Exhibit 99.2
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis
Third Quarter Ended
September 30, 2017
(Expressed in United States
dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
November 10, 2017
This Management’s Discussion and
Analysis ("MD&A") should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements for the third quarter
ended September 30, 2017 and related notes thereto which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
in the United States of America ("US GAAP"). References to "Entrée" and the "Company" are
to Entrée Resources Ltd. and/or one or more of its wholly-owned subsidiaries. For further information on the Company, reference
should be made to its continuous disclosure (including its most recently filed annual information form ("AIF")), which
is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Information is also available on the Company’s website at www.entreeresourcesltd.com.
Information on risks associated with investing in the Company’s securities is contained in the Company’s most recently
filed AIF. Technical and scientific information under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
("NI 43-101") concerning the Company’s material property, including information about mineral resources and reserves,
is contained in the Company’s most recently filed AIF and in its technical report titled "Lookout Hill Feasibility Study
Update" dated March 29, 2016 prepared by OreWin Pty Ltd.
Q3 2017
HIGHLIGHTS
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
| · | Entrée has engaged its consultants, Amec Foster Wheeler Americas Limited ("Amec
Foster
Wheeler")
to commence
work on
an
updated
National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report (the "Technical Report") on Entrée’s 20% participating interest in
the
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi joint venture ("Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV") in Mongolia. Completion of the Technical Report
will
be a
significant
milestone for
the Company as it will enable management to discuss preliminary economics for potential future phases of the Oyu Tolgoi
mine,
where a significant amount of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV’s mineralization occurs, thereby helping investors
to understand the underlying value of Entrée’s flagship asset. |
The updated Technical Report is expected
to be completed by January 2018 and will include:
| - | an updated reserve case for the first lift ("Lift
1") of the Hugo North Extension block cave on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV property. The reserve will be based on information
contained within the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Feasibility Study finalized in May 2016 by Entrée’s joint venture partner Oyu
Tolgoi LLC ("OTLLC"). First development production from Lift 1 on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV property is expected
in approximately 2021; and |
| - | a Preliminary Economic Assessment of Entrée’s
interest in both Lift 2 of the Hugo North Extension copper-gold deposit ("Lift 2") and the Heruga copper-gold-molybdenum
deposit ("Heruga"). |
| · | Entrée management visited the Oyu Tolgoi mine and had an opportunity to tour some of the
main surface infrastructure, including the concentrator and tailings facilities and to also go underground to observe some of the
development work completed to date during Q3. This visit included a review of plans with OTLLC for the immediate and medium-term
future. Entrée is pleased to report that project development, including both direct production and supporting infrastructure,
appears to be on track and is being completed to the highest safety and operating standards. |
| · | The development of Shaft 4, which is the first physical development work on the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV, is expected to commence in 2018. Shaft 4 will provide the necessary ventilation required to support mining of the northern
part of the Hugo North deposit (including Hugo North Extension on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV property), which is reported
to contain some of the highest-grade copper-gold mineralization in the entire Oyu Tolgoi project. Completion of Shaft 4 is expected
in 2021, at which time Entrée is expected to achieve its first production. |
| · | As reported by Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd.
("Turquoise Hill") on November 2, 2017, production from the Lift 1
underground mine, which starts on OTLLC’s Oyu Tolgoi mining license, remains on track for first draw bell in mid-2020
and sustainable first production in 2021. Activities reported in Q3 2017 include: |
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
| - | Underground lateral development made good progress
with approximately 1.4 equivalent kilometres completed. Since the re-start of development, a total of 5.4 equivalent kilometres
of lateral development has been completed. |
| - | The third development crew was deployed. Crews four
and five were in training during the quarter and are expected to be deployed during Q4’17. Also during Q3’17, commissioning
of the new 3,500 tonne per day development crusher was completed. With the deployment of crews four and five, a step up in lateral
development rates is expected to begin in Q4’17. |
| - | At the end of Q3’17, Shaft 2 sinking was at
1,249 metres and work had commenced on the service-level excavation that has a floor at 1,256 metres. Shaft 2 sinking is expected
to be complete in 2017 at a final depth of 1,284 metres with fit out occurring over 2018. Shaft 2 is key to future increases in
lateral development activity. |
| - | Shaft 5 sinking progressed approximately 214 metres
during Q3’17. During September, the underground team achieved the best sinking rate for Shaft 5 since project re-start averaging
2.6 metres per day. Sinking of Shaft 5 began slower than expected due to an extended construction re-start period and lower productivity
with completion now likely in early 2018. When completed, Shaft 5 will be dedicated to ventilation thereby increasing the capacity
for underground activities; however, with good early progress and continued on-plan lateral development, the completion of Shaft
5 sinking in early 2018 is not expected to materially impact the lateral development plan. |
| - | Development of the convey-to-surface decline continued
to progress with month-on-month improvement resulting from the use of project-wide process optimization techniques. The convey-to-surface
system is the eventual route of the full 95,000 tonne per day underground ore delivery system to the concentrator; however, it
is not a critical path item for first draw bell planned in mid-2020. Expected completion of the convey-to-surface system is 2022,
which will facilitate the ramp up to full production by 2027. |
Corporate
| · | Q3 2017 net loss from continuing operations, was $0.1 million as compared to Q3 2016 ($0.6 million),
a reduction of 80% from the comparative period of 2016. |
| · | As at September 30, 2017, cash on hand was $7.7 million and there was a working capital
balance of
$7.8 million. |
OVERVIEW
OF BUSINESS
Entrée is a mineral resource company
with interests in development and exploration properties in Mongolia, Peru and Australia.
The Company’s principal asset is
its interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV – a carried interest
in two of the Oyu Tolgoi project deposits in Mongolia as well as a large underexplored, highly prospective land package adjacent
on three sides to OTLLC’s Oyu Tolgoi mining licence.
The Oyu Tolgoi project
upon completion of the underground mine will be one of the world’s largest new copper-gold mines and is located in the
South Gobi region of Mongolia. The project includes two separate land holdings: the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence, which is held
by OTLLC (66% Turquoise Hill and 34% the Government of Mongolia), and the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV property (the "Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property"), which
is a partnership between Entrée and OTLLC. The Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property comprises the eastern portion of
the Shivee Tolgoi mining licence, and all of the Javhlant mining licence. The Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant mining licences are
held by Entrée. The terms of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV state that Entrée has a right to receive 20%
of all mineralization extracted from deeper than 560 metres below surface and 30% of all mineralization extracted from
above 560 metres depth.
Rio Tinto is the operator of the existing
open pit mine on the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence, and is currently managing the construction of Lift 1
of the Hugo North underground block cave on both the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence and the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property. The
portion of the Hugo North deposit that lies on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property is known as Hugo North Extension. Lift
1 underground development recommenced in mid-2016.
In addition to the Hugo North Extension
copper-gold deposit, the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property includes approximately 94% of the resource tonnes outlined at the
Heruga copper-gold-molybdenum deposit, and a large exploration land package, which together form a significant component of the
overall Oyu Tolgoi project.
Entrée also holds a 100% interest
in the western portion of the Shivee Tolgoi mining licence ("Shivee West"). Since 2015 Shivee West has been the subject
of a License Fees Agreement between Entrée and OTLLC and may ultimately be included in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property.
The first two phases of Oyu Tolgoi are
fully financed, with the Oyut open pit mine (Phase 1) currently in production and construction of Lift 1 of the Hugo North underground
block cave (Phase 2) currently in progress.
The Company also has the following assets:
| · | Blue Rose JV – a 56.31% interest in the Blue Rose joint venture property ("Blue Rose")
in the Olary Region of South Australia; and |
| · | Cañariaco Project Royalty – a 0.5% net smelter returns royalty on Candente Copper
Corp.’s Cañariaco copper porphyry project in Peru ("Cañariaco Royalty"). |
The Company’s corporate headquarters
are located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Field operations are conducted out of local offices in Mongolia.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
Trading of the Company’s common shares
commenced on the NYSE MKT effective July 18, 2005, under the trading symbol "EGI". On April 24, 2006, the Company’s
common shares began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and discontinued trading on the TSX Venture Exchange.
The trading symbol remained "ETG".
OUTLOOK
AND STRATEGY
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
Amec Foster Wheeler has completed its initial
data review, and has commenced work on an updated Technical Report relating to Entrée’s 20% participating interest
in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV in Mongolia.
The updated Technical Report will include:
| · | an updated reserve case for Lift 1 of the Hugo North Extension block cave on the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property. The reserve will be based on information contained within the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Feasibility Study finalized in
May 2016 by Entrée’s joint venture partner OTLLC. First development production from Lift 1 on the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property is expected in approximately 2021; and |
| · | a Preliminary Economic Assessment of Entrée’s interest in both Lift 2 and Heruga. |
Completion of the Technical Report
will be a significant milestone for the Company as it will enable management to discuss preliminary economics for potential
future phases of the Oyu Tolgoi mine, where a significant amount of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV’s mineralization
occurs, thereby helping investors to understand the underlying value of Entrée’s flagship asset. The Company estimates
the cost to be approximately $0.5 million to complete and publish the report. The Technical Report is expected to be
completed by January 2018.
Entrée management and representatives
from Amec Foster Wheeler recently visited the Oyu Tolgoi underground development project and supporting infrastructure in Mongolia.
Based on the visit and recent disclosure by Turquoise Hill, Entrée is pleased to confirm that the development
of Shaft 4, which will be the first physical development work on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, is scheduled to commence
in 2018. Shaft 4 will provide the necessary ventilation required to support mining of the northern part of the Hugo North deposit
(including Hugo North Extension on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property), which is reported to contain some of the highest-grade
copper-gold mineralization in the entire Oyu Tolgoi project. Completion of Shaft 4 is expected in 2021, with first development
production from Hugo North Extension Lift 1 also expected in 2021.
The site visit, led by senior OTLLC team
members, provided Entrée management with an opportunity to tour some of the main surface infrastructure, including the concentrator
and tailings facilities and to also go underground to observe some of the development work completed to date. In addition, Entrée
management was able to review plans with OTLLC for the immediate and medium-term future. Entrée is pleased to report that
project development, including both direct production and supporting infrastructure, appears to be on track and is being completed
to the highest safety and operating standards.
Corporate
With the completion of
the restructuring done early in the year and the commencement of the Technical Report, the Company’s focus will be
to maximize investor awareness of the impending Technical Report and what the results of this report mean to the Company and
all stakeholders, both current and potential. Corporate costs going forward are estimated at $0.3 million per quarter,
which include marketing and compliance costs, and the Company continues to estimate total corporate costs of between $1.6
million and $1.8 million for the 2017 year, which includes the one-time restructuring costs that have already been incurred
in the year.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
ENTRÉE/OYU
TOLGOI JV PROPERTY AND SHIVEE WEST PROPERTY – MONGOLIA
The Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
is subject to a joint venture between Entrée and OTLLC. The Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property includes the Hugo North
Extension copper-gold deposit, the Heruga copper-gold-molybdenum deposit, and an extensive highly prospective exploration land
package, which together form a significant component of the overall Oyu Tolgoi project. A portion of Hugo North Extension is included
in Hugo North Lift 1 underground development. The Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property and Entrée’s 100% owned Shivee
West are collectively referred to as the "Lookout Hill" property.
