Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

2.	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
	a)	Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
		These consolidated financial statements and related notes are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, and are expressed in US dollars. These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the accounts of an unincorporated venture, Arkose Mining Venture (“Arkose”) in which the Company holds an 81% interest and maintains majority voting control. The Company’s fiscal year-end is December 31.
	b)	Use of Estimates
		The preparation of these consolidated statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company regularly evaluates estimates and assumptions related to useful life and recoverability of long-lived assets, stock-based compensation, asset retirement obligations, deferred income tax asset valuations and loss contingencies. The Company bases its estimates and assumptions on current facts, historical experience and various other factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the accrual of costs and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. The actual results experienced by the Company may differ materially and adversely from the Company’s estimates. To the extent there are material differences between the estimates and the actual results, future results of operations will be affected.
	c)	Cash and Cash Equivalents
		The Company considers all highly liquid instruments with maturities of three months or less at the time of issuance to be cash equivalents.
	d)	Property and Equipment
		Property and equipment consists of computers, office equipment, field equipment and construction in progress. These assets are recorded at cost and, when ready for use, are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their estimated lives.
	e)	Financial Instruments/Concentrations
		The Company’s financial instruments consist principally of cash and accounts payable. The Company believes that the recorded values of all of the Company’s other financial instruments approximate their current fair values because of their nature and relatively short maturity dates or durations.
	f)	Mineral Property Costs
		The Company is primarily engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties with the objective of extracting minerals from these properties.
		Mineral property exploration costs are expensed as incurred. Costs for acquired mineral property databases are similarly expensed upon acquisition. Capitalization of mine development costs that meet the definition of an asset commence once all operating mineralization is classified as proven and probable reserves, and a bankable feasibility study has been completed or the Company determines that a mine will be developed.

Mineral property acquisition costs are expensed as incurred if the criteria for capitalization are not met and unless the Company determines a property can be economically developed as a result of establishing proven and probable reserves, a bankable feasibility study and reasonably securing all operating permits. In the event that a mineral property is acquired through the issuance of the Company’s shares, the mineral property is recorded at the fair value of the respective property or the fair value of common shares and other instruments issued, whichever is more readily determinable.

When mineral properties are acquired under option agreements with future acquisition payments to be made at the sole discretion of the Company, those future payments, whether in cash, shares, or other instruments are recorded only when the Company has made or is obliged to make the payment or issue the shares or instruments.

As of the date of these financial statements, the Company has capitalized mineral property construction in progress expenditures of $9,754,067 (2010 – Nil). During the year ended December 31, 2011, mineral property expenditures totalling $2,505,624 (2010 -$6,661,909, 2009 - $4,778,386) were expensed.

g)	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 regulatory agencies. The Company has bank Letters of Credit and performance bonds issued for the benefit of the Company to satisfy these regulatory requirements.

h)	Restoration and Reclamation Costs (Asset Retirement Obligations)
	United States regulatory authorities require the Company to restore and reclaim its mine area after mining is completed. Pursuant to ASC 410, Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations , the fair value of asset retirement obligation is recognized in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. Upon initial recognition of a liability, the fair value of the liability is added to the carrying amount of the associated asset and this additional carrying amount is depreciated over the life of the asset. 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 to remediate each project.
	Estimations and assumptions used in applying the expected present value technique to determine fair values are reviewed periodically. At December 31, 2011, the Company had accrued $339,564 for restoration and reclamation obligations, of which $304,046 was added to construction in progress during the year ended December 31, 2011 and of which $33,000 was expensed prior to 2011.
	Estimated site restoration costs for exploration activities are accrued when incurred. Costs for environmental remediation are estimated each period by management based on current regulations, actual expenses incurred, available technology and industry standards. Any change in these estimates is included in exploration expense during the period and the actual restoration expenditure incurred are charged to the accumulated asset retirement obligation provision as the restoration work is completed. At December 31, 2011, the Company has recorded $50,160 (2010 – $78,084, 2009 – $75,540) for well reclamation obligations in accrued liabilities for which work is required as part of its ongoing exploration expenses.

i)

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional and reporting currency of the Company is the United States dollar. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated to United States dollars in accordance with ASC 740, Foreign Currency Translation Matters, using the exchange rate prevailing at the balance sheet date. Gains and losses arising on translation or settlement of foreign currency denominated transactions or balances are included in the determination of net income or loss. Foreign currency transactions are primarily undertaken in Canadian dollars. The Company has not, to the date of these consolidated financial statements, entered into derivative instruments to offset the impact of foreign currency fluctuations.

j)	Comprehensive Loss
	ASC 220, Comprehensive Income establishes standards for the reporting and display of comprehensive loss and its components in the consolidated financial statements. During the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company had no items that represent other comprehensive loss.

k)	Long-lived Assets
	In accordance with ASC 360 , Property Plant and Equipment the Company tests long-lived assets or asset groups for recoverability when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Circumstances which could trigger a review include, but are not limited to: significant decreases in the market price of the asset; significant adverse changes in the business climate or legal factors; accumulation of costs significantly in excess of the amount originally expected for the acquisition or construction of the asset; decreases in current period cash flows or operating losses, combined with a history of losses or a forecast of continuing losses associated with the use of the asset; and a current expectation that the asset will more likely than not be sold or disposed significantly before the end of its estimated useful life.
	Recoverability is assessed based on the carrying amount of the asset and its fair value which is generally determined based on the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposal of the asset, as well as specific appraisals in certain instances. An impairment loss is recognized when the carrying amount is not recoverable and exceeds fair value.

l)	Stock-based Compensation
	The Company records stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Based Compensation , which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense based on estimated fair values for all share-based awards made to employees and directors, including stock options.
	ASC 718 requires companies to estimate the fair value of share-based awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model as its method of determining fair value. This model is affected by the Company’s stock price as well as assumptions regarding a number of subjective variables. These subjective variables include, but are not limited to the Company’s expected stock price volatility over the term of the awards, and actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviours. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense in the statement of operations over the requisite service period.

m)

Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Share

The Company computes net loss per share in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings per Share . ASC 260 requires presentation of both basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) on the face of the statement of operations. Basic EPS is computed by dividing net income (loss) available to common shareholders (numerator) by the weighted average number of shares outstanding (denominator) during the period. Diluted EPS gives effect to all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period using the treasury stock method and convertible preferred stock using the if-converted method. In computing diluted EPS, the average stock price for the period is used in determining the number of shares assumed to be purchased from the exercise of stock options or warrants. Diluted EPS excludes all dilutive potential shares if their effect is anti-dilutive. Shares underlying these securities totaled approximately 9,751,180 as of December 31, 2011 (2010 – 12,960,600; 2009 - 15,132,200).

n)

Income Taxes

Potential benefits of income tax losses are not recognized in the accounts until realization is more likely than not. The Company has adopted ASC 740, Income Taxes as of its inception. Pursuant to ASC 740 the Company is required to compute tax asset benefits for net operating losses carried forward and mineral property acquisition, exploration and development costs. The potential benefits of net operating losses have not been recognized in these consolidated financial statements because the Company cannot be assured that it is more likely than not to utilize the net operating losses carried forward in future years.

o)	Recent Accounting Pronouncements
	The Company has implemented all new accounting pronouncements that are in effect and that may impact its financial statements and does not believe that there are any other new accounting pronouncements that have been issued that might have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.

p)	Reclassifications
	Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period’s financial statements to conform to the current year’s presentation.