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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of Consolidation

        The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and include the accounts of URI and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively "the Company"). All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Reverse Stock Split

        Immediately following the close of trading on January 22, 2013 the Company affected a 1 for 10 reverse stock split for its common stock. With the reverse stock split, every ten shares of the Company's issued and outstanding common stock were combined into one issued and outstanding share of common stock. The reverse stock split had no effect on the par value of the shares or the authorized number of shares of the Company. The reverse split reduced the number of URI's outstanding common stock from approximately 161.1 million shares to approximately 16.1 million shares. All share data herein has been retroactively adjusted for the reverse stock split.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

        The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains cash deposits in excess of federally insured limits. The Company monitors the soundness of the financial institution and believes the Company's risk is negligible.

        Additional disclosures of cash flow information follow:

 
  Year Ended December 31,  
 
  2012   2011   2010  

Cash paid during the period for:

                   

Interest

  $ 14,100   $ 19,000   $ 25,400  

The following non-cash transactions occurred in 2012, 2011 and 2010 and such transactions are summarized as follows:

                   

Common stock issued to acquire Neutron Energy, Inc. 

  $ 16,577,000   $   $  
               

Common stock issued for loan origination fees

  $ 160,000   $   $  
               

Capital lease additions

  $ 106,200   $   $  
               

Common stock issued for deferred compensation

  $   $ 697,027   $  
               

Restricted common stock issued for services

  $ 39   $ 17   $ 28  
               

Restricted share issuance of Common Stock in connection with a cash conservation plan

  $   $   $ 106,500  

Uranium Properties

        All acquisition and development costs (including financing, salary and related overhead costs) incurred in connection with the various uranium properties are capitalized. Exploration and evaluation costs associated with uranium properties are expensed as incurred until such time that the existence of a commercially minable uranium deposit is confirmed. All properties with significant acquisition or incurred costs are evaluated for their realizability on a property-by-property basis. Any impairment of such costs is recognized through a reduction in the net carrying value of the asset. (See Note 5—"PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT-Uranium Properties").

        Included in property, plant, equipment and development costs is what management classifies as value beyond proven and probable reserves (VBPP), primarily resulting from the Neutron acquisition. VBPP is attributable to (i) mineralized material, which includes measured and indicated amounts, that the Company believes could be brought into production with the establishment or modification of required permits and should market conditions and technical assessments warrant, (ii) inferred mineral resources and (iii) exploration potential.

        Carrying amounts assigned to VBPP are not charged to expense until the VBPP becomes associated with additional proven and probable reserves and the reserves are produced or the VBPP is determined to be impaired. Additions to proven and probable reserves for properties with VBPP will carry with them the value assigned to VBPP at the date acquired, less any impairment amounts.

        Depreciation and Depletion. During the periods that our facilities are not in production, depletion on our mineral interests, permits, licenses and development properties are suspended. Depreciation and depletion of our plant facilities, machinery and equipment continues in accordance with the level of stand-by activity being conducted at each site.

        Other ancillary plant equipment and vehicles are depreciated using a straight line method based upon the estimated useful lives of the assets.

Other Property, Plant and Equipment

        Other property, plant and equipment consists of corporate office equipment, furniture and fixtures and transportation equipment. Depreciation on other property is computed based upon the estimated useful lives of the assets. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Gain or loss on disposal of such assets is recorded as other income or expense as such assets are disposed.

Restricted Cash

        At December 31, 2012 and 2011, the Company had pledged certificates of deposit and money market accounts of $9,492,000 and $9,380,000, respectively, in order to collateralize letters of credit required for future restoration and reclamation obligations related to the Company's South Texas production and development properties. These funds are not readily available to the Company and are not included in cash equivalents.

Restoration and Remediation Costs (Asset Retirement Obligations)

        Various federal and state mining laws and regulations require the Company to reclaim the surface areas and restore underground water quality for its mine projects to the pre-existing mine area average quality after the completion of mining. The Company records the estimated present value of reclamation liabilities and increases the carrying amount of the related asset. Reclamation costs are allocated to expense over the life of the related assets and are periodically adjusted to reflect changes in the estimated present value resulting from the passage of time and revisions to the estimates of either the timing or amount of the reclamation and remediation costs.

        Future reclamation and remediation costs are accrued based on management's best estimate at the end of each period of the costs expected to be incurred at each project. Such estimates are determined by the Company's engineering studies calculating the cost of future surface and groundwater activities.

        The following table shows the change in the balance of the restoration and reclamation liability (Asset Retirement Obligation) during the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011:

 
  December 31,  
 
  2012   2011  

Reserve for future restoration and reclamation costs at January 1,

  $ 4,735,759   $ 5,043,645  

Changes in cash flow estimates

    1,444,406     1,101,234  

Costs incurred

    (1,767,289 )   (1,530,303 )

Accretion expense

    85,181     121,183  
           

Reserve for future restoration and reclamation costs at December 31,

  $ 4,498,057   $ 4,735,759  
           

Contingent Liabilities—Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

        The Company has obtained financial surety relating to certain of its future restoration and reclamation obligations as required by the State of Texas regulatory agencies. The Company has bank Letters of Credit (the "L/Cs") and performance bonds totaling $8,707,000 issued for the benefit of the Company to satisfy such regulatory requirements. The L/Cs were issued by Bank of America and the performance bonds have been issued by United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company ("USF&G"). Such L/Cs are collateralized in their entirety by certificates of deposit and money market deposits.

Earnings Per Share

        All per share data herein has been retroactively adjusted for the 1 for 10 reverse stock split that occurred following the close of trading on January 22, 2013.

        Net earnings (loss) per common share—basic has been calculated based on the weighted average shares outstanding during the year and net earnings (loss) per common share—diluted has been calculated assuming the exercise or conversion of all dilutive securities. Due to net losses incurred for 2012, 2011 and 2010 there were no dilutive securities included in these years as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive.

        The potential dilutive Common Stock that was excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share was 403,274 in 2012, 454,885 in 2011, and 594,714 in 2010.

Use of Estimates

        The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions. Such estimates and assumptions may affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and 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. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The more significant areas requiring the use of management estimates include mineral reserve estimation; useful asset lives for depreciation, depletion and amortization; environmental obligations; future restoration and reclamation costs; share based compensation expense; and asset impairment, including estimates used to derive future cash flows associated with those assets.

Risks and Uncertainties

        Historically, the market for uranium has experienced significant price fluctuations. Prices are significantly impacted by global supply and demand, which is affected by the demand for nuclear power, political, and economic conditions, governmental legislation in uranium producing and consuming countries, and production levels and costs of production of other producing companies. Increases or decreases in prices received could have a significant impact on the Company's future results of operations.

Reclassifications

        Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior years' financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations or retained earnings.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

        In January 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2013-01, "Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities." ASU 2013-01 states the intended scope of disclosures required by ASU No. 2011-11 "Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities" apply to derivatives and hedging transactions. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after January 1, 2013. The adoption of this guidance is not anticipated to have an effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.