Note 7 - Sales Transaction with KG Mining	12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Notes to Financial Statements
Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block]	7. Sales Transaction with KG Mining On September 29, 2020, the Company, CORE Alaska, LLC and KG Mining, entered into the CORE Purchase Agreement pursuant to which CORE Alaska sold a 30.0% membership interest in the Joint Venture Company to KG Mining. The CORE Transactions closed on September 30, 2020. In consideration for the CORE JV Interest, the Company received $32.4 million in cash and 809,744 shares of Common Stock. The 809,744 shares of Common Stock were acquired by KG Mining from Royal Gold, as part of the Royal Gold Transactions and were subsequently canceled by the Company. Of the $32.4 million cash consideration, $1.2 million constituted a reimbursement prepayment to the Company relating to its proportionate share of silver royalty payments that the Joint Venture Company may be obligated to pay to Royal Gold, with the understanding that KG Mining will bear the entire economic impact of those royalty payments due from the Joint Venture Company. Concurrently with the CORE Purchase Agreement, KG Mining acquired from Royal Gold (i) 100% of the equity of Royal Alaska, LLC , which held a 40.0% membership interest in the Joint Venture Company and (ii) 809,744 shares of Common Stock held by Royal Gold. After the consummation of the Kinross Transactions, CORE Alaska retains a 30.0% membership interest in the Joint Venture Company. KG Mining now holds a 70.0% membership interest in the Joint Venture Company and serves as the manager and operator of the Joint Venture Company. KG Mining and CORE Alaska entered into the A&R JV LLCA on October 1, 2020 to address the new ownership arrangements and to incorporate additional terms that will permit the Joint Venture Company to further develop and produce from its properties. The Company recorded the $32.4 million cash proceeds and the 809,744 shares of Common Stock, received from the CORE Transactions, at fair value and recognized a gain on sale of $39.6 million. The Company valued the Common Stock consideration from the CORE Transactions consistent with the accounting guidance for non-monetary exchanges. The stock consideration was valued based on the implied fair value of the CORE Transactions in total less the cash proceeds. The total value of the CORE Transactions was equated to the value of the Company's 30.0% ownership in the Joint Venture Company, post the 30.0% membership interest transferred to KG Mining. The Common Stock consideration received in the CORE Transactions is classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy referenced in Note 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. As of the date of the CORE Transactions, the Company's investment in the Joint Venture Company had a zero balance, therefore the $39.6 million gain approximates the full fair value of the JV Interest surrendered in the CORE Transactions. The Company recorded a non-current liability totaling $1.2 million associated with the cash received for the reimbursement prepayment to the Company of its proportionate share of certain silver royalty payments that the Joint Venture Company may be obligated to pay Royal Gold. The liability arises, because pursuant to Article IV of the A&R JV LLCA, if the Joint Venture Company is dissolved, or the Company's membership interest in the Joint Venture Company falls below 5% prior to when the prepaid royalty is paid out, the $1.2 million (less any portion already paid out) is refundable to KG Mining. Immediately prior to the Kinross Transactions, the Joint Venture Company, Contango Minerals, the Company, CORE Alaska, Royal Gold and Royal Alaska entered into the Separation Agreement. Pursuant to the Separation Agreement, the Joint Venture Company completed the formation of Contango Minerals, and contributed approximately 167,000 acres of Alaska state mining claims to it, and retained an additional 1.0% net smelter returns royalty interest on certain of the contributed Alaska state mining claims that were contributed. After the formation and contribution to Contango Minerals, the Joint Venture Company made simultaneous distributions to Royal Alaska and CORE Alaska by (i) granting to Royal Gold a new 28.0% net smelter returns silver royalty on all silver produced from a defined area within the Tetlin Lease and also transferring the additional 1.0% net smelter returns royalty described above on the contributed Alaska state mining claims to Royal Gold (bringing the total net smelter royalty due to Royal Gold to 3% ) and (ii) assigning one hundred percent ( 100% ) of the membership interests in Contango Minerals to CORE Alaska, which were in turn distributed to the Company, resulting in Contango Minerals becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Separation Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants. The distribution of the Alaska state mining claims to Contango Minerals meets the definition of a non-reciprocal nonmonetary transfer as defined in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 845 and would generally be recorded at fair value to the extent fair value is determinable. However, to date, the Joint Venture Company's gold exploration has concentrated on the Tetlin Lease (which was retained by the Joint Venture Company), with only a limited amount of work performed on the State of Alaska mining claims. The Company has concluded that the fair value of the state claims is not determinable within reasonable limits, and therefore has recorded the distribution at historical book value. The Joint Venture Company's historical book value associated with the Alaska state mining claims is zero as of the date of the CORE Transactions because the costs associated with exploration performed on these claims were expensed when incurred. Therefore, the Company's balance sheet has a net book value of zero for these claims as of the date of the CORE Transactions. In connection with the Separation Agreement, the Joint Venture Company and Contango Minerals entered into the Option Agreement. Under the Option Agreement, Contango Minerals granted the Joint Venture Company an option, subject to certain conditions contained in the Option Agreement, to purchase approximately 13,000 acres of the Alaska state mining claims which were contributed to Contango Minerals pursuant to the Separation Agreement, together with all extralateral rights, water and water rights, and easements and rights of way in connection therewith, that are held by Contango Minerals. The signing of the Option Agreement did not result in any accounting implications for the Company. The Joint Venture Company exercised the option in whole in June 2021, and paid the Company $50,000. The $50,000 payment was recorded to income. On October 1, 2020, CORE Alaska and KG Mining entered into the A&R JV LLCA. The A&R JV LLCA supersedes and replaces in its entirety the Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Joint Venture Company, dated as of January 8, 2015, as amended. The A&R JV LLCA is the operating agreement for the Joint Venture Company and provides for understandings between the members with respect to matters regarding percentage ownership interests, governance, transfers of ownership interests and other operational matters. CORE Alaska and KG Mining will be required, subject to the terms of the A&R JV LLCA, to make additional capital contributions to the Joint Venture Company for any approved programs budgets in accordance with their respective percentage membership interests. After the consummation of the Kinross Transactions, Kinross, through KG Mining, replaced Royal Gold as the Company's joint venture partner and as manager of the Joint Venture Company. After consummation of the Kinross Transactions, CORE Alaska holds a 30.0% membership interest in the Joint Venture Company and KG Mining holds a 70.0% membership interest in the Joint Venture Company. The A&R JV LLCA established the Management Committee to determine the overall policies, objectives, procedures, methods and actions of the Joint Venture Company. The Management Committee currently consists of one representative designated by CORE Alaska and two representatives designated by KG Mining (each a “Representative”). The Representatives designated by each member of the Joint Venture Company vote as a group, and in accordance with their respective membership interests in the Joint Venture Company. Except in the case of certain actions that require approval by unanimous vote of the Representatives, the affirmative vote of a majority of the membership interests in the Joint Venture Company constitutes the action of the Management Committee. Prior to the CORE Transactions, the Joint Venture Company was a variable interest entity as defined by FASB ASU No. 2015 - 02, Consolidation (Topic 810 ): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The Company was not the primary beneficiary since it did not have the power to direct the activities of the Joint Venture Company. The Company's ownership interest in the Joint Venture Company has therefore historically applied the equity method of accounting for its investment. After the Kinross Transactions, the Company retained a 30.0% membership interest in the Joint Venture Company. The Company continues to have significant influence in the Joint Venture Company pursuant to its right to designate one of the three seats on the Management Committee. Therefore, the Company will continue to account for its investment in the Joint Venture Company under the equity method.

