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Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Accounting Policies
2. Significant Accounting Policies

 

(a) Principles of Consolidation

 

The Company follows accounting standards set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, referred to as the “FASB”. The FASB sets accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) that the Company follows to ensure they consistently report their financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. References to GAAP issued by the FASB in these footnotes are to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, referred to as Codification or “ASC”.

 

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Aurora Gold Mineração Ltda ("Aurora Gold Mineracao") and AGC Resources LLC (“AGC”) (through to date of disposition of AGC, June 14, 2011, see Note 3). Collectively, they are referred to herein as "the Company". Significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Aurora Gold Mineração was incorporated on October 27, 2005. AGC was formed as a Limited Liability company on April 21, 2010 under the law of Colorado USA to hold the assets purchased from Global Minerals Ltd as discussed in Note 3.

 

(b) Accounting Estimates

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions.

 

(c) Cash Equivalents

 

Cash equivalents comprise certain highly liquid instruments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased. The Company did not have any cash equivalents at December 31, 2011 and 2010. No amounts were paid for income taxes in 2011 or 2010 and cash paid for interest was nil in 2011 (2010: $45,065).

 

(d) Buildings and equipment

 

Buildings and equipment are carried at cost (including development and preproduction costs, capitalized interest, other financing costs and all direct administrative support costs incurred during the construction period, net of cost recoveries and incidental revenues), less accumulated depletion and depreciation including write-downs. Following the construction period, interest, other financing costs and administrative costs are expensed as incurred.

 

On the commencement of commercial production, depletion of each mining property is provided on the unit-of-production basis, using estimated proven and probable reserves as the depletion basis.

 

Buildings and equipment utilized directly in commercial mining activities are depreciated, following the commencement of commercial production, over their expected economic lives using either the unit-of-production method or the straight-line method.

 

Depreciation for non-mining equipment is provided over the following useful lives:

 

- Vehicles 10 years
- Office equipment, furniture and fixtures 2 to 10 years

 

The Company reviews the carrying values of its buildings and equipment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying values may not be recoverable. An impairment is considered to exist if total estimated future cash flows, or probability-weighted cash flows on an undiscounted basis, are less than the carrying value of the assets. An impairment loss is measured and recorded based on discounted estimated future cash flows associated with values beyond proven and probable reserves and resources. In estimating future cash flows, assets are grouped at the lowest level for which there is identifiable future cash flows that are largely independent of cash flows from other asset groups. Generally, in estimating future cash flows, all assets are grouped at a particular property for which there are identifiable cash flows. Buildings and equipment utilized directly in commercial mining activities are depreciated, following the commencement of commercial production, over their expected economic lives using either the unit-of-production method or the straight-line method.

 

(e) Mineral property reclamation bonds and other related refundable costs

 

Costs paid for the purchase of reclamation bonds and other related costs that are refundable are capitalized.  If amounts paid are not to be refunded then they will be expensed when it is determined they will not be refunded. 

 

(f) Mineral properties and exploration expenses

 

The Company accounts for its mineral properties on a cost basis whereby all direct costs, net of pre-production revenue, relative to the acquisition of the properties are capitalized. All sales and option proceeds received are first credited against the costs of the related property, with any excess credited to earnings. Once commercial production has commenced, the net costs of the applicable property will be charged to operations using the unit-of-production method based on estimated proven and probable recoverable reserves. The net costs related to abandoned properties are charged to operations.

 

Exploration costs are charged to operations as incurred until such time that proven reserves are discovered. From that time forward, the Company will capitalize all costs to the extent that future cash flow from mineral reserves equals or exceeds the costs deferred. The deferred costs will be amortized over the recoverable reserves when a property reaches commercial production. As at December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company does not have proven reserves. Exploration activities conducted jointly with others are reflected at the Company's proportionate interest in such activities.

 

The Company reviews the carrying values of its mineral properties on a regular basis by reference to the project economics including the timing of the exploration and/or development work, the work programs and the exploration results experienced by the Company and others. The review of the carrying value of any producing property will be made by reference to the estimated future operating results and net cash flows. When the carrying value of a property exceeds its estimated net recoverable amount, provision is made for the decline in value.

 

The recoverability of the amounts recorded for mineral properties is dependent on the confirmation of economically recoverable reserves, confirmation of the Company’s interest in the underlying mineral claims, the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary financing to successfully complete their development and the attainment of future profitable operations or proceeds from disposition.

 

Estimated costs related to site restoration programs during the commercial development stage of the property are accrued over the life of the project.

 

(g) Stock-based compensation

 

The Company accounts for share-based payments under the fair value method of accounting for stock-based compensation consistent with GAAP. Under the fair value method, stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award using the Black-Sholes option pricing model and is recognized to expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period.

