Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Operations

Nature of Operations

Athena Gold Corporation (“we,” “our,” “us,” or “Athena”) is engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mineral resources. We were incorporated in Delaware on December 23, 2003, and began our mining operations in 2010.

The Company’s properties do not have any reserves. The Company plans to conduct exploration programs on these properties with the objective of ascertaining whether any of its properties contain economic concentrations of precious and base metals that are prospective for mining.

Basis of Presentation and Statement of Compliance

Basis of Presentation and Statement of Compliance

The accompanying consolidated financial statements (the “consolidated financial statements”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Basis of Measurement

Basis of Measurement

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis, under the historical cost convention, except for certain financial instruments that are measured at fair value as described herein.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Athena Gold Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Nubian Resources USA (“Nubian USA”) and Nova Athena Gold Corp (“Nova”). All significant inter-entity balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Subsidiaries are entities the Company controls when it is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns from its involvement in the entity and can affect those returns through its power to direct the relevant activities of the entity. Subsidiaries are included in the consolidated financial results of the Company from the date of acquisition up to the date of disposition or loss of control. Nova was incorporated in British Columbia on September 24, 2024.

Going Concern and Management’s Plans

Going Concern and Management’s Plans

As at September 30, 2024, the Company has a working capital deficiency of approximately $255,000. The ability of the Company to meet its obligations and continue operations is dependent on its ability to obtain additional debt or equity financing. These circumstances raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Concentration

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Concentration

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when acquired to be cash equivalents. The Company places its cash with high credit quality financial institutions in the United States and Canada. On September 30, 2024, the Company’s cash balance was approximately $7,000. To reduce the risk associated with the failure of such financial institution, the Company will evaluate, as needed, the rating of the financial institution in which it holds deposits.

Critical Judgments and Estimation Uncertainties

Critical Judgments and Estimation Uncertainties

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and reported amounts of assets, liabilities, and expenses. These estimates and judgments are subject to change based on experience and new information which could result in outcomes that require a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities affecting future periods. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognized prospectively.

Share-based compensation – The fair value of share-based compensation is calculated using the Black-Scholes model. The main assumptions used in the model include the estimated life of the option, the expected volatility of the Company’s share price, and the risk-free rate of interest. The resulting value calculated is not necessarily the value that the holder of the option could receive in an arm’s-length transaction.

Impairment of mineral properties – Management applies significant judgment in its assessment of mineral properties and whether there are any indications of impairment. The Company considers both internal and external sources of information when making the impairment assessment. External sources of information considered are changes in the Company’s economic, legal and regulatory environment, which it does not control, but affects the recoverability of its mining assets. Internal sources of information the Company considers include the manner in which mining properties are expected to be used and indications of economic performance.

Warrant and option liability – The fair value of the warrant and option liability is calculated using the Black-Scholes model. The main assumptions used in the model include the estimated life of the warrant and option, the expected volatility of the Company’s share price, and the risk-free rate of interest. The resulting value calculated is not necessarily the value that the holder of the warrant or option could receive in an arm’s-length transaction.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation

The Company is exposed to currency risk on transactions and balances in currencies other than the functional currency. The Company has not entered any contracts to manage foreign exchange risk.

These consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars (“USD”), which is the Company’s reporting currency. The functional currency of the Company and its subsidiaries is the US dollar; therefore, the Company is exposed to currency risk from financial assets and liabilities denominated in Canadian dollars. The Company does not consider the currency risk to be material to the future operations of the Company and, as such, does not have a program to manage currency risk.

Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded in the functional currency at exchange rates prevailing on the dates of the transactions. At the end of each reporting period, monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the period end exchange rates. Non-monetary items are translated at the exchange rates in effect on the date of the transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses arising from translation are presented in the consolidated statements of loss and comprehensive loss.

