UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K/A
(Amendment
No. 1)
☒
ANNUAL
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2022
OR
☐
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from to
Commission
file number: 333-150028
BUNKER
HILL MINING CORP.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada
32-0196442
(State
of other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
82
Richmond Street East
Toronto ,
Ontario , Canada
M5C
1P1
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(Zip
Code)
(416)
477-7771
(Registrant’s
Telephone Number, including area code)
SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT: None
SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: None
Indicate
by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(“Exchange Act”) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such
reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data
File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding
12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained,
to the best of the Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III
of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller
reporting company” and “emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer ☐
Accelerated
filer ☐
Non-accelerated
filer ☒
Smaller
reporting company ☒
Emerging
Growth Company ☐
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company, as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
As
of December 31, 2022, the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting shares of common stock of the registrant issued and outstanding
on such date, excluding shares held by affiliates of the registrant as a group, was $ 28,804,983 .
Number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of April 17, 2023: 256,099,173 .
EXPLANATORY
NOTE
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp. (the “Company”) is filing this Amendment No. 1 (this “Amendment”) to its Annual Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2023 (the “Original
Form 10-K”). The purpose of this Amendment is (i) to amend Item 2 of Part I of the Original Form 10-K to include a property map
for the Bunker Hill Mine, (ii) to amend Item 2 of Part I of the Original Form 10-K to include a description of the internal controls
that the Company uses in its exploration and mineral resource and reserve estimation efforts, (iii) to amend Table 1-1 in Item 2 of Part
I of the Original Form 10-K to include a footnote indicating that the point of reference for mineral resources is in situ mineralization,
(iv) to amend Item 9A of Part II of the Original Form 10-K to identify the framework (i.e., Internal Control – Integrated Framework
(2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission) that management used to evaluate the effectiveness
of internal control over financial reporting, and (v) to amend the certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 to refer to the correct fiscal year end of December 31, 2022.
The
certifications required under Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that were filed and furnished, respectively, as
Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2 and Exhibits 32.1 and 32.2 to the Original Filing have been re-executed and re-filed as of the date of this Amendment
and are included as Exhibits 31.3 and 31.4 and Exhibit 32.3 and 32.4. Item 15 of Part IV of the Original Filing has been amended to reflect
the new certifications.
Except
as described above, no changes have been made to the Original Form 10-K, and this Amendment does not amend, update or change any other
items or disclosures in the Original Form 10-K. The Original Form 10-K continues to speak as of its original filing date. This Amendment
does not reflect subsequent events occurring after the filing date of the Original Form 10-K or modify or update in any way disclosures
in the Original Form 10-K.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PART
I
4
ITEM
1. BUSINESS
4
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
9
ITEM
1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
21
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES
21
ITEM
3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
30
ITEM
4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
30
PART
II
31
ITEM
5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
31
ITEM
6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
31
ITEM
7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
31
ITEM
7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
35
ITEM
8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
36
ITEM
9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
68
ITEM
9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
68
ITEM
9B. OTHER INFORMATION
68
PART
III
69
ITEM
10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
69
ITEM
11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
71
ITEM
12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
75
ITEM
13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
76
ITEM
14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
76
PART
IV
77
ITEM
15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
77
SIGNATURES
78
2
Cautionary
Note to U.S. Residents Concerning Disclosure of Mineral Resources
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp. (“Bunker Hill,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company”) is
a U.S. domestic issuer for U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) purposes, it is required to report its financial
results under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”), and its shares of common stock trade on the Canadian
Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) and the OTCQB Venture Market. However, certain prior regulatory filings made in Canada
contain or incorporate by reference therein certain disclosure that satisfies the additional requirements of Canadian securities laws,
which differ from the requirements of United States’ securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource estimates included
in those Canadian filings, and in the documents incorporated by reference therein, had been prepared in accordance with Canadian National
Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) and the Canadian Institute of
Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) classification system. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities
Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning
mineral projects.
Canadian
standards, including NI 43-101, may differ from the requirements of subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K (“S-K 1300”). Thus, resource
information contained, or incorporated by reference, in the Company’s Canadian filings, and in the documents incorporated by reference
therein, may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by companies reporting mineral reserve and mineral resource information
under S-K 1300.
The
terms “mineral reserve,” “proven mineral reserve” and “probable mineral reserve” are Canadian mining
terms as defined in accordance with NI 43-101 and CIM standards. Pursuant to S-K 1300, the SEC now recognizes estimates of “measured
mineral resources,” “indicated mineral resources” and “inferred mineral resources.” In addition, the SEC
has amended its definitions of “proven mineral reserves” and “probably mineral reserves” to be substantially
similar to the corresponding standards of the CIM.
Investors
are cautioned that while terms are substantially similar to CIM standards, there are differences in the definitions and standards under
S-K 1300 and the CIM standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral reserves or mineral resources that the Company may report
as “proven reserves,” “probable reserves,” “measured mineral resources,” “indicated mineral
resources” and “inferred mineral resources” under NI 43-101 will be the same as the reserve or resource estimates prepared
under the standards adopted under S-K 1300.
Investors
are also cautioned that while the SEC now recognizes “measured mineral resources,” “indicated mineral resources”
and “inferred mineral resources,” investors should not assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories
will ever be converted into mineral reserves.
Mineralization
described using these terms has a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal
feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an “measured mineral resource,” “indicated mineral resource”
or “inferred mineral resource” will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral
resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume
that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of “contained ounces”
in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization
that does not constitute “reserves” by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.
3
PART
I
ITEM
1. BUSINESS
Our
Business
Overview
The
Company’s sole focus is the development and restart of its 100% owned flagship asset, the Bunker Hill mine (the “Mine”)
in Idaho, USA. The Mine remains the largest single producing mine by tonnage in the Silver Valley region of northwest Idaho, producing
over 165 million ounces of silver and 5 million tons of base metals between 1885 and 1981. The Bunker Hill Mine is located within Operable
Unit 2 of the Bunker Hill Superfund site (EPA National Priorities Listing IDD048340921), where cleanup activities have been completed.
In
early 2020, a new management team comprised of former executives from Barrick Gold Corp. assumed leadership of the Company. Since that
time, the Company conducted multiple exploration campaigns, published multiple economic studies and Mineral Resource Estimates, and advanced
the rehabilitation and development of the Mine. In December 2021, it announced a project finance package with Sprott Private Resource
Streaming & Royalty Corp. (“Sprott”), an amended Settlement Agreement with the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“the EPA”), and the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine, setting the stage for a rapid
restart of the Mine.
In
January 2022, with the closing of the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine, the funding of the $8,000,000 Royalty Convertible Debenture and
$6,000,000 Series Convertible Debenture, and the announcement of an Memorandum (“MOU”)for the purchase of the Pend Oreille process plant from a subsidiary
of Teck Resources Limited, the Company embarked on a program of activities with the goal of achieving a restart of the Mine. Key milestones
and achievements from January 2022 onwards have included the closing of the purchase of the Pend Oreille process plant, the demobilization
of the process plant to the Bunker Hill site, the completion of demolition activities at the Pend Oreille site, a Prefeasibility Study
envisaging the restart of the Mine, and the completion of the primary portion of the ramp decline connecting the 5 and 6 Levels of the
Bunker Hill Mine.
The Company was incorporated for the initial purpose of engaging in mineral
exploration activities at the Mine. The Company has moved into the development stage concurrent with (i) purchasing the Mine and a process
plant, (ii) completing successive technical and economic studies, including a Prefeasibility Study, (iii) delineating mineral reserves,
and (iv) conducting the program of activities outlined above.
Lease
and Purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine
The
Company purchased the Bunker Hill Mine in January 2022, as described below.
Prior
to purchasing the Mine, the Company had entered into a series of agreements with Placer Mining Corporation (“Placer Mining”),
the prior owner, for the lease and option to purchase the Mine. The first of these agreements was announced on August 28, 2017, with
subsequent amendments and/or extensions announced on November 1, 2019, July 7, 2020, and November 20, 2020.
Under
the terms of the November 20, 2020 amended agreement (the “Amended Agreement”), a purchase price of $7,700,000 was agreed,
with $5,700,000 payable in cash (with an aggregate of $300,000 to be credited toward the purchase price of the Mine as having been previously
paid by the Company) and $2,000,000 in shares of common stock of the Company (“Common Shares”). The Company agreed to make
an advance payment of $2,000,000, credited toward the purchase price of the Mine, which had the effect of decreasing the remaining amount
payable to purchase the Mine to an aggregate of $3,400,000 payable in cash and $2,000,000 in Common Shares of the Company.
The
Amended Agreement also required payments pursuant to an agreement with the EPA whereby
for so long as the Company leases, owns and/or occupies the Mine, the Company would make payments to the EPA on behalf of Placer Mining
in satisfaction of the EPA’s claim for historical water treatment cost recovery in accordance with the Settlement Agreement reached
with the EPA in 2018. Immediately prior to the purchase of the Mine, the Company’s liability to EPA in this regard totaled $11,000,000.
The
Company completed the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine on January 7, 2022. The terms of the purchase price were modified to $5,400,000
in cash, from $3,400,000 of cash and $2,000,000 of Common Shares. Concurrent with the purchase of the Mine, the Company assumed incremental
liabilities of $8,000,000 to the EPA, consistent with the terms of the amended Settlement Agreement with the EPA that was executed in
December 2021 (see “EPA 2018 Settlement Agreement & 2021 Amended Settlement Agreement” section below).
