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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of presentation
These consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company completed processing of gold and silver ore previously placed on leach pads prior to ceasing mining operations in November 2021. As a result, the Company did not generate Revenues or incur Cost of sales during the year ended December 31, 2023. Accordingly, effective January 1, 2023, the Company began reporting amounts for Mine site period costs, Asset retirement obligation adjustments, Depreciation and amortization, and Write-down of supplies inventories as Operating expenses as this presentation aligns with the manner in which the business is currently viewed and managed while the Company conducts activities for developing the Hycroft Mine and recommencing mining operations.
Liquidity
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had available unrestricted cash on hand of $106.2 million and net working capital of $101.8 million, which is expected to provide it with the necessary liquidity to fund its operating and investing requirements and future obligations as they become due within the next 12 months from the date of this filing.    
On November 17, 2023, the Company again began accessing the ATM Program, and as of December 31, 2023, sold an additional 523,328 shares of common stock for aggregate gross proceeds, before commissions and offering expenses, of $1.1 million. As of December 31, 2023, there were $360.3 million shares of common stock available for issuance under the ATM Program.
The Company also made additional voluntary prepayments of $38.0 million in January 2024, with $34.7 million related to the first lien loan and $3.3 million related to additional interest. See Note 26 – Subsequent Events for additional details.
The Company will continue to evaluate alternatives to raise additional capital necessary to fund the future exploration and development of the Hycroft Mine and will continue to explore other strategic initiatives to enhance stockholder value.
Historically, the Company has been dependent on various forms of debt and equity financing to fund its business. While the Company has been successful in the past raising funds through equity and debt financings, no assurance can be given that additional financing will be available to it in amounts sufficient to meet the Company’s needs or on terms acceptable to the Company. In the event that funds are not available, the Company may be required to materially change its business plan.
Use of estimates
The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in these consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The more significant areas requiring the use of management estimates and assumptions relate to: the useful lives of long-lived assets; estimates of mineral resources; estimates of life-of-mine production timing, volumes, costs, and prices; future mining and future processing plans; environmental reclamation and closure costs and timing; deferred taxes and related valuation allowances; estimates of the fair value of liability classified warrants; and estimates of fair value for long-lived assets and financial instruments. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable at the time the estimate is made. Actual results may differ from amounts estimated in these consolidated financial statements, and such differences could be material. Accordingly, amounts presented in these consolidated financial statements are not indicative of results that may be expected for future periods.
Reclassification of prior year presentation
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company completed processing of gold and silver ore previously placed on leach pads prior to ceasing mining operations in November 2021. As a result, the Company did not generate Revenues or incur Cost of sales during the year ended December 31, 2023. Accordingly, effective January 1, 2023, the Company began reporting amounts for Mine site period costs and Depreciation and amortization as Operating expenses as this presentation aligns with the manner in which the business is currently viewed and managed while the Company conducts activities for developing the Hycroft Mine and recommencing mining operations.
On November 14, 2023, the Company effectuated a reverse stock split with a ratio of 1-for-10. All share and per share information has been retroactively adjusted to give effect to the reverse stock split for all periods presented. The shares of Common Stock retained a par value of $0.0001 per share. The total number of authorized shares of Common Stock and preferred stock will not be reduced and remain at 1,400,000,000 and 10,000,000 shares, respectively.
Cash and cash equivalents
During 2022, the Company invested in the AAAm rated U.S. Government Money Market Funds that are readily convertible to cash and, as such, the Company has included them in Cash and cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2023, cash consisted of the Company’s cash and money market fund balances. The Company has not experienced any losses on cash balances and believes that no significant risk of loss exists with respect to its cash.
Supplies inventories, net
Supplies are valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. Cost includes applicable taxes and freight. The Company monitors its supplies for turnover and obsolescence and records losses for excess and obsolete inventory, as appropriate.
Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable consists of amounts due from customers for gold and silver sales. The Company evaluates the customers’ credit risk, payment history, and financial condition to determine whether an allowance for doubtful accounts is necessary. The Company collected the outstanding Accounts receivable balance during the first three months of 2023.
Property, plant, and equipment, net
Expenditures for new facilities and equipment, and expenditures that extend the useful lives or increase the capacity of existing facilities or equipment are capitalized and recorded at cost. Such costs are depreciated using either the straight-line method over the estimated productive lives of such assets or the units-of-production method (when actively operating). For equipment and facilities that are constructed by the Company, interest is capitalized to the cost of the underlying asset while being constructed until such asset is ready for its intended use. See Note 5 – Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net for additional information.
