2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

Notes

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Cash and Cash Equivalents

For the purposes of the balance sheet and statement of cash flows, the Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be a cash equivalent. Cash or cash equivalents which secure debt instruments, credit facilities, reclamation or environmental bonds, or that are otherwise limited or restricted in their usage, are reported separately and not included in cash and cash equivalents.

Consolidation of and Accounting for Subsidiaries

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the accounts of its 100% owned subsidiaries Minera LSG S.A. and Goldrich Placer, LLC. These subsidiaries are included in the accompanying financial statements by consolidation, with all intercompany balances and investment accounts eliminated.

Accounting for Investments in Joint Ventures

For joint ventures in which the Company does not have joint control or significant influence, the cost method is used. Under the cost method, these investments are carried at the lower of cost or fair value. For those joint ventures in which there is joint control between the parties and in which the Company has significant influence, the equity method is utilized whereby the Company’s share of the ventures’ earnings and losses is included in the statement of operations as earnings in joint ventures and its investments therein are adjusted by a similar amount.

Goldrich has no significant influence over its joint venture described in Note 3 Joint Venture, and therefore accounts for its investment using the cost method.

For joint ventures where the Company holds more than 50% of the voting interest and has significant influence, the joint venture is consolidated with the presentation of a non-controlling interest. In determining whether significant influence exists, the Company considers its participation in policy-making decisions and its representation on the venture’s management committee. Goldrich currently has no joint venture of this nature.

The Company periodically assesses its investments in joint ventures for impairment.  If management determines that a decline in fair value is other than temporary it will write-down the investment and charge the impairment against operations.

Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share

We are authorized to issue 250,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.10 par value per share. At June 30, 2015, there were 131,082,809 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding.

The following table reconciles weighted average shares outstanding used in computations of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014:

	Three Months Ended		Six Months Ended
	June 30,		June 30,
	2015	2014	2015	2014
Numerator:
Net income (loss)	$    889,307	$     (325,346)	$     622,729	$    (679,599)
Preferred dividends	(25)	2,212	4,399	54,399
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders	$    889,332	$     (327,558)	$     618,330	$    (733,998)
Denominator:
Basic weighted average common shares	130,983,355	102,808,122	129,013,798	102,199,596
Dilutive preferred stock, stock options and warrants	4,034,661	-	3,989,938	-
Diluted weighted average common shares	135,018,016	102,808,122	133,003,736	102,808,122
Basic earnings (loss) per common share:
Net income (loss) per common share – basic	$         0.01	$            (0)	$              0	$          (0.01)
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Net income (loss) per common share – diluted	$         0.01	$            (0)	$              0	$          (0.01)

For the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2014, the effect of the Company’s outstanding options and common stock equivalents would have been anti-dilutive.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts and disclosures. Significant estimates used in preparing these financial statements include those assumed in estimating the recoverability of the cost of mining claims, accrued remediation costs, asset retirement obligations, stock based compensation, and deferred tax assets and related valuation allowances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern”. The provisions of ASU No. 2014-15 require management to assess an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern by incorporating and expanding upon certain principles that are currently in U.S. auditing standards. Specifically, the amendments (1) provide a definition of the term substantial doubt, (2) require an evaluation every reporting period including interim periods, (3) provide principles for considering the mitigating effect of management’s plans, (4) require certain disclosures when substantial doubt is alleviated as a result of consideration of management’s plans, (5) require an express statement and other disclosures when substantial doubt is not alleviated, and (6) require an assessment for a period of one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or available to be issued). The amendments in this ASU are effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter. The Company is currently assessing the impact of ASU No. 2014-15 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements once adopted.

Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by FASB that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements upon adoption. The Company does not discuss recent pronouncements that are not anticipated to have an impact on or are unrelated to its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or disclosures.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to conform prior period’s data to the current presentation. These reclassifications have no effect on the results of reported operations or stockholders’ deficit.

Plant, Equipment, and Accumulated Depreciation

Plant and equipment are stated at cost, which is determined by cash paid or fair value of the shares of the Company’s common stock issued. The Company’s mill buildings and equipment are located on the Company’s unpatented state mining claims located in the Chandalar mining district of Alaska. All mill buildings and equipment purchased prior to 2009 are fully depreciated. The Company’s equipment is located at the Chandalar property in Alaska, with a small amount of office equipment located at Company offices in Spokane, Washington. Assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis. Improvements which significantly increase an asset’s value or significantly extend its useful life are capitalized and depreciated over the asset’s remaining useful life.