4
EPA
2018 Settlement Agreement & 2021 Amended Settlement Agreement
Bunker
Hill entered into a Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent with the EPA on May 15, 2018. This agreement limits the Company’s
exposure to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) liability for past environmental
damage to the mine site and surrounding area to obligations that include:
●
Payment
of $20,000,000 for historical water treatment cost recovery for amounts paid by the EPA from 1995 to 2017
●
Payment
for water treatment services provided by the EPA at the Central Treatment Plant (“CTP”) in Kellogg, Idaho until such
time that Bunker Hill either purchases or leases the CTP or builds a separate EPA-approved water treatment facility
●
Conducting
a work program as described in the Ongoing Environmental Activities section of this study
In December 2021, in conjunction with its intention
to purchase the mine complex, the Company entered into an amended Settlement Agreement (the “Amendment”) between the Company,
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, US Department of Justice and the EPA modifying the payment schedule and payment terms for recovery
of historical environmental response costs at Bunker Hill Mine incurred by the EPA. With the purchase of the mine in early 2022, the remaining
payments of the EPA cost recovery liability were assumed by the Company, resulting in a total of $19,000,000 liability to the Company,
an increase of $8,000,000. The new payment schedule included a $2,000,000 payment to the EPA within 30 days of execution of this amendment,
which was made.
The
remaining $17,000,000 will be paid on the following dates:
Date
Amount
November
1, 2024
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2025
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2026
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2027
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2028
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2029
$ 2,000,000
plus accrued interest
The
resumption of payments in 2024 was agreed in order to allow the Company to generate sufficient revenue from mining activities at the
Bunker Hill Mine to address remaining payment obligations from free cash flow.
The
changes in payment terms and schedule were contingent upon the Company securing financial assurance in the form of performance bonds
or letters of credit deemed acceptable to the EPA totaling $17,000,000, corresponding to the Company’s cost recovery obligations
to be paid in 2024 through 2029 as outlined above. Should the Company fail to make its scheduled payment, the EPA can draw against this
financial assurance. The amount of the bonds or letters of credit will decrease over time as individual payments are made. If the Company
failed to post the final financial assurance within 180 days of the execution of the Amendment, the terms of the original agreement would
be reinstated.
In
June 2022, the Company was successful in obtaining financial assurance. Specifically, a $9,999,000 payment bond and a $7,001,000
letter of credit were secured and provided to the EPA. This milestone provides for the Company to recognize the effects of the change
in terms of the EPA liability as outlined in the December 20, 2021, agreement. Once the financial assurance was put into place, the restructuring
of the payment stream under the Amendment occurred with the entire $17,000,000 liability being recognized as long-term in nature. The
aforementioned payment bond and letter of credit were secured by $2,475,000 and $7,001,000 of cash deposits, respectively as of September
30, 2022.
In
October 2022, the Company reported that it had been successful in securing a new payment bond to replace the aforementioned $7,001,000
letter of credit, in two stages. Initially, the letter of credit was reduced to $2,000,001 as a result of a new $5,000,000 payment bond
obtained through an insurance company. The collateral for the new payment bond is comprised of a $2,000,000 letter of credit and land
pledged by third parties, with whom the Company has entered into a financing cooperation agreement that contemplates a monthly fee of
$20,000 (payable in cash or common shares of the Company, at the Company’s election). The new payment bond is scheduled to increase
to $7,001,000 (from $5,000,000) upon the advance of the multi-metals stream from Sprott Private Resource Streaming & Royalty Corp.
5
Project
Finance Package with Sprott Private Resource Streaming & Royalty Corp.
On
December 20, 2021, the Company executed a non-binding term sheet outlining a $50,000,000 project finance package with Sprott Private
Resource Streaming and Royalty Corp. (“Royalty”). The non-binding term sheet with SRSR outlined a project financing
package that the Company expects to fulfill the majority of its funding requirements to restart the Mine. The term sheet consisted
of an $8,000,000 royalty convertible debenture (the “RCD”), a $5,000,000 convertible debenture (the “CD1”),
and a multi-metals stream of up to $37,000,000 (the “Stream”). The CD1 was subsequently increased to $6,000,000,
increasing the project financing package to $51,000,000.
On
June 17, 2022, the Company consummated a new $15,000,000 convertible debenture (the “CD2”). As a result, total potential
funding from SRSR was further increased to $66,000,000 including the RCD, CD1, CD2 and the Stream (together, the “Project Financing
Package”).
The
Company closed the $8,000,000 RCD on January 7, 2022. The RCD bears interest at an annual rate of 9.0%, payable in cash or Common Shares
at the Company’s option, until such time that SRSR elects to convert a royalty, with such conversion option expiring at the earlier
of advancement of the Stream or July 7, 2023 (subsequently amended as described below). In the event of conversion, the RCD will cease
to exist and the Company will grant a royalty for 1.85% of life-of-mine gross revenue from mining claims considered to be historically
worked, contiguous to current accessible underground development, and covered by the Company’s 2021 ground geophysical survey (the
“SRSR Royalty”). A 1.35% rate will apply to claims outside of these areas. The RCD was initially secured by a share pledge
of the Company’s operating subsidiary, Silver Valley, until a full security package was put in place concurrent with the consummation
of the CD1. In the event of non-conversion, the principal of the RCD will be repayable in cash.
Concurrent
with the funding of the CD2 in June 2022, the Company and SRSR agreed to a number of amendments to the terms of the RCD, including an
amendment of the maturity date from July 7, 2023, to March 31, 2025. The parties also agreed to a Royalty Put Option such that in the
event the RCD is converted into a royalty as described above, the holder of the royalty will be entitled to resell the royalty to the
Company for $8,000,000 upon default under the CD1 or CD2 until such time that the CD1 and CD2 are paid in full.
The
Company closed the $6,000,000 CD1 on January 28, 2022, which was increased from the previously announced $5,000,000. The CD1 bears interest
at an annual rate of 7.5%, payable in cash or shares at the Company’s option, and matures on July 7, 2023 (subsequently amended,
as described below). The CD1 is secured by a pledge of the Company’s properties and assets. Until the closing of the Stream, the
CD1 was to be convertible into Common Shares at a price of C$0.30 per Common Share, subject to stock exchange approval (subsequently
amended, as described below). Alternatively, SRSR may elect to retire the CD1 with the cash proceeds from the Stream. The Company may
elect to repay the CD1 early; if SRSR elects not to exercise its conversion option at such time, a minimum of 12 months of interest would
apply.
Concurrent
with the funding of the CD2 in June 2022, the Company and SRSR agreed to a number of amendments to the terms of the CD1, including that
the maturity date would be amended from July 7, 2023, to March 31, 2025, and that the CD1 would remain outstanding until the new maturity
date regardless of whether the Stream is advanced, unless the Company elects to exercise its option of early repayment. The Company determined
that amendments to the terms should not be treated as an extinguishment of CD1, but as a debt modification.
The
Company closed the $15,000,000 CD2 on June 17, 2022. The CD2 bears interest at an annual rate of 10.5%, payable in cash or shares at
the Company’s option, and matures on March 31, 2025. The CD2 is secured by a pledge of the Company’s properties and assets.
The repayment terms include 3 quarterly payments of $2,000,000 each beginning June 30, 2024, and $9,000,000 on the maturity date. Concurrent
with the funding of the CD2 in June 2022, the Company and SRSR agreed that the minimum quantity of metal delivered under the Stream,
if advanced, will increase by 10% relative to the amounts noted above.
On
December 6, 2022, the Company closed a new $5,000,000 loan facility with Sprott (the “Bridge Loan”). The Bridge Loan, which
was primarily utilized to pay outstanding water treatment payables to the EPA, is secured by the same security package that is in place
with respect to the RCD, CD1, and CD2. The Bridge Loan bears interest at a rate of 10.5% per annum and matures at the earlier of (i)
the advance of the Stream, or (ii) June 30, 2024. In addition, the minimum quantity of metal delivered under the Stream, if advanced,
would increase by 5% relative to amounts previously announced.
A
minimum of $27,000,000 and a maximum of $37,000,000 (the “Stream Amount”) will be made available under the Stream, at the
Company’s option, once the conditions of availability of the Stream have been satisfied including confirmation of full project
funding by an independent engineer appointed by SRSR. If the Company draws the maximum funding of $37,000,000, the Stream will apply
to 10% of payable metals sold until a minimum quantity of metal is delivered consisting of, individually, 63.5 million pounds of zinc,
40.4 million pounds of lead, and 1.2 million ounces of silver (including amendments agreed concurrent with closing of the CD2 and Bridge
Loan, as described above). Thereafter, the Stream would apply to 2% of payable metals sold. If the Company elects to draw less than $37,000,000
under the Stream, the percentage and quantities of payable metals streamed will adjust pro-rata. The delivery price of streamed metals
will be 20% of the applicable spot price. The Company may buy back 50% of the Stream Amount at a 1.40x multiple of the Stream Amount
between the second and third anniversary of the date of funding, and at a 1.65x multiple of the Stream Amount between the third and fourth
anniversary of the date of funding.
6
As
of December 31, 2022, the Stream had not been advanced. The Company is finalizing discussions with Sprott regarding the advance of the
Stream, which is conditional on satisfactory conclusion of the definitive documentation relating to the Stream, full project funding
for the Bunker Hill Mine and certain other conditions precedent.
