SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2023

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Net Income Per Unit

Net income per unit is based on 13,120,010 units outstanding during all periods presented.

Revenue recognition

The Trust accounts for revenue in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. All revenue is recognized as the performance obligations are satisfied. In accordance with the royalty agreement, the Trust recognizes revenue upon providing access to the lands and minerals only after the consideration that is entitled to be received is determinable. The Trust is entitled to payment upon production of all pellet grades to be sold for internal use by facilities owned by Cliffs or its subsidiaries. For revenue recognition purposes, the Trust recognizes revenue for internal use pellets upon production of those pellets, which is when Cliffs deems these pellets to be shipped under the royalty agreement. Pellets that are not designated for internal use by Cliffs, or its subsidiaries, are recognized as revenue upon shipment from Silver Bay, Minnesota.

Disaggregation of Revenues

The following table represents a disaggregation of revenue for the three and six months ended July 31, 2023 and July 31, 2022.

	Three Months Ended July 31,
	2023		2022
Base overriding royalties	$	5,373,668	$	(4,402,501)
Bonus royalties		4,090,094		(10)
Fee royalties		266,834		1,462
Total royalty income (loss)	$	9,730,596	$	(4,401,049)

	Six Months Ended July 31,
	2023		2022
Base overriding royalties	$	6,335,466	$	3,829,720
Bonus royalties		4,797,934		5,722,317
Fee royalties		308,512		242,403
Total royalty income	$	11,441,912	$	9,794,440

Base overriding royalties

The performance obligation for the base overriding royalty consists of providing Northshore access to the Peters Lands, Cloquet Lands, and Mesabi Lands and the right to mine on these lands. The consideration to be received from this access relates to the volume of iron ore actually shipped to third parties, or deemed shipped upon production for internal use, by Northshore. Cliffs considers pellets designated for internal use by Cliffs to be “deemed shipped” upon production, entitling the Trust to payment under the provisions of the royalty agreement at this time. Mesabi Trust receives royalties at the greater of (i) the aggregate quantity of iron ore products shipped, or deemed shipped, that were mined from Mesabi Trust Lands, and (ii) a portion of the aggregate quantity of all iron ore products shipped, or deemed shipped, that were mined from any lands, such portion being 90% of the first four million tons shipped, or deemed shipped, during such year, 85% of the next two million tons shipped, or deemed shipped, during such year, and 25% of all tonnage shipped, or deemed shipped, during such year in excess of six million tons.

The royalty percentage paid to the Trust increases as the aggregate tonnage of iron ore products shipped, or deemed shipped, attributable to the Trust, in any calendar year increases. The Trust earns a 2.5% royalty on the first million tons shipped or deemed shipped, 3.5% on the second million tons, 5.0% on the third million tons, 5.5% on the fourth million tons and 6.0%

beyond four million tons. The base overriding royalties contain variable consideration, as the transaction price is based on a percentage that varies based on the total cumulative tons of iron ore shipped, or deemed shipped, for the calendar year. The Trust estimates the variable consideration it expects to be entitled to receive over the contractual period associated with the royalty agreement. Under the royalty agreement, measurement of the total cumulative volumes of iron ore shipped, or deemed shipped, and the applicable royalty percentages, is reset at the beginning of each calendar year. The Trust evaluates the estimate of the variable consideration to determine whether the estimate needs to be constrained; therefore, the Trust includes the variable consideration in the transaction price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal of the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved. For the base overriding royalties, the Trust estimates the base overriding royalty percentage using the expected value method, which calculates the estimate based off the historical, current, and forecasted shipments. The Trust recognizes base overriding royalties on a quarterly basis based on the actual third party shipments and deemed shipments for internal use, for the fiscal quarter at the estimated royalty percentage as described above and based on the estimated prices for iron ore products sold under Cliffs’ Customer Contracts.

On May 1, 2022, Cliffs idled Northshore. On July 22, 2022, Cliffs announced that it was extending the ongoing idle at Northshore through at least April of 2023. Based on the change in the anticipated timing of the idling of Northshore operations, the Trust’s estimate of the variable consideration relating to the base overriding royalties to be received was determined to be constrained during the second quarter ended July 31, 2022, and all variable consideration expected to be received through the end of the fiscal year ended January 31, 2023 was reversed in the second fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2022, resulting in negative base overriding royalties during that quarter. On April 25, 2023, Cliff's announced a partial restart of some operations at Northshore and that Cliffs will continue to treat Northshore as a swing operation. The Trust has recommenced recording a contract asset for variable consideration in the current fiscal year for base overriding royalties, based on estimated cumulative tons shipped for the current fiscal year at estimated prices for iron ore products sold under Cliffs’ Customer Contracts that will be collected in subsequent quarters as the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is resolved.