When a fixed asset is sold at a price either higher or lower than its carrying amount, or undepreciated cost at the date of disposal, the difference between the sale proceeds over the carrying amount is recognized as gain, while a loss is recognized when the carrying amount exceeds the sale proceeds. The gain or loss is recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Mining Properties and Claims

The Company capitalizes costs for acquiring mineral properties and expenses costs to maintain mineral rights and leases as incurred. Should a property reach the production stage, these capitalized costs would be amortized using the units-of-production method on the basis of periodic estimates of ore reserves. Mineral properties are periodically assessed for impairment of value, and any subsequent losses are charged to operations at the time of impairment. If a property is abandoned or sold, its capitalized costs are charged to operations.

Mine Preparation Costs

Mine preparation costs are expenditures incurred in the exploration stage that may ultimately benefit production are expensed due to the lack of proven and probable reserves, which would indicate future recovery of these expenses. These costs are expensed in the period in which they occur.

Exploration Costs

Exploration costs are expensed in the period in which they occur.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recognized in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740 Income Taxes, whereby deferred income tax liabilities or assets at the end of each period are determined using the tax rate expected to be in effect when the taxes are actually paid or recovered. A valuation allowance is recognized on deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that some or all of these deferred tax assets will not be realized. ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company has assessed its tax positions and has determined that it has not taken a position that would give rise to an unrecognized tax liability being reported. In the event that the Company is assessed penalties and or interest; penalties will be charged to other operating expense and interest will be charged to interest expense.

Management estimates that for the year ending December 31, 2015, the Company’s combined effective income tax rate will be approximately 43%.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from the sale of gold is recorded net of smelter or refinery treatment and refining charges. Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, title and risk passes to the buyer, collection is reasonably assured and price is reasonably determinable. When alluvial gold is placed with the smelter, revenue is recognized and cash is remitted for any ounces of alluvial gold sold to the smelter, converted to ounces of fine gold at an assumed smelting loss percentage. Pricing of the sale is at the market price of gold on the date of sale. The number of gold ounces sold at deposit is limited to a certain percentage of the ounces of alluvial gold deposited, as agreed in each case with the smelter. Ounces not sold are smelted and retained in the Company’s inventory in a secured metals account at the smelter. Subsequent sales of gold from inventory are made at then-current market prices, with smelter treatment and refining charges deducted, and net cash proceeds are remitted to the Company.

Fair Values of Financial Instruments

The Company discloses the following information for each class of assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value:

1.      The fair value measurement;

2.      the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3);

3.      for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances, separately presenting changes during the period attributable to the following:

a.       total gains or losses for the period (realized and unrealized), segregating those gains or losses included in earnings, and a description of where those gains or losses included in earnings are reported in the statement of operations;

b.      the amount of these gains or losses attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to those assets or liabilities still held at the reporting period date and a description of where those unrealized gains or losses are reported;

c.       purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements (net); and

d.      transfers into and/or out of Level 3

4.      the amount of the total gains or losses for the period included in earnings that are attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to those assets and liabilities still held at the reporting date and a description of where those unrealized gains or losses are reported in the statement of operations; and

5.      in annual periods only, the valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value and a discussion of changes in valuation techniques, if any, during the period.

The table below sets forth the Company’s financial assets that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014:

	Balance June 30, 2015	Balance December 31, 2014	Input Hierarchy level
Cash and cash equivalents	$        1,023,708	$          206,025	Level 1

The carrying amounts of financial instruments including cash and cash equivalents, notes payable in gold, and notes payable approximate fair value at June 30, 2015 and 2014.

Remediation

The Company’s operations have been, and are subject to, standards for mine reclamation that have been established by various governmental agencies. The Company records the fair value of an asset retirement obligation as a liability in the period in which the Company incurs a legal obligation for the retirement of tangible long-lived assets. A corresponding asset is also recorded and depreciated over the life of the long lived asset using a units of production method. After the initial measurement of the asset retirement obligation, the liability will be adjusted at the end of each reporting period to reflect changes in the estimated future cash flows underlying the obligation. Determination of any amounts recognized is based upon numerous estimates and assumptions, including future retirement costs, future inflation rates and the credit-adjusted risk-free interest rates. For non-operating properties, the Company accrues costs associated with environmental remediation obligations when it is probable that such costs will be incurred and they are reasonably estimable. Such costs are based on management’s estimate of amounts expected to be incurred when the remediation work is performed.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company periodically issues common shares or options to purchase shares of the Company’s common shares to its officers, directors or other parties. These issuances are recorded at fair value for both the common shares issued and options granted.

The Company uses a Black Scholes valuation model for determining fair value of options to purchase shares, and compensation expense is recognized ratably over the vesting periods on a straight line basis. Compensation expenses for grants that vest immediately are recognized in the period of grant.