Concurrent
with discussions with Sprott regarding the advance of the Stream, the Company is advancing efforts to secure offtake financing of up
$20 million from third parties to complement the Stream in financing the restart of the Bunker Hill Mine.
Process
Plant
On
January 25, 2022, the Company announced that it had entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Teck
Resources Limited (“Teck”) for the purchase of a comprehensive package of equipment and parts inventory from its Pend Oreille
site (the “Process Plant”) in eastern Washington State, approximately 145 miles from the Bunker Hill Mine by road. The package
comprises substantially all processing equipment of value located at the site, including complete crushing, grinding and flotation circuits
suitable for a planned ~1,500 ton-per-day operation at Bunker Hill, and total inventory of nearly 10,000 components and parts for mill,
assay lab, conveyer, field instruments, and electrical spares. The Company paid a $500,000 non-refundable deposit in January 2022.
On
March 31, 2022, the Company announced that it had reached an agreement with a subsidiary of Teck to satisfy the remaining purchase price
for the Process Plant by way of an equity issuance of the Company. Teck will receive 10,416,667 units of the Company (the “Teck
Units”) at a deemed issue price of C$0.30 per unit. Each Teck Unit consists of one Common Share and one Common Share purchase warrant
(the “Teck Warrants”). Each whole Teck Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of C$0.37 per Common
Share for a period of three years. The equity issuance and purchase of the Process Plant occurred on May 13, 2022.
On
August 30, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement to purchase a ball mill from D’Angelo International LLC for $675,000. The
purchase of the mill is to be made in three cash payments. The first two payments were made as follows:
●
$100,000
on September 15, 2022, as a non-refundable deposit
●
$100,000
on October 13, 2022, as a refundable deposit
The
Company has not made the final payment of $475,000 as of the issuance of this report.
Business
Operations
The
Mine is a zinc-lead-silver Mine. When back in production, the Company intends to mill mineral resources on-site to produce both zinc
and lead-silver concentrates which will then be shipped to a third-party smelter for processing.
Infrastructure
The
Mine includes all mining rights and claims, surface rights, fee parcels, mineral interests, easements, existing infrastructure at Milo
Gulch, and the majority of machinery and buildings at the Kellogg Tunnel portal level, as well as all equipment and infrastructure anywhere
underground at the Bunker Hill Mine Complex. It also includes all current and historic data relating to the Bunker Hill Mine Complex,
such as drill logs, reports, maps, and similar information located at the Mine site or any other location.
For
further detail, please refer to the “Project Infrastructure” section in Item 2 below.
7
Government
Regulation and Approval
Exploration
and development activities, and any future mining operations, are subject to extensive laws and regulations governing the protection
of the environment, waste disposal, worker safety, mine construction, and protection of endangered and protected species. The Company
has made, and expects to make in the future, significant expenditures to comply with such laws and regulations. Future changes in applicable
laws, regulations and permits or changes in their enforcement or regulatory interpretation could have an adverse impact on the Company’s
financial condition or results of operations.
It may be necessary to obtain the following environmental permits or approved plans prior to commencement of mine
operations:
●
Reclamation
and Closure Plan
●
Water
Discharge Permit
●
Air
Quality Operating Permit
●
Industrial
Artificial (tailings) pond permit
●
Obtaining
Water Rights for Operations
If these permits are required, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain them in a timely
manner or at all. For
further detail, please refer to the “Environmental Studies and Permitting” section of the “Technical Report Summary”
in Item 2 below.
Property
Description
The
Company has mineral rights to approximately 440 patented mining claims covering over 5700 acres. Of these claims, 35 include surface
ownership of approximately 259 acres. It also has certain parcels of fee property which include mineral and surface rights but not patented
mining claims. Mining claims and fee properties are located in Townships 47, 48 North, Range 2 East, Townships 47, 48 North, Range 3
East, Boise Meridian, Shoshone County, Idaho.
Patented
mining claims in the State of Idaho do not require permits for underground mining activities to commence on private lands. Other permits
associated with underground mining may be required, such as water discharge and site disturbance permits. The water discharge is being
handled by the EPA at the existing CTP. The Company expects to take on the water treatment responsibility in the future and obtain an
appropriate discharge permit.
For
further detail, please refer to the “Property Description and Ownership” section of the “Technical Report Summary”
in Item 2 below.
Competition
The
Company competes with other mining and exploration companies in connection with the acquisition of mining claims and leases on zinc and
other base and precious metals prospects as well as in connection with the recruitment and retention of qualified employees. Many of
these companies are much larger than the Company, have greater financial resources and have been in the mining business for much longer
than it has. As such, these competitors may be in a better position through size, finances and experience to acquire suitable exploration
and development properties. The Company may not be able to compete against these companies in acquiring new properties and/or qualified
people to work on its current project, or any other properties that may be acquired in the future.
Given
the size of the world market for base precious metals such as silver, lead and zinc, relative to the number of individual producers and
consumers, it is believed that no single company has sufficient market influence to significantly affect the price or supply of these
metals in the world market.
Employees
The
Company has ten employees. The balance of the Company’s operations is contracted for as consultants.
Reports
to Security Holders
The
Company files reports with the SEC under section 15d of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). The reports
will be filed electronically. All copies of any materials filed with the SEC may be read at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at
100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling
the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that will contain copies of the reports that are filed electronically.
The address for the SEC Internet site is http://www.sec.gov .
8
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
As
a Smaller Reporting Company, this item is not required under SEC rules. However, the Company believes that it is important to have an
understanding of the risks associated with an investment in the Company. In addition, these risk factors are incorporated by reference
in press releases and other Company publications for purposes of the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995.
General
Risk Factors
The
Company’s ability to operate as a going concern is in doubt.
The
audit opinion and notes that accompany the Company’s Financial Statements disclose a going concern qualification to its ability
to continue in business. The accompanying Financial Statements have been prepared under the assumption that the Company will continue
as a going concern. The Company is an exploration and development stage company and has incurred losses since its inception. The Company
has incurred losses resulting in an accumulated deficit of $71,592,559 as of December 31, 2022 and further losses are anticipated in
the development of its business.
The
Company currently has no historical recurring source of revenue and its ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on its ability
to raise capital to fund its future exploration and working capital requirements or its ability to profitably execute its business plan.
The Company’s plans for the long-term return to and continuation as a going concern include financing its future operations through
sales of its Common Shares and/or debt and the eventual profitable exploitation of the Mine. Additionally, the volatility in capital
markets and general economic conditions in the U.S. and elsewhere can pose significant challenges to raising the required funds. These
factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
The
Company’s consolidated financial statements do not give effect to any adjustments required to realize its assets and discharge
its liabilities in other than the normal course of business and at amounts different from those reflected in the accompanying Financial
Statements.
The
Company will require significant additional capital to fund its short-term obligations, continue its operations and remain in compliance
with its debt agreements.
Neither
the Company nor any of the directors of the Company nor any other party can provide any guarantee or assurance that the Company will
be able to raise sufficient capital to satisfy the Company’s short-term obligations. The Company does not have sufficient funds
to satisfy its short-term financial obligations, even after consideration of its recently completed equity financing. As at December
31, 2022, the Company had $708,105 in cash and total current liabilities of $10,155,582 and total liabilities of $59,106,835. The Company
will likely require additional capital by the end of the second quarter of 2023 in order to continue its operations. Further, if the
Company does not raise sufficient additional capital, the Company will be in breach of its debt agreements, including under the RCD,
CD1, CD2 and Bridge Loan.
The
Company may not be able to secure the Stream or alternative funding from Sprott or another capital provider.
Neither
the Company nor any of the directors of the Company nor any other party can provide any guarantee or assurance that the Stream, the final
contemplated tranche of the full $66,000,000 project financing package, will be finalized or close, or any other funding from Sprott.
The Stream remains subject to Sprott internal approvals, full project funding, further technical and other due diligence and satisfactory
documentation. If the Stream, or a portion thereof, does not close there is no guarantee that alternative capital can be raised on terms
favorable to the Company, or at all.
Any
additional equity funding, for which there can be no guarantee or assurance with regard to any amount or terms thereof, will dilute existing
shareholders.
A
concentrate offtake agreement with Teck Resources may not be reached, which could result in less favorable commercial terms for the
sale of concentrates envisaged to be produced by the Bunker Hill Mine and could also impact the Company’s ability to secure offtake
financing. Regardless of actions taken by Teck, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to secure or close offtake financing,
which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s financial position and negative impact the Company’s ability to secure
additional funding from Sprott or an alternative capital provider.
The
Company may not be able to execute a concentrate offtake agreement for the sale of concentrates to Teck Resources at its Trail smelter,
as contemplated with Teck’s option to acquire 100% of zinc and lead concentrate produced in the first five years at the Bunker
Hill Mine. If such an agreement cannot be reached, the Company may not be able to sell its zinc and lead concentrate to Teck, which could
result in difficulties securing alternative commercial arrangements for the sale of concentrate, less favorable commercial terms in
the event that alternative commercial arrangements can be secured, and/or higher transportation and other costs. In addition, the Company
may not be able to secure or close offtake financing, regardless of whether an agreement is reached with Teck; the terms of any offtake
financing might not be favorable to the Company; and/or the Company may incur substantial fees and costs related to such financing.
The Company’s inability to secure or close offtake financing, or arrange a suitable alternative, may have an adverse effect on
the Company’s operations and financial position, including its ability to secure the Stream from Sprott.