The following is a summary of information
that is contained in the Company’s most recently filed AIF and in its technical report titled "Lookout Hill Feasibility
Study Update" dated March 29, 2016 prepared by OreWin Pty Ltd. This information should be read in conjunction with the Company’s
AIF and Technical Report, which are available on the Company’s website (www.entreeresourcesltd.com) or on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
Description of the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Structure
Capital Development and Financing
The Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
is being explored and developed on behalf of joint venture manager OTLLC by Rio Tinto, through various agreements among OTLLC,
Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill. Under the terms of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV, any mill, smelters and other processing facilities
and related infrastructure are owned exclusively by OTLLC ("OTLLC Facilities") and all costs of constructing and operating
OTLLC Facilities are solely for the account of OTLLC.
All other costs of operations on the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property, including capital costs, are allocated as follows:
| · | OTLLC shall bear and pay for 100% of such costs allocated to the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence and
all associated liabilities including for environmental compliance; and |
| · | The balance of such costs shall be borne and paid by Entrée and OTLLC in accordance with
their respective joint venture interests. |
For illustration purposes only, if a shaft
is sunk on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property which also provides access to the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence and fifty-five
percent (55%) of mineral production is from the Oyu Tolgoi licence and forty-five percent (45%) of mineral production is from the
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, Entrée would have responsibility for a share of those costs equal to its twenty percent
participating interest (20%) multiplied by forty-five percent (45%).
Underground development of Hugo North (including
Hugo North Extension) Lift 1 has been fully financed by a syndicate of banks through OTLLC. Entrée has elected to have OTLLC
debt finance its share of costs with interest accruing at OTLLC’s actual cost of capital or prime plus 2%, whichever is less,
at the date of the advance.
Debt repayment may be made in whole or
in part from (and only from) 90% of monthly available cash flow arising from the sale of Entrée’s share of products.
Such amounts will be applied first to payment of accrued interest and then to repayment of principal. Available cash flow means
all net proceeds of sale of Entrée’s share of products in a month less Entrée’s share of costs of operations
for the month.
Entrée is not responsible for contributing
any upfront cash or for sourcing its own debt financing for the development of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, which
is being undertaken by OTLLC in accordance with OTLLC’s 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Feasibility Study ("OTFS16").
Operations and Operating Cash Flow
The Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
will be managed on behalf of joint venture manager OTLLC by Rio Tinto, through various agreements among OTLLC, Rio Tinto and Turquoise
Hill.
Entrée’s share of concentrates
will, unless Entrée otherwise agrees, be processed at the OTLLC Facilities by paying milling and smelting charges. The OTLLC
Facilities are not intended to be profit centres and therefore, minerals from the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property will be
processed at cost (using industry standards for calculation of cost including an amortisation of capital costs). The amortization
allowance for capital costs will be calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles determined yearly based
on the estimated quantity of minerals to be processed for Entrée’s account during that year relative to the total
design capacity of the processing facilities over their useful life.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
As defined in the agreement governing the
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV (the "JVA"), net cash flow resulting from the sale of Entrée’s share of concentrates
will be allocated to repayment of debt to OTLLC and operating cash proceeds for Entrée.
OTLLC as manager of the joint venture is
responsible for operating activities on behalf of both joint venture participants.
As at September 30, 2017 Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited
beneficially owned 30,366,129 common shares (including 13,799,333 common shares held by Turquoise Hill), or 17.4% of the outstanding
shares of the Company.
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
Summary
The Lookout Hill property, which completely
surrounds OTLLC’s Oyu Tolgoi mining licence, is located within the Aimag (province) of Ömnögovi in the South Gobi
region of Mongolia, about 570 kilometres south of the capital city of Ulaanbaatar and 80 kilometres north of the border with China.
Entrée’s most advanced asset
is its interest in two world class porphyry deposits in Mongolia: Hugo North Extension and Heruga. These deposits are the northern-most
and southern-most, respectively, in the Oyu Tolgoi series of deposits, which stretches over 12 kilometres across three mining licences.
The 39,807 hectare Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi
JV Property is comprised of the eastern portion of the Shivee Tolgoi mining licence, which hosts the Hugo North Extension copper-gold
deposit, and all of the Javhlant mining licence, which hosts the Heruga copper-gold-molybdenum deposit. The 23,114 hectare western
portion of the Shivee Tolgoi mining licence (Shivee West) is not currently included in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property,
although it is the subject of a License Fees Agreement with OTLLC and may ultimately be included in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi
JV Property. OTLLC also has a right of first refusal with respect to any proposed disposition by Entrée of an interest in
Shivee West.
The illustration below depicts the mining licences that comprise
the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property and Shivee West:
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
The Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
includes Measured, Indicated and Inferred mineral resources at the Hugo North Extension deposit and Inferred mineral resources
at the Heruga deposit, as reported in Entrée’s technical report titled "Lookout Hill Feasibility Study Update"
dated March 29, 2016, prepared for Entrée by OreWin Pty Ltd ("LHTR16"). The Indicated resources at Hugo North
Extension contain a Probable reserve, which is included in Lift 1 of the Oyu Tolgoi underground block cave mining operation. The
Probable reserve (September 20, 2014) reported in LHTR16 for Hugo North Extension totals approximately 35 million tonnes ("Mt")
grading 1.59% copper, 0.55 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold, and 3.72 g/t silver. Entrée holds a 20% carried interest
in this mineral reserve through the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV. First development production from Lift 1 is expected in approximately
2021. A second lift ("Lift 2") for the Oyu Tolgoi underground block cave operation, including additional resources from
Hugo North Extension, has been proposed but has not yet been modeled within the existing mine plan. Lift 1 is the most significant
value driver for the Oyu Tolgoi project.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
LHTR16 Mineral Reserve –
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV – LTHR16
Mineral Reserve
Hugo North Extension Lift 1, Effective 20 September 2014
| | |
Ore | | |
NSR | | |
Cu | | |
Au | | |
Ag | | |
Recovered Metal | |
| Classification | |
(Mt) | | |
($/t) | | |
(%) | | |
(g/t) | | |
(g/t) | | |
Cu (Mlb) | | |
Au (Koz) | | |
(Ag(Koz) | |
| Probable | |
| 35 | | |
| 100.57 | | |
| 1.59 | | |
| 0.55 | | |
| 3.72 | | |
| 1,121 | | |
| 519 | | |
| 3,591 | |
Notes:
| 1. | Entrée has a 20% interest in the Hugo North Extension Lift 1 mineral reserve. |
| 2. | Metal prices used for calculating the Hugo North Extension underground net smelter return ("NSR")
are as follows: copper at $3.01/lb; gold at $1,250/oz; and silver at $20.37/oz, all based on long-term metal price forecasts at
the beginning of the mineral reserve work. The analysis indicates that the mineral reserve is still valid at these metal prices. |
| 3. | The NSR has been calculated with assumptions specific to Hugo North Extension for smelter refining
and treatment charges, deductions and payment terms, concentrate transport, metallurgical recoveries and royalties. |
| 4. | The block cave shell was defined using a NSR cut-off of $15/t NSR. |
| 5. | For the underground block cave, all mineral resources within the shell have been converted to mineral
reserves, however, low-grade Indicated mineral resources and Inferred mineral resources have been assigned a zero grade and are
treated as dilution. |
| 6. | Only Indicated mineral resources were used to report Probable mineral reserves. |
| 7. | The base case financial analysis has been prepared using the following current long-term metal
price estimates: copper at $3.08/lb; gold at $1,304/oz; and silver at $21.46/oz. |
| 8. | The mineral reserves reported above are not additive to the mineral resources. |
LHTR16 Mineral Resources – Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV – LTHR16
Mineral Resources
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
Contained Metal | |
| Classification | |
Tonnage
(Mt) | | |
Cu
(%) | | |
Au
(g/t) | | |
Ag
(g/t) | | |
Mo
(ppm) | | |
CuEq
(%) | | |
Cu
(Mlb) | | |
Au
(Koz) | | |
Ag
(Koz) | | |
Mo
(Mlb) | | |
CuEq
(Mlb) | |
| Hugo North Extension (>0.37% CuEq Cut-Off) |
| Measured | |
| 1.2 | | |
| 1.38 | | |
| 0.12 | | |
| 2.77 | | |
| 38.4 | | |
| 1.47 | | |
| 36 | | |
| 4.4 | | |
| 105 | | |
| 0.1 | | |
| 38 | |
| Indicated | |
| 128 | | |
| 1.65 | | |
| 0.55 | | |
| 4.12 | | |
| 33.6 | | |
| 1.99 | | |
| 4,663 | | |
| 2,271 | | |
| 16,988 | | |
| 9.5 | | |
| 5,633 | |
| Inferred | |
| 179 | | |
| 0.99 | | |
| 0.34 | | |
| 2.68 | | |
| 25.4 | | |
| 1.20 | | |
| 3,887 | | |
| 1,963 | | |
| 15,418 | | |
| 10.0 | | |
| 4,730 | |
| Heruga (>0.37% CuEq Cut-Off) |
| Inferred | |
| 1,700 | | |
| 0.39 | | |
| 0.37 | | |
| 1.39 | | |
| 113.2 | | |
| 0.64 | | |
| 14,610 | | |
| 20,428 | | |
| 75,955 | | |
| 424 | | |
| 24,061 | |
Notes:
| 1. | Entrée has a 20% interest in the Hugo North Extension and Heruga mineral resources. |
| 2. | "CuEq" is copper-equivalent grade, expressed in percent. |
| 3. | The effective date for the Hugo North Extension resource estimate is March 28, 2014; for Heruga
the effective date is March 30, 2010. |
| 4. | The 0.37% CuEq cut-off is equivalent to the underground mineral reserve cut-off as determined by
OTLLC. |
| 5. | CuEq has been calculated using assumed metal prices ($3.01/lb for copper, $1,250/oz for gold, $20.37/oz
for silver, and $11.90/lb for molybdenum). |
| 6. | Hugo North Extension CuEq% = Cu% + (( Au (g/t) x 1,250 x 0.0321507 x 0.913) + ( Ag (g/t) x 20.37
x 0.0321507 x 0. 942)) / (3.01 x 22.0462). |
| 7. | Heruga CuEq% = Cu% + (( Au (g/t) x 1,250 x 0.0321507 x 0.911) + ( Ag (g/t) x 20.37 x 0.0321507
x 0. 949) + (Mo (ppm) x 11.9 x 0.0022046 x 0.736)) / (3.01 x 22.0462). |
| 8. | The contained copper, gold, silver and molybdenum in the tables have not been adjusted for metallurgical
recovery. |
| 9. | Totals may not match due to rounding. |
| 10. | Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. |
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
LHTR16 Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Summary Production and
Economic Analysis Results
| Description | |
Units | |
Total | |
| Metal Prices |
| Copper | |
$/lb | |
| 3.08 | |
| Gold | |
$/oz | |
| 1,304 | |
| Silver | |
$/oz | |
| 21.46 | |
| Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property Results (Lift 1) |
| Processed | |
Mt | |
| 34.8 | |
| NSR | |
$/t | |
| 100.57 | |
| Cu Grade | |
% | |
| 1.59 | |
| Au Grade | |
g/t | |
| 0.55 | |
| Ag Grade | |
g/t | |
| 3.72 | |
| Copper Recovered | |
Mlb | |
| 1,121 | |
| Gold Recovered | |
koz | |
| 519 | |
| Silver Recovered | |
koz | |
| 3,591 | |
| Total Cash Costs After Credits | |
$/lb Payable Copper | |
| 0.99 | |
| NPV8% Before Tax (Entrée’s 20% interest only) | |
$M | |
| 142 | |
| NPV8% After Tax (Entrée’s 20% interest only) | |
$M | |
| 106 | |
Notes:
| 1. | Entrée has a 20% interest in Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property mineralization. Unless
otherwise noted above, results are for the entire Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV. |
| 2. | Metal prices used for calculating the Hugo North Extension underground NSR are as follows: copper
at $3.01/lb; gold at $1,250/oz; and silver at $20.37/oz, all based on long-term metal price forecasts at the beginning of the mineral
reserve work. The analysis indicates that the mineral reserve is still valid at these metal prices. |
| 3. | The NSR has been calculated with assumptions specific to Hugo North Extension for smelter refining
and treatment charges, deductions and payment terms, concentrate transport, metallurgical recoveries and royalties. |
| 4. | The block cave shell was defined using a NSR cut-off of $15/t NSR. |
| 5. | For the underground block cave, all Indicated mineral resources within the shell have been converted
to mineral reserves. Low-grade Indicated mineral resources and Inferred mineral resources have been assigned a zero grade and treated
as dilution. |
| 6. | The mineral reserves reported are not additive to the mineral resources. |
In addition to the mine plan for Lift 1,
LHTR16 discusses several alternative production cases that would include mineral resources from other Oyu Tolgoi deposits, including
Hugo North Extension Lift 2 and Heruga, and allow for continuous improvement in plant throughput and potential plant expansions
up to 350 thousand tonnes per day. Due to the nature of the deposits associated with Oyu Tolgoi, the project has the flexibility
to consider several options for optimizing the overall mine plan for the benefit of stakeholders. Separate development decisions
will need to be made based on future prevailing conditions and the experience obtained from developing and operating the initial
phases of the project.
