SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Significant Accounting Policies

Financial instruments

(a) Financial instruments

(i) Recognition and classification

The Company classifies its financial instruments in the following categories: at fair value through profit and loss (“FVTPL”), at fair value through other comprehensive income (loss) (“FVTOCI”) or at amortized cost. The Company determines the classification of financial assets at initial recognition. The classification of debt instruments is driven by the Company’s business model for managing the financial assets and their contractual cash flow characteristics. Equity instruments that are held for trading are classified as FVTPL. For other equity instruments, on the day of acquisition the Company can make an irrevocable election (on an instrument-by-instrument basis) to designate them as at FVTOCI. Financial liabilities are measured at amortized cost, unless they are required to be measured at FVTPL (such as instruments held for trading or derivatives) or if the Company has opted to measure them at FVTPL.

(ii) Measurement

Financial assets and liabilities at amortized cost

Financial assets and liabilities at amortized cost are initially recognized at fair value plus or minus transaction costs, respectively, and subsequently carried at amortized cost less any impairment. 

Financial assets and liabilities at FVTPL

Financial assets and liabilities carried at FVTPL are initially recorded at fair value and transaction costs are expensed in the statements of comprehensive loss. Realized and unrealized gains and losses arising from changes in the fair value of the financial assets and liabilities held at FVTPL are included in the statements of comprehensive loss in the period in which they arise. 

Debt investments at FVTOCI

These assets are subsequently measured at fair value. Interest income calculated using the effective interest method, foreign exchange gains and losses and impairment are recognised in profit or loss. Other net gains and losses are recognised in other comprehensive loss (“OCI”). On derecognition, gains and losses accumulated in OCI are reclassified to profit or loss

Equity investments at FVTOCI

These assets are subsequently measured at fair value. Dividends are recognised as income in profit or loss unless the dividend clearly represents a recovery of part of the cost of the investment. Other net gains and losses are recognised in OCI and are never reclassified to profit or loss.  

(iii) Impairment of financial assets at amortized cost 

The Company recognizes a loss allowance for expected credit losses on financial assets that are measured at amortized cost. At each reporting date, the Company measures the loss allowance for the financial asset at an amount equal to the lifetime expected credit losses if the credit risk on the financial asset has increased significantly since initial recognition. If at the reporting date, the financial asset has not increased significantly since initial recognition, the Company measures the loss allowance for the financial asset at an amount equal to the twelve month expected credit losses. The Company shall recognize in the statements of comprehensive loss, as an impairment gain or loss, the amount of expected credit losses (or reversal) that is required to adjust the loss allowance at the reporting date to the amount that is required to be recognized. 

(iv) Derecognition  

Financial assets

The Company derecognizes financial assets only when the contractual rights to cash flows from the financial assets expire, or when it transfers the financial assets and substantially all of the associated risks and rewards of ownership to another entity. 

Financial liabilities

The Company derecognizes a financial liability when its contractual obligations are discharged or cancelled, or expire. The Company also derecognizes a financial liability when the terms of the liability are modified such that the terms and / or cash flows of the modified instrument are substantially different, in which case a new financial liability based on the modified terms is recognized at fair value. 

Gains and losses on derecognition are generally recognized in profit or loss.

Mineral property interests

(b) Mineral property interests  

Costs directly related to the acquisition, exploration and evaluation of resource properties are capitalized once the legal rights to explore the resource properties are acquired.

If it is determined that capitalized acquisition, exploration and evaluation costs are not recoverable, or the property is abandoned or management has determined impairment in value, the property is written down to its recoverable amount. 

From time to time, the Company acquires or disposes of properties pursuant to the terms of option agreements. Options are exercisable entirely at the discretion of the optionee, and accordingly, are recorded as mineral property costs or recoveries when the payments are made or received. After costs are recovered, the balance of the payments received is recorded as a gain on option or disposition of mineral property. 

Once the technical feasibility and commercial viability of the extraction of mineral resources are demonstrable, mineral property interests attributable to that area of interest are first tested for impairment and then reclassified to mining property and development assets within property and equipment. To date, none of the Company’s mineral property interests has demonstrated technical feasibility and commercial viability. The recoverability of the carrying amount of any mineral property interests is dependent on successful development and commercial exploitation or, alternatively, sale of the respective areas of interest. 

Impairment

(c) Impairment

At the end of each reporting period, the Company’s assets are reviewed to determine whether there is any indication that those assets may be impaired. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment. The recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. Fair value is determined as the amount that would be obtained from the sale of the asset in an arm’s length transaction between knowledgeable and willing parties. In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset. If the recoverable amount of an asset is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset is reduced to its recoverable amount and the impairment loss is recognized in profit or loss for the period. For an asset that does not generate largely independent cash flows, the recoverable amount is determined for the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs. 

When an impairment loss subsequently reverses, the carrying amount of the asset (or cash-generating unit) is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, but to an amount that does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss been recognized for the asset (or cash-generating unit) in prior years. A reversal of an impairment loss is recognized immediately in profit or loss. 

Decommissioning liabilities

(d) Decommissioning liabilities

An obligation to incur decommissioning and site rehabilitation costs occurs when environmental disturbance is caused by exploration, evaluation, development or ongoing production.