9
The
Bunker Hill Mine restart is now expected to take place in 2024, with first concentrate production targeted for mid-2024. Changes to this
timeline, or other factors impacting the restart project budget, could increase the Company’s required capital needs through the
completion of the project, which would adversely affect the Company’s ability to secure additional funding, thereby adversely affecting
its financial condition.
On
February 28, 2023, the Company announced that primarily due to the inability to procure certain long-lead items that were planned to be
ordered by February 2023, and longer estimated delivery times thereof, the Company now expects the Bunker Hill Mine restart to be achieved
in 2024. On March 10, 2023, the Company announced that it has maintained the integrity of its total pre-production budget, under the
assumption of first concentrate production in the second quarter of 2024.
In
the event that the Company is unable to secure sufficient funding to materially advance the restart of the Mine in the second quarter
of 2023, from Sprott or an alternative capital provider, it is likely that the restart timeline will be further delayed with a potentially
materially adverse effect on the pre-production budget.
Notwithstanding
financing-related risks, the Company’s pre-production budget estimates are subject to change based on factors beyond its control,
including but not limited to cost inflation and supply chain dynamics. An increase in the Company’s pre-production budget estimates
could have a materially adverse impact on its ability to secure project financing. This could have a material adverse effect on its financial
condition, results of operations, or prospects. Sales of substantial amounts of securities may have a highly dilutive effect on the Company’s
ownership or share structure. Sales of a large number of shares of the Company’s Common Shares in the public markets, or the potential
for such sales, could decrease the trading price of the Common Shares and could impair the Company’s ability to raise capital through
future sales of Common Shares. The Company has not yet commenced commercial production at any of its properties and, therefore, has not
generated positive cash flows to date and has no reasonable prospects of doing so unless successful commercial production can be achieved
at the Mine. The Company expects to continue to incur negative investing and operating cash flows until such time as it enters into successful
commercial production. This will require the Company to deploy its working capital to fund such negative cash flow and to seek additional
sources of financing. There is no assurance that any such financing sources will be available or sufficient to meet the Company’s
requirements, or if available, available upon terms acceptable to the Company. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to
continue to raise equity capital or to secure additional debt financing, or that the Company will not continue to incur losses.
Payment
bonds securing $17,000,000 due by the Company to the EPA for cost recovery may not be renewable or may only be renewable on terms that
are unfavorable to the Company, which would adversely affect its financial condition or cause a default under the revised settlement
agreement with the EPA and Sprott.
In
2022, the Company secured financial assurance in the form of payment bonds in accordance with the revised settlement agreement with the
EPA, in relation to $17,000,000 of payments due to the EPA for cost recovery between 2024-2029. These bonds are renewed annually, and
currently require $6,476,000 of collateral in the form of letters of credit. To the extent that the parties providing the payment bonds
demand additional collateral beyond the current requirements, or other unfavorable terms or conditions, the Company may not be able to
renew the payment bonds on favorable conditions, or at all. This could have a materially adverse impact on the Company, including a potential
default under the revised settlement agreement with the EPA.
The
Company has a limited operating history on which to base an evaluation of its business and prospects.
Since
its inception, the Company has had no revenue from operations. The Company has no history of producing products from the Bunker Hill
property. The Mine is a historic, past producing mine with very little recent exploration work. Advancing the Mine through the development
stage will require significant capital and time, and successful commercial production from the Mine will be subject to completing the
requisite studies, permitting and re-commissioning of the Mine, constructing a processing plant, and other related works and infrastructure.
As a result, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with developing and establishing new mining operations and business
enterprises, including:
●
completion
of studies to verify reserves and commercial viability, including the ability to find sufficient ore reserves to support a commercial
mining operation;
●
the
timing and cost, which can be considerable, of further exploration, preparing feasibility studies, permitting and construction of
infrastructure, mining and processing facilities;
●
the
availability and costs of drill equipment, exploration personnel, skilled labor, and mining and processing equipment, if required;
●
the
availability and cost of appropriate smelting and/or refining arrangements, if required;
●
compliance
with stringent environmental and other governmental approval and permit requirements;
●
the
availability of funds to finance exploration, development, and construction activities, as warranted;
●
potential
opposition from non-governmental organizations, local groups or local inhabitants that may delay or prevent development activities;
●
potential
increases in exploration, construction, and operating costs due to changes in the cost of fuel, power, materials, and supplies; and
●
potential
shortages of mineral processing, construction, and other facilities related supplies.
10
The
costs, timing, and complexities of exploration, development, and construction activities may be increased by the location of its properties
and demand by other mineral exploration and mining companies. It is common in exploration programs to experience unexpected problems
and delays during drill programs and, if commenced, development, construction, and mine start-up. In addition, the Company’s management
and workforce will need to be expanded, and sufficient housing and other support systems for its workforce will have to be established.
This could result in delays in the commencement of mineral production and increased costs of production. Accordingly, the Company’s
activities may not result in profitable mining operations, and it may not succeed in establishing mining operations or profitably producing
metals at any of its current or future properties, including the Mine.
The
Company has a history of losses and expects to continue to incur losses in the future.
The
Company has incurred losses since inception, has had negative cash flow from operating activities, and expects to continue to incur losses
in the future. The Company has incurred the following losses from operations during each of the following periods:
●
$16,487,161
for the year ended December 31, 2022; and
●
$18,752,504
for the year ended December 31, 2021
The
Company expects to continue to incur losses unless and until such time as the Mine enters into commercial production and generates sufficient
revenues to fund continuing operations. The Company recognizes that if it is unable to generate significant revenues from mining operations
and dispositions of its properties, the Company will not be able to earn profits or continue operations. At this early stage of its operation,
the Company also expects to face the risks, uncertainties, expenses, and difficulties frequently encountered by smaller reporting companies.
The Company cannot be sure that it will be successful in addressing these risks and uncertainties and its failure to do so could have
a materially adverse effect on its financial condition.
Epidemics,
pandemics or other public health crises, including COVID-19, could adversely affect the Company’s business.
The
Company’s operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread outbreak of epidemics, pandemics
or other health crises, including the recent outbreak of respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”),
which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 12, 2020. The Company cannot accurately predict the impact COVID-19
or some future variant would have on its operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations with the Company, including uncertainties relating to
the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and
quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the
human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries,
resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect the Company’s operations and ability to finance its operations.
The
Russia/Ukraine crisis, including the impact of sanctions or retributions thereto, could adversely affect the Company’s business.
The
Company’s operations could be adversely affected by the effects of the escalating Russia/Ukraine crisis and the effects of sanctions
imposed against Russia or that country’s retributions against those sanctions, embargos or further-reaching impacts upon energy
prices, food prices and market disruptions. The Company cannot accurately predict the impact the crisis will have on its operations and
the ability of contractors to meet their obligations with the Company, including uncertainties relating the severity of its effects,
the duration of the conflict, and the length and magnitude of energy bans, embargos and restrictions imposed by governments. In addition,
the crisis could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of the United States in general, resulting in an economic downturn
that could further affect the Company’s operations and ability to finance its operations. Additionally, the Company cannot predict
changes in precious metals pricing or changes in commodities pricing which may alternately affect the Company either positively or negatively.
Risks
Related to Mining and Exploration
The
Company is in the development stage.
11
The
nature of mineral exploration and production activities involves a high degree of risk and the possibility of uninsured losses.
Exploration
for and the production of minerals is highly speculative and involves much greater risk than many other businesses. Most exploration
programs do not result in the discovery of mineralization, and any mineralization discovered may not be of sufficient quantity or quality
to be profitably mined. The Company’s operations are, and any future development or mining operations the Company may conduct will
be, subject to all of the operating hazards and risks normally incidental to exploring for and development of mineral properties, including,
but not limited to:
●
economically
insufficient mineralized material;
●
fluctuation
in production costs that make mining uneconomical;
●
labor
disputes;
●
unanticipated
variations in grade and other geologic problems;
●
environmental
hazards;
●
water
conditions;
●
difficult
surface or underground conditions;
●
industrial
accidents;
●
metallurgic
and other processing problems;
●
mechanical
and equipment performance problems;
●
failure
of dams, stockpiles, wastewater transportation systems, or impoundments;
●
unusual
or unexpected rock formations; and
●
personal
injury, fire, flooding, cave-ins and landslides.
Any
of these risks can materially and adversely affect, among other things, the development of properties, production quantities and rates,
costs and expenditures, potential revenues, and production dates. If the Company determines that capitalized costs associated with any
of its mineral interests are not likely to be recovered, the Company would incur a write-down of its investment in these interests. All these factors may result in losses in relation to amounts spent that are not recoverable, or that result in additional expenses.
Commodity
price volatility could have dramatic effects on the results of operations and the Company’s ability to execute its business plan.
The
price of commodities varies on a daily basis. The Company’s future revenues, if any, will likely be derived from the extraction
and sale of base and precious metals. The price of those commodities has fluctuated widely, particularly in recent years, and is affected
by numerous factors beyond its control including economic and political trends, expectations of inflation, currency exchange fluctuations,
interest rates, global and regional consumptive patterns, speculative activities and increased production due to new extraction developments
and improved extraction and production methods. The effect of these factors on the price of base and precious metals, and therefore the
economic viability of the Company’s business, could negatively affect its ability to secure financing or its results of operations.
The
Company’s development and production plans, and cost estimates, in the Technical Report Summary may vary and/or not be achieved.