Mineral Property Acquisition and Exploration Costs

Mineral Property Acquisition and Exploration Costs

Mineral property exploration costs are expensed as incurred until economic reserves are quantified. To date, the Company has not established any proven or probable reserves on its mineral properties. Costs of lease, exploration, carrying and retaining unproven mineral lease properties are expensed as incurred. The Company has chosen to expense all mineral exploration costs as incurred given that it is still in the exploration stage. Once the Company has identified proven and probable reserves in its investigation of its properties and upon development of a plan for operating a mine, it would enter the development stage and capitalize future costs until production is established. When a property reaches the production stage, the related capitalized costs will be amortized over the estimated life of the probable-proven reserves. When the Company has capitalized mineral properties, these properties will be periodically assessed for impairment of value and any diminution in value. To date, the Company has not established the commercial feasibility of any exploration prospects; therefore, all exploration costs are being expensed. Costs of mineral property acquisitions are being capitalized.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1 - Valuation based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.

Level 2 - Valuation based on quoted market prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets.

Level 3 - Valuation based on unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity, therefore requiring management’s best estimate of what market participants would use as fair value.

The fair value of cash, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, advanced deposits, and note payable approximate their carrying values due to their short term to maturity. The investment in securities is recorded at the fair value through profit and loss using Level 1 inputs. The warrant liabilities are measured at fair value through profit and loss using level 3 inputs (Note 3).

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method in accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes”. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases as well as operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the periods in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance to the extent that the recoverability of the asset is unlikely to be recognized.

The Company reports a liability, if any, for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, in an income tax return. The Company has elected to classify interest and penalties related to unrecognized income tax benefits, if and when required, as part of income tax expense in the statement of operations. No liability has been recorded for uncertain income tax positions, or related interest or penalties as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The periods ended December 31, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 are open to examination by taxing authorities.

Long Lived Assets

Long Lived Assets

The Company assesses the impairment of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. When the Company determines that the carrying value of long-lived assets may not be recoverable based upon the existence of one or more indicators of impairment and the carrying value of the asset cannot be recovered from projected undiscounted cash flows, the Company records an impairment charge. The Company measures any impairment based on a projected discounted cash flow method using a discount rate determined by management to be commensurate with the risk inherent in the current business model. Significant management judgment is required in determining whether an indicator of impairment exists and in projecting cash flows.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation (“SBC”) is accounted for based on the requirements of the Share-Based Payment Topic of ASC 718 which requires recognition in the consolidated financial statements of the cost of employee and director services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments over the period the employee or director is required to perform the services in exchange for the award (presumptively, the vesting period). This ASC also requires measurement of the cost of employee and director services received in exchange for an award based on the grant-date fair value of the award.

The estimated fair value of each stock option as of the date of grant was calculated using the Black-Scholes pricing model. The Company estimates the volatility of its common stock at the date of grant based on Company stock price history. The Company determines the expected life based on the simplified method given that its own historical share option exercise experience does not provide a reasonable basis for estimating expected term. The Company uses the risk-free interest rate on the implied yield currently available on U.S. Treasury issues with an equivalent remaining term approximately equal to the expected life of the award. The Company has never paid any cash dividends on its common stock and does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The shares of common stock subject to the stock-based compensation plan shall consist of unissued shares, treasury shares or previously issued shares held by any subsidiary of the Company, and such number of shares of common stock are reserved for such purpose.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company accounts for derivative instruments in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”), which requires additional disclosures about the Company’s objectives and strategies for using derivative instruments, how the derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for, and how the derivative instruments and related hedging items affect the financial statements. The Company does not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risk. Terms of convertible debt and equity instruments are reviewed to determine whether or not they contain embedded derivative instruments that are required under ASC 815 to be accounted for separately from the host contract and recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. The fair value of derivative liabilities, if any, is required to be revalued at each reporting date, with corresponding changes in fair value recorded in current period operating results. Pursuant to ASC 815, an evaluation of specifically identified conditions is made to determine whether the fair value of warrants and options issued is required to be classified as equity or as a derivative liability.

