 31, 2004
|
|
|
F-4 |
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Year Ended
March 31, 2005 and the Period from April 24, 2003
(inception) to March 31, 2004 and 2005
|
|
|
F-5 |
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders Equity for the
Year Ended March 31, 2005 and the Period from
April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31, 2004 and
2005
|
|
|
F-6 |
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Year Ended
March 31, 2005 and the Period from April 24, 2003
(inception) to March 31, 2004 and 2005
|
|
|
F-7 |
|
|
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
|
|
|
F-8 |
|
Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
for the Three and Six Month Periods Ended September 30,
2005 and 2004 and
the Period from April 24, 2003 (inception) to
September 30, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2005 and
March 31, 2005
|
|
|
F-18 |
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Three and Six
Months Ended September 30, 2005 and 2004 and the Period
from April 24, 2003 (inception) to September 30,
2005
|
|
|
F-19 |
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders Equity for the
Three and Six Months Ended September 30, 2005 and 2004 and
the Period from April 24, 2003 (inception) to
September 30, 2005
|
|
|
F-20 |
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Three and Six
Months Ended September 30, 2005 and 2004 and the Period
from April 24, 2003 (inception) to September 30,
2005
|
|
|
F-21 |
|
|
Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
|
|
|
F-22 |
|
F-1
Consolidated Financial Statements
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
March 31, 2005 and 2004
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
F-2
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board of Directors of
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of
Gryphon Gold Corporation (an exploration stage company) as of
March 31, 2005 and 2004 and the related consolidated
statements of operations, stockholders equity and cash
flows for the year ended March 31, 2005 and the periods
from April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31, 2004
and 2005. These financial statements are the responsibility of
the Companys management. Our responsibility is to express
an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those
standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are
free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an
audit of the Companys internal control over financial
reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control
over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit
procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances but not for
the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the
Companys internal control over financial reporting.
Accordingly we express no such opinion. An audit also includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and
disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management and evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable
basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above
present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated
financial position of Gryphon Gold Corporation (an exploration
stage company) at March 31, 2005 and 2004, and the
consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for
the year ended March 31, 2005 and the periods from
April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31, 2004 and
2005, in conformity with United States generally accepted
accounting principles.
These consolidated financial statements have been restated as
described in Note 11.
|
|
Vancouver, Canada |
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP |
|
|
June 29, 2005, |
Chartered Accountants |
(except as to Note 12 which
is as of August 17, 2005, and as to
Note 11 which is as of September 30, 2005)
F-3
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at March 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(restated see Note 11) | |
ASSETS |
Current
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
$ |
3,065,436 |
|
|
$ |
975,551 |
|
Accounts receivable
|
|
|
8,735 |
|
|
|
1,504 |
|
Subscriptions receivable [note 7]
|
|
|
54,360 |
|
|
|
289,125 |
|
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
27,615 |
|
|
|
7,734 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
3,156,146 |
|
|
|
1,273,914 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reclamation deposit [note 9]
|
|
|
31,400 |
|
|
|
|
|
Subscriptions receivable [note 7]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
Equipment [note 3]
|
|
|
22,936 |
|
|
|
14,440 |
|
Mineral property costs [note 4]
|
|
|
1,775,326 |
|
|
|
199,753 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
4,985,808 |
|
|
$ |
1,588,107 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
Current
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
$ |
453,193 |
|
|
$ |
72,332 |
|
Mineral property acquisition obligation [note 4]
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Liability to issue shares
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
136,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
1,453,193 |
|
|
|
208,832 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments [note 10]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock
|
|
|
21,692 |
|
|
|
14,376 |
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
7,152,268 |
|
|
|
2,480,824 |
|
Deficit accumulated during the exploration stage
|
|
|
(3,641,345 |
) |
|
|
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
3,532,615 |
|
|
|
1,379,275 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
4,985,808 |
|
|
$ |
1,588,107 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On behalf of the Board: |
|
|
|
/s/ Albert J. Matter
Director |
|
/s/ Anthony (Tony) D.J.
Ker
---------------------------------------------
Director |
See accompanying notes
F-4
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
Period from | |
|
|
|
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
Year ended | |
|
(inception) to | |
|
(inception) to | |
|
|
March 31, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(restated see Note 11) | |
EXPENSES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exploration [note 5]
|
|
$ |
1,009,173 |
|
|
$ |
442,232 |
|
|
$ |
1,451,405 |
|
Management salaries and consulting fees [note 7]
|
|
|
1,059,871 |
|
|
|
404,860 |
|
|
|
1,464,731 |
|
Legal and audit
|
|
|
217,457 |
|
|
|
105,083 |
|
|
|
322,540 |
|
Travel and accommodation
|
|
|
125,950 |
|
|
|
83,709 |
|
|
|
209,659 |
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
116,219 |
|
|
|
86,823 |
|
|
|
203,042 |
|
Amortization
|
|
|
6,596 |
|
|
|
2,548 |
|
|
|
9,144 |
|
Gain on foreign exchange
|
|
|
(200 |
) |
|
|
(7,510 |
) |
|
|
(7,710 |
) |
Interest income
|
|
|
(9,646 |
) |
|
|
(1,820 |
) |
|
|
(11,466 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss and comprehensive loss for the period
|
|
$ |
(2,525,420 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
$ |
(3,641,345 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basis and diluted loss per share
|
|
$ |
(0.17 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted weighted average number of common shares
outstanding
|
|
|
15,287,736 |
|
|
|
7,879,432 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes
F-5
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deficit | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated | |
|
|
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
Additional | |
|
During the | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Paid-In | |
|
Exploration | |
|
|
|
|
Shares (#) | |
|
Amount | |
|
Capital | |
|
Stage | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(restated see Note 11) | |
Balance, April 24, 2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
Shares issued:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For private placements [note 6[a]]
|
|
|
14,376,000 |
|
|
|
14,376 |
|
|
|
2,404,824 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,419,200 |
|
Compensation component of shares issued [note 7]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,000 |
|
Net loss for the period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
|
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, March 31, 2004
|
|
|
14,376,000 |
|
|
|
14,376 |
|
|
|
2,480,824 |
|
|
|
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
|
1,379,275 |
|
Shares issued:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For private placements [note 6[a]]
|
|
|
7,315,962 |
|
|
|
7,316 |
|
|
|
4,598,059 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,605,375 |
|
|
Share issue costs [note 6[a]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(156,015 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(156,015 |
) |
Compensation component of shares issued [note 7]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
Fair value of agents warrants issued
[note 6[b]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,100 |
|
Fair value of options granted to a consultant
[note 6(c)]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
Net loss for the year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,525,420 |
) |
|
|
(2,525,420 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, March 31, 2005
|
|
|
21,691,962 |
|
|
$ |
21,692 |
|
|
$ |
7,152,268 |
|
|
$ |
(3,641,345 |
) |
|
$ |
3,532,615 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes
F-6
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
Period from | |
|
|
|
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
Year ended | |
|
(inception) to | |
|
(inception) to | |
|
|
March 31, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(restated see Note 11) | |
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss for the period
|
|
$ |
(2,525,420 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
$ |
(3,641,345 |
) |
Items not involving cash:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization
|
|
|
6,596 |
|
|
|
2,548 |
|
|
|
9,144 |
|
|
Shares issued for consulting fee
|
|
|
8,375 |
|
|
|
70,000 |
|
|
|
78,375 |
|
|
Compensation component of shares issued
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
76,000 |
|
|
|
226,000 |
|
|
Fair value of options issued to a consultant
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
Changes in non-cash working capital items:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amounts receivable
|
|
|
(7,231 |
) |
|
|
(1,504 |
) |
|
|
(8,735 |
) |
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
|
380,861 |
|
|
|
72,332 |
|
|
|
453,193 |
|
|
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
(19,881 |
) |
|
|
(7,734 |
) |
|
|
(27,615 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash used in operating activities
|
|
|
(1,972,400 |
) |
|
|
(904,283 |
) |
|
|
(2,876,683 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reclamation deposit
|
|
|
(31,400 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(31,400 |
) |
Purchase of equipment
|
|
|
(15,092 |
) |
|
|
(16,988 |
) |
|
|
(32,080 |
) |
Mineral property expenditures
|
|
|
(575,573 |
) |
|
|
(199,753 |
) |
|
|
(775,326 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash used in investing activities
|
|
|
(622,065 |
) |
|
|
(216,741 |
) |
|
|
(838,806 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash received for shares issued
|
|
|
4,460,500 |
|
|
|
2,096,575 |
|
|
|
6,557,075 |
|
Share issue costs
|
|
|
(110,915 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(110,915 |
) |
Subscription receivables collected
|
|
|
334,765 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
334,765 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
4,684,350 |
|
|
|
2,096,575 |
|
|
|
6,780,925 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase in cash during the period
|
|
|
2,089,885 |
|
|
|
975,551 |
|
|
|
3,065,436 |
|
Cash, beginning of period
|
|
|
975,551 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, end of period
|
|
$ |
3,065,436 |
|
|
$ |
975,551 |
|
|
$ |
3,065,436 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes
F-7
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
1. |
NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND CONTINUANCE OF OPERATIONS |
Gryphon Gold Corporation and its subsidiary, Borealis Mining
Company (collectively, the Company), were
incorporated in the State of Nevada in 2003. The Company is an
exploration stage company in the process of exploring its
mineral properties, and has not yet determined whether these
properties contain reserves that are economically recoverable.