There
is no certainty that the Technical Report Summary will be realized. The decision to implement the Mine restart scenario to be included
in the Technical Report Summary will not be based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability,
and therefore there is increased risk that the Technical Report Summary results will not be realized. If the Company is unable to achieve
the results in the Technical Report Summary, it may have a material negative impact on the Company and its capital investment to implement
the restart scenario may be lost.
Costs
charged to the Company by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (“IDEQ”) for treatment of wastewater fluctuate a
great deal and are not within the Company’s control.
The
Company is billed annually for water treatment activities performed by the IDEQ for the EPA. The water treatment costs that Bunker Hill
is billed for are partially related to the EPA’s direct cost of treating the water emanating from the Bunker Hill Mine, which are
comprised of lime and flocculant usage, electricity consumption, maintenance and repair, labor and some overhead. Rate of discharge of
effluent from the Bunker Hill Mine is largely dependent on the level of precipitation within a given year and how close in the calendar
year the Company is to the spring run-off. Increases in water infiltrations and gravity flows within the mine generally increase after
winter and result in a peak discharge rate in May. Increases in gravity flow and consequently the rate of water discharged by the mine
have a highly robust correlation with metal concentrations and consequently metals loads of effluent.
Hydraulic
loads (quantities of water per unit of time) and metal loads (quantities of metals per unit of volume of effluent per unit of time) are
the two main determinants of cost of water treatment by the EPA in the relationship with the Bunker Hill Mine because greater metal loads
consume more lime and more flocculent and more electricity to remove the increased levels of metals and make the water clean. The scale
of the treatment plant is determined by how much total water can be processed (hydraulic load) at any one point in time. This determines
how much labor is required to operate the plant and generally determines the amount of overhead required to run the EPA business.
12
The
EPA has completed significant upgrades to the water treatment capabilities of the CTP and is now capable of producing treated water than
can meet a much higher discharge standard (which Bunker Hill will be forced to meet beyond May 2023). While it was understood that improved
performance capability would increase the cost of operating the plant, it was unclear to EPA, and consequently to Bunker Hill, how much
the costs would increase by.
These
elements described above, and others, impact the direct costs of water treatment. A significant portion of the total amount invoiced
by EPA each year is indirect cost that is determined as a percentage of the direct cost. Each year the indirect costs percentage changes
within each region of the EPA. Bunker Hill has no ability to impact the percentage of indirect cost that is set by the EPA regional office.
Bunker Hill also has no advanced notice of what the percentage of indirect cost will be until it receives its invoice in June of the
year following the billing period. The Company remains unable to estimate EPA billings to a high degree of accuracy.
Estimates
of mineral reserves and resources are subject to evaluation uncertainties that could result in project failure.
Its
exploration and future mining operations, if any, are and would be faced with risks associated with being able to accurately predict
the quantity and quality of mineral resources/reserves within the earth using statistical sampling techniques. Estimates of any mineral
resource/reserve on the Mine would be made using samples obtained from appropriately placed trenches, test pits, underground workings,
and intelligently designed drilling. There is an inherent variability of assays between check and duplicate samples taken adjacent to
each other and between sampling points that cannot be reasonably eliminated. Additionally, there also may be unknown geologic details
that have not been identified or correctly appreciated at the current level of accumulated knowledge about the Mine. This could result
in uncertainties that cannot be reasonably eliminated from the process of estimating mineral resources/reserves. If these estimates were
to prove to be unreliable, the Company could implement an exploitation plan that may not lead to commercially viable operations in the
future.
Any
material changes in mineral resource/reserve estimates and grades of mineralization will affect the economic viability of placing a property
into production and a property’s return on capital.
As
the Company has not commenced actual production, mineral resource estimates may require adjustments or downward revisions. In addition,
the grade of ore ultimately mined, if any, may differ from that indicated by future feasibility studies and drill results. Minerals recovered
in small scale tests may not be duplicated in large scale tests under on-site conditions or in production scale.
The
Company’s exploration activities may not be commercially successful, which could lead the Company to abandon its plans to develop
the Mine and its investments in exploration.
The
Company’s long-term success depends on its ability to identify mineral deposits on the Mine and other properties the Company may
acquire, if any, that the Company can then develop into commercially viable mining operations. Mineral exploration is highly speculative
in nature, involves many risks, and is frequently non-productive. These risks include unusual or unexpected geologic formations, and
the inability to obtain suitable or adequate machinery, equipment, or labor. The success of commodity exploration is determined in part
by the following factors:
●
the
identification of potential mineralization based on surficial analysis;
●
availability
of government-granted exploration permits;
●
the
quality of its management and its geological and technical expertise; and
●
the
capital available for exploration and development work.
Substantial
expenditures are required to establish proven and probable reserves through drilling and analysis, to develop metallurgical processes
to extract metal, and to develop the mining and processing facilities and infrastructure at any site chosen for mining. Whether a mineral
deposit will be commercially viable depends on a number of factors that include, without limitation, the particular attributes of the
deposit, such as size, grade, and proximity to infrastructure; commodity prices, which can fluctuate widely; and government regulations,
including, without limitation, regulations relating to prices, taxes, royalties, land tenure, land use, importing and exporting of minerals,
and environmental protection. The Company may invest significant capital and resources in exploration activities and may abandon such
investments if the Company is unable to identify commercially exploitable mineral reserves. The decision to abandon a project may have
an adverse effect on the market value of the Company’s securities and the ability to raise future financing.
13
The
Company is subject to significant governmental regulations that affect its operations and costs of conducting its business and may not
be able to obtain all required permits and licenses to place its properties into production.
The
Company’s current and future operations, including exploration and, development of the Mine, do and will require
permits from governmental authorities and will be governed by laws and regulations, including:
●
laws
and regulations governing mineral concession acquisition, prospecting, development, mining, and production;
●
laws
and regulations related to exports, taxes, and fees;
●
labor
standards and regulations related to occupational health and mine safety; and
●
environmental
standards and regulations related to waste disposal, toxic substances, land use reclamation, and environmental protection.
Specifically, it may be necessary
to obtain the following environmental permits or approved plans prior to commencement of mine operations:
●
Reclamation and Closure Plan
●
Water Discharge Permit
●
Air Quality Operating Permit
●
Industrial Artificial (tailings) pond permit
●
Obtaining Water Rights for Operations
If these permits are required, there can be no assurance
that the Company will be able to obtain them in a timely manner or at all.
Companies
engaged in exploration activities often experience increased costs and delays in production and other schedules as a result of the need
to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and permits. Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and permits may result
in enforcement actions, including the forfeiture of mineral claims or other mineral tenures, orders issued by regulatory or judicial
authorities requiring operations to cease or be curtailed, and may include corrective measures requiring capital expenditures, installation
of additional equipment, or costly remedial actions. The Company cannot predict if all permits that it may require for continued exploration,
development, or construction of mining facilities and conduct of mining operations will be obtainable on reasonable terms, if at all.
Costs related to applying for and obtaining permits and licenses may be prohibitive and could delay its planned exploration and development
activities. The Company may be required to compensate those suffering loss or damage by reason of the mineral exploration or its mining
activities, if any, and may have civil or criminal fines or penalties imposed for violations of, or its failure to comply with, such
laws, regulations, and permits.
Existing
and possible future laws, regulations, and permits governing operations and activities of exploration companies, or more stringent implementation
of such laws, regulations and permits, could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business and cause increases in capital
expenditures or require abandonment or delays in exploration. The Mine is located in Northern Idaho and has numerous clearly defined
regulations with respect to permitting mines, which could potentially impact the total time to market for the project.
The
Company’s activities are subject to environmental laws and regulations that may increase its costs of doing business and restrict
its operations.
Both
mineral exploration and extraction require permits from various federal, state, and local governmental authorities and are governed by
laws and regulations, including those with respect to prospecting, mine development, mineral production, transport, export, taxation,
labor standards, occupational health, waste disposal, toxic substances, land use, environmental protection, mine safety and other matters.
There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain or maintain any of the permits required for the exploration of the
mineral properties or for the construction and operation of the Mine at economically viable costs. If the Company cannot accomplish these
objectives, its business could fail. The Company believes that it is in compliance with all material laws and regulations that currently
apply to its activities but there can be no assurance that the Company can continue to remain in compliance. Current laws and regulations
could be amended, and the Company might not be able to comply with them, as amended. Further, there can be no assurance that the Company
will be able to obtain or maintain all permits necessary for its future operations, or that it will be able to obtain them on reasonable
terms. To the extent such approvals are required and are not obtained, the Company may be delayed or prohibited from proceeding with
planned exploration or development of the mineral properties.
The
Company’s activities are subject to extensive laws and regulations governing environmental protection. The Company is also subject
to various reclamation-related conditions. Although the Company closely follows and believes it is operating in compliance with
all applicable environmental regulations, there can be no assurance that all future requirements will be obtainable on reasonable terms.
Failure to comply may result in enforcement actions causing operations to cease or be curtailed and may include corrective measures requiring
capital expenditures. Intense lobbying over environmental concerns by non-governmental organizations has caused some governments to cancel
or restrict development of mining projects. Current publicized concern over climate change may lead to carbon taxes, requirements for
carbon offset purchases or new regulation. The costs or likelihood of such potential issues to the Company cannot be estimated at this
time.
