2. Mineral Rights and Properties, net

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Extractive Industries [Abstract]

Mineral Rights and Properties, net

Note 2 – Mineral Rights and Properties, net

Our mineral rights and mineral properties consist of:

	September 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Mineral and other properties	$	185,290	$	185,290
Mineral rights - Langtry project		–		–
Mineral rights and properties - unproven, net	$	185,290	$	185,290

Mineral and Other Properties

On August 8, 2016, we purchased 33+/- acres of land (“Section 16 Property”) for $28,582, net of $18 of title fees, located in San Bernardino County, California. The property is located in the Calico Mining District in the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 16; T 10 North, R 1 East. The State of California patented this land to a private party in 1935 and reserved in favor of the State one-sixteenth of all coal, oil, gas and other mineral deposits contained in the land.

In 2014, we purchased 160 acres of land (“Castle Rock”), located in the eastern Calico Mining District, San Bernardino County, California. The parcel is the SE quarter of Section 25, Township 10 North, Range 1 East and is mostly surrounded by public lands. It was purchased for $21,023 in a property tax auction conducted on behalf of the County. The eastern part of the Calico Mining District is best known for industrial minerals and is not known to have any precious metal deposits.

In 2012, we purchased 661 acres of land (“Section 13 Property”) in fee simple for $135,685 cash, located in San Bernardino County, California, that was sold in a property tax auction conducted on behalf of the County. The parcel is all of Section 13 located in Township 7 North, Range 4 East, San Bernardino Base & Meridian.

The Section 13 property is near the Lava Beds Mining District and has evidence of historic mining. It is adjacent to both the Silver Cliffs and Silver Bell historic mines. The property is located in the same regional geologic area known as the Western Mojave Block that includes our flagship Langtry Project. The property is approximately 28 miles southeast of our Langtry Project.

Mineral Rights

In 2010, we entered into a 20 year Mining Lease with Option to Purchase (the “Langtry Lease” or the “Lease”) granting us the exclusive right to explore, develop and conduct mining operations on a group of 20 patented mining claims consisting of approximately 413 acres that comprise our Langtry Property. Effective November 28, 2012, December 19, 2013 and January 21, 2015, we executed Amendments No. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, to the Langtry Lease modifying certain terms.

Effective March 10, 2016, we executed and delivered a new Lease/Purchase Option (“Lease/Option”) covering our flagship Langtry Property located in the Calico Mining District, San Bernardino County, California. The Lease/Option also includes two unpatented mining claims in the Calico Mining District known as the Lilly #10 and Quad Deuce XIII (the “Langtry Unpatented Claims”), which we have previously owned and agreed to transfer to the Lessor subject to the Lease/Option. The new Lease/Option supersedes all prior agreements.

The following is a summary of the highlights of the new Lease/Option, which is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of the Lease/Option dated March 10, 2016:

The Lease/Option has a term of 20 years, and grants an exclusive right to explore, develop and purchase the Langtry property. Lease payments under the new agreement are a nominal $1 per year, payable in advance. This amount was paid in March 2016. The lease requires us to also maintain the option to purchase in good standing as described below.

Option payments: in order to maintain the option to purchase, we are required to pay option payments (“Option Payments”) as follows: $40,000 year 1; the greater of $40,000 or the spot price of 2,500 ounces of silver in years 2 through 5; the greater of $50,000 or the spot price of 2,500 ounces of silver in years 6 through 10; the greater of $75,000 or the spot price of 3,750 ounces of silver in years 11 through 15; and the greater of $100,000 or the spot price of 5,000 ounces of silver in years 16 through 20. 50% of all Option Payments are credited against the purchase price should the Company exercise the purchase option. The annual payments are due on March 15^th each year.

In March 2018, we made the required year 3 payment totaling $41,650. 50% of the payment, or $20,825 was capitalized as mining rights as the amount is applicable to the option purchase price. The remaining $20,825 was expensed as lease option costs and included in exploration costs. In March 2019, the trustee overseeing this lease/option contract agreed to split the payment due on March 15, 2019 into two parts, with $20,000 due in March 2019, and the other $20,000 due in September 2019. The March payment was paid as scheduled. During September 2019, the trustee agreed to split the $20,000 payment originally due in September 2019, into two $10,000 payments due on October 15, 2019 and November 15, 2019. The payment due on October 15, 2019 was paid as agreed. As of September 30, 2019 the $20,000 obligation is included on the consolidated balance sheet as an Accrued lease option liability.

