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Mineral Properties | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements |
Mineral Properties | 2. Mineral properties: Solitario's mineral properties at December 31, 2011 consist of use rights related to exploration stage properties, and the value of such assets is primarily driven by the nature and amount of economic mineral ore believed to be contained, or potentially contained, in such properties. The amounts capitalized as mineral properties include concession and lease or option acquisition costs. Capitalized costs related to a mineral property represent its fair value at the time it was acquired. At December 31, 2011, Solitario has no production (operating) or development stage mineral properties that contain proven or probable reserves, nor any interests in properties that contain proven or probable reserves. Subsequent to December 31, 2011, Solitario did establish that it had proven and probable reserves on its Mt. Hamilton property in Nevada. See Note 15, “Subsequent event, Mt. Hamilton feasibility study.” Solitario's exploration stage mineral properties represent interests in properties that Solitario believes have exploration and development potential. Solitario's mineral use rights generally are enforceable regardless of whether proven and probable reserves have been established. United States As discussed in Note 1 above, on August 26, 2010, Solitario signed the LOI with Ely to make certain equity investments into Ely and to joint venture Ely’s Mt. Hamilton gold project. MH-LLC recorded the Mt. Hamilton mineral properties at their fair value of $6,066,000 on formation of MH-LLC. The Mt. Hamilton claims are subject to a security interest granted to Augusta Resources Corporation (“Augusta”), from whom Ely had previously acquired its interest in the Mt. Hamilton project that DHI-US contributed to MH-LLC. Upon formation, MH-LLC recorded a liability of $3,066,000, discounted at 7.5%, which is Solitario’s deemed market interest rate, for the secured liability to Augusta. MH-LLC recorded $3,000,000 for the fair value of the net contribution of the Mt. Hamilton properties by DHI-US as of the formation of MH-LLC. Pursuant to the MH Agreement, Solitario has control of MH-LLC and is consolidating the activities of MH-LLC in accordance with ASC 810. Accordingly, Solitario recorded an addition to mineral properties of $6,066,000 during 2010. During 2011 Solitario capitalized $2,520,000 related to the Royalty Buy-down on its Mt. Hamilton project, discussed above. MH-LLC also acquired certain additional leases and property at its Mt. Hamilton project and capitalized an additional $235,000 to mineral properties related to these initial land acquisition costs during 2011. Pursuant to the MH Agreement, Solitario was required to fund all exploration expenditures to complete a feasibility study. MH-LLC incurred $3,700,000 and $1,214,000, respectively, of exploration expenditures at Mt. Hamilton, which are included in exploration expense for 2011 and 2010. In addition, MH-LLC recorded $217,000 and $19,000, respectively, of interest expense related to the long-term debt due to Augusta during the year ended December 31, 2011 and 2010. Solitario recorded $3,591,000 and $1,110,000, respectively, as a reduction in the noncontrolling interest related to Ely’s 90% interest in the losses of MH-LLC for 2011 and 2010. Peru Solitario holds exploration concessions or has filed applications for concessions covering approximately 8,500 hectares in Peru excluding properties held under joint ventures and operated by other parties. Applications to acquire mineral concessions in Peru are subject to formalized administrative review and approval. According to Peruvian law, concessions may be held indefinitely, subject only to payment of annual fees to the government. Each year a payment of $3.00 per hectare (approximately 2.477 acres per hectare) must be made by the last day of June to keep the claims in good standing. For concessions that are more than six years old, there is a $6.00 surcharge per hectare ($9.00 total), if less than $100 per hectare is invested in exploration and development of the claim. Approximately 2,200 hectares of Solitario’s concessions are subject to the $6.00 per hectare surcharge. Peru also imposes a sliding scale net smelter return royalty (NSR) on all precious and base metal production. This NSR assesses a tax of 1% on all gross proceeds from production up to $60,000,000, a 2% NSR on proceeds between $60,000,000 and $120,000,000 and a 3% NSR on proceeds in excess of $120,000,000. (a) Bongará Solitario acquired the initial Bongará exploration concessions in 1993. Bongará mineral concessions now total 16 concessions covering approximately 13,000 hectares in northern Peru. On August 15, 2006, Solitario signed a Letter Agreement with Votorantim Metais Cajamarquilla, S.