Sales Transaction with

KG Mining

September 29, 2020,

the Company, CORE Alaska, LLC and KG Mining, entered into the CORE Purchase Agreement pursuant to which CORE Alaska sold a

30.0%

membership interest in the Joint Venture Company to KG Mining. The CORE Transactions closed on

September 30, 2020.

In consideration for the CORE JV Interest, the Company received

$32.4

million in cash and

809,744

shares of Common Stock. The

809,744

shares of Common Stock were acquired by KG Mining from Royal Gold, as part of the Royal Gold Transactions and were subsequently canceled by the Company. Of the

$32.4

million cash consideration,

$1.2

million constituted a reimbursement prepayment to the Company relating to its proportionate share of silver royalty payments that the Joint Venture Company

may

be obligated to pay to Royal Gold, with the understanding that KG Mining will bear the entire economic impact of those royalty payments due from the Joint Venture Company.

Concurrently with the CORE Purchase Agreement, KG Mining acquired from Royal Gold (i)

100%

of the equity of Royal Alaska, LLC , which held a

40.0%

membership interest in the Joint Venture Company and (ii)

809,744

shares of Common Stock held by Royal Gold. After the consummation of the Kinross Transactions, CORE Alaska retains a

30.0%

membership interest in the Joint Venture Company. KG Mining now holds a

70.0%

membership interest in the Joint Venture Company and serves as the manager and operator of the Joint Venture Company. KG Mining and CORE Alaska entered into the A&R JV LLCA on

October 1, 2020

to address the new ownership arrangements and to incorporate additional terms that will permit the Joint Venture Company to further develop and produce from its properties.

The Company recorded the

$32.4

million cash proceeds and the

809,744

shares of Common Stock, received from the CORE Transactions, at fair value and recognized a gain on sale of

$39.6

million. The Company valued the Common Stock consideration from the CORE Transactions consistent with the accounting guidance for non-monetary exchanges. The stock consideration was valued based on the implied fair value of the CORE Transactions in total less the cash proceeds. The total value of the CORE Transactions was equated to the value of the Company's

30.0%

ownership in the Joint Venture Company, post the

30.0%

membership interest transferred to KG Mining. The Common Stock consideration received in the CORE Transactions is classified within Level

of the fair value hierarchy referenced in Note

- Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. As of the date of the CORE Transactions, the Company's investment in the Joint Venture Company had a

zero

balance, therefore the

$39.6

million gain approximates the full fair value of the JV Interest surrendered in the CORE Transactions.