Option Purchase Price: We have the option to purchase fee title to the Langtry Property for the full 20-year term of the Lease/Option. The purchase price is:

• Years 1 through 3 (3-15-2016 to 3-15-2019): $5,000,000

• Years 4 through 5 (3-15-2019 to 3-15-2021): the greater of $5,000,000 or the spot price of 250,000 troy ounces of silver, plus payment of the deferred rent of $130,000;

• Years 6 through 10 (3-15-2021 to 3-15-26): the greater of $7,500,000 or the spot price of 375,000 troy ounces of silver, plus payment of the deferred rent of $130,000;

• Years 11 through 20 (3-15-2026 to 3-15-2036): the greater of $10,000,000 or the spot price of 500,000 troy ounces of silver, plus payment of the deferred rent of $130,000.

During the lease term, and provided the purchase option has not been exercised, the lessor is entitled to receive a 2% NSR on silver production and a 3% to 5% royalty on other mineral production and certain other revenue streams; 

After exercise of the purchase option, the lessor will not receive royalties on silver or other precious metals production but will receive a 5% royalty on barite production and other revenue streams.

Deferred rent of $130,000 under the prior lease shall be payable upon exercise of the purchase option or upon Athena entering into a joint venture or other arrangement to develop the Langtry prospect.

If we are in breach of the Lease/Option, the Lessor will have the option to terminate the Lease by giving us 30 days’ written notice. The Lease also provides us with the right to terminate the Lease without penalty on March 15th of each year during the Lease term by giving the lessor 30 days’ written notice of termination on or before February 13th of each year.

The Langtry Property is also subject to a net smelter royalty in favor of Mobil Exploration and Producing North America Inc. from the sale of concentrates, precipitates or metals produced from ores mined from the royalty acreage. The agreement dated April 30, 1987 granted a base net smelter royalty of 3% plus an additional incremental 2% royalty on net smelter proceeds from silver sales above $10.00 per troy ounce plus an additional incremental 2% royalty on net smelter proceeds from silver sales above $15.00 per troy ounce.

On May 28, 2015 we executed an amendment to the deed underlying the Langtry Lease to cap at 2% the net smelter royalty that would be due to Mobil Exploration and Producing North America Inc. (“Mobil”) from any future sales of concentrates, precipitates or metals produced from ores mined from the royalty acreage. In consideration for the amendment, we agreed to pay an amendment fee of $150,000, with $10,000 due at the time of the agreement and the balance payable $10,000 each June 1^st until paid in full. The 2019 payment due June 1, 2019 was not paid until August 2019. We have paid a total of $50,000 so far on this agreement, and the balance of $100,000 was outstanding as of September 30, 2019. If we sell our interest in the Lease or enter into an agreement, joint venture or other agreement for the exploration and development of the Langtry Property, the amendment fee shall become due and payable immediately.

During the term of the Lease, Athena Minerals has the exclusive right to develop and conduct mining operations on the Langtry Property. Future option payments and/or exploration and development of this property will require new equity and/or debt capital.

On September 28, 2015, at the request of the Company and its advisors, the San Bernardino County Land Use Services Department (the “Department”) issued and recorded a Certificate of Land Use Compliance for Vested Land Use in which the Department formally determined that the Langtry property had the legally established right for mineral resource development activity (the “Vested Right”). The Vested Right is subject to certain conditions set forth in the Certificate and runs with the Langtry property in perpetuity.

In August 2015 the Company acquired by deed conveyance 15 unpatented mining claims in the Calico Mining District in San Bernardino, California from a third party for $10,000. The claims are contiguous to our existing unpatented and patented claims known as the Langtry Property.

All commitments and obligations under our prior 2010 Lease and the 2016 Lease/Option to Purchase have been fulfilled to date. Future option payments and/or exploration and development of this property may require new equity and/or debt capital. In addition, as of September 30, 2019 all regulatory obligations due or accrued regarding our mineral rights had been paid, and all our claims remain in good standing.

Impairment of Mineral Rights

During 2017 the Company evaluated its mineral rights and properties. As a result of the evaluation, the Company recognized an impairment loss of $1,885,816 associated with the Langtry project as of December 31, 2017. The impairment analysis and conclusion was a result of the continuing low silver prices that negatively affect the economic viability of the project. As such, the Company impaired at 100% all capitalized lease and maintenance payments made prior to the Lease Option agreement of March 10, 2016, as well as the deed amendment fee of $150,000 that provides for a royalty cap upon any future production activities.

During 2018, the Company again evaluated its mineral rights and properties for impairment and determined that due to the continued low silver prices, as well as the Company’s limited access to capital for further development of the Langtry project, additional impairment of those remaining mineral rights assets totaling $63,183 was recorded at December 31, 2018.