The recoverability of amounts shown for mineral property
interests in the Companys consolidated balance sheets are
dependent upon the existence of economically recoverable
reserves, the ability of the Company to arrange appropriate
financing to complete the development of its properties, the
receipt of necessary permitting and upon achieving future
profitable production or receiving proceeds from the disposition
of the properties. The timing of such events occurring, if at
all, is not yet determinable.
|
|
2. |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
Basis of presentation
These consolidated financial statements are prepared in
accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP). The consolidated financial statements include
the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary. All
intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.
Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with
U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and the disclosure of any contingent assets and
liabilities as at the date of the consolidated financial
statements as well as the reported amounts of expenses incurred
during the period. Significant areas requiring the use of
management estimates include the determination of potential
impairments of asset values, the calculation of fair values of
options and warrants, and rates for depreciation of equipment.
Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Financial instruments
The Companys financial instruments consist of current
assets and current liabilities the fair value of which
approximate their carrying values due to their short-term
nature. Financial risk is the risk arising from fluctuations in
foreign currency exchange rates. The Company does not use any
derivative or hedging instruments to reduce its exposure to
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or metal prices.
Mineral property acquisition costs
The costs of acquiring mineral properties are capitalized and
will be amortized over their estimated useful lives following
the commencement of production or written-off if the properties
are sold or abandoned.
Cost includes cash consideration and the fair market value of
shares issued on the acquisition of mineral properties.
Properties acquired under option agreements, whereby payments
are made at the sole discretion of the Company, are recorded in
the accounts at such time as the payments are made.
The recoverable amounts for mineral properties is dependent upon
the existence of economically recoverable reserves; the
acquisition and maintenance of appropriate permits, licenses and
rights; the ability of the Company to obtain financing to
complete the development of the properties and upon future
profitable production or alternatively upon the Companys
ability to recover its spent costs from the sale of its
interests.
F-8
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
The amounts recorded as mineral properties reflect actual costs
incurred and are not intended to express present or future
values.
Exploration and development costs
Exploration costs are expensed as incurred. When it is
determined that a mining deposit can be economically and legally
extracted or produced based on established proven and probable
reserves, development costs incurred after such determination
will be capitalized. The establishment of proven and probable
reserves is based on results of final feasibility studies which
indicate whether a property is economically feasible. Upon
commencement of commercial production, capitalized costs will be
transferred to the appropriate asset category and amortized over
their estimated useful lives. Capitalized costs, net of salvage
values, relating to a deposit which is abandoned or considered
uneconomic for the foreseeable future, will be written off.
Foreign currency translation
The U.S. dollar is the functional currency of the Company.
Transactions involving foreign currencies for items included in
operations are translated into U.S. dollars using average
exchange rates; monetary assets and liabilities are translated
at the exchange rate prevailing at the balance sheet date and
all other balance sheet items are translated at the historical
rates applicable to the transactions that comprise the amounts.
Translation gains and losses are included in the determination
of net income.
Equipment
Equipment is recorded at cost and is comprised of office
furniture and computer equipment which is amortized over its
estimated useful life on a straight line basis over 5 years.
Income taxes
Income taxes are accounted for using the liability method of tax
allocation. Under this method deferred income tax assets and
liabilities are recognized for the tax consequences of temporary
differences by applying enacted statutory tax rates applicable
to future years to differences between the financial statement
carrying amounts and the tax bases of existing assets and
liabilities.
The effect on deferred taxes for a change in tax rates is
recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment.
In addition, deferred tax assets are recognized to the extent
their realization is more likely than not.
Stock-based compensation
As permitted by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
(SFAS) No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation (SFAS No. 123), the
Company has elected to follow Accounting Principles Board
Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees
(APB No. 25), and complies with the
disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 123 for its employee
and director stock-based compensation. Under APB No. 25, no
compensation expense is recognized at the time of option grant
if the exercise price of the employee or director stock option
is fixed and equals or exceeds the fair value of the underlying
common stock on the date of the grant and the number of shares
to be issued pursuant to the exercise of such option are known
and fixed at the date of grant.
For options issued to consultants, the Company measures
compensation based on the fair value method as prescribed under
SFAS No. 123. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option
pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options
granted to consultants.
F-9
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
The Company applies the fair value based method of accounting
for stock issued at below market value to employees and
directors. The difference between fair value and the price at
which stock is issued to employees and directors is recognized
as compensation expense.
Loss per share
Loss per common share is determined based on the weighted
average number of common shares outstanding during the year.
Diluted earnings per share are calculated by the treasury stock
method. Under the treasury stock method, the weighted average
number of common shares outstanding for the calculation of
diluted earnings per share assumes that the proceeds to be
received on the exercise of dilutive stock options and warrants
are applied to repurchase common shares at the average market
price for the period. Stock options and warrants are dilutive
when the Company has income from continuing operations and when
the average market price of the common shares during the period
exceeds the exercise price of the options and warrants.
Asset retirement obligations
The Company records the fair value of an asset retirement
obligation as a liability in the period in which it incurs a
legal obligation associated with the retirement of tangible
long-lived assets that results from the acquisition,
construction, development or normal use of the assets with a
corresponding increase in the carrying amount of the related
long-lived asset. This amount is then depreciated over the
estimated useful life of the asset. Over time, the liability is
increased to reflect an interest element considered in its
initial measurement at fair value. The amount of the liability
will be subject to re-measurement at each reporting period.
Currently, the Company has no asset retirement obligations.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
On April 15, 2005, the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) announced that it would provide for
a phased-in implementation process for FASB Statement
No. 123(R), Share-Based Payment
(SFAS 123(R)). The SEC would require that
registrants adopt SFAS 123(R)s fair value method of
accounting for share-based payments to employees no later than
the beginning of the first interim or annual period beginning
after December 15, 2005. The Company plans to adopt
SFAS 123(R) effective January 1, 2006.
On March 30, 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(FASB) ratified the consensus of the Emerging Issues
Task Force (EITF) of the FASB Issue 04-6 that
stripping costs incurred during the production phase of a mine
are variable production costs that should be included in the
costs of the inventory produced during the period that the
stripping costs are incurred. This consensus is effective for
the first reporting period in fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2005, with early adoption permitted. To date
the Company has not incurred any stripping costs. The Company
plans to adopt the consensus effective April 1, 2006.