Bonus royalties

The performance obligation for the bonus royalties consists of providing Northshore access to the Peters Lands, Cloquet Lands, and Mesabi Lands and the right to mine on these lands and the consideration to be received from this access relates to the volume of iron ore shipped, or deemed shipped, by Northshore. The Trust recognizes bonus royalties on a quarterly basis based on the actual third party shipments and deemed shipments for internal use, of the fiscal quarter at the actual royalty percentage for those shipments and based on the anticipated prices for iron ore products sold under Cliffs’ Customer Contracts. The Trust is paid royalty bonuses when iron ore products shipped are sold at anticipated prices above a threshold price per ton. The royalty bonus is based on a percentage of the gross proceeds of product shipped. The royalty bonus percentage ranges from 1/2 of 1% of the gross proceeds (on all tonnage shipped for sale at prices between the threshold price and $2.00 above the threshold price) to 3% of the gross proceeds (on all tonnage shipped for sale at prices $10.00 or more above the threshold price). The threshold price is adjusted annually for inflation and is $66.00 per ton for calendar year 2023.

Fee royalties

The fee royalties consists of the volume of crude ore mined on a quarterly basis. The Trust recognizes fee royalties on a quarterly basis based on the actual crude ore mined during the fiscal quarter. Fee royalties are payable to the Mesabi Land Trust, a Minnesota land trust, which holds a 20% interest as fee owner in the Amended Assignment of Peters Lease. Mesabi Trust holds the entire beneficial interest in the Mesabi Land Trust for which U.S. Bank N.A. acts as the corporate trustee. Mesabi Trust receives the net income of the Mesabi Land Trust, which is generated from royalties on the amount of crude ore mined after the payment of expenses to U.S. Bank N.A. for its services as the corporate trustee. The fee royalty on crude ore is based on an agreed price per ton, subject to certain indexing.

Accrued income receivable

The accrued income receivable is included in net income per unit. The Trust recorded $1,812,600 of accrued income receivable as reflected on the Condensed Balance Sheet as of July 31, 2023 (unaudited). As of January 31, 2023, the Trust recorded accrued income receivable of $23,562. Accrued income receivable represents royalty income earned but not yet received by the Trust. Accrued income receivable is calculated using estimated prices and includes (i) shipments during the last month of Mesabi Trust’s fiscal quarter, if any, and (ii) net positive adjustments (which may include the sum of positive and negative price adjustments) calculated using the pricing adjustment mechanisms in the iron ore pellet sales agreements between Cliffs and its customers that determine the final sales price of the shipments from Silver Bay, Minnesota.

Contract asset and contract liability

The contract asset and contract liability are presented net in the accompanying condensed balance sheets as both the contract asset and contract liability are derived from one customer contract. A net contract asset in the amount of $2,033,676 is reflected on the Condensed Balance Sheet as of July 31, 2023 (unaudited). The net contract asset is made up of a contract asset in the amount of $2,185,978 and a contract liability in the amount of $152,302. As of January 31, 2023 the Trust recorded a net contract liability of $2,298,121. The net contract liability is made up of a contract asset in the amount of $0 and a contract liability in the amount of $2,298,121. The contract asset is based on the revenue recognized on the base overriding royalties, at the estimated prices for iron ore products sold under Cliffs’ Customer Contracts that will be collected in subsequent quarters as the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is resolved. The contract asset is not available for distribution to the Unitholders until the applicable royalties are actually received by the Trust. The Trust includes estimated future royalty rates on current contracted volumes within contract asset. The contract liability represents an estimate of decreases in royalty revenue related to tons of iron ore that were shipped, or deemed shipped, by Northshore, but for which Northshore has indicated that final pricing is not yet known and is adjusted in accordance with the Trust’s revenue recognition policy each quarter as updated pricing information is received, as well as payment for tons credited to the Trust at a minimum of 90% of total shipments when the actual tons shipped from Trust lands are less than 90% in the calendar quarter. The contract liability as of January 31, 2023 was offset against royalty payments owed to the Trust during the second fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2023. The Trust is entitled to payment upon production of pellets to be sold for internal use by facilities owned by Cliffs or its subsidiaries. Revenue is recognized in accordance with the Trust’s revenue recognition policy at the estimated prices for iron ore products sold under Cliffs’ Customer Contracts as actual third party shipments and deemed shipments for internal use, of these products are made.