Impairment of long-lived assets
The Company’s long-lived assets consist of Note 5 – Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net. The Company reviews and evaluates its long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Events that may trigger a test for recoverability include, but are not limited to, significant adverse changes to projected Revenues, costs, or future expansion plans or changes to federal and state regulations (with which the Company must comply) that may adversely impact the Company’s current or future operations. An impairment is determined to exist if the total projected future cash flows on an undiscounted basis are less than the carrying amount of a long-lived asset group. An impairment loss is measured and recorded based on the excess carrying value of the impaired long-lived asset group over fair value.
In estimating future cash flows, assets are grouped at the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of future cash flows from other asset groups. The Company’s estimates of future cash flows and estimates of fair value are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. See Note 5 – Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net for additional information.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company determined a triggering event had occurred as the Company does not expect to have significant revenue or cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future. In addition, the 2023 Hycroft TRS does not include estimates of mineral reserves. As a result, the Company does not have a basis for projecting future cash flows on an undiscounted basis. The Company used a market-based approach for determining fair value based on sales transactions of comparable assets. Because the Company’s estimated fair value of long-lived assets held and used exceeded their carrying value, the Company determined no impairment of long-lived assets was necessary at December 31, 2023.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company determined a triggering event had occurred as the Company completed processing of gold and silver ore previously placed on leach pads prior to ceasing mining operations and, as such, the Company does not expect to have significant revenue or cash flows from operations during 2023. In addition, the 2023 Hycroft TRS does not include estimates of mineral reserves. As a result, the Company does not have a basis for projecting future cash flows on an undiscounted basis. The Company used a market-based approach for determining fair value based on sales transactions of comparable assets. Because the Company’s estimated fair value of long-lived assets held and used exceeded their carrying value, the Company determined no impairment of long-lived assets was necessary at December 31, 2022.
Restricted cash
The Restricted cash balance is primarily held as collateral for surety bonds that the Company uses to fulfill financial assurance obligations related to reclamation activity (see Note 8 – Asset Retirement Obligation for further detail). Additionally, interest received on cash collateral balances is restricted as to its use and is included as an increase to Restricted cash with a corresponding recognition of Interest income when earned. Restricted cash is excluded from cash and is listed separately on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company held $26.3 million and $34.0 million in Restricted cash, respectively. See Note 6 – Restricted Cash for additional information.
Assets held for sale
The Company classifies long-lived assets or disposal groups to be sold as held for sale in the period in which all of the following criteria are met: (i) management, having the authority to approve the action, commits to a plan to sell the asset or disposal group; (ii) the asset or disposal group is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets or disposal groups; (iii) an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to sell the asset or disposal group have been initiated; (iv) the sale of the asset or disposal group is probable, and transfer of the asset or disposal group is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed sale within one year, except if events or circumstances beyond our control extend the period of time required to sell the asset or disposal group beyond one year; (v) the asset or disposal group is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value; and (vi) actions required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn.
The Company initially measures a long-lived asset or disposal group that is classified as held for sale at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less any costs to sell. Any loss resulting from this measurement is recognized in the period in which the held for sale criteria are met. Conversely, gains are not recognized on the sale of a long-lived asset or disposal group until the date of sale. The Company assesses the fair value of a long-lived asset or disposal group less any costs to sell each reporting period it remains classified as held for sale and report any subsequent changes as an adjustment to the carrying value of the asset or disposal group, as long as the new carrying value does not exceed the carrying value of the asset at the time it was initially classified as held for sale.
Upon determining that a long-lived asset or disposal group meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale, the Company
ceases depreciation and reports long-lived assets and/or the assets and liabilities of the disposal group as Assets held for sale, in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Asset retirement obligation
The Company’s mining and exploration activities are subject to various federal and state laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment. The Company’s Asset retirement obligation (“ARO”), associated with long-lived assets are those for which there is a legal obligation to settle under existing law, statute, written or oral contract, or by legal construction. The Company’s ARO relates to the Hycroft Mine and was recognized as a liability at fair value in the period incurred. An ARO, which is initially estimated based on discounted cash flow estimates, is accreted to full value over time using the expected timing of future payments through charges to Accretion in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. As the Company’s 2023 Hycroft TRS did not include mineral reserves, the Company’s policy is to expense all asset retirement costs as incurred. In addition, once the Company establishes mineral reserves, asset retirement costs will be capitalized as part of the related asset’s carrying value and depreciated on a straight-line method or units-of-production basis over the related long-lived asset’s useful life. The Company’s ARO is adjusted annually, or more frequently if necessary, to reflect changes in the estimated present value resulting from revisions to the timing or amount of reclamation and closure costs. Estimated mine reclamation and closure costs may increase or decrease significantly in the future as a result of changes in regulations, mine plans, cost estimates, or other factors.