F-10
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Accumulated | |
|
Net Book | |
|
|
Cost | |
|
Amortization | |
|
Value | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Office equipment
|
|
$ |
32,080 |
|
|
$ |
9,144 |
|
|
$ |
22,936 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Accumulated | |
|
Net Book | |
|
|
Cost | |
|
Amortization | |
|
Value | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Office equipment
|
|
$ |
16,988 |
|
|
$ |
2,548 |
|
|
$ |
14,440 |
|
The Company initially entered into a property option agreement
dated July 21, 2003 to acquire up to a 70% interest in the
Borealis property in Nevada, USA from Golden Phoenix Minerals,
Inc. (GPXM) for cash consideration of $125,000 and
the obligation to make qualifying expenditures over several
years. On January 28, 2005, the Company purchased outright
the rights to a full 100% interest in the property for
$1,400,000. A cash payment of $400,000 was made on closing with
four quarterly payments of $250,000 to be made over the
following 12 months. The Company pledged 15% of the shares
of its subsidiary, Borealis Mining Company, as security to GPXM
against non-payment of the outstanding obligation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Acquisition costs, opening
|
|
$ |
199,753 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Current expenditures
|
|
|
1,575,573 |
|
|
|
199,753 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition costs, closing
|
|
$ |
1,775,326 |
|
|
$ |
199,753 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
Period from | |
|
|
|
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
Year ended | |
|
(inception) to | |
|
(inception) | |
|
|
March 31, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
to March 31, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
NEVADA, USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borealis property
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exploration
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property maintenance
|
|
$ |
461,105 |
|
|
$ |
118,371 |
|
|
$ |
579,476 |
|
|
Project management
|
|
|
198,343 |
|
|
|
149,826 |
|
|
|
348,169 |
|
|
Drilling
|
|
|
129,014 |
|
|
|
5,480 |
|
|
|
134,494 |
|
|
Engineering
|
|
|
119,299 |
|
|
|
23,476 |
|
|
|
142,775 |
|
|
Geological
|
|
|
66,641 |
|
|
|
115,376 |
|
|
|
182,017 |
|
|
Metallurgy
|
|
|
30,673 |
|
|
|
3,938 |
|
|
|
34,611 |
|
|
Maps, reports and reproductions
|
|
|
4,098 |
|
|
|
25,765 |
|
|
|
29,863 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total exploration
|
|
$ |
1,009,173 |
|
|
$ |
442,232 |
|
|
$ |
1,451,405 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-11
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
a] |
Authorized capital stock consists of 60,000,000 common shares
with a par value of $0.001 per share and 15,000,000
preferred shares with a par value of $0.001 per share. |
Issued common shares:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional | |
|
|
|
|
Price per | |
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
Paid-In | |
|
|
|
|
Share | |
|
Shares (#) | |
|
Par Value | |
|
Capital | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Balance, at inception
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
Issued for:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
private placements
|
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
|
3,000 |
|
|
|
297,000 |
|
|
|
300,000 |
|
|
private placements [note 7]
|
|
|
0.15 |
|
|
|
3,500,000 |
|
|
|
3,500 |
|
|
|
521,500 |
|
|
|
525,000 |
|
|
private placements
|
|
|
0.20 |
|
|
|
7,116,000 |
|
|
|
7,116 |
|
|
|
1,416,084 |
|
|
|
1,423,200 |
|
|
private placements
|
|
|
0.225 |
|
|
|
760,000 |
|
|
|
760 |
|
|
|
170,240 |
|
|
|
171,000 |
|
Compensation component of shares issued [note 7]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,000 |
|
|
|
76,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at March 31, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,376,000 |
|
|
|
14,376 |
|
|
|
2,480,824 |
|
|
|
2,495,200 |
|
Issued for:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
private placements [note 7]
|
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
500 |
|
|
|
174,500 |
|
|
|
175,000 |
|
|
private placements
|
|
|
0.65 |
|
|
|
6,815,962 |
|
|
|
6,816 |
|
|
|
4,423,559 |
|
|
|
4,430,375 |
|
Compensation component of shares issued [note 7]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
Less:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
share issue costs cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(110,915 |
) |
|
|
(110,915 |
) |
|
|
share issue costs fair value of agents
warrants(b)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(45,100 |
) |
|
|
(45,100 |
) |
Fair value of options granted to a consultant(c)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
Fair value of warrants issued to agent as compensation for
services provided(b)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,100 |
|
|
|
45,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at March 31, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,691,962 |
|
|
$ |
21,692 |
|
|
$ |
7,152,268 |
|
|
$ |
7,173,960 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During fiscal 2005, the private placements at $0.65 were for
units comprising one common share and
1/2
of one common share warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the
holder to purchase a common share at a price of $0.90 per
share for a period of 24 months from the date of issue or
9 months following the date the Company becomes listed on a
recognized stock exchange, whichever is earlier. The Company
also issued compensation warrants (broker warrants)
to an agent with respect to a private placement of common shares.
F-12
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
The following table contains information with respect to all
warrants:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
Fair Value of | |
|
|
Warrants (#) | |
|
Warrants | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Warrants outstanding, March 31, 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
Issued for:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
private placements
|
|
|
3,407,981 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
agents compensation
|
|
|
141,008 |
|
|
|
45,100 |
|
Exercised
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warrants outstanding, March 31, 2005
|
|
|
3,548,989 |
|
|
$ |
45,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following table summarizes information about warrants
outstanding as at March 31, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warrants Outstanding and Exercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Life |
|
Weighted |
|
|
Shares (#) |
|
Years |
|
Average Price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,407,981 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
$ |
0.90 |
|
|
|
|
141,008 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
0.65 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,548,989 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
$ |
0.89 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The fair value of agents warrants issued has been
estimated using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model based on
the following assumptions: a risk-free interest rate of 3.02%;
expected life of 3 years; an expected volatility of 72.3%
(based on available information on volatility of stocks of
publicly traded companies in the industry); and no expectation
for the payment of dividends.
On March 29, 2005, the Board of Directors adopted the 2004
Stock Incentive Plan (the Plan) and on May 13,
2005 the Plan was approved by the shareholders. Under the Plan a
total of 3,000,000 stock options may be granted over a
10 year period, with vesting provisions determined by the
Board. On the date of adoption 2,000,000 options were granted to
directors, officers and a consultant, which vested immediately
and are exercisable for 5 years at a price of
$0.75 per share
The consultant received 100,000 options which resulted in
compensation expense of $34,300 being recorded as consulting
fees during the year ended March 31, 2005.
The following table summarizes information about stock options
outstanding as at March 31, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options Outstanding and Exercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual Life |
|
|
|
|
Shares (#) |
|
Years |
|
Exercise Price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
$ |
0.75 |
|
The impact on the Companys net loss and net loss per share
had the Company recognized stock-based compensation using the
fair value method for options issued to employees and directors
would have been as follows:
F-13
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
Period from | |
|
|
|
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
Year ended | |
|
(inception) to | |
|
(inception) to | |
|
|
March 31, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Net loss for the period
|
|
$ |
(2,525,420 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
$ |
(3,641,345 |
) |
Additional compensation expense
|
|
|
(651,700 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(651,700 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net loss for the period
|
|
$ |
(3,177,120 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
$ |
(4,293,045 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma basic and diluted loss per share
|
|
$ |
(0.21 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.14 |
) |
|
|
|
|
The pro forma compensation expense reflected above has been
estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The
assumptions used in the pricing model include:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Dividend yield
|
|
|
0% |
|
|
|
|
|
Expected volatility
|
|
|
72.3% |
|
|
|
|
|
Risk free interest rate
|
|
|
3.24% |
|
|
|
|
|
Expected lives
|
|
|
4 years |
|
|
|
|
|
Options pricing models require the input of highly subjective
assumptions, particularly as to the expected price volatility of
the stock. Changes in these assumptions can materially affect
the fair value estimate and therefore it is managements
view that the existing models do not necessarily provide a
single reliable measure of the fair value of the Companys
equity instruments.
|
|
7. |
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS |
All transactions with related parties have occurred in the
normal course of operations and are measured at their exchange
amount as determined by management. All material transactions
and balances with related parties not disclosed elsewhere are
described below.
Directors and officers of the Company were paid $429,946 in 2005
[$395,817 for the period from inception to March 31, 2004]
through consulting arrangements for technical and management
services. As at March 31, 2005, $10,250 was included in
accounts payable and accrued liabilities for the above services
(2004: $1,500).
The Company issued common shares to officers and directors for
which proceeds of $54,360 are receivable at March 31, 2005
[2004 $389,125]. Promissory notes bearing interest
of 1.5% and 2% for the full amounts outstanding have been issued
to the Company as partial consideration for these shares and the
Company is holding the related share certificates. As of
June 29, 2005, all amounts outstanding have been received
in cash by the Company.
On September 7, 2004, the Company signed an employment
agreement with a key employee which among other things required
him to purchase 500,000 common shares at $0.35 per
share. The Company has determined that the fair value of the
stock at the time was $0.65 per share and accordingly recorded
an additional $150,000 of compensation expense during the year
ended March 31, 2005.
