Discloure of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of accounting policy for the basis of consolidation [text block]

(a) Basis of consolidation

These audited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its controlled subsidiaries. Control exists when the Company has power over the investee, is exposed or has rights to variable returns from its involvement with the investee, and has the ability to use its power over the investee to affect the amount of the investor’s returns. Subsidiaries and controlled entities are included in the consolidated financial results of the Company from the effective date that control is obtained up to the effective date of disposal or loss of control. The principal wholly-owned subsidiary as at December 31, 2021 is Minera Los Lagartos, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican incorporated company. All intercompany balances, transactions, revenues and expenses have been eliminated upon consolidation.

These audited consolidated financial statements also include the Company’s 44% interest in each of Minera Juanicipio S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Juanicipio”) and Equipos Chaparral, S.A. de C.V. (“Equipos Chaparral”) (Note 6, “Investment in Juanicipio”), both associates (Note 2(b)) accounted for using the equity method.

Where necessary, adjustments have been made to the financial statements of the Company’s subsidiaries and associates prior to consolidation, to conform with the significant accounting policies used in their preparation to those used by the Company.

Description of accounting policy for the accounting estimates [text block]

(c) Significant Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenditures during the reported period. Significant estimates used in preparation of these financial statements include: estimates of the recoverable amount and any impairment of exploration and evaluation assets, investment in associates and mine development costs; recovery of receivable balances including value added taxes; estimates of fair value of financial instruments where a quoted market price or secondary market for the instrument does not exist; estimates of mineral stockpile inventory valuations; recording revenue based on estimated metal quantities based on assay data and on a provisional price which will be trued up for price and quantity in a later period; provisions including closure and reclamation; share based payment expense; and income tax provisions. Actual results may differ from those estimated. Further details of the nature of these estimates may be found in the relevant notes to the consolidated statements.

Description of accounting policy for financial instruments [text block]

(e) Financial instruments

Financial assets

Financial assets are classified as either financial assets at fair value through profit or loss (“FVTPL”), fair value through other comprehensive income (“FVTOCI”) or amortized cost. The Company determines the classification of financial assets at initial recognition.

(i)

Financial assets at FVTPL

Financial assets carried at FVTPL are initially recorded at fair value and transaction costs are expensed in profit or loss. Equity instruments that are held for trading and all equity derivative instruments are classified as FVTPL. Equity derivative instruments such as warrants listed on a recognized exchange are valued at the latest available closing price. Warrants not listed on a recognized exchange, but where a secondary market exists, are valued at independent broker prices (if available) traded within that secondary market. If no secondary market exists, the warrants are valued using the Black Scholes option pricing model. Realized and unrealized gains and losses arising from changes in the fair value of the financial assets held at FVTPL are included in profit or loss in the period in which they arise.

(ii)

Financial assets at FVTOCI

Equity instruments that are designated at FVTOCI are initially recorded at fair value plus transaction costs with all subsequent changes in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (loss). For investments in equity instruments that are not held for trading, the Company can make an irrevocable election (on an instrument-by-instrument bases) at initial recognition to classify them as FVTOCI. On the disposal of the investment, the cumulative change in fair value in other comprehensive income (loss) is not recycled to profit or loss but transferred only within equity.

(iii)

Financial assets at amortized cost

Financial assets are classified at amortized cost if the objective of the business model is to hold the financial asset for the collection of contractual cash flows, and the assets’ contractual cash flows are comprised solely of payments of principal and interest. The Company’s accounts receivable are recorded at amortized cost as they meet the required criteria. A provision is recorded based on the expected credit losses for the financial asset and reflects changes in the expected credit losses at each reporting period (see impairment below).

Financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are initially recorded at fair value and subsequently measured at amortized cost, unless they are required to be measured at FVTPL (such as derivatives) or the Company has elected to measure at FVTPL. The Company’s financial liabilities include trade and other payables and lease obligations which are classified at amortized cost.

The Company classifies financial instruments as follows:

Financial instrument		Classification
Cash and cash equivalents		FVTPL
Equity securities		FVTOCI
Accounts receivable		Amortized cost
Trade and other payables		Amortized cost
Lease obligations		Amortized cost
Loan to Minera Juanicipio S.A. de C.V.		Amortized cost

Impairment

IFRS 9 requires an ‘expected credit loss’ model to be applied which requires a loss allowance to be recognized based on expected credit losses. This applies to financial assets measured at amortized cost. The expected credit loss model requires an entity to account for expected credit losses and changes in those expected credit losses at each reporting date to reflect changes in initial recognition. In other words, it is no longer necessary for a credit event to have occurred before credit losses are recognized.