A complete description and the Company’s
related history of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV is available in the Company’s AIF dated March 10, 2017, available for
review on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For additional information regarding the assumptions, qualifications and procedures associated
with the scientific and technical information regarding the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, reference should be made to the
full text of LHTR16, which is available for review on SEDAR.
Shivee West Property Summary
Shivee West comprises
the northwest portion of the Lookout Hill property, and adjoins the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property and OTLLC’s Oyu
Tolgoi mining licence.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
To date, no economic
zones of precious or base metals mineralization have been outlined on Shivee West. However, zones of gold and copper mineralization
have previously been identified at Zone III/Argo Zone and Khoyor Mod. There has been no drilling on the ground since 2011, and
no exploration work has been completed since 2012. In 2015, in light of the ongoing requirement to pay approximately $350,000 annually
in licence fees for Shivee West and a determination that no further exploration work would likely be undertaken in the near future,
Entrée began to examine options to reduce expenditures in Mongolia. These options included further reducing the area of
the mining licence, looking for a purchaser or partner for Shivee West, and rolling the ground into the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi
JV. Management determined that it was in the best interests of Entrée to roll Shivee West into the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV, and Entrée entered into a License Fees Agreement with OTLLC on October 1, 2015. The License Fees Agreement provides
the parties will use their best efforts to amend the JVA to include Shivee West in the definition of Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV
Property. Entrée determined that rolling Shivee West into the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV would provide the joint venture
partners with continued security of tenure; Entrée shareholders would continue to benefit from any exploration or development
that the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV management committee approves on Shivee West; and Entrée would no longer have to pay
licence fees, as the parties agreed that the licence fees would be for the account of each joint venture participant in proportion
to their respective interests, with OTLLC contributing Entrée’s 20% share charging interest at prime plus 2%.
To date, no amended JVA has been entered into, and Entrée retains a 100% interest in Shivee West.
Q3 2017 Review
Exploration and development of the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property is under the control of Rio Tinto on behalf of manager OTLLC.
As reported by Turquoise Hill on November 2,
2017, production from the Lift 1 underground mine, which starts on the OTLLC Oyu Tolgoi mining license, remains on track for first
draw bell in mid-2020 and sustainable first production in 2021. Activities reported in Q3 2017 include:
| · | Underground lateral development made good progress with approximately 1.4 equivalent kilometres
completed. Since the re-start of development, a total of 5.4 equivalent kilometres of lateral development has been completed. |
| · | The third development crew was deployed. Crews four and five were in training during the quarter
and are expected to be deployed during Q4’17. Also during Q3’17, commissioning of the new 3,500 tonne per day development
crusher was completed. With the deployment of crews four and five, a step up in lateral development rates is expected to begin
in Q4’17. |
| · | At the end of Q3’17, Shaft 2 sinking was at 1,249 metres and work had commenced on the service-level
excavation that has a floor at 1,256 metres. Shaft 2 sinking is expected to be complete in 2017 at a final depth of 1,284 metres
with fit out occurring over 2018. Shaft 2 is key to future increases in lateral development activity. |
| · | Shaft 5 sinking progressed approximately 214 metres during Q3’17. During September, the underground
team achieved the best sinking rate for Shaft 5 since project re-start averaging 2.6 metres per day. Sinking of Shaft 5 began slower
than expected due to an extended construction re-start period and lower productivity with completion now likely in early 2018.
When completed, Shaft 5 will be dedicated to ventilation thereby increasing the capacity for underground activities; however, with
good early progress and continued on-plan lateral development, the completion of Shaft 5 sinking in early 2018 is not expected
to materially impact the lateral development plan. |
| · | Development of the convey-to-surface decline continued to progress with month-on-month improvement
resulting from the use of project-wide process optimization techniques. The convey-to-surface system is the eventual route of the
full 95,000 tonne per day underground ore delivery system to the concentrator; however, it is not a critical path item for first
draw bell planned in mid-2020. Expected completion of the convey-to-surface system is 2022, which will facilitate the ramp up to
full production by 2027. |
For the three and nine months ended September
30, 2017, Entrée expenses related to Mongolian operations were $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, compared to
$0.1 million and $0.3 million for the same periods of 2016. These costs represented in-country administration costs in 2017. In
the comparative period of 2016, there were camp closure costs in addition to the general administration costs for the assets.
The lower expenses in 2017 compared to 2016 resulted from a reduction of operational activities, personnel and overhead in Mongolia.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
BLUE
ROSE PROPERTY – AUSTRALIA
Summary
The Blue Rose silver-iron-gold-copper
property is located in the Olary Region of South Australia, 300 kilometres northeast of Adelaide and 130 kilometres
west-southwest of Broken Hill. Entrée (operator) has a 56.31% interest in the property, with Giralia Resources Pty
Ltd., now a subsidiary of Atlas Iron Limited, retaining a 43.69% interest. The property consists of one exploration licence,
EL6006, totalling 257 square kilometres, expiring on July 18, 2019.
In October 2013, the Blue Rose joint venture
filed a Part 9B native title application under the South Australia Mining Act and the Wilyakali and Ngadjuri groups registered
as native title claimants. A native title agreement was signed with the Wilyakali group in December 2013 and an agreement with
the Ngadjuri group was signed in March 2014.
The Braemar Iron Formation is the host
rock to magnetite mineralization on both EL6006 and Magnetite Mines Limited’s Razorback Iron project, located immediately
west of EL6006. Aeromagnetic anomalies coincident with the outcropping and sub-cropping magnetite units extend from Razorback into
EL6006. The mineralization within the Braemar Iron Formation forms a simple dipping tabular body with only minor faulting, folding
and intrusives. Grades, thickness, dip, and outcropping geometry remain very consistent over kilometres of strike. While the bedded
magnetite has the highest iron content, the tillitic unit is diluted by the inclusion of lithic fragments, such as iron-poor granite
and metasedimentary dropstones.
On April 18, 2017, the Blue Rose joint
venture partners entered into a Deed of Consent, Sale and Variation (the "Deed") with Lodestone Equities Limited and
Fe Mines Limited (formerly Braemar Iron Pty Ltd) ("FML"). FML has certain rights in respect of the exploration for, and
development of, iron ore on EL6006 pursuant to a prior agreement.
Under the Deed, the Blue Rose joint venture
partners agreed to transfer title to EL6006 and assign the native title agreements to FML, and vary a payment required to be made
to the Blue Rose joint venture partners under the prior agreement. Under the Deed, FML must now pay to the Blue Rose joint venture
partners an aggregate A$100,000 at completion, and grant to them (a) the right to receive an additional payment(s) upon completion
of an initial or subsequent iron ore resource estimate on EL6006, to a maximum of A$2 million in aggregate; and (b) a royalty equal
to 0.65% of the free on board value of iron ore product extracted and recovered from EL6006. Under the Deed, an additional A$285,000
must also be paid to the Blue Rose joint venture partners upon the commencement of Commercial Production (as such term is defined
in the Deed).
The Blue Rose joint venture partners will
retain their existing rights to explore for, develop and mine all minerals other than iron ore on EL6006.
On May 23, 2017, the Blue Rose joint venture
partners entered into an agreement with Hamelin Gully Pty Ltd, for the sale of data and information relating to ground surrendered
by the Blue Rose joint venture partners and subsequently acquired by Hamelin Gully. The purchase price for the data and information
was A$150,000. The transaction closed on July 11, 2017.
Q3 2017 Review
Expenditures in Q3 2017 were minimal and
related to administrative costs in Australia.
CAñARIACO
PROJECT ROYALTY – PERU
Summary
In July 2015, the Company entered into
an agreement with Candente Copper Corp. (TSX:DNT) ("Candente") to acquire a 0.5% NSR royalty on Candente's 100% owned
Cañariaco project in Peru for a purchase price of $500,000.
The Cañariaco project includes the
Cañariaco Norte copper-gold-silver deposit, as well as the adjacent Cañariaco Sur and Quebrada Verde copper prospects,
located within the western Cordillera of the Peruvian Andes in the Department of Lambayeque, Northern Peru.
There was no activity or expenditures related
to this royalty in Q3 2017.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
SUMMARY OF CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
OPERATING RESULTS
Plan of arrangement and discontinued
operations
On May 9, 2017, the Company completed
a plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") under Section 288 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia)
pursuant to which Entrée transferred its wholly owned subsidiaries that directly or indirectly hold the Ann Mason
Project in Nevada and the Lordsburg property in New Mexico including $8,843,232 in cash and cash equivalents to a
newly incorporated company, Mason Resources Corp. ("Mason Resources") in exchange for 77,804,786 common shares of
Mason Resources ("Mason Common Shares"). Mason Resources commenced trading on the TSX on May
12, 2017 under the symbol "MNR".
As part of the Arrangement, Entrée
then distributed 77,805,786 Mason Common Shares to Entrée shareholders by way of a share exchange, pursuant to which
each existing share of Entrée was exchanged for one "new" share of Entrée and 0.45 of a Mason Common Share.
Optionholders and warrantholders of Entrée received replacement options and warrants of Entrée and options and warrants
of Mason Resources which were proportionate to, and reflective of the terms of, their existing options and warrants of Entrée.
The assets and liabilities that were
transferred to Mason Resources were classified as discontinued operations and classified on the balance sheet as assets /
liabilities held for spin-off ("Spin-off"). The discontinued operations include three entities transferred to
Mason Resources pursuant to the Arrangement, Mason U.S. Holdings Inc. (formerly Entrée U.S. Holdings Inc.), Mason
Resources (US) Inc. (formerly Entrée Gold (US) Inc., and M.I.M. (U.S.A.) Inc. (collectively the "US
Subsidiaries"). The Spin-off distribution was accounted for at the carrying amount, without gain or loss, and resulted
in a reduction of stockholders’ equity (deficiency) of $44.2 million.