The
legal framework governing this area is constantly developing, therefore the Company is unable to fully ascertain any future liability
that may arise from the implementation of any new laws or regulations, although such laws and regulations are typically strict and may
impose severe penalties (financial or otherwise). The proposed activities of the Company, as with any exploration company, may have an
environmental impact which may result in unbudgeted delays, damage, loss and other costs and obligations including, without limitation,
rehabilitation and/or compensation. There is also a risk that the Company’s operations and financial position may be adversely
affected by the actions of environmental groups or any other group or person opposed in general to the Company’s activities and,
in particular, the proposed exploration and mining by the Company within the state of Idaho and the United States.
Environmental
hazards unknown to the Company, which have been caused by previous or existing owners or operators of the Mine, may exist on the properties
in which the Company holds an interest. Many of the properties in which the Company has ownership rights are located within the Coeur
d’Alene Mining District, which is currently the site of a Federal Superfund cleanup project. It is possible that environmental
cleanup or other environmental restoration procedures could remain to be completed or mandated by law, causing unpredictable and unexpected
liabilities to arise.
14
Regulations
and pending legislation governing issues involving climate change could result in increased operating costs, which could have a material
adverse effect on the Company’s business.
A
number of governments or governmental bodies have introduced or are contemplating legislative and/or regulatory changes in response to
concerns about the potential impact of climate change. Legislation and increased regulation regarding climate change could impose significant
costs on the Company, on its future venture partners, if any, and on its suppliers, including costs related to increased energy requirements,
capital equipment, environmental monitoring and reporting, and other costs necessary to comply with such regulations. Any adopted future
climate change regulations could also negatively impact the Company’s ability to compete with companies situated in areas not subject
to such limitations. Given the emotional and political significance and uncertainty surrounding the impact of climate change and how
it should be dealt with, the Company cannot predict how legislation and regulation will ultimately affect its financial condition, operating
performance, and ability to compete. Furthermore, even without such regulation, increased awareness and any adverse publicity in the
global marketplace about potential impacts on climate change by the Company or other companies in its industry could harm the Company’s
reputation. The potential physical impacts of climate change on its operations are highly uncertain, could be particular to the geographic
circumstances in areas in which the Company operates and may include changes in rainfall and storm patterns and intensities, water shortages,
changing sea levels, and changing temperatures. These impacts may adversely impact the cost, production, and financial performance of
the Company’s operations.
There
are several governmental regulations that materially restrict mineral exploration. The Company will be subject to the federal regulations
(environmental) and the laws of the State of Idaho as the Company carries out its exploration program. The Company may be required to
obtain additional work permits, post bonds and perform remediation work for any physical disturbance to the land in order to comply with
these laws. While the Company’s planned exploration program budgets for regulatory compliance, there is a risk that new regulations
could increase its costs of doing business and prevent it from carrying out its exploration program.
Land
reclamation requirements for the Company’s properties may be burdensome and expensive.
Although
variable depending on location and the governing authority, land reclamation requirements are generally imposed on mineral exploration
companies (as well as companies with mining operations) in order to minimize long-term effects of land disturbance.
Reclamation
may include requirements to:
●
control
dispersion of potentially deleterious effluents;
●
treat
ground and surface water to drinking water standards; and
●
reasonably
re-establish pre-disturbance landforms and vegetation.
To date, the Company has not been subject to
reclamation or bonding obligations in connection with its past or potential future development activities. If these obligations were
to occur in the future, or if the Company is required to carry out reclamation work, the Company must allocate financial resources
that might otherwise be spent on further exploration and development programs.
Social
and environmental activism may have an adverse effect on the reputation and financial condition of the Company or its relationship with
the communities in which it operates.
There
is an increasing level of public concern relating to the effects of mining on the nature landscape, in communities and on the environment.
Certain non-governmental organizations, public interest groups and reporting organizations (“NGOs”) who oppose resource development
can be vocal critics of the mining industry. In addition, there have been many instances in which local community groups have opposed
resource extraction activities, which have resulted in disruption and delays to the relevant operation. While the Company seeks to operate
in a socially responsible manner and believes it has good relationships with local communities in the regions in which it operates, NGOs
or local community organizations could direct adverse publicity against and/or disrupt the operations of the Company in respect to one
or more of its properties, regardless of its successful compliance with social and environmental best practices, due to political factors,
activities of unrelated third parties on lands in which the Company has an interest or the Company’s operations specifically. Any
such actions and the resulting media coverage could have an adverse effect on the reputation and financial condition of the Company or
its relationships with the communities in which it operates, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business,
financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or prospects.
15
The
mineral exploration and mining industry is highly competitive.
The
mining industry is intensely competitive in all of its phases. As a result of this competition, some of which is with large established
mining companies with substantial capabilities and with greater financial and technical resources than the Company’s, the Company
may be unable to acquire additional properties, if any, or financing on terms it considers acceptable. The Company also competes with
other mining companies in the recruitment and retention of qualified managerial and technical employees. If the Company is unable to
successfully compete for qualified employees, its exploration and development programs may be slowed down or suspended. The Company competes
with other companies that produce its planned commercial products for capital. If the Company is unable to raise sufficient capital,
its exploration and development programs may be jeopardized or it may not be able to acquire, develop, or operate additional mining projects.
The
silver industry is highly competitive, and the Company is required to compete with other corporations and business entities, many of
which have greater resources than it does. Such corporations and other business entities could outbid the Company for potential projects
or produce minerals at lower costs, which would have a negative effect on the Company’s operations.
Metal
prices are highly volatile. If a profitable market for its metals does not exist, the Company may have to cease operations.
Mineral
prices have been highly volatile and are affected by numerous international economic and political factors over which the Company has
no control. The Company’s long-term success is highly dependent upon the price of silver, as the economic feasibility of any ore
body discovered on its current property, or on other properties the Company may acquire in the future, would, in large part, be determined
by the prevailing market price of the minerals. If a profitable market does not exist, the Company may have to cease operations.
A
shortage of equipment and supplies could adversely affect the Company’s ability to operate its business.
The
Company is dependent on various supplies and equipment to carry out its mining exploration and, if warranted, development operations.
Any shortage of such supplies, equipment, and parts could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to carry out
its operations and could therefore limit, or increase the cost of, production.
Joint
ventures and other partnerships, including offtake arrangements, may expose the Company to risks.
The
Company may enter into joint ventures, partnership arrangements, or offtake agreements, with other parties in relation to the exploration,
development, and production of the properties in which the Company has an interest. Any failure of such other companies to meet their
obligations to the Company or to third parties, or any disputes with respect to the parties’ respective rights and obligations,
could have a material adverse effect on the Company, the development and production at its properties, including the Mine, and on future
joint ventures, if any, or their properties, and therefore could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, financial
performance, cash flows and the price of its Common Shares.
The
Company may experience difficulty attracting and retaining qualified management to meet the needs of its anticipated growth, and the
failure to manage its growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on its business and financial condition.
The
success of the Company is currently largely dependent on the performance of its directors and officers. The loss of the services of any
of these people could have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s business and prospects. There is no assurance the Company
can maintain the services of its directors, officers or other qualified personnel required to operate its business. As the Company’s
business activity grows, the Company will require additional key financial, administrative and mining personnel as well as additional
operations staff. There can be no assurance that these efforts will be successful in attracting, training and retaining qualified personnel
as competition for people with these skill sets increase. If the Company is not successful in attracting, training and retaining qualified
personnel, the efficiency of its operations could be impaired, which could have an adverse impact on the Company’s operations and
financial condition. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic may cause the Company to have inadequate access to an available skilled workforce
and qualified personnel, which could have an adverse impact on the Company’s financial performance and financial condition.
The
Company is dependent on a relatively small number of key employees, including its Chief Executive Officer (the “CEO”) and
Chief Financial Officer (the “CFO”). The loss of any officer could have an adverse effect on the Company. The Company has
no life insurance on any individual, and the Company may be unable to hire a suitable replacement for them on favorable terms, should
that become necessary.
16
The
Company may be subject to potential conflicts of interest with its directors and/or officers.
Certain
directors and officers of the Company are or may become associated with other mining and/or mineral exploration and development companies
which may give rise to conflicts of interest. Directors who have a material interest in any person who is a party to a material contract
or a proposed material contract with the Company are required, subject to certain exceptions, to disclose that interest and generally
abstain from voting on any resolution to approve such a contract. In addition, directors and officers are required to act honestly and
in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company. Some of the directors and officers of the Company have either other full-time
employment or other business or time restrictions placed on them and accordingly, the Company will not be the only business enterprise
of these directors and officers. Further, any failure of the directors or officers of the Company to address these conflicts in an appropriate
manner or to allocate opportunities that they become aware of to the Company could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s
business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or prospects.
The
Company’s results of operations could be affected by currency fluctuations.
The
Company’s properties are currently all located in the U.S. and while most costs associated with these properties are paid in U.S.
dollars, a significant amount of its administrative expenses are payable in Canadian dollars. There can be significant swings in the
exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Canadian dollar. There are no plans at this time to hedge against any exchange rate fluctuations
in currencies.
Title
to the Company’s properties may be subject to other claims that could affect its property rights and claims.
There
are risks that title to the Company’s properties may be challenged or impugned. The Mine is located in Northern Idaho and may be
subject to prior unrecorded agreements or transfers and title may be affected by undetected defects.
The
Company may be unable to secure surface access or purchase required surface rights.