On September 16, 2003 and March 8, 2004, the Company
issued 270,000 and 1,250,000 shares respectively of common stock
to directors at $0.15 per share. The Company has determined
that the fair value of the stock at the time of those issuances
was $0.20 per share and accordingly recorded an additional
$76,000 of compensation expense during the period from
April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31, 2004.
F-14
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary
differences between the carrying amounts of assets and
liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts
used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the
Companys deferred tax balances are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Deferred tax assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net operating loss carryforwards
|
|
$ |
1,050,502 |
|
|
$ |
301,444 |
|
Mineral property basis
|
|
|
189,711 |
|
|
|
83,227 |
|
Exploration costs
|
|
|
88,120 |
|
|
|
27,531 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total deferred tax assets
|
|
|
1,328,333 |
|
|
|
412,202 |
|
Valuation allowance
|
|
|
(1,326,909 |
) |
|
|
(409,064 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net deferred tax assets
|
|
|
1,425 |
|
|
|
3,138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred tax liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equipment
|
|
|
(776 |
) |
|
|
(272 |
) |
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
(648 |
) |
|
|
(2,866 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total deferred tax liabilities
|
|
|
(1,425 |
) |
|
|
(3,138 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The potential income tax benefits relating to the deferred tax
assets have not been recognized in the consolidated financial
statements as their realization did not meet the requirements of
more likely than not under the liability method of
tax allocation. Accordingly, no deferred tax assets have been
recognized as at March 31, 2005 and 2004.
The reconciliation of income taxes attributable to continuing
operations computed at the statutory income tax rates to income
tax recovery, at the statutory tax rate of 37.06%
[2004 37.06%] is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Tax at statutory tax rates
|
|
$ |
(846,981 |
) |
|
$ |
(379,415 |
) |
State taxes, net of federal benefit
|
|
|
(75,870 |
) |
|
|
(33,876 |
) |
Non-deductible items
|
|
|
5,006 |
|
|
|
4,227 |
|
Change in valuation allowance
|
|
|
917,845 |
|
|
|
409,064 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At March 31, 2005 the Company has non-capital losses of
approximately $2.8 million in the United States available
for future deduction from taxable income and which expire prior
to 2025. The Company has not recognized as an asset any of these
potential deductions as it cannot be considered likely that they
will be utilized.
The Company has purchased a performance bond for $31,400 from an
insurance company in support of its potential future obligations
under a Plan of Operation for exploration filed with the
U.S. Forest Service. At March 31, 2005, the Company
had no outstanding performance obligations related to
reclamation work
F-15
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
following drilling activities secured by this bond. The Company
continues to hold the bond in support of potential future
obligations under the Plan of Operation for exploration filed
with the U.S. Forest Service.
A portion of the Borealis Property is subject to a mining lease.
The Company is required to make monthly lease payments of
$8,614, adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index, for
the duration of the lease term. In addition, production of
precious metals from the Borealis Property will be subject to
the payment of a royalty under the terms of the mining lease.
The mining lease expires in 2009, but may be renewed by the
Company annually thereafter, so long as mining activity
continues on the Borealis Property. The Company has the option
to terminate the mining lease at any time prior to expiry in
2009.
The Company reviewed the accounting for certain share and option
transactions since its inception and has restated its financial
results for three transactions: shares issued to an employee
(see Note 7); shares issued to its directors (see
Note 7); and stock options issued to a consultant (see
Note 6(c)).
The effect of these changes on previously reported results is to
increase management salaries and consulting fees by $184,300 for
the year ended March 31, 2005 and by $76,000 for the period
from April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31, 2004, to
increase the loss in each of those periods by the same amount
and to increase the basic and diluted loss per share by $0.02
for the year ended March 31, 2005 and by $0.01 for the
period from April 24, 2003 (inception) to March 31,
2004.
|
|
a] |
Subsequent to March 31, 2005, 6,030,408 units
comprising one share of common stock and
1/2
of one common share warrant, were issued pursuant to private
placements at a price of $0.65 per unit. An additional
130,000 compensation warrants were issued pursuant to the
private placement described above. |
|
b] |
On August 2, 2005, the Company granted stock options for a
total of 300,000 shares to two newly appointed directors.
These options vest immediately and are exercisable for
5 years at a price of $0.75 per share. |
|
c] |
Effective August 11, 2005, the Company increased its
authorized capital from 60,000,000 shares of common stock
with a par value of $0.001 per share to
150,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of
$0.001 per share. |
|
d] |
On August 17, 2005, a registration statement and
prospectus was filed with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and all provincial securities regulatory
authorities in Canada in respect of an initial public offering
of securities by the Company. |
F-16
Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
September 30, 2005
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
F-17
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at | |
|
As at | |
|
|
September 30, | |
|
March 31, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
ASSETS |
Current
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
$ |
4,423,362 |
|
|
$ |
3,065,436 |
|
Accounts receivable
|
|
|
20,530 |
|
|
|
8,735 |
|
Subscriptions receivable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54,360 |
|
Prepaid expenses [note 8]
|
|
|
760,573 |
|
|
|
27,615 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
5,204,465 |
|
|
|
3,156,146 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reclamation deposit [note 7]
|
|
|
31,400 |
|
|
|
31,400 |
|
Equipment [note 3]
|
|
|
59,245 |
|
|
|
22,936 |
|
Mineral property costs [note 4]
|
|
|
1,875,191 |
|
|
|
1,775,326 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
7,170,301 |
|
|
$ |
4,985,808 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
Current
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
$ |
909,397 |
|
|
$ |
453,193 |
|
Mineral property acquisition obligation [note 4]
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
1,409,397 |
|
|
|
1,453,193 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments [note 9]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock
|
|
|
27,722 |
|
|
|
21,692 |
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
11,005,715 |
|
|
|
7,152,268 |
|
Deficit accumulated during the exploration stage
|
|
|
(5,272,533 |
) |
|
|
(3,641,345 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
5,760,904 |
|
|
|
3,532,615 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
7,170,301 |
|
|
$ |
4,985,808 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes
F-18
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
|
Three Months Ended | |
|
Six Months Ended | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
(inception) to | |
|
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
EXPENSES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exploration [note 5]
|
|
$ |
503,248 |
|
|
$ |
111,027 |
|
|
$ |
843,320 |
|
|
$ |
640,085 |
|
|
$ |
2,294,725 |
|
Management salaries and consulting fees
|
|
|
244,643 |
|
|
|
245,896 |
|
|
|
440,943 |
|
|
|
344,918 |
|
|
|
1,905,675 |
|
Legal and audit
|
|
|
19,612 |
|
|
|
34,538 |
|
|
|
189,471 |
|
|
|
44,492 |
|
|
|
512,011 |
|
Travel and accommodation
|
|
|
42,170 |
|
|
|
22,781 |
|
|
|
96,157 |
|
|
|
53,509 |
|
|
|
305,815 |
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
46,968 |
|
|
|
56,386 |
|
|
|
126,059 |
|
|
|
74,916 |
|
|
|
329,101 |
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
2,409 |
|
|
|
1,337 |
|
|
|
4,144 |
|
|
|
2,420 |
|
|
|
13,288 |
|
Foreign exchange (gain) loss
|
|
|
(4,540 |
) |
|
|
1,266 |
|
|
|
10,223 |
|
|
|
4,735 |
|
|
|
2,513 |
|
Interest (income) expense
|
|
|
(41,240 |
) |
|
|
(8 |
) |
|
|
(79,129 |
) |
|
|
(595 |
) |
|
|
(90,595 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net (loss) for the period
|
|
$ |
(813,270 |
) |
|
$ |
(473,223 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,631,188 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,164,480 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,272,533 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted loss per share
|
|
$ |
(0.03 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.03 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.08 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted weighted average number of common shares
outstanding
|
|
$ |
27,722,370 |
|
|
$ |
14,401,109 |
|
|
$ |
26,940,586 |
|
|
$ |
14,388,691 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes
F-19
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deficit | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated | |
|
|
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
Additional | |
|
during the | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Paid-in | |
|
Exploration | |
|
|
|
|
Shares # | |
|
Amount | |
|
Capital | |
|
Stage | |
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Balance, April 24, 2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
Shares issued:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For private placements
|
|
|
14,376,000 |
|
|
|
14,376 |
|
|
|
2,404,824 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,419,200 |
|
Compensation component of shares issued
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,000 |
|
Net loss for the period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
|
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, March 31, 2004
|
|
|
14,376,000 |
|
|
|
14,376 |
|
|
|
2,480,824 |
|
|
|
(1,115,925 |
) |
|
|
1,379,275 |
|
Shares issued:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For private placements
|
|
|
7,315,962 |
|
|
|
7,316 |
|
|
|
4,598,059 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,605,375 |
|
|
Share issue costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(156,015 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(156,015 |
) |
Compensation component of shares issued
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
|
Fair value of agents warrants issued
[note 6[b]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,100 |
|
Fair value of options granted to a consultant
[note 6[c]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
Net loss for the year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,525,420 |
) |
|
|
(2,525,420 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, March 31, 2005
|
|
|
21,691,962 |
|
|
$ |
21,692 |
|
|
$ |
7,152,268 |
|
|
$ |
(3,641,345 |
) |
|
$ |
3,532,615 |
|
Shares issued:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For private placements
|
|
|
6,030,408 |
|
|
|
6,030 |
|
|
|
3,913,735 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,919,765 |
|
|
Share issue costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(95,388 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(95,388 |
) |
Fair value of agents warrants issued
[note 6[b]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35,100 |
|
Net loss for the period
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,631,188 |
) |
|
|
(1,631,188 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, September 30, 2005
|
|
|
27,722,370 |
|
|
$ |
27,722 |
|
|
$ |
11,005,715 |
|
|
$ |
(5,272,533 |
) |
|
$ |
5,760,904 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes
F-20
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
|
Three Months Ended | |
|
Six Months Ended | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
(inception) to | |
|
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss for the period
|
|
$ |
(813,270 |
) |
|
$ |
(473,223 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,631,188 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,164,480 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,272,533 |
) |
Items not involving cash:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
2,409 |
|
|
|
1,337 |
|
|
|
4,144 |
|
|
|
2,420 |
|
|
|
13,288 |
|
|
Shares issued for consulting fee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
78,375 |
|
|
Compensation component of shares issued
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
226,000 |
|
|
Fair value of options granted to a consultant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,300 |
|
Changes in non-cash working capital items:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amounts receivable
|
|
|
(17,222 |
) |
|
|
(1,092 |
) |
|
|
(11,795 |
) |
|
|
(326 |
) |
|
|
(20,530 |
) |
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
|
512,026 |
|
|
|
85,334 |
|
|
|
456,204 |
|
|
|
168,453 |
|
|
|
909,397 |
|
|
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
(732,177 |
) |
|
|
(6,049 |
) |
|
|
(732,958 |
) |
|
|
(7,557 |
) |
|
|
(760,573 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash used in operating activities
|
|
|
(1,048,234 |
) |
|
|
(393,693 |
) |
|
|
(1,915,593 |
) |
|
|
(1,001,490 |
) |
|
|
(4,792,276 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reclamation deposit
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(31,400 |
) |
|
|
(31,400 |
) |
Purchase of equipment
|
|
|
(37,837 |
) |
|
|
(5,067 |
) |
|
|
(40,453 |
) |
|
|
(9,742 |
) |
|
|
(72,533 |
) |
Mineral property expenditures
|
|
|
(349,865 |
) |
|
|
(203,335 |
) |
|
|
(599,865 |
) |
|
|
(260,416 |
) |
|
|
(1,375,191 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash used in investing activities
|
|
|
(387,702 |
) |
|
|
(208,402 |
) |
|
|
(640,318 |
) |
|
|
(301,558 |
) |
|
|
(1,479,124 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash received for shares
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
178,950 |
|
|
|
3,919,765 |
|
|
|
479,950 |
|
|
|
10,476,840 |
|
Share issue costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(60,288 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(171,203 |
) |
Subscription receivables collected
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37,500 |
|
|
|
54,360 |
|
|
|
159,125 |
|
|
|
389,125 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
216,450 |
|
|
|
3,913,837 |
|
|
|
639,075 |
|
|
|
10,694,762 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase (decrease) in cash during the period
|
|
|
(1,435,936 |
) |
|
|
(385,645 |
) |
|
|
1,357,926 |
|
|
|
(663,973 |
) |
|
|
4,423,362 |
|
Cash, beginning of period
|
|
|
5,859,298 |
|
|
|
697,223 |
|
|
|
3,065,436 |
|
|
|
975,551 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, end of period
|
|
$ |
4,423,362 |
|
|
$ |
311,578 |
|
|
$ |
4,423,362 |
|
|
$ |
311,578 |
|
|
$ |
4,423,362 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes
F-21
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
|
|
1. |
NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND CONTINUANCE OF OPERATIONS |
Gryphon Gold Corporation and its subsidiary, Borealis Mining
Company (collectively, the Company), were
incorporated in the State of Nevada in 2003. The Company is an
exploration stage company in the process of exploring its
mineral properties, and has not yet determined whether these
properties contain reserves that are economically recoverable.
The recoverability of amounts shown for mineral property
interests in the Companys consolidated balance sheets are
dependent upon the existence of economically recoverable
reserves, the ability of the Company to arrange appropriate
financing to complete the development of its properties, the
receipt of necessary permitting and upon achieving future
profitable production or receiving proceeds from the disposition
of the properties. The timing of such events occurring, if at
all, is not yet determinable.
These interim unaudited consolidated financial statements have
been prepared by the Company in accordance with
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(GAAP) for interim financial statements, applied on a
consistent basis. These interim financial statements follow the
same significant accounting policies and methods of application
as those disclosed in Note 2 to the Companys audited
consolidated financial statements as at and for the year ended
March 31, 2005 (the Annual Financial
Statements). Accordingly, they do not include all
disclosures required for annual financial statements. These
interim unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes
thereon should be read in conjunction with the Annual Financial
Statements.
The preparation of these interim unaudited consolidated
financial statements and the accompanying notes requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the
amounts reported. In the opinion of management, these interim
unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all
adjustments (which include only normal, recurring adjustments)
necessary to state fairly the results for the periods presented.
Actual results could vary from these estimates and the operating
results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily
indicative of the results expected for the full year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Accumulated | |
|
Net Book | |
|
|
Cost | |
|
Depreciation | |
|
Value | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Office equipment
|
|
$ |
72,533 |
|
|
$ |
13,288 |
|
|
$ |
59,245 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Accumulated | |
|
Net Book | |
|
|
Cost | |
|
Depreciation | |
|
Value | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Office equipment
|
|
$ |
32,080 |
|
|
$ |
9,144 |
|
|
$ |
22,936 |
|
The Company initially entered into a property option agreement
dated July 21, 2003 to acquire up to a 70% interest in the
Borealis property in Nevada, USA from Golden Phoenix Minerals,
Inc. (GPXM) for cash consideration of $125,000 and
the obligation to make qualifying expenditures over several
years. On January 28, 2005, the Company purchased outright
the rights to a full 100% interest in the property for
$1,400,000. A cash payment of $400,000 was made on closing with
four quarterly payments of $250,000 to be
F-22
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
made over the following 12 months. The Company pledged 15%
of the shares of its subsidiary, Borealis Mining Company, as
security to GPXM against non-payment of the outstanding
obligation.