Decommissioning and site rehabilitation costs arising from the installation of plant and other site preparation work, discounted to their net present value, are provided when the obligation to incur such costs arises and are capitalized into the cost of the related asset. These costs are charged against operations through depreciation of the asset and unwinding of the discount on the provision.

Depreciation is included in operating costs while the unwinding of the discount is included as a financing cost. Changes in the measurement of a liability relating to the decommissioning or site rehabilitation of plant and other site preparation work are added to, or deducted from, the cost of the related asset. The costs for the restoration of site damage, which arises during production, are provided at their net present values and charged against operations as extraction progresses. 

Changes in the measurement of a liability, which arise during production, are charged against operating profit. The discount rate used to measure the net present value of the obligations is the pre-tax rate that reflects the current market assessment of the time value of money and the risks specific to the obligation. To date the Company does not have any decommissioning liabilities. 

Income taxes

(e) Income taxes

Income tax expense consisting of current and deferred tax expense is recognized to profit or loss. Current tax expense is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at period-end, adjusted for amendments to tax payable with regard to previous years. 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities and the related deferred income tax expense or recovery are recognized for deferred tax consequences attributable to differences between the carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted or substantively enacted tax rates expected to apply when the asset is realized or the liability settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that substantive enactment occurs.

A deferred tax asset is recognized to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which the asset can be utilized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to set off current tax assets against current tax liabilities and when they relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority and the Company intends to settle its current tax assets and liabilities on a net basis.

Share-based payments

(f) Share-based payments

The Company grants stock options to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company. The fair value of share-based payments to employees is measured at grant date, using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model, and is recognized over the vesting period using the graded method. Fair value of share-based payments for non-employees is recognized and measured at the date the goods or services are received based on the fair value of the goods or services received. If it is determined that the fair value of goods and services received cannot be reliably measured, the share-based payment is measured at the fair value of the equity instruments issued using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model. 

For both employees and non-employees, the fair value of share-based payments is recognized as either an expense or as mineral property interests with a corresponding increase in option reserves. The amount to be recognized as expense is adjusted to reflect the number of share options expected to vest. Consideration received on the exercise of stock options is recorded in capital stock and the related share-based payment is transferred from the stock option reserve to capital stock. For unexercised options that expire, the recorded value is transferred to deficit. 

Convertible debentures

(g) Convertible debentures

The liability component of convertible debentures is recognized initially at the fair value of a similar liability that does not have a conversion option. The equity component is recognized initially, as the difference between the fair value of the convertible debenture as a whole and the fair value of the liability component. Transaction costs are allocated to the liability and equity components in proportion to their initial carrying amounts. Subsequent to initial recognition, the liability component of the convertible debenture is measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method. The equity component is not re-measured subsequent to initial recognition.

Loss per share

(h) Loss per share

Loss per share is calculated by dividing net loss attributable to common shares of the Company by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. The Company uses the treasury stock method for calculating diluted loss per share. Under this method, the dilutive effect on earnings per share is calculated on the use of the proceeds that could be obtained upon exercise of options, warrants and similar instruments. It assumes that the proceeds of such exercise would be used to purchase common shares at the average market price during the period. However, the calculation of diluted loss per share excludes the effects of various conversions and exercise of options and warrants that would be anti-dilutive.

Capital stock

(i) Capital stock

Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and warrants are recorded as capital stock. The proceeds from the issuance of units of the Company are allocated between common shares and warrants based on the residual value method. Under this method, the proceeds are allocated first to capital stock based on the fair value of the common shares at the time the units are issued and any residual value is allocated to the warrants. When the warrants are exercised, the related value is transferred from the warrant reserve to capital stock. For unexercised warrants that expire, the recorded value is transferred from the warrant reserves to deficit.

Foreign currency translation

(j) Foreign currency translation

Amounts recorded in foreign currency are translated into Canadian dollars as follows: 

(i) Monetary assets and liabilities, at the rate of exchange in effect as at the balance sheet date;

(ii) Non-monetary assets and liabilities, at the exchange rates prevailing at the time of the acquisition of the assets or assumption of the liabilities; and

(iii) Revenues and expenses (excluding amortization, which is translated at the same rate as the related asset), at the rate of exchange on the transaction date.

Exchange differences are recognized in profit or loss in the period which they arise. 

Adoption of New Standards

(k) Adoption of New Standards

IFRS 16, Leases 

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted IFRS 16 which supersedes IAS 17 Leases (“IAS 17”). The Company has applied the new standard using the modified retrospective approach with no restatement of comparative periods. There were no adjustments to retained earnings as a result of adoption. The Company has elected not to reassess whether a contract is, or contains a lease at the date of initial application. Instead, for contracts entered into before the transition date the Company relied on its previous assessment made under IAS 17 and IFRIC 4 Determining whether an arrangement contains a lease. The definition of a lease under IFRS 16 was applied only to contracts entered into or modified on or after January 1, 2019. 

The Company applied the following practical expedients in adopting IFRS 16 to leases previously classified as operating leases under IAS 17: 

• Rely on previous assessments on whether leases are onerous; and

• Apply the exemption to not recognize right-of-use asset and liabilities for leases where the lease term ends within 12 months of the date of initial application.

On transition to IFRS 16, the Company did not recognize any lease assets or liabilities as its operating leases had a remaining term of less than 12 months from the date of initial application.