The closing of the Arrangement resulted
in the following Spin-off assets and liabilities being distributed to Mason Resources on May 9, 2017:
| | |
May 9, 2017 | | |
December 31, 2016 | |
| Current assets | |
| | | |
| | |
| Cash | |
$ | 8,843 | | |
$ | 129 | |
| Receivables and prepaids | |
| 137 | | |
| 219 | |
| | |
| 8,980 | | |
| 348 | |
| Long-term assets | |
| | | |
| | |
| Equipment | |
| 25 | | |
| 25 | |
| Mineral property interest | |
| 37,699 | | |
| 38,379 | |
| Reclamation deposits and other | |
| 481 | | |
| 481 | |
| | |
| 38,205 | | |
| 38,885 | |
| Current liabilities | |
| | | |
| | |
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | |
| (34 | ) | |
| (230 | ) |
| Long-term liabilities | |
| | | |
| | |
| Deferred income taxes | |
| (2,937 | ) | |
| (3,015 | ) |
| Net assets | |
$ | 44,214 | | |
$ | 35,988 | |
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
Operating Results
The Company’s operating results for
the three and nine months ended September 30 were:
| | |
Three months ended September 30 | | |
Nine months ended September 30 | |
| | |
2017 | | |
2016 | | |
2015 | | |
2017 | | |
2016 | | |
2015 | |
| Expenses | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
| Exploration | |
$ | 95 | | |
$ | 50 | | |
$ | 284 | | |
$ | 273 | | |
$ | 419 | | |
$ | 1,172 | |
| General and administration | |
| 258 | | |
| 525 | | |
| 729 | | |
| 1,632 | | |
| 1,553 | | |
| 2,515 | |
| Restructuring costs | |
| 14 | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 210 | | |
| - | | |
| - | |
| Depreciation | |
| 7 | | |
| 3 | | |
| 5 | | |
| 14 | | |
| 11 | | |
| 16 | |
| Foreign exchange loss (gain) | |
| (349 | ) | |
| (39 | ) | |
| (1,137 | ) | |
| (406 | ) | |
| 397 | | |
| (2,517 | ) |
| Other | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| (52 | ) | |
| - | | |
| - | |
| Operating loss (income) | |
| 25 | | |
| 539 | | |
| (119 | ) | |
| 1,671 | | |
| 2,380 | | |
| 1,186 | |
| Interest expense, net | |
| 49 | | |
| 45 | | |
| 66 | | |
| 122 | | |
| 129 | | |
| 123 | |
| Loss from equity investee | |
| 55 | | |
| 62 | | |
| 25 | | |
| 157 | | |
| 169 | | |
| 78 | |
| Operating loss (income) before income taxes | |
| 129 | | |
| 646 | | |
| (28 | ) | |
| 1,950 | | |
| 2,678 | | |
| 1,387 | |
| Income tax recovery | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| (662 | ) | |
| (72 | ) | |
| - | | |
| (897 | ) |
| Net loss (income) from continuing
operations | |
| 129 | | |
| 646 | | |
| (690 | ) | |
| 1,878 | | |
| 2,678 | | |
| 490 | |
| Net loss from discontinued operations | |
| - | | |
| 363 | | |
| 836 | | |
| 176 | | |
| 1,017 | | |
| 3,266 | |
| Net loss | |
| 129 | | |
| 1,009 | | |
| 146 | | |
| 2,054 | | |
| 3,695 | | |
| 3,756 | |
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | |
| 893 | | |
| 172 | | |
| 1,889 | | |
| 2,505 | | |
| (1,176 | ) | |
| 4,171 | |
| Net loss and comprehensive loss | |
$ | 1,022 | | |
$ | 1,181 | | |
$ | 2,035 | | |
$ | 4,559 | | |
$ | 2,519 | | |
$ | 7,927 | |
| Net loss per common share | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
| Basic/diluted - continuing operations | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | 0.00 | | |
$ | (0.01 | ) | |
$ | (0.02 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) |
| Basic/diluted - discontinued operations | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.01 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.01 | ) | |
$ | (0.02 | ) |
| Total assets | |
$ | 8,807 | | |
$ | 54,515 | | |
$ | 65,733 | | |
$ | 8,807 | | |
$ | 54,515 | | |
$ | 65,733 | |
| Total non-current liabilities | |
$ | 32,428 | | |
$ | 34,339 | | |
$ | 39,084 | | |
$ | 32,428 | | |
$ | 34,339 | | |
$ | 39,084 | |
During the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2017, the Company’s net loss from continuing operations was $0.1 million and $1.9 million, respectively, compared
to $1.0 million and $2.7 million for the same periods in 2016. This reduction was due to reduced corporate administration expenses with the spin-out of Mason Resources. In addition, positive foreign exchange fluctuations primarily
related to the USD:CAD exchange rate and a reduction in exploration related expenditures contributed to the decrease.
General and administration costs in Q3
2017 were lower than in 2016 due to completion of the Mason Resources spin-out in Q2 2017 resulting in lower corporate costs subsequent
to the date of the spin-out. During the nine month period ended September 30, 2017, general and administration costs were higher
than in the corporative period of 2016 due to the costs to complete the restructuring in Q2 2017.
Exploration costs in Mongolia were lower
in 2017 due to a reduction in staffing and general administrative costs.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
The resulting foreign exchange gain of
$0.4 million in 2017 was primarily the result of movements between the C$ and US$ as the Company holds its cash in both currencies.
Interest expense (net) was primarily
related to the loan payable to OTLLC pursuant to the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, and is subject to a variable
interest rate.
The loss from equity investee was
related to the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property and was consistent with comparative periods.
Net loss from discontinued operations
was due to the Arrangement that was completed during Q2 2017 and the amount was related to exploration costs of the assets
that were spun-out to Mason Resources.
The total assets as of September 30,
2017 are substantially lower than the comparative periods due to the completion of the restructuring and resulting roll out
of the assets into Mason Resources. The non-current liabilities are lower than past periods due to repayment in 2016 of the
deferred revenue balance to Sandstorm Gold Ltd. (‘Sandstorm”).
Quarterly Financial Data – 2 year historic trend
| | |
Q3 17 | | |
Q2 17 | | |
Q1 17 | | |
Q4 16 | | |
Q3 16 | | |
Q2 16 | | |
Q1 16 | | |
Q4 15 | |
| Exploration | |
$ | 95 | | |
$ | 109 | | |
$ | 69 | | |
$ | 70 | | |
$ | 50 | | |
$ | 142 | | |
$ | 227 | | |
$ | 487 | |
| General and administrative | |
| 272 | | |
| 613 | | |
| 905 | | |
| 937 | | |
| 525 | | |
| 476 | | |
| 552 | | |
| 2,153 | |
| Depreciation | |
| 7 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 3 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 3 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 5 | |
| Foreign exchange (gain) loss | |
| (349 | ) | |
| (100 | ) | |
| 43 | | |
| (54 | ) | |
| (39 | ) | |
| 4 | | |
| 432 | | |
| (403 | ) |
| Operating loss | |
| 25 | | |
| 626 | | |
| 1,020 | | |
| 957 | | |
| 539 | | |
| 626 | | |
| 1,215 | | |
| 2,242 | |
| Interest expense, net | |
| 49 | | |
| 38 | | |
| 35 | | |
| 48 | | |
| 45 | | |
| 43 | | |
| 41 | | |
| 289 | |
| Loss from equity investee | |
| 55 | | |
| 55 | | |
| 48 | | |
| 68 | | |
| 62 | | |
| 60 | | |
| 47 | | |
| 41 | |
| Income tax (recovery) expense | |
| - | | |
| (72 | ) | |
| - | | |
| (553 | ) | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| 1,057 | |
| Net loss from continuing operations | |
$ | 129 | | |
$ | 647 | | |
$ | 1,103 | | |
$ | 520 | | |
$ | 646 | | |
$ | 729 | | |
$ | 1,303 | | |
$ | 3,629 | |
| Net loss from discontinued operations | |
| - | | |
| 23 | | |
| 153 | | |
$ | 448 | | |
$ | 363 | | |
$ | 325 | | |
$ | 329 | | |
$ | 446 | |
| Net loss | |
$ | 129 | | |
$ | 670 | | |
$ | 1,256 | | |
$ | 968 | | |
$ | 1,009 | | |
$ | 1,054 | | |
$ | 1,632 | | |
$ | 4,075 | |
| Basic/diluted loss per share – continuing operations | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.01 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.01 | ) | |
$ | (0.02 | ) |
| Basic/diluted loss per share – discontinued operations | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) | |
$ | (0.00 | ) |
Exploration costs trended lower since the
peak in Q4 2015 as the Company reduced its technical review work related to the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property and placed
all non-material properties on care and maintenance through 2015 and 2016.
General and administrative costs
in Q4 2015 included termination and shutdown costs primarily attributable to a reduction of employee
levels in Canada as well as a reduction in certain other overhead expenditures. There costs have trended lower since then in
line with the reduction in exploration activities with the exception of Q4 2016 and Q1 2017 which incurred one-time
costs associated with the strategic reorganization initiatives.
Interest expense is primarily due to accrued interest on the
OTLLC loan payable, partially offset by interest income earned on invested cash. Interest expense remains consistent quarter on
quarter, with the exception of Q4 2015, which included an adjustment to accrued interest income from prior periods. Interest income
continues to decrease every quarter due to lower principal amounts invested as a result of cash expenditures on operations throughout
the year.
The loss from equity investee remains consistent quarter on
quarter.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
| | |
Three months ended September 30 | | |
Nine months ended September 30 | |
| | |
2017 | | |
2016 | | |
2015 | | |
2017 | | |
2016 | | |
2015 | |
| Cash used in operating activities | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
| - Before changes in working capital items | |
$ | (467 | ) | |
$ | (902 | ) | |
$ | (1,835 | ) | |
$ | (2,528 | ) | |
$ | (1,875 | ) | |
$ | (6,899 | ) |
| - After changes in working capital items | |
| (596 | ) | |
| (1,117 | ) | |
| (1,252 | ) | |
| (2,553 | ) | |
| (9,460 | ) | |
| (7,187 | ) |
| Cash flows from financing activities | |
| 159 | | |
| 17 | | |
| 2 | | |
| 5,237 | | |
| 53 | | |
| 7 | |
| Cash flows from (used in) investing activities | |
| - | | |
| - | | |
| (508 | ) | |
| (8,937 | ) | |
| 34 | | |
| (515 | ) |
| Net cash outflows | |
| (437 | ) | |
| (1,100 | ) | |
| (1,758 | ) | |
| (6,253 | ) | |
| (9,373 | ) | |
| (7,695 | ) |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | |
| 322 | | |
| 3 | | |
| (132 | ) | |
| 513 | | |
| 187 | | |
| (337 | ) |
| Cash balance | |
$ | 7,651 | | |
$ | 13,600 | | |
$ | 25,485 | | |
$ | 7,651 | | |
$ | 13,600 | | |
$ | 25,485 | |
For Q3 2017, cash expenditures after
working capital items was lower than the comparative period in 2016 due to the completion of the restructuring in Q2 2017
resulting in lower corporate costs going forward. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2017, cash expenditures after
working capital items was lower than the comparative period in 2016 due to the $5.5 million cash refund to Sandstorm (see "Amended Sandstorm Agreement" below) and approximately $1.0 million to reduce the
accounts payable balance in Q1 2016.
For the nine month period ended September
30, 2017, cash flows from financing activities included $5.2 million received from the non-brokered private placement which closed
in January 2017 and some minor stock option proceeds. During the three month period ended September 30, 2017, cash flows from financing
activities related to stock option exercises in the quarter.
For the nine month period ended September
30, 2017, cash flows from investing activities included the transfer of $8,750,000 to Mason Resources on May 1, 2017 as a capital
contribution in connection with the Arrangement. The transaction costs associated with the Arrangement totaled $0.4 million, of
which $0.2 million was recovered from Mason Resources.