 

(h) Interest expense

 

Interest expense was $0 in 2011 (2010: $14,150).

 

(i) Foreign currency translations and transactions

 

The Company's reporting currency is the U.S. Dollar. Aurora Gold Mineracao Ltda is a foreign operation and its functional currency is the Brazilian Real (Real). Certain contractual obligations in these consolidated financial statements are stated in Brazilian Reals. The Brazilian Real to U.S. dollar exchange rate at December 31, 2011 was U.S. $0.5357 to 1 Real (2010: U.S. $0.5966 to 1 Real).

 

The Company translates foreign assets and liabilities of its subsidiaries, other than those denominated in U.S. dollars, at the rate of exchange at the balance sheet date. Income and expenses of these subsidiaries are translated at the average rate of exchange throughout the year. Gains or losses from these translations are reported as a separate component of other comprehensive income (loss) until all or a part of the investment in the subsidiaries is sold or liquidated. The translation adjustments do not recognize the effect of income tax because the Company expects to reinvest the amounts indefinitely in operations.

 

Transaction gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the local functional currency are included in foreign exchange (gain) loss in the consolidated statements of operations.

 

(j) Concentration of credit risk

 

Financial instruments that subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents.   The Company places its cash with high credit quality financial institutions in Brazil and the Canada. The Company occasionally has cash deposits in excess of federally insured limits.  The Company had funds deposited in banks beyond the insured limits as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. The Company has not experienced any losses related to these balances, and management believes its credit risk to be minimal.

 

(k) Comprehensive income

 

The Company has adopted FASB ASC 220, Reporting Comprehensive Income, which establishes standards for reporting and display of comprehensive income, its components and accumulated balances. The Company is disclosing this information on its Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficiency) and Comprehensive Income (loss). Comprehensive income comprises equity except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Accumulated other comprehensive income consists entirely of foreign currency translation adjustments at December 31, 2011 and 2010.

 

(l) Fair value of financial instruments and risks

 

Fair value estimates of financial instruments are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant information about financial markets and specific financial instruments. As these estimates are subjective in nature, involving uncertainties and matters of significant judgment, they cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions can significantly affect estimated fair value.

 

The carrying value of cash, accounts payable, accrued expenses and advances payable (including related parties) approximate their fair value because of the short-term nature of these instruments.

 

Management is of the opinion that the Company is not exposed to significant interest or credit risks arising from these financial instruments.

 

The Company operates outside of the United States of America (primarily in Brazil) and is exposed to foreign currency risk due to the fluctuation between the currency in which the Company operates in and the U.S. dollar.

 

(m) Income taxes

 

The Company has adopted ASC 740, Accounting for Income Taxes, which requires the Company to recognize deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the Company's financial statements or tax returns using the liability method. Under this method, deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. In July 2006, the FASB issued an interpretation which clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in a company’s financial statements in accordance with GAAP. This interpretation prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken in a tax return. It also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. Estimated interest and penalties related to recording uncertain tax positions when recorded are included as a component of income tax expense on the consolidated statement of operations. The Company has not recorded any liabilities for uncertain tax positions or any related interest and penalties. The Company’s tax returns are open to audit for the years ending December 31, 2008 to 2011.

 

(n) Earnings (loss) per share

 

Earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income or loss available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year including common stock issued effective the date committed. Common stock issuable is considered outstanding as of the original approval date for the purposes of earnings per share computations. Diluted loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the sum of (a) the basic weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period and (b) additional shares that would have been issued and potentially dilutive securities and is equivalent to basic loss per share for 2011 and 2010 because potentially dilutive securities were anti-dilutive due to the net losses incurred in each year. Potentially dilutive securities outstanding consist of stock options outstanding as at December 31, 2011 of 9,050,000 (2010:1,700,000) and warrants outstanding at December 31, 2011 of 8,000,000 (2010: nil).

 

(o) New Accounting Pronouncements

 

The Company considers the effects of new accounting pronouncements on the accounting, presentation and disclosure of its consolidated financial statements as such pronouncements become known. . In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income or

 

ASU 2011-05. The guidance in ASU 2011-05 revises the manner in which entities present comprehensive income in their financial statements. An entity is required to report the components of comprehensive income in either one or two consecutive financial statements:

 

-          A single, continuous statement must present the components of net income and total net income, the components of other comprehensive income and total other comprehensive income, and a total for comprehensive income.

 

-          In a two-statement approach, an entity must present the components of net income and total net income in the first statement. That statement must be immediately followed by a financial statement that presents the components of other comprehensive income, a total for other comprehensive income, and a total for comprehensive income.

 

ASU 2011-05 does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income. The amendments in ASU 2011-05 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2011-05 will have a material impact on the presentation of information in its financial statements.

 

At present, there are no other such pronouncements that the Company expects will have a material impact on these consolidated financial statements.