XML 61 R11.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Investments in Unconsolidated Entities
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Investments in Unconsolidated Entities [Abstract]  
INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES

NOTE F – INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES

Neptune Minerals, Inc.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2009, we invested $500,000 for a 25% interest (five membership units) in SMM Project, LLC (“SMM”) to pursue opportunities in the exploration of deep-ocean gold and copper deposits. SMM purchased a majority interest in Bluewater Metals Pty, Ltd. (“Bluewater”), an Australian company with licenses for mineral exploration of approximately 150,000 square kilometers of ocean floor in territorial waters controlled by four different countries in the South Pacific. In April 2010, SMM was acquired by Dorado Ocean Resources, Ltd. (“DOR”) through a share exchange. At that time, DOR also acquired the remaining interest in Bluewater. We were issued 450 DOR shares in exchange for our surrendered units in SMM. We also acquired an additional 1,200 shares of DOR valued at $2,000,000 that resulted in a 41.25% ownership of DOR. Ultimately we held a 40.8% ownership of DOR. Under the terms of the Share Subscription Agreement (subscription payable), we had the option to pay for this investment in cash, provide marine services to DOR over a three-year period commencing April 2010 or exercise our contractual right to offset against the $2,000,000 marine services accounts receivable owed to us. During 2011, we exercised our contractual right and offset these two amounts. The focus of DOR was on the exploration and monetization of gold- and copper-rich Seafloor Massive Sulfide (“SMS”) deposits.

During 2011, we were engaged by Neptune Minerals, Inc. (“NMI”) and its affiliates to perform marine services relating to deep-sea mining. The agreements provided for payments in cash and Class B shares of non-voting common stock of NMI. In 2011, we earned 2,066,600 shares of the Class B non-voting common stock from these engagements. During this same period, NMI completed a share exchange with DOR shareholders whereby each one outstanding share of DOR was exchanged for 1,000 shares of NMI Class B non-voting common stock. We received 1,650,000 shares of NMI Class B non-voting common stock for our 1,650 DOR shares pursuant to the share exchange. In connection with this share exchange, NMI executed an assignment and assumption agreement, whereby NMI assumed $8,227,675 of the outstanding debt DOR owed to us. Additionally in 2011, we executed a debt conversion agreement with NMI, whereby we converted $2,500,000 of the debt owed to us for 2,500,000 shares of NMI Class B non-voting common stock. At June 30, 2012, we have a net share position in NMI of 6,216,600 shares, which represents an approximate 31% ownership before any further dilution of the NMI stock.

At June 30, 2012, there is a known loss of $959,000, which is as of December 31, 2011, of DOR (NMI) losses allocable to us that we have not recognized in our income statement because these losses exceeded our investment. Based on the NMI and DOR transaction described above, we believe it is appropriate to allocate these losses to any incremental investment that may be recognized on our balance sheet in NMI. NMI has been unable to provide their financial statements for periods subsequent to December 31, 2011 so we are unable to accurately quantify our share of their loss for the respective periods. With NMI being involved in the capital intensive deep-sea mining and exploration industry as well as not having revenue, their cumulative losses for each of the periods may be several million dollars.

Chatham Rock Phosphate, Ltd.

During the period ended June 30, 2012, we performed deep-sea mining exploratory services for Chatham Rock Phosphate, Ltd. (“CRP”) valued at $1,680,000. As payment for these services, CRP issued 9,320,348 of ordinary shares to us which represents a 12.2% equity stake in CRP. With CRP being on the New Zealand Stock Exchange and guidance per ASC 320: Debt and Equity Securities regarding readily determinable fair value, we believe it is appropriate to not recognize this amount as an asset nor as revenue.