Although
the Company obtains the rights to some or all of the minerals in the ground subject to the mineral tenures that the Company acquires,
or has the right to acquire, in some cases the Company may not acquire any rights to, or ownership of, the surface to the areas covered
by such mineral tenures. In such cases, applicable mining laws usually provide for rights of access to the surface for the purpose of
carrying on mining activities; however, the enforcement of such rights through the courts can be costly and time consuming. It is necessary
to negotiate surface access or to purchase the surface rights if long-term access is required. There can be no guarantee that, despite
having the right at law to access the surface and carry on mining activities, the Company will be able to negotiate satisfactory agreements
with any such existing landowners/occupiers for such access or purchase of such surface rights, and therefore the Company may be unable
to carry out planned mining activities. In addition, in circumstances where such access is denied, or no agreement can be reached, the
Company may need to rely on the assistance of local officials or the courts in such jurisdiction, the outcomes of which cannot be predicted
with any certainty. The Company’s inability to secure surface access or purchase required surface rights could materially and adversely
affect its timing, cost, or overall ability to develop any mineral deposits the Company may locate.
The
Company’s properties and operations may be subject to litigation or other claims.
From
time to time the Company’s properties or operations may be subject to disputes that may result in litigation or other legal claims.
The Company may be required to take countermeasures or defend against these claims, which will divert resources and management time from
operations. The costs of these claims or adverse filings may have a material effect on its business and results of operations.
Mineral
exploration and development is subject to extraordinary operating risks. The Company currently insures against these risks on a limited
basis. In the event of a cave-in or similar occurrence, the Company’s liability may exceed its resources and insurance coverage,
which would have an adverse impact on the Company.
Mineral
exploration, development and production involve many risks. The Company’s operations will be subject to all the hazards and risks
inherent in the exploration for mineral resources and, if the Company discovers a mineral resource in commercially exploitable quantity,
its operations could be subject to all of the hazards and risks inherent in the development and production of resources, including liability
for pollution, cave-ins or similar hazards against which the Company cannot insure or against which the Company may elect not to insure.
Any such event could result in work stoppages and damage to property, including damage to the environment. As of the date hereof, the
Company currently maintains commercial general liability insurance and umbrella liability insurance against these operating hazards,
in connection with its exploration program. The payment of any liabilities that arise from any such occurrence that would not otherwise
be covered under the current insurance policies would have a material adverse impact on the Company.
17
Mineral
exploration and development are dependent on adequate infrastructure.
Exploration,
development and processing activities depend, to one degree or another, on adequate infrastructure. Reliable roads, bridges, power sources
and water supply are important elements of infrastructure, which affect access, capital and operating costs. The lack of availability
of acceptable terms or the delay in the availability of any one or more of these items could prevent or delay exploration or development
of the Company’s mineral properties. If adequate infrastructure is not available in a timely manner, there can be no assurance
that the exploration or development of the Company’s mineral properties will be commenced or completed on a timely basis, if at
all. Furthermore, unusual or infrequent weather phenomena, sabotage, government or other interference in the maintenance or provision
of necessary infrastructure could adversely affect its operations.
Exploration
operations depend on adequate infrastructure. In particular, reliable power sources, water supply, transportation and surface facilities
are necessary to explore and develop mineral projects. Failure to adequately meet these infrastructure requirements or changes in the
cost of such requirements could affect the Company’s ability to carry out exploration and future development operations and could
have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or prospects.
The
Company may purchase additional mining properties.
If
the Company loses or abandons its interests in its mineral properties, there is no assurance that it will be able to acquire another
mineral property of merit or that such an acquisition would be approved by the CSE, OTCQB or any other applicable security exchanges.
There is also no guarantee that the CSE, OTCQB or any other applicable security exchanges, will approve the acquisition of any additional
properties by the Company, whether by way of an option or otherwise, should the Company wish to acquire any additional properties.
The
Company’s operations are dependent on information technology systems that may be subject to network disruptions
The
Company’s operations depend on information technology (“IT”) systems. These IT systems could be subject to network
disruptions caused by a variety of sources, including computer viruses, security breaches and cyber-attacks, as well as disruptions resulting
from incidents such as cable cuts, damage to physical plants, natural disasters, terrorism, fire, power loss, vandalism and theft. The
Company’s operations also depend on the timely maintenance, upgrade and replacement of networks, equipment, IT systems and software,
as well as pre-emptive expenses to mitigate the risks of failures. Any of these and other events could result in information system failures,
delays and/or increase in capital expenses. The failure of information systems or a component of information systems could, depending
on the nature of any such failure, adversely impact the Company’s reputation and results of operations.
Although
to date the Company has not experienced any material losses relating to cyber-attacks or other information security breaches, there can
be no assurance that the Company will not incur such losses in the future. The Company’s risk and exposure to these matters cannot
be fully mitigated because of, among other things, the evolving nature of these threats. As a result, cyber security and the continued
development and enhancement of controls, processes and practices designed to protect systems, computers, software, data and networks
from attack, damage or unauthorized access remain a priority. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the Company may be required to expend
additional resources to continue to modify or enhance protective measures or to investigate and remediate any security vulnerabilities.
The
Company is a reporting issuer and reporting requirements under applicable securities laws may increase legal and financial compliance
costs
The
Company is subject to reporting requirements under applicable securities law, the listing requirements of the CSE, the OTCQB, the SEC
and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Compliance with these requirements can increase legal and financial compliance
costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly, and increase demand on existing systems and resources. Among
other things, the Company is required to file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to its business and results of operations
and maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting. In order to maintain and, if
required, improve disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting to meet this standard, significant
resources and management oversight is required. As a result, management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns,
which could harm the Company’s business and results of operations. The Company may need to hire additional employees to comply
with these requirements in the future, which would increase its costs and expenses.
R isks
Related to the Common Shares
The
Company’s Common Share price may be volatile and as a result, investors could lose all or part of their investment.
In
addition to volatility associated with equity securities in general, the value of an investor’s investment could decline due to
the impact of any of the following factors upon the market price of the Common Shares:
●
disappointing
results from the Company’s exploration efforts;
●
decline
in demand for its Common Shares;
●
downward
revisions in securities analysts’ estimates or changes in general market conditions;
●
technological
innovations by competitors or in competing technologies;
●
investor
perception of the Company’s industry or its prospects; and
●
general
economic trends.
18
The
Company’s Common Share price on the CSE has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. Stock markets in general have
experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations, and the market prices of securities have been highly volatile. These fluctuations
are often unrelated to operating performance and may adversely affect the market price of the Common Shares. As a result, an investor
may be unable to sell any Common Shares such investor acquires at a desired price.
Potential
future sales under Rule 144 may depress the market price for the Company’s Common Shares.
In
general, under Rule 144, a person who has satisfied a minimum holding period of between 6 months and one-year and any other applicable
requirements of Rule 144, may thereafter sell such shares publicly. A significant number of the Company’s currently issued and
outstanding Common Shares held by existing shareholders, including officers and directors and other principal shareholders, are currently
eligible for resale pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144. The possible future sale of the Company’s Common
Shares by its existing shareholders, pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144, may have a depressive effect on the
price of its Common Shares in the over-the-counter market.
The
Company’s Common Shares are currently deemed a “penny stock”, which may make it more difficult for investors to sell
their Common Shares.
The
SEC has adopted regulations which generally define “penny stock” to be any equity security that has a market price less than
$5.00 per Common Share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per Common Share, subject to certain exceptions. The Company’s s
securities are covered by the penny stock rules, which impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell to persons
other than established customers and “accredited investors”. The term “accredited investor” refers generally
to institutions with assets in excess of $5,000,000 or individuals with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000, exclusive of their principal
residence, or annual income exceeding $200,000 or $300,000 jointly with their spouse. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer,
prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document in a
form prepared by the SEC which provides information about penny stocks and the nature and level of risks in the penny stock market. The
broker-dealer also must provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer
and its salesperson in the transaction and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s
account. The bid and offer quotations, and the broker-dealer and salesperson compensation information, must be given to the customer
orally or in writing prior to effecting the transaction and must be given to the customer in writing before or with the customer’s
confirmation. In addition, the penny stock rules require that prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from these
rules, the broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and
receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the
level of trading activity in the secondary market for the stock that is subject to these penny stock rules. Consequently, these penny
stock rules may affect the ability of broker-dealers to trade its securities. The Company believes that the penny stock rules may discourage
investor interest in and limit the marketability of its Common Shares.
The
Company has never paid dividends on its Common Shares.
The
Company has not paid dividends on its Common Shares to date, and it does not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future. The
Company intends to retain its initial earnings, if any, to finance its operations. Any future dividends on Common Shares will depend
upon the Company’s earnings, its then-existing financial requirements, and other factors, and will be at the discretion of the
Board.
FINRA
has adopted sales practice requirements, which may also limit an investor’s ability to buy and sell the Company’s Common
Shares.
In
addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment
to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to
recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain
information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations
of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least
some customers. FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy the Company’s
Common Shares, which may limit an investor’s ability to buy and sell its stock and have an adverse effect on the market for the
Common Shares.
19
Investors’
interests in the Company will be diluted and investors may suffer dilution in their net book value per share of Common Shares if the
Company issues additional employee/director/consultant options or if the Company sells additional Common Shares and/or warrants to finance
its operations.
In
order to further expand the Company’s operations and meet its objectives, any additional growth and/or expanded exploration activity
will likely need to be financed through sale of and issuance of additional Common Shares, including, but not limited to, raising funds
to explore the Mine. Furthermore, to finance any acquisition activity, should that activity be properly approved, and depending on the
outcome of its exploration programs, the Company likely will also need to issue additional Common Shares to finance future acquisitions,
growth, and/or additional exploration programs of any or all of its projects or to acquire additional properties. The Company will also
in the future grant some or all of its directors, officers, and key employees and/or consultants options to purchase Common Shares
as non-cash incentives. The issuance of any equity securities could, and the issuance of any additional Common Shares will, cause the
Company’s existing shareholders to experience dilution of their ownership interests.