Description of accounting policy for exploration and evaluation expenditures [text block]

(g) Exploration and evaluation assets

With respect to its exploration activities, the Company follows the practice of capitalizing all costs relating to the acquisition, exploration and evaluation of its mining rights. Option payments made by the Company are capitalized until the decision to exercise the option is made. If the option agreement is to exercise a purchase option in an underlying mineral property, the costs are capitalized and accounted for as an exploration and evaluation asset. At such time as commercial production commences, the capitalized costs will be depleted on a units-of-production method (“UOP”). If a mineable ore body is discovered, exploration and evaluation costs are reclassified to mining properties. If no mineable ore body is discovered, such costs are expensed in the period in which it is determined the property has no future economic value.

Exploration and evaluation expenditures include acquisition costs of rights to explore; topographical, geological, geochemical and geophysical studies; exploratory drilling; trenching and sampling; all costs incurred to obtain permits and other licenses required to conduct such activities, including legal, community, strategic and consulting fees; and activities involved in evaluating the technical feasibility and commercial viability of extracting mineral resources. This includes the costs incurred in determining the most appropriate mining/processing methods and developing feasibility studies. Expenditures incurred on a prospective property prior to the Company obtaining the right to explore it, are expensed in the period in which they are incurred.

When an exploration project has entered into the advanced exploration phase and sufficient evidence of the probability of the existence of economically recoverable minerals has been obtained, pre-operative expenditures relating to mine preparation works are capitalized to mine development costs. Activities that are typically capitalized include costs incurred to build shafts, drifts, ramps and access corridors to enable ore extraction from underground.

Impairment

Management reviews the carrying amount of exploration and evaluation assets for impairment when facts or circumstances suggest that the carrying amount is not recoverable. This review is generally made with reference to the timing of exploration work, work programs proposed, exploration results achieved by the Company and by others in the related area of interest, and an assessment of the likely results to be achieved from performance of further exploration. When the results of this review indicate that indicators of impairment exist, the Company estimates the recoverable amount of the deferred exploration costs and related mining rights by reference to the potential for success of further exploration activity and/or the likely proceeds to be received from sale or assignment of the rights. When the carrying amounts of exploration and evaluation assets are estimated to exceed their recoverable amounts, an impairment loss is recorded in profit or loss. The cash-generating unit for assessing impairment is a geographic region and shall be no larger than the operating segment. If conditions that gave rise to the impairment no longer exist, a reversal of impairment may be recognized in a subsequent period, with the carrying amount of the exploration and evaluation asset increased to the revised estimate of recoverable amount to the extent that the increased carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had an impairment loss not been previously recognized. A reversal of an impairment loss is recognized in profit or loss in the period the reversal occurs.

Description of accounting policy for leases [text block]

(i) Lease

At inception of a contract, the Company assesses whether a contract is, or contains a lease. A contract is, or contains a lease if the contract conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for the period of time in exchange for consideration. The Company assesses whether the contract involves the use of an identified asset, whether the Company has the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from use of the asset throughout the contract term and if the Company has the right to direct the use of the asset.

As a lessee, the Company recognizes a right-of-use asset and a lease liability at the commencement date of a lease. Right-of-use assets are initially measured at cost, which is comprised of the initial amount of the lease liability adjusted for any lease payment made at or before the commencement date.

Right-of-use assets are subsequently amortized on a straight-line basis from the commencement date to the earlier of the end of the lease term, or the end of the useful life of the asset. In addition, the right-of-use asset may be reduced due to impairment losses, if any, and adjusted for certain remeasurements of the lease liability.

A lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the lease payments to be made over the lease term, discounted by the interest rate implicit in the lease or if that rate cannot be readily determined, the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. Lease payments include fixed payments, variable lease payments that depend on an index or a rate, amounts to be paid under residual value guarantees and the exercise price of a purchase option reasonably certain to be exercised by the Company.

The lease liability is measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method. It is remeasured when there is a modification, a change in the lease term, a change in the fixed lease payments or change in the assessment to purchase the underlying asset.

The Company presents the right-of-use asset in the property and equipment line item on the consolidated statements of financial position and the lease liability in the lease obligation line item on the consolidated statements of financial position.