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Votorantim Metais (both companies referred to as "Votorantim"), on Solitario's 100%-owned Bongará zinc project. On March 24, 2007, Solitario signed a definitive agreement, the Framework Agreement for the Exploration and Potential Development of Mining Properties (the "Framework Agreement"), pursuant to, and replacing, the previously signed Bongará Letter Agreement with Votorantim. Solitario's property interests are held through the ownership of shares in Minera Bongará, a joint operating company that holds a 100% interest in the mineral rights and other project assets. At December 31, 2011, Solitario owns 100% of the shares in this company (Minera Bongará S.A.). Votorantim can earn up to a 70% shareholder interest in the joint operating company by funding an initial $1.0 million exploration program (completed), by completing future annual exploration and development expenditures until a production decision is made or the agreement is terminated. The option to earn the 70% interest can be exercised by Votorantim any time after the first year commitment by committing to place the project into production based upon a feasibility study. The agreement calls for Votorantim to have minimum annual exploration and development expenditures of $1.5 million in each of years two and three, which commitments have been met as of December 31, 2009, and $2.5 million in all subsequent years, which was met in 2010 and 2011, until a minimum of $18.0 million has been expended by Votorantim. Votorantim will act as project operator. Votorantim, in its sole discretion, may elect to terminate the option to earn the 70% interest at any time after the first year commitment. In addition Votorantim is required to make annual delay rental payments of $100,000 by August 15, 2007 and by making further delay rental payments to Solitario of $200,000 on all subsequent anniversaries (completed through 2011) until a production decision is made. Once Votorantim has fully funded its $18.0 million work commitment and committed to place the project into production based upon a feasibility study, it has further agreed to finance Solitario's 30% participating interest through production. Solitario will repay the loan facility through 50% of Solitario's cash flow distributions from the joint operating company. Votorantim is responsible for all joint venture costs as part of the Framework Agreement. Votorantim has conducted annual drilling programs at Bongará for the years 2006-2011, underground tunneling and drilling in 2010-2011, and road building to the project in 2010-2011. (b) Yanacocha Royalty Property On January 18, 2005, we signed a letter of intent (the “Letter of Intent”) with Newmont Peru, Ltd. ("Newmont Peru"), to amend our net smelter return ("NSR") royalty on a 61,000-hectare property located immediately north of the Newmont Mining-Buenaventura's Minera Yanacocha Mine, the largest gold mine in South America. In addition to amending the NSR royalty schedule, Newmont Peru agreed to a long-term US$4.0 million work commitment on our royalty property and provides us access to Newmont Peru's future exploration results on an annual basis. In January 2005 the Yanacocha royalty amendment and work commitment Letter of Intent was subsequently replaced by a definitive agreement with the same terms. Newmont continues to conduct annual exploration work on our royalty property, and we see this work continuing for the foreseeable future. Brazil (a) Pedra Branca On April 24, 2007, Solitario signed a definitive agreement, the Shareholders Agreement with Anglo Platinum Limited (“Anglo”), relating to the Pedra Branca Project in Brazil (the "Shareholders Agreement"), for the exploration and development of the Pedra Branca Project. The Shareholders Agreement provides for Solitario and Anglo property interests to be held through the ownership of shares of Pedra Branca Mineracao, Ltd. (“PBM”). Pursuant to the Shareholders Agreement, Anglo earned a 51% interest in PBM on July 21, 2010. Anglo can earn an additional 9% interest in PBM (for a total of 60%) by completing either (i) a bankable feasibility study or (ii) spending an additional $10.0 million on exploration or development. Anglo can also earn an additional 5% interest