Contract liabilities
The Company’s Contract liabilities consist of deposits received toward the purchase of Assets held for sale. The Company records the deposits as Contract liabilities until: (i) risk of loss and title to the equipment is transferred to the buyer and the sale is considered complete; (ii) there are no remaining performance obligations, and substantially all of the consideration received is non-refundable; or (iii) the contract has been terminated, and the consideration received from the customer is nonrefundable.
Deferred gain on sale of royalty
The Company’s Deferred gain on sale of royalty is carried at amortized cost with reductions calculated by dividing actual gold and silver production by the estimated total life-of-mine production from mineral reserves. Any updates to mineral reserves or the estimated life-of-mine production profile would result in prospective adjustments to the amortization calculation used to reduce the carrying value of the royalty obligation. Amortization reductions to the Deferred gain on sale of royalty are recorded to Production costs, which is included in Cost of sales. A portion of the Company’s Deferred gain on sale of royalty was previously classified as current based upon the estimated gold and silver expected to be produced over the next 12 months. The Deferred gain on sale of royalty and its embedded features do not meet the requirements for derivative accounting.
Revenue recognition
The Company recognizes revenue for gold and silver sales when it satisfies the performance obligation of transferring finished inventory to the customer, which generally occurs when the refiner notifies the customer that gold has been credited or irrevocably pledged to their account, at which point the customer obtains the ability to direct the use and obtain substantially all of the remaining benefits of ownership of the asset. The transaction amount is determined based on the agreed upon sales prices and the number of ounces delivered. Concurrently, the payment date is agreed upon, which is usually within one week of the sale date. Historically, the majority of sales have been in the form of doré bars, but the Company also sells gold and silver laden carbon and slag, a by-product. During the year ended December 31, 2022, a majority of sales were attributable to the latter. All sales are final.
Projects, exploration, and development
Costs incurred for exploration, development and other project related expenses that do not qualify for capitalization are expensed within Projects, exploration, and development, which is included in Operating expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Projects, exploration, and development costs include expenditures for: (i) publishing technical studies; (ii) conducting geological studies; (iii) oversight and project management; and (iv) drilling, engineering, and metallurgical activities related to exploration and development.
Mine site period costs
Mine site period costs are costs related to care and maintenance activities at the Hycroft Mine, costs of activities that do not qualify for capitalization to Production-related inventories and adjustments to production inventories that are the result of recurring or significant downtime or delays, unusually high levels of repairs, inefficient operations, overuse of processing reagents, inefficient cost-volume structures, or other costs and activities, and cannot be recorded to Production-related inventories based on the threshold established by the calculation of the estimated net realizable value per ounce of gold, which incorporates estimated future processing, refining, and selling costs, as well as the value for silver by-product. Effective January
1, 2023, the Company began reporting amounts for Mine site period costs as Operating expenses as this presentation aligns with the manner in which the business is currently viewed and managed while the Company conducts activities for developing the Hycroft Mine and recommencing mining operations.
The following table summarize the components of Mine site period costs (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
20232022
Production related costs$— $13,328 
Capitalized depreciation and amortization— 392 
Total$— $13,720 
Operating expense related costs$11,886 $— 
Stock-based compensation
Stock-based compensation costs for non-employee directors and eligible employees are measured at fair value on the date of grant. Stock-based compensation costs are charged to General and administrative on the Consolidated Statements of Operations over the requisite service period. The fair value of awards is determined using the stock price on either the date of grant (if subject only to service conditions) or the date that the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors establishes applicable performance targets (if subject to performance conditions). The Company records forfeitures as they occur. See Note 17 – Stock-Based Compensation for additional information.
Fair value measurements
The Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (the “FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements, defines fair value and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:
Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical unrestricted assets or liabilities. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis;
Level 2 – Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and
Level 3 – Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (supported by little or no market activity).
Assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Certain financial instruments, including Cash, Restricted cash, Accounts receivable, Prepaids and other, net, and Accounts payable and accrued expenses, are carried at cost, which approximates their fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. See Note 21 – Fair Value Measurements for additional information.