The Company is an exploration stage company
and has not generated positive cash flow from its operations. As a result, the Company has been dependent on equity and production-based
financings for additional funding. Working capital on hand at September 30, 2017 was approximately $7.8 million with a cash balance
of approximately $7.7 million. Management believes it has adequate financial resources to satisfy its obligations over the next
12 month period and up to the expected time when the Company believes it will commence production. The Company does not anticipate
the need for additional funding during this time.
Loan Payable to Oyu Tolgoi LLC
Under the terms of the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV, OTLLC will contribute funds to approved joint venture programs and budgets on the Company’s behalf. Interest on
each loan advance shall accrue at an annual rate equal to OTLLC’s actual cost of capital or the prime rate of the Royal Bank
of Canada, plus two percent (2%) per annum, whichever is less, as at the date of the advance. The loan will be repayable by the
Company monthly from ninety percent (90%) of the Company’s share of available cash flow from the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi
JV. In the absence of available cash flow, the loan will not be repayable. The loan is not expected to be repaid within one year.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
Contractual Obligations
As at September 30, 2017, the Company had the following contractual
obligations outstanding:
| | |
Total | | |
Less than 1 year | | |
1 - 2 years | | |
Thereafter | |
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | |
$ | 188 | | |
$ | 188 | | |
$ | - | | |
$ | - | |
| Lease commitments | |
$ | 594 | | |
$ | 105 | | |
$ | 233 | | |
$ | 256 | |
STOCKHOLDERS’
EQUITY
The Company’s authorized share capital
consists of unlimited common shares without par value.
On May 9, 2017, the Company completed
the spin-out of its Ann Mason Project and Lordsburg property (the "US Projects") into Mason Resources through the
Arrangement. As part of the Arrangement, Entrée shareholders received Mason Common Shares by way of a share
exchange, pursuant to which each existing share of Entrée was exchanged for one "new" share of Entrée
and 0.45 of a Mason Common Share. Optionholders and warrantholders of Entrée received replacement options and warrants
of Entrée and options and warrants of Mason Resources which were proportionate to, and reflective of the terms of,
their existing options and warrants of Entrée. As a result of the completed Arrangement, Stockholders’ equity
was reduced by $44.2 million.
At September 30, 2017, the Company had
173,573,572 shares issued and outstanding and at November 10, 2017, the Company had 173,573,572 shares issued and outstanding.
On January 11 and 13, 2017, the Company
closed a non-brokered private placement in two tranches issuing a total of 18,529,484 units at a price of C$0.41 per unit for aggregate
gross proceeds of C$7.6 million. Each unit consisted of one common share of the Company and one-half of one transferable Warrant.
Each whole Warrant entitled the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at a price of C$0.65 per
share for a period of 5 years. No commissions or finders' fees were payable in connection with the private placement. Pursuant
to the Arrangement, on May 23, 2017 each Warrant was exchanged for one replacement Entrée Warrant and 0.45 of a Mason Resources
transferable common share purchase warrant with the same attributes as the original Warrants. The exercise price of the replacement
Entrée Warrants was adjusted based on the market value of the two companies after completion of the Arrangement.
Share Purchase Warrants
At September 30, 2017, and at the
date of this MD&A, the following share purchase warrants were outstanding:
Number of share
purchase warrants
(000’s) | | |
Pre-Arrangement
exercise price per share
C$ | | |
Post-Arrangement
adjusted exercise price
per share C$ | | |
Expiry date |
| | 8,655 | | |
| 0.65 | | |
| 0.55 | | |
January 10, 2022 |
| | 610 | | |
| 0.65 | | |
| 0.55 | | |
January 12, 2022 |
Stock Option Plan
The Company has adopted a stock option
plan (the "Plan") to grant options to directors, officers, employees and consultants. Under the Plan, the Company may
grant options to acquire up to 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company. Options granted can have a term of up to
ten years and an exercise price typically not less than the Company's closing stock price on the TSX on the last trading day before
the date of grant. Vesting is determined at the discretion of the Board.
Under the Plan, an option holder may elect
to terminate an option, in whole or in part and, in lieu of receiving shares to which the terminated option relates (the "Designated
Shares"), receive the number of shares, disregarding fractions, which, when multiplied by the weighted average trading price
of the shares on the TSX during the five trading days immediately preceding the day of termination (the "Fair Value"
per share) of the Designated Shares, has a total dollar value equal to the number of Designated Shares multiplied by the difference
between the Fair Value and the exercise price per share of the Designated Shares.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
Pursuant to the Arrangement, on May 23,
2017 each outstanding option was exchanged for one replacement Entrée option with the same expiry date and 0.45 of a Mason
Resources option. The exercise prices of the replacement Entrée options were adjusted based on the market value of the two
companies after completion of the Arrangement.
As at September 30, 2017, the Company had 7,345,000
stock options outstanding, of which 7,312,500 had vested and were exercisable. Subsequent to September 30, 2017, the Company granted
a total of 1,835,000 options at a price of C$0.52 to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company.
During the three month period ended September
30, 2017, 860,000 stock options were exercised or terminated and transformed into stock appreciation rights. An aggregate 670,605
common shares were issued, and the Company received gross proceeds of C$199,350 from the option exercises. Additionally, 100,000
stock options with an exercise price of C$0.61 expired. Subsequent to September 30, 2017 5,000 stock options with an exercise price
of C$0.47 expired.
For the nine months ended
September 30, 2017, the total stock-based compensation charges related to stock options granted and vested and the inducement
bonus shares was $0.2 million (2016 – $0.1 million). The increase in stock-based compensation was primarily due to the
issuing of 100,000 common shares pursuant to a grant of previously reserved employment inducement bonus shares.
The following is a summary of stock options
outstanding as at the date of this report:
Number of shares
(000`s) | | |
Vested (000`s) | | |
Aggregate
intrinsic value C$
(000’s) | | |
Pre-Arrangement
exercise price
per share C$ | | |
Post-
Arrangement
adjusted exercise
price per share C$ | | |
Expiry date |
| | 2,855 | | |
| 2,855 | | |
| 906 | | |
| 0.30 – 0.56 | | |
| 0.26 – 0.47 | | |
Mar – Dec 2018 |
| | 860 | | |
| 860 | | |
| 464 | | |
| 0.21 | | |
| 0.18 | | |
Dec 2019 |
| | 1,320 | | |
| 1,320 | | |
| 567 | | |
| 0.33 – 0.38 | | |
| 0.28 – 0.32 | | |
July – Dec 2020 |
| | 2,240 | | |
| 2,240 | | |
| 809 | | |
| 0.39 – 0.42 | | |
| 0.33 – 0.36 | | |
Mar – Nov 2021 |
| | 65 | | |
| 33 | | |
| 4 | | |
| n/a | | |
| 0.62 | | |
May 2022 |
| | 1,835 | | |
| 1,835 | | |
| 367 | | |
| n/a | | |
| 0.52 | | |
Oct 2022 |
| | 9,175 | | |
| 9,143 | | |
| 3,117 | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|
PLAN
OF ARRANGEMENT
On May 9, 2017, the Company completed
the spin-out of its U.S. Projects into Mason Resources through the Arrangement. The Mason Common Shares commenced trading on
the TSX on May 12, 2017 under the symbol "MNR".
The Arrangement was designed to deliver
greater value to shareholders by unlocking the value of the Ann Mason Project in Nevada while minimizing dilution to Entrée’s
flagship asset in Mongolia. With the spin-out of Mason Resources complete, the Company is focused on completion of an updated Technical
Report which will include a Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV’s Hugo North Extension Lift
2 and Heruga deposits, assessing other high quality, value accretive royalty and development opportunities, and identifying opportunities
to streamline Entrée’s joint venture interest or crystalize value ahead of production from the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi
JV Property.
AMENDED
SANDSTORM AGREEMENT
On February 14, 2013, the Company entered
into an Equity Participation and Funding Agreement with Sandstorm (the "2013 Agreement"). Pursuant to the 2013 Agreement,
Sandstorm provided an upfront refundable deposit (the "Deposit") of $40 million to the Company. The Company will use
future payments that it receives from its mineral property interests to purchase and deliver metal credits to Sandstorm, in amounts
that are indexed to the Company’s share of gold, silver and copper production from the currently defined Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property. Upon the delivery of metal credits, Sandstorm will also make the cash payment outlined below. In addition,
the 2013 Agreement provided for a partial refund of the Deposit and a pro rata reduction in the number of metal credits deliverable
to Sandstorm in the event of a partial expropriation of Entrée’s economic interest, contractually or otherwise, in
the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
On February 23, 2016, the Company and Sandstorm
entered into an Agreement to Amend the 2013 Agreement, whereby the Company refunded 17% of the Deposit ($6.8 million) (the "Refund")
in cash and shares thereby reducing the Deposit to $33.2 million for a 17% reduction in the metal credits that the Company is required
to deliver to Sandstorm. At closing on March 1, 2016, the parties entered into an Amended and Restated Equity Participation and
Funding Agreement (the "Amended Sandstorm Agreement"). Under the terms of the Amended Sandstorm Agreement, the Company
will purchase and deliver gold, silver and copper credits equivalent to:
| · | 28.1% of Entrée’s share of gold and silver, and 2.1% of Entrée’s share
of copper, produced from the Shivee Tolgoi mining licence (excluding Shivee West); and |
| · | 21.3% of Entrée’s share of gold and silver, and 2.1% of Entrée’s share
of copper, produced from the Javhlant mining licence. |
Upon the delivery of metal credits, Sandstorm
will make a cash payment to the Company equal to the lesser of the prevailing market price and $220 per ounce of gold, $5 per ounce
of silver and $0.50 per pound of copper (subject to inflation adjustments). After approximately 8.6 million ounces of gold, 40.3
million ounces of silver and 9.1 billion pounds of copper have been produced from the entire Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property
(as currently defined) the cash payment will be increased to the lesser of the prevailing market price and $500 per ounce of gold,
$10 per ounce of silver and $1.10 per pound of copper (subject to inflation adjustments). To the extent that the prevailing market
price is greater than the amount of the cash payment, the difference between the two will be credited against the Deposit (the
net amount of the Deposit being the "Unearned Balance").
This arrangement does not require the delivery
of actual metal, and the Company may use revenue from any of its assets to purchase the requisite amount of metal credits.
Under the Amended Sandstorm Agreement,
Sandstorm has a right of first refusal, subject to certain exceptions, on future production-based funding agreements. The Amended
Sandstorm Agreement also contains other customary terms and conditions, including representations, warranties, covenants and events
of default. The initial term of the Amended Sandstorm Agreement is 50 years, subject to successive 10-year extensions at the discretion
of Sandstorm.
In addition, the Amended Sandstorm Agreement
provides that the Company will not be required to make any further refund of the Deposit if Entrée’s economic interest
is reduced by up to and including 17%. If there is a reduction of greater than 17% up to and including 34%, the Amended Sandstorm
Agreement provides the Company with the ability to refund a corresponding portion of the Deposit in cash or common shares of the
Company or any combination of the two at the Company’s election, in which case there would be a further corresponding reduction
in deliverable metal credits. If the Company elects to refund Sandstorm with common shares of the Company, the value of each common
share shall be equal to the volume weighted average price ("VWAP") for the five (5) trading days immediately preceding
the 90th day after the reduction in Entrée’s economic interest. In no case will Sandstorm become a "control
person" under the Amended Sandstorm Agreement. In the event an issuance of shares would cause Sandstorm to become a "control
person", the maximum number of shares will be issued, and with respect to the value of the remaining shares, 50% will not
be refunded (and there will not be a corresponding reduction in deliverable metal credits) and the remaining 50% will be refunded
by the issuance of shares in tranches over time, such that the number of shares that Sandstorm holds does not reach or exceed 20%.
