SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
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3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2012
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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract] | |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Revenue Recognition Revenue is recognized when earned according to lease and royalty agreements. Lease income is recognized as earned on a monthly basis according to the terms of the lease. Royalty income is recognized as ore is extracted and refined. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist of all cash balances and highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less. Because of the short maturity of these investments, the carrying amounts approximate their fair value. Facilities and equipment Expenditures for new facilities or equipment and expenditures that extend the useful lives of existing facilities or equipment are capitalized and recorded at cost. The facilities and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method at rates sufficient to depreciate such costs over the estimated productive lives, which do not exceed the related estimated mine lives, of such facilities based on proven and probable reserves. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company reviews and evaluates its long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. An impairment is considered to exist if the total estimated future cash flows on an undiscounted basis are less than the carrying amount of the assets, including goodwill, if any. An impairment loss is measured and recorded based on discounted estimated future cash flows. Future cash flows are estimated based on quantities of recoverable minerals, expected gold and other commodity prices (considering current and historical prices, price trends and related factors), production levels and operating costs of production and capital, all based on life-of-mine plans. Existing proven and probable reserves and value beyond proven and probable reserves, including mineralization other than proven and probable reserves and other material that is not part of the measured, indicated or inferred resource base, are included when determining the fair value of mine site reporting units at acquisition and, subsequently, in determining whether the assets are impaired. The term "recoverable minerals" refers to the estimated amount of gold or other commodities that will be obtained after taking into account losses during ore processing and treatment. Estimates of recoverable minerals from such exploration stage mineral interests are risk adjusted based on management's relative confidence in such materials. In estimating future cash flows, assets are grouped at the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of future cash flows from other asset groups. The Company's estimates of future cash flows are based on numerous assumptions and it is possible that actual future cash flows will be significantly different than the estimates, as actual future quantities of recoverable minerals, gold and other commodity prices, production levels and operating costs of production and capital are each subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Goodwill The Company evaluates, on at least an annual basis during the fourth quarter, the carrying amount of goodwill to determine whether current events and circumstances indicate that such carrying amount may no longer be recoverable. To accomplish this, the Company compares the estimated fair value of its reporting units to their carrying amounts. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the Company compares the implied fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill to its carrying amount, and any excess of the carrying value over the fair value is charged to earnings. The Company's fair value estimates are based on numerous assumptions and it is possible that actual fair value will be significantly different than the estimates, as actual future quantities of recoverable minerals, gold and other commodity prices, production levels and operating costs of production and capital are each subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Stock Based Compensation The Company has issued and may issue stock in lieu of cash for certain transactions. The fair value of the stock, which is based on comparable cash purchases, third party quotations, or the value of services, whichever is more readily determinable, is used to value the transaction Use of Estimates The Company's Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of the Company's Financial Statements requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Financial Statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Accordingly, actual results may differ significantly from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Basic and Diluted Per Common Share Basic earnings per common share is computed by dividing income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares assumed to be outstanding during the period of computation. Diluted earnings per share is computed similar to basic earnings per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. Because we have incurred net losses, basic and diluted loss per share are the same since additional potential common shares would be anti-dilutive. Research and Development The Company expenses research and development costs as incurred. Significant Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2011-04, "Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS")." This pronouncement was issued to provide a consistent definition of fair value and ensure that the fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are similar between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. ASU 2011-04 changes certain fair value measurement principles and changes the disclosure requirements to include quantitative information about unobservable inputs used for level 3 fair value measurements. This pronouncement is effective for reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011 (early adoption is prohibited). The Company is evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows, and disclosures. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, "Presentation of Comprehensive Income." ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in stockholders' equity and requires an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement or in two separate but consecutive statements. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011 (early adoption is permitted). The Company is evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows, and disclosures. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-12, "Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05." ASU 2011-12 indefinitely defers certain provisions of ASU 2011-05 relating to the presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. |