Description of accounting policy for provisions [text block]

(k) Provisions

Provisions are liabilities that are uncertain in timing or amount. The Company records a provision when and only when:

(i) The Company has a present obligation (legal or constructive) as a result of a past event;

(ii) It is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation; and

(iii) A reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation.

Constructive obligations are obligations that derive from the Company’s actions where:

(i) By an established pattern of past practice, published policies or a sufficiently specific current statement, the Company has indicated to other parties that it will accept certain responsibilities; and

(ii) As a result, the Company has created a valid expectation on the part of those other parties that it will discharge those responsibilities.

Provisions are reviewed at the end of each reporting period and adjusted to reflect management’s current best estimate of the expenditure required to settle the present obligation at the end of the reporting period. If it is no longer probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation, the provision is reversed. Provisions are reduced by actual expenditures for which the provision was originally recognized. Where discounting has been used, the carrying amount of a provision increases in each period to reflect the passage of time. This increase (accretion expense) is included in profit or loss for the period.

Closure and reclamation

The Company records a provision for the present value of the estimated closure obligations, including reclamation costs, when the obligation (legal or constructive) is incurred, with a corresponding increase in the carrying value of the related assets. The carrying value is amortized over the life of the mining asset on a UOP basis commencing with initial commercialization of the asset. The liability is accreted to the actual liability on settlement through charges each period to profit or loss.

The provision for closure and reclamation is reviewed at the end of each reporting period for changes in estimates and circumstances, including as a result of changes in regulatory requirements, discount rates and assumptions regarding the amount and timing of the expenditures. These changes are recorded directly to the related assets with a corresponding entry to the reclamation provision. The provision recorded by the Company as at December 31, 2021 of $409 relates to current and prior disturbances on the Deer Trail exploration property (see Note 7) ( December 31, 2020: $409).

One of the operating companies of the Company’s investment in associates, Minera Juanicipio, recorded a provision for reclamation and remediation costs of $4,050 and capitalized a corresponding asset as at December 31, 2021 ( December 31, 2020: $1,450) (see Note 6).

Description of accounting policy for foreign currency translation [text block]

(m) Foreign currency transactions

Transactions incurred in currencies other than the Company’s functional currency (foreign currencies) are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each statement of financial position date, monetary assets and liabilities are translated using the period end foreign exchange rate. Non-monetary assets and liabilities are translated using the historical rate on the date of the transaction. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are stated at fair value are translated using the rate on the date that the fair value was determined. All gains and losses on translation of these foreign currency transactions are included in profit or loss.

Description of accounting policy for earnings per share [text block]

(o) Income (Loss) per common share

Basic income (loss) per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period.

Diluted income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Common equivalent shares consist of the incremental common shares upon the assumed exercise of stock options and warrants, and upon the assumed conversion of deferred share units and units issued under the Company’s share unit plan, to the extent their inclusion is not anti-dilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the weighted average number of shares outstanding was based on the following:

	Year ended December 31,
	2021		2020
Basic weighted average number of shares outstanding		95,181,258		91,108,622
Effect of dilutive common share equivalents		278,257		-
		95,459,515		91,108,622

For the year ended December 31, 2021, stock options totaling 813,887, restricted and performance share units totaling 247,752 and deferred share units totaling 383,078 were excluded from the computation of diluted income (loss) per share due to vesting criteria not being met during the period.

For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company had 1,882,225 common share equivalents consisting of: common shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding and exercisable stock options; restricted and performance share units; and deferred share units. These common share equivalents were not included for the purpose of calculating diluted loss per share as their effect would be anti-dilutive.

Description of initial application of standards or interpretation [text block]

(q) Changes in Accounting Standards

The Company has reviewed new accounting pronouncements that have been issued but are not yet effective at December 31, 2021. These include:

IAS 12 Income Taxes. In May 2021, the IASB issued Deferred Tax related to Assets and Liabilities arising from a Single Transaction, which amended IAS 12 Income Taxes. The amendments are effective beginning on or after January 1, 2023, with early adoption permitted. The amendments narrowed the scope of the recognition exemption in paragraphs 15 and 24 of IAS 12 (recognition exemption) so that it no longer applies to transactions that, on initial recognition, give rise to equal amounts of taxable and deductible temporary differences, such as leases and reclamation provisions. The Company is assessing the impact of the amendment and does not expect it to have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.