All shares will be priced in the context of the market at the time they are issued.
In the event of a full expropriation, the
remainder of the Unearned Balance after the foregoing refunds must be returned in cash.
The Amended Sandstorm Agreement does not
impact Sandstorm's requirement to vote its shares as Entrée's Board specifies with respect to any potential acquisition
of the Company, provided the potential acquirer agrees to execute and deliver to Sandstorm a deed of adherence to the Amended Sandstorm
Agreement.
For accounting purposes, the Deposit is
accounted for as deferred revenue on the balance sheet and the original Deposit was recorded at the historical amount of $40.0
million. As a result of the Amended Sandstorm Agreement, the deferred revenue amount was adjusted to reflect the $6.8 million Refund
which was recorded at the foreign exchange amount at the date of the Refund resulting in a net balance of C$30.9 million. This amount
is subject to foreign currency fluctuations upon conversion to US dollars at each reporting period.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
The $6.8 million Refund was paid
with $5.5 million in cash and the issuance of $1.3 million of common shares of the Company. On March 1, 2016, the Company issued
5,128,604 common shares to Sandstorm at a price of C$0.3496 per common share pursuant to the Agreement to Amend. The price was
calculated using the VWAP of Entrée's shares on the TSX for the 15 trading days preceding February 23, 2016, the effective
date of the Agreement to Amend.
As at September 30, 2017 Sandstorm owned
23,900,380 common shares, or 13.8% of the outstanding shares of the Company.
OTHER
DISCLOSURES
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Entrée has no off-balance sheet
arrangements except for the contractual obligation noted above.
Financial Instruments
The following table provides the fair value
of each classification of financial instrument:
| | |
September 30, 2017 | | |
December 31, 2016 | |
| Financial assets | |
| | | |
| | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | |
$ | 7,651 | | |
$ | 13,262 | |
| Receivables | |
| 256 | | |
| 37 | |
| Deposits | |
| 15 | | |
| 9 | |
| Total financial assets | |
$ | 7,922 | | |
$ | 13,308 | |
| Financial liabilities | |
| | | |
| | |
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | |
$ | 188 | | |
$ | 225 | |
| Loans payable | |
| 7,754 | | |
| 7,334 | |
| Total financial liabilities | |
$ | 7,942 | | |
$ | 7,559 | |
Fair value measurement is based on a fair
value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs
when measuring fair value. The standard describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value which are:
Level 1 — Quoted prices that are
available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 — Quoted prices in active
markets for similar assets that are observable.
Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that
are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
At September 30, 2017, the Company had
Level 1 financial instruments, consisting of cash and cash equivalents, with a fair value of $7.7 million.
INTERNATIONAL
FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS
The Company is a "domestic" issuer
under Canadian securities law and a "foreign private issuer" under United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
regulations. The Company files its financial statements with both Canadian and US securities regulators in accordance with US GAAP,
as permitted under current regulations. In 2008, the Accounting Standards Board in Canada and the Canadian Securities Administrators
("CSA") confirmed that domestic issuers were required to transition to International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS")
for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2011. On September 27, 2008, the CSA Staff issued Staff Notice 52-321 "Early
Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, Use of US GAAP and References to IFRS-IASB" which confirmed that
domestic issuers that are also SEC registrants are able to continue to use US GAAP. Consequently, the Company was not required
to convert to IFRS effective January 1, 2011 and has elected to continue using US GAAP.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
NON-US
GAAP PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
"Cash Costs" and all-in sustaining
cost ("AISC") are non-US GAAP Performance Measurements. These performance measurements are included because these statistics
are widely accepted as the standard of reporting cash costs of production in North America. These performance measurements do not
have a meaning within US GAAP and, therefore, amounts presented may not be comparable to similar data presented by other mining
companies. These performance measurements should not be considered in isolation as a substitute for measures of performance in
accordance with US GAAP.
CRITICAL
ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES, RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
The preparation of financial statements
in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Measurement of the Company’s assets
and liabilities is subject to risks and uncertainties, including those related to reserve and resource estimates; title to mineral
properties; future commodity prices; costs of future production; future costs of restoration provisions; changes in government
legislation and regulations; future income tax amounts; the availability of financing; and various operational factors.
Entrée is a mineral exploration
company and is exposed to a number of risks and uncertainties; some of these risks and uncertainties have been discussed elsewhere
in this MD&A. For a more extensive discussion of risks and uncertainties to which Entrée is exposed, the reader should
refer to the section titled "Risk Factors" contained in the Company’s AIF available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Legal and Political Risk
The Minerals Law of Mongolia defines a
mineral deposit of strategic importance (a "Strategic Deposit") as a mineral resource that may have the potential to
impact national security, or the economic and social development of the country, or that is generating or has the potential to
generate more than 5% of Mongolia’s gross domestic product in any given year. The Minerals Law of Mongolia provides that
the State may be an equity participant with any private legal entity, up to a 34% equity interest, in the exploitation of any Strategic
Deposit where the quantity and grade of the deposit have been defined by exploration that has not been funded from the State budget.
Under Resolution No 57 dated July 16, 2009 of the State Great Khural, the Oyu Tolgoi series of deposits were declared to be Strategic
Deposits.
On October 6, 2009, Turquoise Hill, its
wholly-owned subsidiary OTLLC, and Rio Tinto signed an investment agreement (the "Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement") with
the Mongolian Government, which regulates the relationship among the parties and stabilizes the long term tax, legal, fiscal, regulatory
and operating environment to support the development of the Oyu Tolgoi project. The Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement specifies that
the Government of Mongolia will own 34% of the shares of OTLLC (and by extension, 34% of OTLLC’s interest in the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property) through its subsidiary Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC. A shareholders’ agreement was concurrently executed to
establish the Government’s 34% ownership interest in OTLLC and to govern the relationship among the parties.
The Ministry of Mining has advised Entrée
that it considers the deposits on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property to be part of the series of Oyu Tolgoi deposits. Entrée
has been in discussions with stakeholders of the Oyu Tolgoi project, including the Government of Mongolia, OTLLC, Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi
LLC, Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto, since February 2013. The discussions to date have focussed on issues arising from Entrée’s
exclusion from the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement, including the fact that the Government of Mongolia does not have a full 34%
interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property; the fact that the mining licences integral to future underground operations
are held by more than one corporate entity; and the fact that Entrée does not benefit from the stability that it would otherwise
have if it were a party to the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement. In order to receive the benefits of the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement,
the Government of Mongolia may require Entrée to agree to certain concessions, including with respect to the economic benefit
of Entrée’s interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, or the royalty rates applicable to Entrée’s
share of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property mineralization. No agreements have been finalized. If the parties fail to reach
mutually acceptable agreements in a timely manner, there is a risk that the Government of Mongolia may resort to measures which,
whether legitimate or not, could have an adverse effect on the business, assets and financial condition of Entrée as well
as the Company’s share price. Such measures could include suspending, revoking, cancelling or withdrawing the Shivee Tolgoi
and Javhlant mining licences; attempting to invalidate, confiscate, expropriate or rescind the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV or Entrée’s
interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property; and filing legal proceedings against Entrée.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
Entrée is not presently a party
to the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement. Although OTLLC agreed under the terms of the October 2004 Equity Participation and Earn-In
Agreement between Turquoise Hill and Entrée, as amended and subsequently assigned to OTLLC (the "Earn-In Agreement")
to use its best efforts to cause Entrée to be brought within the ambit of, made subject to and be entitled to the benefits
of the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement or a separate stability agreement on substantially similar terms to the Oyu Tolgoi Investment
Agreement, unless and until Entrée finalizes agreements with the Government of Mongolia and other Oyu Tolgoi stakeholders,
there can be no assurance that Entrée will be entitled to all of the benefits of the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement, including
stability with respect to taxes payable. If Entrée is not entitled to all of the benefits of the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement,
it could be subject to the surtax royalty which came into effect in Mongolia on January 1, 2011. The rates of the surtax royalty
vary from 1% to 5% for minerals other than copper. For copper, the surtax royalty rates range between 22% and 30% for ore, between
11% and 15% for concentrates, and between 1% and 5% for final products. No surtax royalty is charged on any minerals below a certain
threshold market price, which varies depending on the type of minerals. This is in addition to the standard royalty rates of 2.5%
for coal sold in Mongolia and commonly occurring minerals sold in Mongolia, and 5% for all other minerals.
Even if Entrée does finalize agreements
with the Government of Mongolia and other Oyu Tolgoi stakeholders, there can be no assurance that the present or future Parliament
will refrain from enacting legislation that undermines such agreements or the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement or that the present
or a future government will refrain from adopting government policies or seeking to renegotiate the terms of such agreements or
the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement (which was threatened in both 2011 and 2012) in ways that are adverse to Entrée’s
interests or that impair OTLLC’s ability to develop and operate the Oyu Tolgoi project on the basis currently contemplated,
which may have a material adverse impact on Entrée and the Company’s share price.
The Government of Mongolia has put in place
a framework and environment for foreign direct investment. However, there are political constituencies within Mongolia that have
espoused ideas that would not be regarded by the international mining community as conducive to foreign investment if they were
to become law or official government policy. This was evidenced by revisions to the Minerals Law in 2006 as well as by the 2012
passage of legislation to control foreign direct investment in strategic sectors of the Mongolian economy, including mining. In
October 2011, Prime Minister Batbold stated in his 2012 budget speech that the Government of Mongolia is revisiting all treaties
for the avoidance of double taxation, including the 2002 convention between Canada and Mongolia for the avoidance of double taxation
and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital (the "Canadian Double Tax Treaty").
On November 1, 2013, an Investment Law
came into effect in Mongolia. The law is aimed at reviving foreign investment by easing restrictions on investors (including foreign
and domestic) in key sectors such as mining and by providing greater certainty on the taxes they must pay and certain guarantees
in relation to their investments in Mongolia. The full impact of the Investment Law is still not yet known.
On January 16, 2014, the Mongolian Parliament
adopted a new State Minerals Policy. The main focus of the policy is to establish a stable investment environment; improve the
quality of mineral exploration, mining and processing; encourage the use of environmentally friendly and modern technology; and
strengthen the competitiveness of the Mongolian mining sector on the international market. The State Minerals Policy is also intended
to serve as the basis for amendments to the existing Minerals Law and other laws relating to the mining sector. On July 1, 2014,
the Mongolian Parliament passed amendments to the Minerals Law (the "2014 Amendments"). In addition, the Mongolian
Parliament also passed a separate law which repeals the 2010 statute which imposed a moratorium on the granting of new exploration
licences and the transfer of existing licences. The 2014 Amendments extend the maximum period for an exploration licence from 9
years to 12 years (although it ended the three year pre-mining period sometimes given to licence holders upon the expiration of
their exploration rights), extend the requirement for holders of mining licences to ensure that 90% of their workforce is comprised
of Mongolian nationals to the mining licence holder’s subcontractors as well, make clearer the roles and responsibilities
of government ministries and departments with respect to mineral matters, modify the definition of Strategic Deposit to reflect
its impact on the national economy and not regional economy, and provide for some instances where a tender may not be required
to obtain minerals licences where state funding has been used if related to compensation for declaring a special needs area, among
other changes. On February 18, 2015, the Mongolian Parliament adopted a further amendment to the Minerals Law (the "2015 Amendment"),
which permits a licence holder to negotiate with the Government of Mongolia with respect to an exchange of the Government’s
34% (50% in cases where exploration has been funded by the State budget) equity interest in a licence holder with a Strategic Deposit
for an additional royalty payable to the Government. The amount of the royalty payment would vary depending on the particulars
of the Strategic Deposit but cannot exceed five percent. The rate of this royalty payment shall be approved by the Government of
Mongolia. The full impact of the 2015 Amendment is not yet known.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
The Ministry of Mining is currently working
on a draft mining law, aimed at regulating the mining sector in greater detail in Mongolia. The Ministry plans to propose this
law to Parliament in 2017 for adoption. If adopted, the draft mining law could adversely affect Entree’s interests. It is
not possible to determine when, if ever, this draft law will be adopted and in what form.
