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Mineral Properties and Exploration Expenses
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Mineral Properties and Exploration Expenses [Abstract]  
Mineral Properties and Exploration Expenses
  3. Mineral Properties and Exploration Expenses

 

In Brazil, Aurora has six (6) properties with an approximate total of 16,590 ha within the Tapajos Gold Province. The Exploration licence areas are located in the vicinity of the Săo Domingos Township. The Company has conducted various degrees of exploration activities on the properties and ranked the mineralised occurrences in order of merit and may discontinue such activities and dispose of some of the rights to mineral exploration on parts of the property if further exploration work is not warranted. A summary of these properties approved by the Department of National Production Minerals (DNPM) is set out below.

 

  a) DNPM Process 850.684/06 1,985.91 ha
  b) DNPM Process 850.782/05 6,656.20 ha
  c) DNPM Processes 850.012/06 and 850.013/06; 1128.08 ha and 750.55 ha respectively
  d) DNPM Process 850.119/06 1,068.72 ha
  e) DNPM Process 859.587/95 5,000.00 ha

 

São Domingos Project in the Municipality of Itaituba, in the Tapajos gold province of the State of Para, Brazil.

 

  a) DNPM Processes 850.684/06: 1,985.91 ha

 

Aurora has good title over the mineral rights object of the DNPM Process No. 850.684/06, which is valid and in force, free and clear of any judicial and extrajudicial encumbrances and taxes. Aurora is the sole registered and beneficial holder of and owns and possesses good title to the referred mineral rights. On September 13, 2006 Aurora submitted to DNPM one Exploration Claim for gold covering an area of 4914.18 ha in the Municipality of Itaituba, State of Pará. According to the information obtained such claim was correctly prepared and the required documents are in place but the area will be reduced to 1,985.91 due to overlapping with third parties' areas with priority rights. The Exploration Permit has not been granted yet. The above-mentioned area is not related to any payments or royalties to third parties since Aurora claimed them directly.

 

  b) DNPM Processes 850.782/05: 6,656.20 ha

 

Aurora has good title over the mineral rights object of the DNPM Process No. 850.782/05, which is valid and in force, free and clear of any judicial and extrajudicial encumbrances and taxes. On November 8, 2005 it was submitted to DNPM the Exploration Claim for gold in the Municipality of Itaituba, State of Pará. The Exploration Permit was granted on November 28, 2006 for a 3 (three) year period. The transfer to Aurora was approved on March 24, 2009 and on September 28, 2009 it was requested the renewal of the Exploration Permit. This area was reduced from 6,756 ha to 5,651.98 ha due to the overlapping with Garimpeira (alluvial) Mining properties held by Mr. Celio Paranhos. However the DNPM ́s general attorney in Brasilia agreed with Aurora's legal thesis and nullified all applications filed by Mr. Paranhos (about to 1,900 applications). A new Exploration Permit rectifying the previous one was granted on August 20, 2010 for a 3 (three) year period, for an area of 6,656.20 hectares. The Annual Fees per Hectare (TAHs) for the 1st and 2nd years of the extension period have been properly paid. The annual fee for the third year was paid in January 2013. No payments or royalties are due regarding the DNPM Process 850.782/05 since it was acquired through a permutation agreement with Altoro Mineração Ltda.

 

  c) DNPM Processes 850.012/06 and 850.013/06: 1,128.08 ha and 750.55 ha respectively

 

The exploration claims were submitted to DNPM on January 19, 2006, for gold covering an area of 1,128.08 ha and 750.55 ha respectively, in the Municipality of Itaituba, State of Pará. According to information obtained such claims were correctly prepared and the required documents are in place. The tenements 850.012/06 and 850.013/06 are held by Mr. Antonio Oliveira Ferreira and were submitted to DNPM on January 19, 2006. The tenements are located at Itaituba, State of Pará and are valid and in force, free and clear of any judicial and extrajudicial encumbrances and taxes, but the area was blocked since it is inside of a Garimpeira Reserve. The transfer to Aurora will be submitted after the Exploration Permits are granted. There are no payments or royalties related to the tenements according to the agreement entered into with the previous owner.

 

  d) DNPM Process 850.119/06: 1,068.72 ha

 

Direct access to the files of this Project at DNPM's office were not sited, however analysis is based on the then current information provided on DNPM's website. The exploration claim was submitted to DNPM on March 7, 2006, for gold covering an area of 1,068.72 ha, in the Municipality of Itaituba, State of Pará. Aurora has good title over the mineral rights object of the DNPM Process No. 850.119/06, which is valid and in force, free and clear of any judicial and extrajudicial encumbrances and taxes. Aurora is the sole registered and beneficial holder of and owns and possesses good title to the referred mineral rights. The Exploration Permit has not been granted yet. The above-mentioned area is not related to any payments or royalties to third parties since Aurora claimed them directly.

 

  e) DNPM Process 859.587/95: 5,000 ha

 

The tenement, was held by Vera Lucia Lopes, and is valid and in force, and is free and clear of any judicial and extrajudicial encumbrances and taxes. It is located at the Municipality of Itaituba, State of Pará. On November 27, 1995, it was submitted to DNPM the Exploration Claim for gold. The Exploration Permit was granted on September 15, 2006, for a three-year period covering an area of 5,000 hectares, and it was valid until September 15, 2009. On July 15, 2009, it was requested the renewal of the Exploration Permit which was granted and transferred to Aurora and published on June 29, 2012. There are no payments or royalties related to the tenements since all payments due under the terms of the agreement entered into with the previous owner have been already made.

 

The tenement 859.587/95 is held by Aurora and is valid and in force, free and clear of any judicial and extrajudicial encumbrances and taxes. It is located at the Municipality of Itaituba, State of Pará. On November 27, 1995 it was submitted to DNPM the Exploration Claim for gold. The Exploration Permit was granted on September 15, 2006 for a 3 (three) year period covering an area of 5000 ha, and it was valid until September 15, 2009. On July 15, 2009 it was requested the renewal of the Exploration Permit, which was granted on June 14, 2012. The transfer to Aurora was approved and published on July 6, 2012. The beginning of the activities for the renewal period was properly informed on September 5, 2012. The Annual Fee per Hectare (TAHs) for the 1st year of the extension period has been properly paid. There are no payments or royalties related to the tenements since all payments due under the terms of the agreement entered into with the previous owner have been already made.