At September 30, 2005, $500,000 remained payable to GPXM
and 7.5% of Borealis Mining Company shares were pledged.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
Acquisition costs, March 31, 2005
|
|
$ |
1,775,326 |
|
Current expenditures
|
|
|
99,865 |
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition costs, September 30, 2005
|
|
$ |
1,875,191 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
|
Three Months Ended | |
|
Six Months Ended | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
(inception) to | |
|
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
NEVADA, USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borealis property
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exploration:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property maintenance
|
|
$ |
127,118 |
|
|
$ |
1,799 |
|
|
$ |
193,921 |
|
|
$ |
267,959 |
|
|
$ |
773,397 |
|
|
Project management
|
|
|
8,224 |
|
|
|
26,293 |
|
|
|
13,247 |
|
|
|
102,329 |
|
|
|
371,416 |
|
|
Drilling
|
|
|
221,866 |
|
|
|
3,332 |
|
|
|
382,228 |
|
|
|
125,546 |
|
|
|
506,722 |
|
|
Engineering
|
|
|
68,015 |
|
|
|
58,865 |
|
|
|
68,015 |
|
|
|
115,872 |
|
|
|
210,790 |
|
|
Geological
|
|
|
76,585 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
184,469 |
|
|
|
6,721 |
|
|
|
367,486 |
|
|
Metallurgy
|
|
|
1,440 |
|
|
|
20,738 |
|
|
|
1,440 |
|
|
|
20,948 |
|
|
|
36,051 |
|
|
Maps, reports and reproductions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
710 |
|
|
|
28,863 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total exploration
|
|
$ |
503,248 |
|
|
$ |
111,027 |
|
|
$ |
843,320 |
|
|
$ |
640,085 |
|
|
$ |
2,294,725 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
a] |
Authorized share capital consists of 150,000,000 common shares
with a par value of $0.001 per share and 15,000,000
preferred shares with a par value of $0.001 per share. |
F-23
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
The following table contains information with respect to all
warrants:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair Value of | |
|
|
Number of | |
|
Warrants on | |
|
|
Warrants # | |
|
issuance | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Warrants outstanding, March 31, 2005
|
|
|
3,548,989 |
|
|
$ |
45,100 |
|
Issued for:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
private placements
|
|
|
3,015,204 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
agents compensation
|
|
|
130,000 |
|
|
|
35,100 |
|
Exercised
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warrants outstanding, September 30, 2005
|
|
|
6,694,193 |
|
|
$ |
80,200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following table summarizes information about warrants
outstanding as at September 30, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warrants Outstanding and Exercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Remaining Life |
|
Weighted Average |
|
|
Shares # |
|
Years # |
|
Price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,423,185 |
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
$ |
0.90 |
|
|
|
|
271,008 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
|
0.65 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,694,193 |
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
$ |
0.89 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The fair value of agents warrants on issuance has been
estimated using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model based on
the following assumptions: a risk-free interest rate of 3.02%
and 3.24%; expected life of 3 and 2 years depending on
their terms; an expected volatility of 72.3% (based on the
average volatility of companies in the industry); and no
expectation for the payment of dividends.
On March 29, 2005, the Board of Directors adopted the 2004
Stock Incentive Plan (the Plan) and on May 13,
2005 the Plan was approved by the shareholders. Under the Plan
total of 3,000,000 stock options may be granted over a
10 year period, with vesting provisions determined by the
Board. On the date of adoption 2,000,000 options were granted to
directors, officers and a consultant, which vested immediately
and are exercisable for 5 years at a price of
$0.75 per share
The consultant received 100,000 options which resulted in
compensation expense of $34,300 being recorded as consulting
fees during the year ended March 31, 2005.
In August 2005, two newly appointed directors were granted
300,000 options which vest over the following 18 months and
are exercisable for 5 years at a price of $0.75 per
share. In September 2005, a newly appointed officer was granted
100,000 options which vest over the following 24 months and
are exercisable for 5 years at a price equal to the initial
offering price of units under the offering described in
note 10(a). (See also note 10(b)).
F-24
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
The following table summarizes information about stock options
outstanding as at September 30, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options Outstanding and Exercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Remaining Life |
|
Weighted Average |
|
|
Shares # |
|
Years # |
|
Price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,300,000 |
|
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
$ |
0.75 |
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
|
|
* |
|
|
* |
Exercise price will be equal to the initial public offering
price of units under the offering described in note 10(a). |
The impact on the Companys net loss and net loss per share
had the Company recognized stock-based compensation using the
fair value method for options issued to employees and directors
would have been as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from | |
|
|
Three Months Ended | |
|
Six Months Ended | |
|
April 24, 2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
(inception) to | |
|
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
September 30, | |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Net loss for the period
|
|
$ |
(813,270 |
) |
|
$ |
(473,223 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,631,188 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,164,480 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,272,533 |
) |
Additional compensation expense
|
|
|
(43,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(43,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(694,700 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma net loss for the period
|
|
$ |
(856,270 |
) |
|
$ |
(473,223 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,674,188 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,164,480 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,967,233 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro forma basic and diluted loss per share
|
|
$ |
(0.03 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.03 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.08 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
The pro forma compensation expense reflected above has been
estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The
assumptions used in the pricing model include:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Dividend yield
|
|
|
0% |
|
|
|
0% |
|
Expected volatility
|
|
|
70.3% & 68.3% |
|
|
|
73.3% |
|
Risk free interest rate
|
|
|
3.38% & 3.45% |
|
|
|
3.24% |
|
Expected lives
|
|
|
4 years |
|
|
|
4 years |
|
Options pricing models require the input of highly subjective
assumptions, particularly as to the expected price volatility of
the stock. Changes in these assumptions can materially affect
the fair value estimate and therefore it is managements
view that the existing models do not necessarily provide a
single reliable measure of the fair value of the Companys
equity instruments.
The Company has purchased a performance bond for $31,400 from an
insurance company in support of its potential future obligations
under a Plan of Operation for exploration filed with the
U.S. Forest Service. At September 30, 2005, the
Company had estimated a reclamation liability of $10,000 related
to drilling activity. The Company continues to hold the bond in
support of current and future obligations under the Plan of
Operation for exploration filed with the U.S. Forest
Service.
F-25
Gryphon Gold Corporation
(an exploration stage company)
NOTES TO INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
(Stated in U.S. dollars)
(Unaudited)
On August 17, 2005 the Company filed a registration
statement and prospectus with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission (subsequently amended on October 26,
2005) and a preliminary prospectus with all provincial
securities regulatory authorities in Canada (subsequently
amended on October 5, 2005) to qualify the distribution, by
initial public offering, of units consisting of one share of
common stock and one half of one Class A Warrant to
purchase one share of common stock. During the quarter ended
September 30, 2005, all costs directly related to this
proposed initial public offering totalling $746,000 (principally
legal and professional fees, filing fees and printing costs)
have been deferred and recorded as prepaid expenses. If the
initial public offering is completed these costs will be
reclassified into Stockholders equity as share issue
expense, otherwise the costs will be expensed [see
note 10(a)].
|
|
[a] |
A portion of the Borealis Property is subject to a mining lease.
The Company is required to make monthly lease payments of
$8,614, adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index, for
the duration of the lease term. In addition, production of
precious metals from the Borealis Property will be subject to
the payment of a royalty under the terms of the mining lease.
The mining lease expires in 2009, but may be renewed by the
Company annually thereafter, so long as mining activity
continues on the Borealis Property. The Company has the option
to terminate the mining lease at any time prior to expiry in
2009. |
|
|
[b] |
The Company rents office space in Lakewood, CO and Vancouver, BC
for 5 and 3 year terms, respectively. The following are the
related commitments in the next 5 years: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ | |
|
|
| |
2006 (remaining)
|
|
|
34,600 |
|
2007
|
|
|
69,400 |
|
2008
|
|
|
70,100 |
|
2009
|
|
|
48,500 |
|
2010
|
|
|
38,000 |
|
|
|
|
a] |
On November , 2005, a
registration statement and prospectus was filed with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission and all securities
regulatory authorities in Canada in respect of an initial public
offering by the Company
of units
at a price of
$ per
unit. Each unit consists of one share of common stock and
one-half (1/2) Class A Warrant. Estimated net proceeds to
the Company, after deducting underwriters commissions and
expenses of the offering and excluding the underwriters
overallotment option, are
$ . |
|
|
|
b] |
On November 7, 2005, the Company made three grants of stock
options together totalling options to acquire
115,000 shares. These options vest over 18 to
24 months and are exercisable for 5 years at a price
equal to the initial offering price of units under the offering
described in note 10(a). |
|
F-26
GRYPHON GOLD CORPORATION
UNITS
Each unit will be offered at a price of
$ per
unit and will consist of one (1) share of our common stock
and one-half of one (1/2) Class A Warrant; each whole
Class A Warrant is exercisable to acquire one share of
common stock at a price of
$ until
5:00 p.m. (New York time)
on .