The Ministry of Finance and certain Members
of Parliament have released draft laws and draft amendments to the tax legislation of Mongolia which include provisions related
to the taxation of foreign legal entities operating in Mongolia and minerals companies in general. If certain provisions of
these amendments were adopted by Parliament as currently drafted, they could adversely affect Entree's interests. It is not possible
to determine when, if ever, these amendments would be adopted and in what form.
If the Government of Mongolia revises,
amends or cancels the Canadian Double Tax Treaty; if the Investment Law, State Minerals Policy, 2014 Amendments, 2015 Amendment
or new mining law are implemented or interpreted in a manner that is not favourable to foreign investment or Entrée’s
interests; or if new tax laws or amendments to tax laws are adopted that are not favourable to foreign investment or Entrée’s
interests, it could have an adverse effect on Entrée’s operations in Mongolia and future cash flow, earnings, results
of operations and financial condition as well as the Company’s share price.
While the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV is
operating under the terms of the JVA, the JVA has not been formally executed by the parties. There can be no assurance that OTLLC
or its shareholders will not attempt to renegotiate some or all of the material terms governing the joint venture relationship
in a manner which could have an adverse effect on Entrée’s future cash flow, earnings, results of operations and financial
condition.
OTLLC has earned either a 70% or 80% interest
in mineralization extracted from the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, depending on the depth at which minerals are extracted,
and has effective control of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV. Rio Tinto, which beneficially owns 17.4% of the Company’s issued
and outstanding shares, exerts a significant degree of control over the business and affairs of Turquoise Hill and OTLLC. Pursuant
to various agreements among Turquoise Hill, OTLLC and Rio Tinto, Rio Tinto is responsible for the management of the building and
operation of the Oyu Tolgoi project (which includes the Heruga and Hugo North Extension deposits on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi
JV Property); is responsible for all exploration operations on behalf of OTLLC, including exploration on the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property; and prepares all programs and budgets for approval by the OTLLC board. The interest of Rio Tinto, Turquoise
Hill and OTLLC and the interests of the Company’s other shareholders are not necessarily aligned and there can be no assurance
that Rio Tinto, Turquoise Hill or OTLLC will exercise its rights or act in a manner that is consistent with the best interests
of the Company’s other shareholders.
Entrée is and will be subject to
the risks normally associated with the conduct of joint ventures, which include disagreements as to how to develop, operate and
finance a project, inequality of bargaining power, incompatible strategic and economic objectives and possible litigation between
the participants regarding joint venture matters. These matters may have an adverse effect on Entrée’s ability to
realize the full economic benefits of its interest in the property that is the subject of a joint venture, which could affect its
results of operations and financial condition as well as the Company’s share price.
In the course of its business, Entrée
may from time to time become involved in various claims, arbitration and other legal proceedings, with and without merit. The nature
and results of any such proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty. Any potential future claims and proceedings are likely
to be of a material nature. In addition, such claims, arbitration and other legal proceedings can be lengthy and involve the incurrence
of substantial costs and resources by Entrée, and the outcome, and Entrée’s ability to enforce any ruling(s)
obtained pursuant to such proceedings, are subject to inherent risk and uncertainty. The initiation, pursuit and/or outcome of
any particular claim, arbitration or legal proceeding could have a material adverse effect on Entrée’s financial position
and results of operations, and on Entrée’s business, assets and prospects. In addition, if Entrée is unable
to resolve any existing or future potential disputes and proceedings favourably, or obtain enforcement of any favourable ruling,
if any, that may be obtained pursuant to such proceedings, it is likely to have a material adverse impact on Entrée’s
business, financial condition and results of operations and Entrée’s assets and prospects as well as the Company’s
share price.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
On February 27, 2013, the Mineral Resources
Authority of Mongolia ("MRAM") delivered notice to Entrée advising that any transfer, sale or lease of the Shivee
Tolgoi and Javhlant mining licences is temporarily restricted. While Entrée was subsequently advised that the temporary
transfer restriction on the joint venture mining licences would be lifted, it did not received official notification of the lifting
of the restriction. Any future action by the Government of Mongolia to suspend, revoke, withdraw or cancel the Shivee Tolgoi and
Javhlant mining licences, whether legitimate or not, would have an adverse effect on the business, assets and financial condition
of Entrée as well as the Company’s share price.
The Earn-In Agreement requires OTLLC to
enter into the JVA, which bestows upon it certain powers and duties as manager of the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV, including the
duty to cure title defects, the duty to prosecute and defend all litigation or administrative proceedings arising out of operations,
and the duty to do all acts reasonably necessary to maintain the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property assets, including the mining
licences. Pursuant to the Assignment Agreement dated March 1, 2005 between the Company, Turquoise Hill and OTLLC, the Company is
also entitled to look to Turquoise Hill for the performance of OTLLC’s obligations under the Earn-In Agreement, which is
governed by British Columbia law. In addition, the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant mining licences are included in the contract area
of the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement. The Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement restricts the grounds upon which the Mongolian State
administrative authority in charge of geology and mining may revoke a mining licence covered by the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement.
The Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement also includes a dispute resolution clause that requires the parties to resolve disputes through
international commercial arbitration procedures. Entrée is not a party to the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement and does not
have any direct rights under the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement. In the event that the Government of Mongolia suspends, revokes,
withdraws or cancels the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant mining licences, there can be no assurance that OTLLC, Turquoise Hill or Rio
Tinto will invoke the international arbitration procedures, or that Entrée will be able to enforce the terms of the JVA
or Earn-In Agreement to cause OTLLC or Turquoise Hill to do all acts reasonably necessary to maintain the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi
JV Property assets, including by invoking the international arbitration procedures under the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement. There
may also be limitations on OTLLC, Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto’s ability to enforce the terms of the Oyu Tolgoi Investment
Agreement against the Government of Mongolia, which is a sovereign entity, regardless of the outcome of an arbitration proceeding.
Without an effective means of enforcing the terms of the JVA, the Earn-In Agreement or the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement, Entrée
could be deprived of substantial rights and benefits with little or no recourse for fair and reasonable compensation, which could
have an adverse effect on the business, assets and financial condition of Entrée as well as the Company’s share price.
In the event of a dispute arising at or
in respect of Entrée’s foreign operations, Entrée may be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of foreign courts
or may not be successful in subjecting foreign persons to the jurisdiction of courts in Canada or other jurisdictions. Entrée
may also be hindered or prevented from enforcing its rights with respect to a governmental entity or instrumentality because of
the doctrine of sovereign immunity. Any adverse or arbitrary decision of a court, arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory
body, or Entrée’s inability to enforce its contractual rights, may have a material adverse impact on Entrée’s
business, assets, prospects, financial condition and results of operation as well as the Company’s share price.
In September 2010, the Government of Mongolia
passed Resolution 140, the purpose of which is to authorize the designation of certain land areas for "state special
needs" within certain defined areas, some of which include or are in proximity to the Oyu Tolgoi project. These state special
needs areas are to be used for Khanbogd village development and for infrastructure and plant facilities necessary in order to implement
the development and operation of the Oyu Tolgoi project. A portion of the Shivee Tolgoi licence is included in the land area that
is subject to Resolution 140.
In September 2011, the Government of Mongolia
passed Resolution 175, the purpose of which is to authorize the designation of certain land areas for "state special needs"
within certain defined areas in proximity to the Oyu Tolgoi project. These state special needs areas are to be used for infrastructure
facilities necessary in order to implement the development and construction of the Oyu Tolgoi project. Portions of the Shivee Tolgoi
and Javhlant licences are included in the land area that is subject to Resolution 175.
It is expected but not yet formally confirmed
by the Government that to the extent that a consensual access agreement exists or is entered into between OTLLC and an affected
licence holder, the application of Resolution 175 to the land area covered by the access agreement will be unnecessary. OTLLC has
existing access and surface rights to the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property pursuant to the Earn-In Agreement. If Entrée
is unable to reach a consensual arrangement with OTLLC with respect to Shivee West, or Shivee West is not ultimately included in
the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property pursuant to the License Fees Agreement, Entrée’s right to use and access
a corridor of land included in the state special needs areas for a proposed power line may be adversely affected by the application
of Resolution 175. While the Mongolian Government would be responsible for compensating Entrée in accordance with the mandate
of Resolution 175, the amount of such compensation is not presently quantifiable.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
While the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement
contains provisions restricting the circumstances under which the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant licences may be expropriated which
may make the application of Resolution 140 and Resolution 175 to the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property unnecessary, there can
be no assurances that the Resolutions will not be applied in a manner that has an adverse impact on Entrée.
In March 2014, the Government of Mongolia
passed Resolution 81, the purpose of which is to approve the direction of the railway line heading from Ukhaa Khudag deposit located
in the territory of Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, to the port of Gashuunshukhait and to appoint the Minister of Roads and
Transportation to develop a detailed engineering layout of the base structure of the railway. On September 18, 2014, Entrée
was advised by MRAM that the base structure overlaps with a portion of the Javhlant licence. By Order No. 123 dated September 18,
2014, the Minister of Mining approved the composition of a working group to resolve matters related to the holders of licences
through which the railway passes. The Minister of Mining has not yet responded to a request from Entrée to meet to discuss
the proposed railway, and no further correspondence from MRAM or the Minister of Mining has been received. It is not yet clear
whether the State has the legal right to take a portion of the Javhlant licence, with or without compensation, in order to implement
a national railway project, and if it does, whether it will attempt to exercise that right. While the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement
contains provisions restricting the circumstances under which the Javhlant licence may be expropriated, there can be no assurances
that Resolution 81 will not be applied in a manner that has an adverse impact on Entrée.
Risks Associated with the Development
of the Oyu Tolgoi Project
Further development of the Oyu Tolgoi project
depends upon OTLLC’s ability to obtain and service the funding requirements of the project. Volatility in capital markets
and commodity prices and other macroeconomic factors may adversely affect OTLLC’s ability to secure project financing.
In addition, OTLLC operates in a region
of the world that is prone to economic and political upheaval and instability, which may make it more difficult to obtain sufficient
debt financing from project lenders for future phases of the Oyu Tolgoi project.
OTLLC’s estimates regarding the cost
of development and operation of the Oyu Tolgoi project are estimates only. The estimates and the assumptions upon which they are
based are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual expenditures to differ materially
from those estimated. If these estimates prove incorrect, the total capital expenditures required to complete development of the
Oyu Tolgoi project underground mine, including Entrée’s share of Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV capital expenditures
being debt financed by OTLLC, may increase, which may have a material adverse impact on Entrée, its results of operations,
financial conditions, and the Company’s share price.
