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CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS  
NOTE 9 - CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS

NOTE 9 – CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS

 

In the course of normal operations, the Company is involved in various claims and litigation that management intends to defend. The range of loss, if any, from potential claims cannot be reasonably estimated. However, management believes the ultimate resolution of matters will not have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business or financial position.

 

In the course of normal operations, the Company is involved in various claims and litigation that management intends to defend. The range of loss, if any, from potential claims cannot be reasonably estimated. However, management believes the ultimate resolution of matters will not have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business or financial position. These claims include amounts assessed by the Kentucky Energy Cabinet totaling $1,427,990, the Company has accrued $1,894,621 as a payable to the Commonwealth of Kentucky including amounts owed to the Kentucky Energy Cabinet. Claims assessed by the Mine Health Safety Administration amount to $918,611 of which the Company has accrued $480,072 as a payable. During 2019, McCoy and Deane, received notice of intent to place liens for amounts owed on federal excise taxes. The amounts associated with the notices are included in the company’s trade payables.

 

On November 7, 2018, Wyoming County Coal LLC, acquired 5 permits, coal processing and loading facilities, surface ownership, mineral ownership, and coal refuse storage facilities from unrelated entities. Consideration for the acquired assets was the assumption of reclamation bonds totaling $234,240, 1,727,273 shares of common stock of the company, a seller note of $350,000 and a seller note of $250,000. On September 20, 2019 Wyoming County received a Notice of Breach of the asset purchase agreement between WCC and Synergy Coal, LLC due to consideration of $225,000 not being paid, failure to file for permit transfers and pay delinquent transfer fees of $10,500 and other contract breaches, including failure to transfer reclamation surety bonds. During 2020, WCC has paid the delinquent transfer fees and has filed for permit transfer and the seller note was satisfactorily converted into the AREC’s convertible note offering. As a result of these steps, the seller notified us on May 17, 2020 that all breaches were cured. As of the balance sheet date, the West Virginia permit transfers have not yet been approved, the seller has not been paid cash amounts due, and WCC has not substituted its reclamation surety bonds for the seller’s bond collateral.

  

The Empire acquisition loan in conjunction with the Empire Kentucky Land merger totaling $2,500,000 is due with $500,000 upfront and $2,000,000 due through a $1 per ton royalty off the coal sold from the acquired property and is secured by the underlying property. This note is currently in default and the company received a breach of contract notice in September 2019. On May 8, 2020, the Company entered into a Settlement, Rescission and Mutual Release Agreement with the parties of the Empire acquisition. The agreement provides for the property of Empire to transfer back to the former parties for the return of 2,000,000 common shares of the Company and extinguishment $2,000,000 seller financing note. Additionally, permits and bonding liability associated with the Point Rock Mine were also transferred back to the original permit holders for the consideration of them assuming the reclamation liability. The default was cured on May 8, 2020 through the Settlement, Recission and Mutual Release Agreement.

 

On April 3, 2019 KCC partially settled a case relating to a reclamation issue while the property was under former ownership. The settled amount is $100,000 which will be paid out of a prior insurance policy. The remaining portion of the case was settled during for amount of $280,000. The outstanding amount has not been paid as of the report date and is included in trade payables.

 

On September 26, 2019, the Company received notice that a certain lease assumption as part of the PCR acquisition was being disputed by the lessor (see note 1).

 

Our principal offices are located at 12115 Visionary Way, Fishers, Indiana 46038. We pay $5,726 per month in rent for the office space and the rental lease expires December 2026. On January 1, 2022, the Company entered into an expansion lease for the site. The amended lease has a ten year term and $5,869 per month rate.

 

We also rent office space from an affiliated entity, LRR, at 11000 Highway 7 South, Kite, Kentucky 41828 and pay $1,702 per month rent and the rental lease expires January 1, 2030.

 

On August 17, 2021, American Rare Earth entered into a Commercial Land Lease sublease agreement with Land Betterment for nearly 7 acres of land for the purpose of building a commercial grade critical element purification facility. The sublease is for the period of 5 years with a rate of $3,500 a month.

 

On October 8, 2021, American Rare Earth entered into a Commercial Lease for 6,700 square feet of warehouse space for the purpose of building a commercial grade critical element purification facility. The is for the period of 2 years with a rate of $4,745.83 a month.

 

The Company also utilizes various office spaces on-site at its coal mining operations and coal preparation plant locations in eastern Kentucky, with such rental payments covered under any surface lease contracts with any of the surface land owners.