PROSPECTUS
,
2005
No dealer, salesman or any other person has been authorized to
give any information or to make any representations other than
those contained in this prospectus in connection with the offer
made by this prospectus and, if given or made, such information
or representations must not be relied upon as having been
authorized by the company or the representative. Neither the
delivery of this prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall
under any circumstances create any implication that there has
been no change in the affairs of the company since the date
hereof. This prospectus does not constitute an offer or
solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer
or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making
such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to
anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
Until
,
all dealers that effect transactions in these securities,
whether or not participating in this offering, may be required
to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in
addition to the obligation of dealers to deliver a prospectus
when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold
allotments or subscriptions.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
|
|
Item 23. |
Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution. |
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other
than the agents discounts and commissions, payable by the
Registrant in connection with the sale of the Common Stock being
registered. All amounts are estimates except the SEC
registration fee, the NASD filing fees and the Toronto Stock
Exchange listing fees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount to | |
|
|
be Paid | |
|
|
| |
SEC registration fee
|
|
$ |
3,502.33 |
|
NASD filing fee
|
|
|
3,476.00 |
|
TSX listing fee
|
|
|
86,400 |
|
Legal fees and expenses
|
|
|
790,000 |
|
Accounting fees and expenses
|
|
|
88,000 |
|
Printing expenses
|
|
|
140,000 |
|
Blue sky fees and expenses (including legal fees)
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
Transfer agent and registrar fees
|
|
|
15,000 |
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
|
63,621.67 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
1,200,000 |
|
|
|
Item 24. |
Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
The Companys Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation (the
Certificate of Incorporation) provide that we shall,
to the full extent permitted by the Nevada General Business
Corporation Law, as amended from time to time (the Nevada
Corporate Law), indemnify all of our directors and
officers. Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Corporate Law
provides in part that a corporation shall have the power to
indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of
the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or
was a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation or other enterprise, against expenses (including
attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection
with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith
and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed
to the best interests of the corporation, and with respect to
any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to
believe his conduct was unlawful.
Similar indemnity is authorized for such persons against
expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and
reasonably incurred in defense or settlement of any threatened,
pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
corporation, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner
he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation, and provided further that (unless
a court of competent jurisdiction otherwise provides) such
person shall not have been adjudged liable to the corporation.
Any such indemnification may be made only as authorized in each
specific case upon a determination by the stockholders or
disinterested directors that indemnification is proper because
the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct. Under
our Certificate of Incorporation, the indemnitee is presumed to
be entitled to indemnification and we have the burden of proof
to overcome that presumption. Where an officer or a director is
successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any
action referred to above, we must indemnify him against the
expenses which such offer or director actually or reasonably
incurred. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,
officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to
the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the
event that a claim for
II-1
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment
by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant
will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
|
|
Item 25. |
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities. |
Since our inception we have offered and sold the following
securities in unregistered transactions pursuant to exemptions
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
|
|
|
On or about May 15, 2003, we issued 3,000,000 shares
of common stock to our founding shareholders at $0.10 per
share. We offered and sold shares outside the United States to
non-U.S. persons in off-shore transactions pursuant to the
exemption from registration available under Regulation S of
the Securities Act and in the United States in private
transactions not involving a public offering pursuant to
exemptions available under Rule 506 of Regulation D
and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On or about June 15, 2003, we issued 1,885,000 shares
of common stock at $0.15 per share to our directors. We
offered and sold shares outside the United States to
non-U.S. persons in off-shore transactions pursuant to the
exemption from registration available under Regulation S of
the Securities Act and in the United States in private
transactions not involving a public offering pursuant to
exemptions available under Rule 506 of Regulation D
and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On or about August 15, 2003, we issued
1,902,500 shares of common stock at $0.20 per share
and 537,500 shares of common stock at $0.225 per share
payable by installment promissory notes. We offered and sold
shares outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in
off-shore transactions pursuant to the exemption from
registration available under Regulation S of the Securities
Act and in the United States in private transactions not
involving a public offering pursuant to exemptions available
under Rule 506 of Regulation D and Section 4(2)
of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On or about September 16, 2003, we issued
270,000 shares of common stock at $0.15 per share to a
director, 1,400,000 shares of out common stock at
$0.20 per share, and an additional 100,000 shares of
our common stock at $0.225 per share payable by installment
promissory notes. We offered and sold shares outside the United
States to non-U.S. persons in off-shore transactions
pursuant to the exemption from registration available under
Regulation S of the Securities Act and in the United States
in private transactions not involving a public offering pursuant
to exemptions available under Rule 506 of Regulation D
and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On or about December 17, 2003, we issued 95,000 shares of common
stock at $0.15 per share to a director, 3,663,500 shares of
common stock at $.20 per share and 122,500 shares of
common stock at $0.225 per share payable by installment
promissory notes. We offered and sold shares outside the United
States to non-U.S. persons in off-shore transactions
pursuant to the exemption from registration available under
Regulation S of the Securities Act and in the United States
in private transactions not involving a public offering pursuant
to exemptions available under Rule 506 of Regulation D
and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On or about March 8, 2004, we issued 1,250,000 shares
of common stock at $0.15 per share to our directors and
150,000 shares of common stock at $0.20 per share. We offered
and sold shares outside the United States to
non-U.S. persons in off-shore transactions pursuant to the
exemption from registration available under Regulation S of
the Securities Act and in the United States in private
transactions not involving a public offering pursuant to
exemptions available under Rule 506 of Regulation D
and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
II-2
|
|
|
On September 7, 2004, we reserved for issuance and later
sold 500,000 shares of common stock to Tom Sitar, our chief
financial officer at $0.35 per share under the terms of his
employment agreement. The shares were issued in a private
transaction not involving a public offering pursuant to
exemptions available under Section 4(2) of the Securities
Act. |
|
|
On September 28, 2004, we sold 778,500 shares of
common stock at $0.65 per share and subsequently issued
389,250 share purchase warrants to each purchaser
exercisable to acquire one share of common stock at
$0.90 per share until the earlier of two years from the
date of issuance or nine months after our shares of common stock
are listed for trading on a recognized exchange. We offered and
sold units outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in
off-shore transactions pursuant to the exemption from
registration available under Regulation S of the Securities
Act. We offered and sold units solely to accredited investors in
the United States in private transactions not involving a public
offering pursuant to exemptions available under Rule 506 of
Regulation D and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On January 26, 2005, we sold 1,410,077 units at
$0.65 per unit. Each unit consisted of one share of common
stock and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole
warrant exercisable to acquire one share of common stock at
$0.90 per share until the earlier of two years from the
date of issuance or nine months after our shares of common stock
are listed for trading on a recognized exchange. We offered and
sold units outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in
off-shore transactions pursuant to the exemption from
registration available under Regulation S of the Securities
Act. We offered and sold units solely to accredited investors in
the United States in private transactions not involving a public
offering pursuant to exemptions available under Rule 506 of
Regulation D and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On March 28, 2005, we sold 4,627,385 units at
$0.65 per unit. Each unit consisted of one share of common
stock and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole
warrant exercisable to acquire one share of common stock at
$0.90 per share until the earlier of two years from the
date of issuance or nine months after our shares of common stock
are listed for trading on a recognized exchange. We offered and
sold units outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in
off-shore transactions pursuant to the exemption from
registration available under Regulation S of the Securities
Act. We offered and sold units to accredited investors in the
United States in private transactions not involving a public
offering pursuant to exemptions available under Rule 506 of
Regulation D and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On or about March 29, 2005, we granted options exercisable
to acquire 2,000,000 shares of common stock at
$0.75 per share to officers, directors, employees and a
consultant in compensatory transactions not involving a public
offering pursuant to exemptions available under Rule 701 of
the Securities Act. |
|
|
On April 1, 2005, we sold 1,300,000 units at
$0.65 per unit. Each unit consisted of one share of common
stock and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole
warrant exercisable to acquire one share of common stock at
$0.90 per share until the earlier of two years from the
date of issuance or nine months after our shares of common stock
are listed for trading on a recognized exchange. We offered and
sold units outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in
off-shore transactions pursuant to the exemption from
registration available under Regulation S of the Securities
Act. We offered and sold units solely to accredited investors in
the United States in private transactions not involving a public
offering pursuant to exemptions available under Rule 506 of
Regulation D and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On April 25, 2005, we sold 4,221,154 units at
$0.65 per unit. Each unit consisted of one share of common
stock and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole
warrant exercisable to acquire one share of common stock at
$0.90 per share until the earlier of two years from the
date of issuance or nine months after our shares of common stock
are listed for trading on a recognized exchange. We offered and
sold units outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in
off-shore transactions pursuant to the exemption from
registration available under Regulation S of the Securities
Act. We offered and sold units solely to accredited investors in