Warrants
Warrant liabilities
The Company accounts for certain warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock that were issued to the special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”) sponsor and/or underwriter in a private placement and/or pursuant to a forward purchase contract (the “5-Year Private Warrants”) that are not indexed to the Company’s own stock as Warrant liabilities at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These warrants are subject to remeasurement at each balance sheet date and any change in fair value is recognized as a component of Other expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company will continue to adjust the liability for changes in fair value until the earlier of the (i) exercise or expiration of the 5-Year Private Warrants or (ii) the transfer of any 5-Year Private Warrants to any person who is not a permitted transferee, at which time the warrant liability will be reclassified to Additional paid-in capital on the Consolidated Balance Sheets with no subsequent remeasurement of the fair value.
Equity classified warrants
Warrants that are considered indexed to the Company’s own stock, which are not required to be recorded as a liability, are measured at fair value at the date of issuance and included in Additional paid-in capital on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and do not require subsequent remeasurement of the fair value.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the liability method, recognizing certain temporary differences between the financial reporting basis of the Company’s liabilities and assets and the related income tax basis for such liabilities and assets. This method generates either a net deferred income tax liability or asset for the Company, as measured by the statutory tax rates in effect at the anticipated time of reversal. The Company derives its deferred income tax provision or benefit by recording the change in either the net deferred income tax liability or asset balance for the year. See Note 18 – Income Taxes for additional information.
The Company’s deferred income tax assets include certain future tax benefits. The Company records a valuation allowance against any portion of those deferred income tax assets when it believes, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred income tax asset will not be realized. Evidence evaluated includes past operating results, forecasted earnings, estimated future taxable income, and prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. The assumptions utilized in determining future taxable income require significant judgment and are consistent with the plans and estimates used to manage the underlying business.
As necessary, the Company also provides reserves against the benefits of uncertain tax positions taken on its tax filings. The necessity for and amount of a reserve is established by determining, based on the weight of available evidence, the amount of benefit that is more likely than not to be sustained upon audit for each uncertain tax position. The difference, if any, between the full benefit recorded on the tax return and the amount more likely than not to be sustained is recorded as a liability on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets unless the additional tax expense that would result from the disallowance of the tax position can be offset by a net operating loss, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. In that case, the reserve is recorded as a reduction to the deferred tax asset associated with the applicable net operating loss, similar tax loss, or tax credit carryforward.
Recently adopted accounting pronouncements
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). ASU 2016-13 changes the way entities measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. For emerging growth companies, the new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after January 1, 2023. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 as of January 1, 2023, with no material impact on its Financial Statements or the related disclosures, as all outstanding Accounts receivable have been collected.
In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses; Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging; and Topic 825, Financial Instruments (“ASU 2019-04”). ASU 2019-04 clarifies certain aspects of accounting for credit losses, hedging activities, and financial instruments. For emerging growth companies, the new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after January 1, 2023. The Company adopted ASU 2019-04 as of January 1, 2023, with no impact on its Financial Statements or the related disclosures, as all outstanding Accounts receivable have been collected, and as such, there is no need to assess allowance for doubtful accounts.
In March 2020, the FASB issued authoritative guidance which provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform and was effective for all entities upon issuance on March 12, 2020, through December 31, 2022. ASU 2022-06, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Deferral of the Sunset Date of Topic 848, defers the expiration date of Topic 848 to December 31, 2024 to realign with the revised cessation date for LIBOR. The guidance permits a company to elect certain optional expedients and exceptions when affected by the changes in reference rate reform. As of July 1, 2023, the Company amended the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2022, by and between the Company and Sprott Private Resource Lending II (Collector), LP, Sprott Resource Lending Corp., and certain subsidiaries of the Company as guarantors (“Second A&R Agreement”), to replace LIBOR with the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) by entering into the Second Amendment to Second A&R Agreement (“Second Amendment to Second A&R Agreement”). The Company has elected to adopt the optional expedients, which allow for the update from LIBOR to SOFR in the Second A&R Agreement to be accounted for as a modification rather than an extinguishment. The Company does not expect any further impact to the Financial Statements as the Second A&R Agreement is the only debt instrument that references LIBOR.
Accounting pronouncements not yet adopted
In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities to Contractual Sale Restrictions (“ASU 2022-03”). For emerging growth companies, the new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that adopting this update will have on its financial statement disclosures.
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280)—Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. The ASU requires that an entity disclose significant segment expenses impacting profit and loss that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker. The update is required to be applied retrospectively to prior periods presented, based on the significant segment expense categories identified and disclosed in the period of adoption. The amendments in this ASU are required to be adopted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that adopting this update will have on its financial statement disclosures.