Certain warrants and options are treated as derivative financial liabilities. The estimated fair value, based on the Black-Scholes model, is adjusted on a quarterly basis with gains or losses recognized in the statement of loss and comprehensive loss. The Black-Scholes model is based on significant assumptions such as volatility, dividend yield, expected term and liquidity discounts.

Investment in securities

Investment in securities

We have concluded that the Company does not have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of its investee. The Company has elected to measure the investment at fair value less impairment.

Earnings (Loss) per Common Share

Earnings (Loss) per Common Share

The following table shows basic and diluted earnings per share:

	Three Months Ended					Nine Months Ended
	9/30/2024			9/30/2023		9/30/2024			9/30/2023
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share
Earnings (loss)	$	(164,168	)	$	576,533	$	(681,122	)	$	538,239
Basic weighted average shares outstanding		173,723,633			150,591,400		172,848,616			144,589,568
Assumed conversion of dilutive shares		0			0		0			0
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding, assuming conversion of common stock equivalents		173,723,633			150,591,400		172,848,616			144,589,568
Basic earnings (loss) per common share	$	0.00		$	0.00	$	0.00		$	0.00
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share	$	0.00		$	0.00	$	0.00		$	0.00

The options and warrants that were not included in the diluted weighted average shares calculation were excluded because they were “out-of-the money”. In periods when the Company has a net loss, all common stock equivalents are excluded as they would be anti-dilutive. The following details the dilutive and anti-dilutive shares:

September 30, 2024	Dilutive shares - In the money		Anti-dilutive shares - Out of the money		Total
Options		0		5,230,000		5,230,000
Warrants		0		26,470,303		26,470,303
Total		0		31,700,303		31,700,303

September 30, 2023	Dilutive shares - In the money		Anti-dilutive shares - Out of the money		Total
Options		0		5,230,000		5,230,000
Warrants		0		39,391,053		39,391,053
Total		0		44,621,053		44,621,053

Risks and Uncertainties

Risks and Uncertainties

Since the formation of the Company, it has not generated any revenue. As an early-stage company, the Company is subject to all the risks inherent in the initial organization, financing, expenditures, complications and delays inherent in a new business. Our business is dependent upon the implementation of our business plan. There can be no assurance that our efforts will be successful or that we will ultimately be able to generate revenue or attain profitability.

Natural resource exploration, and exploring for gold, is a business that by its nature is very speculative. There is a strong possibility that we will not discover gold or any other mineralization which can be mined or extracted at a profit. Even if we do discover gold or other deposits, the deposit may not be of the quality or size necessary for us or a potential purchaser of the property to make a profit from mining it. Few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. Unusual or unexpected geological formations, geological formation pressures, fires, power outages, labor disruptions, flooding, explosions, cave-ins, landslides, and the inability to obtain suitable or adequate machinery, equipment or labor are just some of the many risks involved in mineral exploration programs and the subsequent development of gold deposits.

The Company business is exploring for gold and other minerals. If the Company discovers commercially exploitable gold or other deposits, revenue from such discoveries will not be generated unless the gold or other minerals are mined.

Mining operations in the United States are subject to many different federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including stringent environmental, health and safety laws. In the event operational responsibility is assumed for mining our properties, the Company may be unable to comply with current or future laws and regulations, which can change at any time. Changes to these laws may adversely affect any of the Company potential mining operations. Moreover, compliance with such laws may cause substantial delays and require capital outlays greater than those the Company anticipates, adversely affecting any potential mining operations. Future mining operations, if any, may also be subject to liability for pollution or other environmental damage. The Company may choose not to be insured against this risk because of high insurance costs or other reasons.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Certain new standards, amendments and interpretations, and improvements to existing standards have been published by the FASB and United States Securities and Exchange Commission but are not yet effective and have not been adopted early by the Company. The Company does not anticipate that any of these pronouncements will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.