the United States in private transactions not involving a public
offering pursuant to exemptions available under Rule 506 of
Regulation D and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
|
|
On June 22, 2005, we sold 509,254 units at
$0.65 per unit. Each unit consisted of one share of common
stock and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole
warrant exercisable to acquire one |
II-3
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share of common stock at $0.90 per share until the earlier
of two years from the date of issuance or nine months after our
shares of common stock are listed for trading on a recognized
exchange. We offered and sold units outside the United States to
non-U.S. persons in off-shore transactions pursuant to the
exemption from registration available under Regulation S of
the Securities Act. We offered and sold units solely to
accredited investors in the United States in private
transactions not involving a public offering pursuant to
exemptions available under Rule 506 of Regulation D
and Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. |
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On August 3, 2005, we granted options exercisable to
acquire 300,000 shares of common stock at $0.75 per
share to two new independent directors in compensatory
transactions not involving a public offering pursuant to
exemptions available under Rule 701 of the Securities Act. |
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Item 26. |
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules. |
The following is a list of exhibits filed as part of this
Registration Statement:
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Exhibit |
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Number |
|
Description |
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1 |
.1 |
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Form of Underwriting Agreement |
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1 |
.2 |
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Form of U.S. Selling Agent Agreement |
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3 |
.1(1) |
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Articles of Incorporation of Gryphon Gold Corporation, filed
April 24, 2003 |
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3 |
.2(1) |
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Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Gryphon
Gold Corporation, filed August 9, 2005 |
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3 |
.3(1) |
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Bylaws of Gryphon Gold Corporation |
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3 |
.4(1) |
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Articles of Incorporation of Borealis Mining Company, filed
June 5, 2003 |
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3 |
.5(1) |
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Bylaws of Borealis Mining Company |
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4 |
.1 |
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Specimen Common Stock certificate |
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4 |
.2(3) |
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Form of Warrant Indenture |
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4 |
.3 |
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Form of Underwriters Compensation Options |
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5 |
.1 |
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Opinion of United States Counsel |
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10 |
.1(1) |
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Investor Rights Agreement by and among Gryphon Gold Corporation
and the Stockholders Party Hereto, dated as of May 1, 2003,
as amended |
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10 |
.2(1) |
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Assignment of Borealis Mining Lease, dated January 10,
2005, between Golden Phoenix Mineral Company and Borealis Mining
Company |
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10 |
.3(1) |
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Agreement and Consent to Assignment of Borealis Mining Lease,
entered into as of January 26, 2005, between Richard J.
Cavell, Hardrock Mining Company, John W. Whitney, Golden Phoenix
Minerals, Inc., Borealis Mining Company and Gryphon Gold
Corporation |
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10 |
.4(1) |
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Escrow Agreement, dated January 10, 2005, between Borealis
Mining Company, Gryphon Gold Company and Lawyers
Title Agency of Arizona (Regarding Purchase Agreement dated
January 10, 2005) |
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10 |
.5(1) |
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Purchase Agreement dated January 10, 2005, as amended,
Seller: Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc., Buyer: Borealis Mining
Company and Guarantor: Gryphon Gold Corporation |
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10 |
.6(1) |
|
Agreement between Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc. and Borealis
Mining Company (Borealis Property, Mineral County, Nevada),
dated July 21, 2003 |
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10 |
.7(1) |
|
Agency Agreement/ Investment Advisory Retainer, between Gryphon
Gold Corporation and Desjardins Securities Inc., signed
March 9, 2005 |
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10 |
.8(1) |
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Service Agreement between Gryphon Gold Corporation and The
Kottmeier Resolution Group Ltd., dated May 17, 2005 |
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10 |
.9(1) |
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Office Building Lease dated June 22, 2005, related to
Lakewood, Colorado office |
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10 |
.10(1) |
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Executive Compensation Agreement, dated October 1, 2003,
between Gryphon Gold Corporation and Allen Gordon
dba Evergreen Mineral Ventures LLC |
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10 |
.11(1) |
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Assignment Assumption Agreement between Gryphon Gold Corporation
and Allen Gordon |
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10 |
.12(1) |
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Executive Compensation Agreement, dated October 1, 2003,
between Gryphon Gold Corporation and Albert Matter |
II-4
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|
Exhibit |
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|
Number |
|
Description |
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10 |
.13(1) |
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Executive Compensation Agreement, dated February 1, 2004,
between Gryphon Gold Corporation and Tony Ker |
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10 |
.14(1) |
|
Executive Compensation Agreement, dated November 1, 2004,
between Gryphon Gold Corporation and Thomas Sitar |
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10 |
.15(1) |
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Executive Compensation Agreement, dated June 1, 2005
between Gryphon Gold Corporation and Donald Ranta |
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10 |
.16(1) |
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Gryphon Gold Corporation 2004 Stock Incentive Plan |
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10 |
.17 |
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Form of Escrow Agreement |
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10 |
.18(2) |
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Form of Lock Up Agreement Shareholders |
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10 |
.19(2) |
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Form of Lock Up Agreement for Executive Officers and Directors |
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10 |
.20(2) |
|
Warrant Agreement dated August 10, 2005, between Gryphon
Gold Corporation and Computershare Trust Company, Inc.
(Golden, Colorado) |
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14 |
.1(2) |
|
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics |
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16 |
.1(2) |
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Letter on Change of Certifying Accountant |
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23 |
.1 |
|
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP |
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23 |
.2 |
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Consent of United States Counsel (included in the opinion filed
as Exhibit 5.1.) |
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23 |
.3(2) |
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Consent of Mr. Alan C. Noble, P.E. of Ore Reserves
Engineering in Lakewood, CO |
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23 |
.4(2) |
|
Consent of Qingping Deng of Behre Dolbear and Company, Inc. in
Denver, CO |
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23 |
.5(3) |
|
Consent of the Gold Field Mineral Services |
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24 |
.1(1) |
|
Powers of Attorney (included on Signature Page) |
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|
(1) |
Previously filed on Form SB-2 on August 17, 2005. |
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(2) |
Previously filed on Form SB-2 on October 6, 2005. |
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(3) |
Previously filed on Form SB-2 on October 27, 2005. |
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(b) |
Financial Statement Schedules. |
Omitted because they are either inapplicable or the required
information has been given in the consolidated financial
statements or the notes thereto.
The Registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the Underwriters
at the closing specified in the Underwriting Agreement,
certificates in such denominations and registered in such names
as required by the Agents to permit prompt delivery to each
purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that
in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid
by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant
will, unless in the opinion of counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in
the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of
prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in
reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of
prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under
II-5
the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this
registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that
contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
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(3) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement: |
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(i) To include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
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(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of the registration statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the registration
statement; and |
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|
(iii) To include any material information with respect to
the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement. |
II-6
SIGNATURES
In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements of filing on Form SB-2 and authorized
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,
on November 8, 2005.
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|
Allen S. Gordon |
|
President and Director |
|
(Chief Executive Officer) |
In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, this registration statement was signed by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates stated:
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|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Allen S. Gordon
Allen
S. Gordon |
|
Director, President and
Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer) |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
/s/ Albert J. Matter
Albert
J. Matter |
|
Executive Chairman and
Chairman of the Board |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
*
Donald
E. Ranta |
|
Director |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
*
Christopher
E. Herald |
|
Director |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
Richard
W. Hughes |
|
Director |
|
|
|
*
Rohan
Hazelton |
|
Director |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
*
Donald
W. Gentry |
|
Director |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
/s/ Anthony (Tony) D. J. Ker
Anthony
(Tony) D. J. Ker |
|
Director |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
/s/ Thomas Sitar
Thomas
Sitar |
|
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|
November 8, 2005 |
|
|
|
* By: |
/s/ Allen S. Gordon
|
|
|
|
Allen S. Gordon
Attorney-in-Fact |
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II-7