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Significant accounting judgements and estimates
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Judgements And Estimates [Abstract]  
Significant accounting judgements and estimates
Significant accounting judgements and estimates

The preparation of these financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Those estimates and assumptions concerning the future may differ from actual results. The following are the estimates, assumptions and areas of judgment applied by management that most significantly affect the Company’s financial statements. These sources of estimation uncertainty have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

Ore reserve and resource estimates

Ore reserves are estimates of the amount of ore that can be economically and legally extracted from the Company’s mining properties. The Company estimates its ore reserves and mineral resources based on information compiled by appropriately qualified persons relating to the geological data on the size, depth and shape of the ore body, and requires complex geological judgments to interpret the data. The estimation of recoverable reserves is based upon factors such as estimates of foreign exchange rates, commodity prices, future capital requirements, metallurgical recoveries, permitting and production costs along with geological assumptions and judgments made in estimating the size, and grade of the ore body. Changes in the reserve or resource estimates may impact the carrying value of mining interests, mine restoration provisions, recognition of deferred tax assets, depreciation and amortization charges and royalties receivable.

Value-added tax receivables

The Company incurs indirect taxes, including value-added tax, on purchases of goods and services at its operating mines and development projects. Indirect tax balances are recorded at their estimated recoverable amounts within current or long-term assets, net of provisions, and reflect the Company’s best estimate of their recoverability under existing tax rules in the respective jurisdictions in which they arise. Management’s assessment of recoverability considers the probable outcomes of claimed deductions and/or disputes. The provisions and balance sheet classifications made to date may be subject to change and such change may be material.

Deferred income taxes and valuation allowances

The Company is periodically required to estimate the tax basis of assets and liabilities. Where applicable tax laws and regulations are either unclear or subject to varying interpretations, it is possible that changes in these estimates could occur that materially affect the amounts of deferred income tax assets and liabilities recorded in the financial statements. Changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities generally have a direct impact on earnings in the period that the changes occur.

Each period, the Company evaluates the likelihood of whether some portion or all of each deferred tax asset will not be realized. This evaluation is based on historic and future expected levels of taxable income, the pattern and timing of reversals of taxable temporary timing differences that give rise to deferred tax liabilities, and tax planning initiatives. Levels of future taxable income are affected by, among other things, market gold prices, production costs, quantities of proven and probable gold reserves, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates.

Impairment of long-lived assets

Long-lived assets are tested for impairment, or reversal of a previous impairment, if there is an indicator of impairment or a subsequent reversal. Calculating the estimated recoverable amount of cash-generating units for long-lived asset requires management to make estimates and assumptions including future production levels, mill recoveries, operating and capital costs in its life-of-mine plans, future metal prices, foreign exchange rates, taxation rates, and discount rates. Changes in any of the assumptions or estimates used in determining the recoverable amount could impact the analysis. Such changes could be material.

Exploration and evaluation expenditures

The application of the Company’s accounting policy for exploration and evaluation expenditures requires judgment in determining whether it is likely that future economic benefits are likely either from future exploitation or sale or where activities have not reached a stage which permits a reasonable assessment of the existence of reserves. The deferral policy requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions about future events or circumstances, in particular whether an economically viable mine can be established. Estimates and assumptions made may change if new information becomes available. If, after an expenditure is capitalized, information becomes available suggesting that the recovery of expenditure is unlikely, the amount capitalized is written off in the statement of operations in the period when the new information becomes available.