2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Notes

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

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 venture’s 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 4 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 Share

We are authorized to issue 250,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.10 par value per share. At December 31, 2016, there were 131,232,809 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding.

For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, the effect of the Company’s outstanding preferred shares, options and warrants, totaling 87,397,046 and 82,026,538 for the two years, respectively, would have been anti-dilutive.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, “Interest Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs”. The provisions of ASU No. 2015-03 require companies to present debt issuance costs the same way they currently present debt discounts, as a direct deduction from the carrying value of that debt liability. ASU 2015-03 does not impact the recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs. The guidance in the ASU was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption was allowed. The Company adopted ASU No. 2015-03 in the first quarter of 2016 and the Company’s consolidated financial statements reflect the effects of adoption.

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.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

For the purposes of the statement of cash flows, we consider all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.

Reclassifications

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

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.

Property, Equipment, and Accumulated Depreciation

Property 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 property and equipment are located on the Company’s unpatented state mining claims located in the Chandalar mining district of Alaska.

All property 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 Statements of Operations.

Mining Properties, Claims, and Royalty Option

The Company capitalizes costs for acquiring mineral properties, claims and royalty option 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.

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.

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 the 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.

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. 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 expense for grants that vest immediately are recognized in the period of grant.

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.

Fair Value Measurements

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.

During 2016 and 2015, the Company determined fair value on a recurring basis and non-recurring basis as follows:

	Balance December 31, 2016	Balance December 31, 2015	Fair Value Hierarchy level
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$     30,080	$      78,609	1
Liabilities
Recurring: Notes payable in gold (Note 7)	$ (412,261)	-	2

The carrying amounts of financial instruments including notes payable approximate fair value at December 31, 2016 and 2015.

Derivatives

The Company measures derivative contracts as assets or liabilities based on their fair value. Gains or losses resulting from changes in the fair value of derivatives in each period are recorded in current operating results. None of the Company’s derivative contracts qualify for hedge accounting. The Company does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for speculative trading purposes.