in PBM (for a total of 65%) by arranging for 100% financing to put the project into commercial production. Upon Anglo earning a 51% interest, Solitario made the determination that Anglo had gained control of PBM per the terms of the PBM Shareholders Agreement between Solitario and Anglo. This necessitated the deconsolidation of our interest in PBM and the recording of a gain or loss on deconsolidation in accordance with ASC 810-10-40-5. See Note 11, “Deconsolidation of PBM,” below. As part of the Shareholders Agreement with Anglo, we entered into a Services Agreement with Anglo whereby we receive a 5% management fee for managing the project based upon total expenditures. During 2011 Solitario charged PBM management fees of $62,000, as a credit to exploration expense. During 2010 Solitario charged PBM management fees of $47,000, of which $36,000 was received prior to July 21, 2010 and was eliminated in consolidation, net of $12,000 of noncontrolling interest. In August 2011 Anglo funded $1,500,000 to PBM for the remainder of the 2011 and the 2012 exploration programs. (b) Mercurio On March 9, 2010, Solitario signed a letter agreement with Regent Holdings, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brazilian Gold Corporation (“Regent”), related to Solitario’s Mercurio property located in Brazil. In November 2010 Solitario signed a definitive agreement with Regent, whereby Regent agreed to pay to Solitario $1,000,000 over the next four years, in annual payments in the amounts of $50,000, $100,000, $200,000 and $650,000, beginning in October 2011, when Regent paid Solitario the first annual payment of $50,000. Solitario recorded $42,000 of joint venture and property payments after reduction of the capitalized cost at the Mercurio project of $8,000. As of December 31, 2011, Solitario has no remaining capitalized cost related to the Mercurio project and any further delay rental payments will be recorded as revenue. Regent is also required to make a minimum exploration expenditure totaling $900,000 over the same four-year period. Upon receipt of the final payments, Solitario will retain a net smelter royalty of 1.5% on all ounces of gold produced at Mercurio up to two million ounces and Solitario will retain a net smelter royalty of 2.0% on all ounces of gold produced at Mercurio over two million ounces. Regent may terminate the agreement at any time and is not obligated to make any further payments. Mexico (a) Pachuca Real The Pachuca Real silver-gold property in central Mexico was acquired by staking in late 2005 and early 2006. Part of the property, the approximately 6,200 hectare El Cura claim, is held under an option agreement with a private Mexican party. The option agreement was completed in October 2005 and provides for payments of $500,000 over four years, of which Solitario made payments totaling $90,000 as of December 31, 2009. The option agreement was amended in May 2009 and again in October 2011. Under the revised terms, Solitario is required to pay $15,000 every six months, starting in May 2009, to the underlying owner to keep the option in good standing. By October 2014 Solitario must either exercise the option to acquire 100% interest in the concession by paying the underlying owner $500,000, or the option will terminate. Claims fees to be paid to the government of Mexico totaling approximately $82,000 were paid in 2011. Solitario may terminate its option at any time without any further costs. On April 28, 2010, Solitario signed a definitive venture agreement with Compania De Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (“Buenaventura”) on the Pachuca Real silver-gold project. During 2011 Buenaventura completed a 38-hole drilling program totaling 13,489 meters on the project. Buenaventura terminated the agreement in December 2011. Discontinued projects During 2011 we recorded $10,000 of mineral property write-downs related to our Paria Cruz property in Peru. During 2010 we recorded mineral property write downs of $55,000 related to our Santiago and Cajatambo projects in Peru and our La Noria and Palmira projects in Mexico. During 2009 we recorded mineral property write-downs of $51,000 related to our Chonta project in Peru and our Purica project in Mexico. Exploration Expense The following items comprised exploration expense:
(in thousands) | 2011 | 2010 | 2009
Geologic and field expenses | $1,922 | $2,420 | $2,339
Administrative | 324 | 399 | 1,240
Mt. Hamilton exploration | 3,700 | 1,214 | -
Total exploration expense | $5,946 | $4,033 | $3,579

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