The Company recorded a non-current liability totaling

$1.2

million associated with the cash received for the reimbursement prepayment to the Company of its proportionate share of certain silver royalty payments that the Joint Venture Company

may

be obligated to pay Royal Gold. The liability arises, because pursuant to Article IV of the A&R JV LLCA, if the Joint Venture Company is dissolved, or the Company's membership interest in the Joint Venture Company falls below

prior to when the prepaid royalty is paid out, the

$1.2

million (less any portion already paid out) is refundable to KG Mining.

Immediately prior to the Kinross Transactions, the Joint Venture Company, Contango Minerals, the Company, CORE Alaska, Royal Gold and Royal Alaska entered into the Separation Agreement. Pursuant to the Separation Agreement, the Joint Venture Company completed the formation of Contango Minerals, and contributed approximately

167,000

acres of Alaska state mining claims to it, and retained an additional

1.0%

net smelter returns royalty interest on certain of the contributed Alaska state mining claims that were contributed. After the formation and contribution to Contango Minerals, the Joint Venture Company made simultaneous distributions to Royal Alaska and CORE Alaska by (i) granting to Royal Gold a new

28.0%

net smelter returns silver royalty on all silver produced from a defined area within the Tetlin Lease and also transferring the additional

1.0%

net smelter returns royalty described above on the contributed Alaska state mining claims to Royal Gold (bringing the total net smelter royalty due to Royal Gold to

) and (ii) assigning

one hundred

percent (

100%

) of the membership interests in Contango Minerals to CORE Alaska, which were in turn distributed to the Company, resulting in Contango Minerals becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Separation Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants.

The distribution of the Alaska state mining claims to Contango Minerals meets the definition of a non-reciprocal nonmonetary transfer as defined in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”)

845

and would generally be recorded at fair value to the extent fair value is determinable. However, to date, the Joint Venture Company's gold exploration has concentrated on the Tetlin Lease (which was retained by the Joint Venture Company), with only a limited amount of work performed on the State of Alaska mining claims. The Company has concluded that the fair value of the state claims is

not

determinable within reasonable limits, and therefore has recorded the distribution at historical book value. The Joint Venture Company's historical book value associated with the Alaska state mining claims is

zero

as of the date of the CORE Transactions because the costs associated with exploration performed on these claims were expensed when incurred. Therefore, the Company's balance sheet has a net book value of

zero

for these claims as of the date of the CORE Transactions.

In connection with the Separation Agreement, the Joint Venture Company and Contango Minerals entered into the Option Agreement. Under the Option Agreement, Contango Minerals granted the Joint Venture Company an option, subject to certain conditions contained in the Option Agreement, to purchase approximately

13,000

acres of the Alaska state mining claims which were contributed to Contango Minerals pursuant to the Separation Agreement, together with all extralateral rights, water and water rights, and easements and rights of way in connection therewith, that are held by Contango Minerals. The signing of the Option Agreement did

not

result in any accounting implications for the Company. The Joint Venture Company exercised the option in whole in

June 2021,

and paid the Company

$50,000.

The

$50,000

payment was recorded to income.

October 1, 2020,

CORE Alaska and KG Mining entered into the A&R JV LLCA. The A&R JV LLCA supersedes and replaces in its entirety the Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Joint Venture Company, dated as of

January 8, 2015,

as amended. The A&R JV LLCA is the operating agreement for the Joint Venture Company and provides for understandings between the members with respect to matters regarding percentage ownership interests, governance, transfers of ownership interests and other operational matters. CORE Alaska and KG Mining will be required, subject to the terms of the A&R JV LLCA, to make additional capital contributions to the Joint Venture Company for any approved programs budgets in accordance with their respective percentage membership interests.

After the consummation of the Kinross Transactions, Kinross, through KG Mining, replaced Royal Gold as the Company's joint venture partner and as manager of the Joint Venture Company. After consummation of the Kinross Transactions, CORE Alaska holds a

30.0%

membership interest in the Joint Venture Company and KG Mining holds a

70.0%

membership interest in the Joint Venture Company. The A&R JV LLCA established the Management Committee to determine the overall policies, objectives, procedures, methods and actions of the Joint Venture Company. The Management Committee currently consists of

one

representative designated by CORE Alaska and

two

representatives designated by KG Mining (each a “Representative”). The Representatives designated by each member of the Joint Venture Company vote as a group, and in accordance with their respective membership interests in the Joint Venture Company. Except in the case of certain actions that require approval by unanimous vote of the Representatives, the affirmative vote of a majority of the membership interests in the Joint Venture Company constitutes the action of the Management Committee.

Prior to the CORE Transactions, the Joint Venture Company was a variable interest entity as defined by FASB ASU

No.

2015

02,

Consolidation (Topic

810

): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The Company was

not

the primary beneficiary since it did

not

have the power to direct the activities of the Joint Venture Company. The Company's ownership interest in the Joint Venture Company has therefore historically applied the equity method of accounting for its investment. After the Kinross Transactions, the Company retained a

30.0%

membership interest in the Joint Venture Company. The Company continues to have significant influence in the Joint Venture Company pursuant to its right to designate

one

of the

three

seats on the Management Committee. Therefore, the Company will continue to account for its investment in the Joint Venture Company under the equity method.