SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Consolidation of and Accounting for Subsidiaries

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the accounts of its 100% owned subsidiary Goldrich Placer, LLC as of and for the years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, with all intercompany balances 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. For those joint ventures in which there is joint control between the parties, 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. 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.

GNP:

The Company has an equity method investment in Goldrich NyacAU Placer LLC, a 50%-owned joint venture in which the Company does not have joint control or significant influence. See Note 4 Joint Venture. The carrying amount of this investment was $nil as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Contingencies

In determining accruals and disclosures with respect to loss contingencies, the Company evaluates such accruals and contingencies for each reporting period. Estimated losses from loss contingencies are accrued by a charge to income when information available prior to issuance of the financial statements indicates that it is probable that a liability could be incurred, and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Legal expenses associated with the contingency are expensed as incurred. If a loss contingency is not probable or reasonably estimable, disclosure of the loss contingency is made in the financial statements when it is at least reasonably possible that a material loss could be incurred but not accrued.

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the effect of the Company’s outstanding convertible preferred shares, stock options, and warrants totaling 55,568,369 and 70,507,169 for each of the years ended, respectively, have not been included in the Company’s net income (loss) per share as their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2019-12 Income Taxes (Topic 740):  Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.  The update contains a number of provisions intended to simplify the accounting for income taxes.  The Company adopted this update on January 1, 2021. This adoption did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06 Debt – Debt With Conversion And Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) And Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts In Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting For Convertible Instruments And Contracts In An Entity’s Own Equity. The update simplifies the accounting for and disclosures related to company debt that is convertible or can be settled in a company’s own equity securities. The update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. Management is evaluating the impact of this update on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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.

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.

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, joint venture distributions, accrued remediation costs, asset retirement obligations, stock-based compensation, deferred tax assets and related valuation allowances and uncertainties regarding the outcome of arbitration proceedings and other contingencies. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Mineral Interests

The Company capitalizes costs for acquiring mineral properties, claims and royalty interests 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 & Mine Preparation Costs

Exploration costs are expensed in the period in which they occur. Costs to prepare mineral properties for mining, such as economic assessments and mine plans 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.

Uncertain tax positions are evaluated in a two-step process, whereby (i) it is determined whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained based on the technical merits of the position and (ii) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority would be recognized.

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenues from its joint venture have historically been its primary revenues. The Company has determined that its revenue does not arise from contracts with customers, does not involve satisfaction of any performance obligations on the part of the Company, or require Company assets to be recognized or applied to determine costs to obtain or fulfill any contract generating revenue.

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 is recognized in the period of grant.

Remediation and Asset Retirement Obligation

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, time periods 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

When required to measure assets or liabilities at fair value, the Company uses a fair value hierarchy based on the level of independent, objective evidence surrounding the inputs used. The Company determines the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall. The categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Level 1 uses quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities, Level 2 uses significant other observable inputs, and Level 3 uses significant unobservable inputs. The amount of the total gains or losses for the period are 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.

During 2021 and 2020, the Company determined fair value on a recurring basis and non-recurring basis as follows:

	Balance December 31, 2021		Balance December 31, 2020		Fair Value Hierarchy level
Liabilities
Recurring: Notes payable in gold (Note 7)	$	481,780	$	505,590		2

The carrying amounts of financial instruments, including notes payable, approximate fair value at December 31, 2021 and 2020. The inputs to the valuation of Level 2 liabilities are described in Note 7 Notes Payable in Gold.