There are a number of uncertainties inherent
in the development and construction of any new or existing mine, including the Oyu Tolgoi project. These uncertainties include:
the timing and cost, which can be considerable, of the construction of mining and processing facilities; the availability and cost
of skilled labour, the impact of fluctuations in commodity prices, process water, power and transportation, including costs of
transport for the supply chain for the Oyu Tolgoi project, which requires routing approaches which have not been fully tested;
the annual usage costs to the local province for sand, aggregate and water; the availability and cost of appropriate smelting and
refining arrangements; and the need to obtain necessary environmental and other government permits, such permits being on reasonable
terms, and the timing of those permits. The cost, timing and complexities of mine construction and development are increased by
the remote location of the Oyu Tolgoi project.
It is common in mining operations and in
the development, construction or expansion of existing facilities to experience unexpected problems and delays during such activities,
which may cause delays in the commencement or expansion of mineral production. Such delays could have unforeseen impacts on disclosed
project economics. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the current or future development, construction or expansion activities
will be successfully completed within cost estimates, on schedule or at all and, if completed, there is no assurance that such
activities will result in profitable mining operations.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
Risks Associated with the Amended
Sandstorm Agreement
The 2013 Agreement provided for a partial
refund of the Deposit and a pro rata reduction in the number of metal credits deliverable to Sandstorm in the event of a partial
expropriation of Entrée’s economic interest, contractually or otherwise, in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property.
The Amended Sandstorm Agreement provides that the Company will not be required to make any further refund of the Deposit if Entrée’s
economic interest is reduced by up to and including 17%. If there is a reduction of greater than 17% up to and including 34%, the
Amended Sandstorm Agreement provides the Company with greater flexibility and optionality in terms of how the Company will refund
a corresponding portion of the Deposit. To the extent there is an expropriation of greater than 34%, which is not reversed during
the abeyance period provided for in the Amended Sandstorm Agreement, the Company will be required to return a portion of the Deposit
in cash (the amount of the repayment not to exceed the amount of the Unearned Balance).
If an event of default occurs under the
Amended Sandstorm Agreement, the Company may be required to immediately pay to Sandstorm a default fee, which it may not have sufficient
funds to cover. Some potential events of default may be outside of Entrée’s control, including a full expropriation
of Entrée’s economic interest, contractually or otherwise, in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property which is not
reversed during the abeyance period provided for in the Amended Sandstorm Agreement. If an event of default occurs and the Company
is required to pay a default fee to Sandstorm, it may have a material adverse impact on Entrée’s business, financial
condition, assets and prospects, and on the Company’s share price.
Under the Amended Sandstorm Agreement,
the Company agreed to use future cash flows from its mineral property interests to purchase and deliver metal credits to Sandstorm.
The Amended Sandstorm Agreement does not require the Company to deliver actual metal production, therefore the Company will have
to use revenue it receives from the sale of its share of metal production to purchase the requisite amount of metal credits for
delivery to Sandstorm. To the extent metal prices on the day on which the Company’s production is sold are different from
metal prices on the day on which the Company purchases metal credits for delivery to Sandstorm, the Company may suffer a gain or
loss on the difference.
Risks Associated with Mining or Related
to Entrée
The estimates of reserves and resources,
including the anticipated tonnages and grades that will be achieved or the indicated level of recovery that will be realized, are
estimates only and no assurances can be given as to their accuracy. Such estimates are, in large part, based on interpretations
of geological data obtained from drill holes and other sampling techniques. Actual mineralization or formations may be different
from those predicted. Reserve and resource estimates are materially dependent on prevailing market prices and the cost of recovering
and processing minerals at the mine site. Market fluctuations in the price of metals or increases in the costs to recover metals
may render the mining of ore reserves uneconomical and materially adversely affect operations.
Sandstorm’s beneficial shareholdings
in the Company, totalling 13.8% of the Company’s outstanding shares, and Rio Tinto’s beneficial shareholdings in the
Company, totalling 17.4% of the Company’s outstanding shares, potentially give Sandstorm and Rio Tinto the voting power to
influence the policies, business and affairs of Entrée and the outcome of any significant corporate transaction or other
matter, including a merger, business combination or a sale of all, or substantially all, of Entrée’s assets. In addition,
Rio Tinto (on behalf of OTLLC) has operational control over the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property. OTLLC and Sandstorm also
have certain rights in the event of a proposed disposition by Entrée of its interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV
and OTLLC has a right of first refusal with respect to any proposed disposition by Entrée of an interest in Shivee West,
which is not currently subject to the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV. The share position in the Company of each of Sandstorm, Rio
Tinto and Turquoise Hill may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a transaction involving a change of control of
the Company in favour of a third party that otherwise could result in a premium in the market price of the Company’s shares
in the future. In the case of Sandstorm, the risk is mitigated to some extent by the requirement in the Amended Sandstorm Agreement
for Sandstorm to vote its shares as the Board specifies with respect to any potential acquisition of the Company, provided the
potential acquirer agrees to execute and deliver to Sandstorm a deed of adherence to the Amended Sandstorm Agreement.
Entrée must comply with licence
and permitting requirements. In Mongolia, the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant exploration licences were converted to mining licences
on October 27, 2009. These licences now have a term of 30 years, with two potential extensions of 20 years each. The total estimated
annual fees to maintain the licences in good standing, which are primarily the responsibility of OTLLC, is approximately $944,000.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
In Mongolia, Entrée must comply
with environmental regulations that govern air and water quality and land disturbance and provide mine reclamation and closure
costs.
INTERNAL
CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Management is responsible for
designing internal control over financial reporting, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial
reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with US GAAP. No change in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting occurred during the period beginning on July 1, 2017 and ended on
September 30, 2017 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting.
FORWARD
LOOKING STATEMENTS
This MD&A contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information
within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws.
Forward-looking statements include, but
are not limited to, statements with respect to corporate strategies and plans; requirements for additional capital; uses of funds;
the value and potential value of assets and the ability of Entrée to maximize returns to shareholders; completion of an
updated Technical Report that includes a Preliminary Economic Assessment of Entrée’s interest in Lift 2 of the Hugo
North Extension deposit and the Heruga deposit; potential types of mining operations; construction and continued development of
the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine; alternative production scenarios and associated expansion options; the anticipated value of Entrée’s
interest in Lift 1 of the Hugo North Extension deposit; the expected timing of first development production from Lift 1 of the
Oyu Tolgoi underground mine; the future prices of copper, gold, molybdenum and silver; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources;
the realization of mineral reserve and resource estimates; anticipated future production, capital and operating costs, cash flows
and mine life; potential financial and other benefits of spinning-out Entrée’s U.S. Projects; capital, financing and
project development risk; discussions with the Government of Mongolia, Rio Tinto, OTLLC and Turquoise Hill on a range of issues
including Entrée’s interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant mining licences
and certain material agreements; potential actions by the Government of Mongolia with respect to the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant
mining licences and Entrée’s interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property; the potential for Entrée
to be included in or otherwise receive the benefits of the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement or another similar agreement; the potential
for the Government of Mongolia to seek to directly or indirectly invest in Entrée’s interest in the Hugo North Extension
and Heruga deposits; the potential application of the Government of Mongolia’s Resolution 81, Resolution 140 and Resolution
175 to the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant licences; potential size of a mineralized zone; potential expansion of mineralization; potential
discovery of new mineralized zones; potential metallurgical recoveries and grades; plans for future exploration and/or development
programs and budgets; permitting time lines; anticipated business activities; proposed acquisitions and dispositions of assets;
and future financial performance.
In certain cases, forward-looking statements
and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect",
"is expected", "budgeted", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends",
"anticipates", or "does not anticipate" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or
statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will
be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". While the Company has based these forward-looking statements on its
expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee of Entrée’s
future performance and are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic
conditions, legal proceedings and negotiations and the environment in which Entrée will operate in the future, including
the price of copper, gold and silver, and the status of Entrée’s relationship and interaction with the Government
of Mongolia, OTLLC, Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill. With respect to the construction and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi
underground mine, important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future
results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information include, amongst others, the timing and cost of
the construction and expansion of mining and processing facilities; the timing and availability of a long term power source for
the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine; the ability of OTLLC to draw down on the supplemental debt under the Oyu Tolgoi project finance
facility and the availability of additional financing on terms reasonably acceptable to OTLLC, Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto to
further develop Oyu Tolgoi; delays, and the costs which would result from delays, in the development of the underground mine; projected
copper, gold and silver prices and demand; and production estimates and the anticipated yearly production of copper, gold and silver
at the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine.
| Q3 2017 MD&A (table amounts expressed in thousands of US Dollars, except per share amounts and where otherwise noted) |
Other uncertainties and factors which could
cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements and information
include, amongst others, the market valuing Entrée and Mason Resources in a manner not anticipated by Entrée; unanticipated
costs, expenses or liabilities; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical
recoveries; the size, grade and continuity of deposits not being interpreted correctly from exploration results; the results of
preliminary test work not being indicative of the results of future test work; fluctuations in commodity prices and demand; changing
foreign exchange rates; actions by Rio Tinto, Turquoise Hill and/or OTLLC and by government authorities including the Government
of Mongolia; the availability of funding on reasonable terms; the impact of changes in interpretation to or changes in enforcement
of laws, regulations and government practices, including laws, regulations and government practices with respect to mining, foreign
investment, royalties and taxation; the terms and timing of obtaining necessary environmental and other government approvals, consents
and permits; the availability and cost of necessary items such as power, water, skilled labour, transportation and appropriate
smelting and refining arrangements; and misjudgements in the course of preparing forward-looking statements.
In addition, there are also known and unknown
risk factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Entrée to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information. Such factors
include, among others, risks related to international operations, including legal and political risk in Mongolia; risks associated
with changes in the attitudes of governments to foreign investment; risks associated with the conduct of joint ventures; discrepancies
between actual and anticipated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; global financial conditions;
changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; inability to upgrade Inferred mineral resources to Indicated or
Measured mineral resources; inability to convert mineral resources to mineral reserves; conclusions of economic evaluations; future
prices of copper, gold, silver and molybdenum; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour
disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining government approvals, permits or licences or financing or
in the completion of development or construction activities; environmental risks; title disputes; limitations on insurance coverage;
as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk" in this MD&A and in the section entitled "Risk
Factors" in the AIF. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events
or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions,
events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will
prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except
as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance
on forward-looking statements.
TECHNICAL
INFORMATION
Robert Cinits, P.Geo., Entrée’s
Vice-President, Corporate Development and a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined by NI 43-101, has approved the technical
disclosure in this MD&A.
Cautionary
Note to United States Investors - Canadian Disclosure Standards in Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
The terms "mineral reserve",
"Proven mineral reserve" and "Probable mineral reserve" are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance
with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in the CIM Definition Standards - For Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted
by the CIM Council on May 10, 2014, as may be amended from time to time by the CIM.
The definitions of Proven and Probable
reserves used in NI 43-101 differ from the definitions in the SEC Industry Guide 7. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final"
or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three year history average price is used in any reserve
or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate
governmental authority.
In addition, the terms "mineral resource",
"Measured mineral resource", "Indicated mineral resource" and "Inferred mineral resource" are defined
in and required to be disclosed by NI 43-101; however, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and normally
are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that
all or any part of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. "Inferred mineral resources"
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 an Inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian
rules, estimates of Inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or prefeasibility studies, except in rare
cases.
Accordingly, information contained in this
MD&A containing descriptions of our mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by US companies
subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements under the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