If
the Company issues additional Common Shares or decides to enter into joint ventures with other parties in order to raise financing through
the sale of equity securities, investors’ interests in the Company will be diluted and investors may suffer dilution in their net
book value per share of Common Shares depending on the price at which such securities are sold.
The
issuance of additional shares of Common Shares may negatively impact the trading price of the Company’s securities.
The
Company has issued Common Shares in the past and will continue to issue Common Shares to finance its activities in the future. In addition,
newly issued or outstanding options, warrants, and broker warrants to purchase Common Shares may be exercised, resulting in the issuance
of additional Common Shares. Any such issuance of additional Common Shares would result in dilution to the Company’s shareholders,
and even the perception that such an issuance may occur could have a negative impact on the trading price of the Common Shares.
The
Common Shares could be influenced by research and reports that industry or securities analyst may be published.
The
trading market for the Common Shares could be influenced by research and reports that industry and/or securities analysts may publish
about the Company, its business, the market or its competitors. The Company does not have any control over these analysts and cannot
assure that such analysts will cover the Company or provide favorable coverage. If any of the analysts who may cover the Company’s
business change their recommendation regarding the Company’s stock adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations
about its competitors, the stock price would likely decline. If any analysts who may cover the Company’s business were to cease
coverage or fail to regularly publish reports on the Company, it could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could
cause the stock price or trading volume to decline.
The
Company is subject to the continued listing or trading criteria of the CSE and the OTCQB, and its failure to satisfy these criteria may
result in delisting or removal of trading of its Common Shares from the CSE and the OTCQB.
The
Company’s Common Shares are currently listed for trading on the CSE and quoted on the OTCQB. In order to maintain the listing on
the CSE and the quotation on the OTCQB or any other securities exchange the Company may trade on, the Company must maintain certain financial
and share distribution targets, including maintaining a minimum number of public shareholders. In addition to objective standards, these
exchanges may delist the securities of any issuer if, in the exchange’s opinion: its financial condition and/or operating results
appear unsatisfactory; if it appears that the extent of public distribution or the aggregate market value of the security has become
so reduced as to make continued listing inadvisable; if the Company sells or disposes of its principal operating assets or ceases to
be an operating company; if the Company fails to comply with the listing requirements; or if any other event occurs or any condition
exists which, in their opinion, makes continued listing on the exchange inadvisable.
If
the CSE, the OTCQB or any other exchange or quotation service were to delist or remove the trading of the Common Shares, investors may
face material adverse consequences, including, but not limited to, a lack of trading market for the Common Shares, reduced liquidity,
decreased analyst coverage, and/or an inability for the Company to obtain additional financing to fund its operations.
The
Company faces risks related to compliance with corporate governance laws and financial reporting standards.
The
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as related new rules and regulations implemented by the SEC and the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board, require changes in the corporate governance practices and financial reporting standards for public companies. These laws, rules
and regulations, including compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 relating to internal control over financial
reporting, referred to as Section 404, materially increase the Company’s legal and financial compliance costs and make certain
activities more time-consuming and burdensome.
20
ITEM
1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not
Applicable.
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES
The
Company’s sole focus is the development and restart of its 100% owned flagship asset, the Bunker Hill mine (the “Mine”)
in Idaho, USA. The Mine remains the largest single producing mine by tonnage in the Silver Valley region of northwest Idaho, producing
over 165 million ounces of silver and 5 million tons of base metals between 1885 and 1981. The Bunker Hill Mine is located within Operable
Unit 2 of the Bunker Hill Superfund site (EPA National Priorities Listing IDD048340921), where cleanup activities have been completed.
The
Bunker Hill Mine
The
Mine is one of the most well-known base metal and silver mines in American history. Initial discovery and development of the Mine property
began in 1885, and from that time until the Mine closed in 1981 it produced over 35.8 million tons of ore at an average mined grade of
8.76% lead, 4.52 ounces per ton silver, and 3.67% zinc, which represented 162Moz of silver, 3.16M lbs. of lead and 1.35M lbs. of zinc
(Bunker Limited Partnership, 1985). Throughout the 95-year operating history of the mine, there were over 40 different orebodies discovered
and mined, consisting of lead-silver-zinc mineralization. Although known for its significant lead and zinc production, 45-50% of the
Net Smelter Value of its historical production came from its silver. The Company and Sullivan Mining Company had a strong history of
regular dividend payments to shareholders from the time the Company went public in 1905 until it was acquired in a hostile takeover by
Gulf Resources in 1968.
When
the Mine first closed in 1981, it was estimated to still contain significant resources (Bunker Limited Partnership, 1985). The Mine and
Smelter Complex were closed in 1981 when Gulf Resources was not able to continue to comply with new regulatory structures brought on
by the passage of environmental statutes and as then enforced by the EPA. The Bunker Hill Lead Smelter, Electrolytic Zinc Plant and historic
milling facilities were demolished about 25 years ago, and the area became part of the “National Priority List” for cleanup
under EPA regulations, thereby pausing development of the Mine for over 30 years. The cleanup of the old smelter, zinc plant, and associated
sites has been completed and management believes the Mine is well positioned for development and an eventual return to production.
Property
Map of Bunker Hill Mine Land Ownership
A
more detailed description of the Mine can be found in the “Technical Report Summary” section of this report, including the
current Mineral Resource Estimate, Mineral Reserves, an economic summary, property description and ownership, geology and mineralization,
environmental studies and permitting, metallurgical testing, mining method, recovery methods, and current exploration and development.
Restart
Project Activities
In
early 2020, a new management team comprised of former executives from Barrick Gold Corp. assumed leadership of the Company. Since that
time, the Company conducted multiple exploration campaigns, published multiple economic studies and Mineral Resource Estimates, and advanced
the rehabilitation and development of the Mine. In December 2021, it announced a project finance package with Sprott Private Resource
Streaming & Royalty Corp., an amended Settlement Agreement with the EPA, and the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine, setting the stage
for a rapid restart of the Mine.
In
January 2022, with the closing of the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine, the funding of the $8,000,000 Royalty Convertible Debenture and
$6,000,000 Series Convertible Debenture, and the announcement of an MOU for the purchase of the Pend Oreille process plant from a subsidiary
of Teck Resources Limited, the Company embarked on a program of activities with the goal of achieving a restart of the Mine. Key milestones
and achievements from January 2022 onwards have included the closing of the purchase of the Pend Oreille process plant, the demobilization
of the process plant to the Bunker Hill site, the completion of demolition activities at the Pend Oreille site, a Prefeasibility Study
envisaging the restart of the Mine, and the completion of the primary portion of the ramp decline connecting the 5 and 6 Levels of the
Bunker Hill Mine.
Technical
Report Summary
The following summary is extracted from the S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary,
Bunker Hill Mine Pre-Feasibility Study, Coeur D’ Alene Mining District Shoshone County, Idaho, USA with a Report Date of April 14,
2023 and an Effective Date of August 29, 2022 (the “TRS”). The following information does not purport to be a complete summary
of the Technical Report Summary, is subject to all the assumptions, qualifications and procedures set out in the Technical Report and
is qualified in its entirety with reference to the full text of the Technical Report Summary. Each of the Qualified Persons of the Technical
Report Summary is an independent qualified person under the definitions of §229.1300 (Item 1300 of Regulation S-K) (each a “Qualified
Person”, and together the “Qualified Persons”) and have approved the summary of the Technical Report Summary below.
21
Summary
The
Technical Report Summary describes the mining and processing operations at the Company’s 100% owned Bunker Hill Mine located
near the town of Kellogg, Idaho.
The
Technical Report Summary considers a processing approach at Bunker where Pb, Ag and Zn mineralization is mined underground.
Mineralized material will be conventionally milled and then concentrated by flotation of lead and silver (Pb/Ag) followed by
flotation of zinc (Zn). Metal rich concentrates will then be sold to smelters in North America or overseas. Mill tailings will be
deposited underground in the historic mining voids located throughout the Project.
Economic
and Life of Mine highlights of the Technical Report Summary are listed in Table 1-3 and Table 1-4. Table 1-1 lists the Mineral Resource
Estimate for the Bunker Hill Mine and Table 1-2 lists the Mineral Reserves for the Bunker Hill Mine. Mineral Resources are not Mineral
Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the Mineral Resources will be
converted into Mineral Reserves.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control
BHMC internal controls were employed on the 5,067
samples collected during the data verification and drilling programs. Various laboratories were used in the analytical process and the
results verified using industry accepted Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedures (QAQC). QAQC procedures included the submission
of blanks and certified standard reference material with the submittal of samples. Blanks were analyzed in order to verify the accuracy
of the sample preparation process. Certified standard reference material results were evaluated in order to assess the accuracy of the
laboratory assaying procedure. Additionally, preparation duplicates were submitted in order to assess the accuracy of sample collection
at the project site. Any failures from expected results were addressed and explained before being used for mineral resource estimates.
Risks and uncertainties exist in the quantification of the spatial
distribution on mineralization. These risks are inherent in estimation of mineral resources. Samples themselves have uncertainty related
to sampling collection errors and the homogeneity of the deposit. Wider spaced drilling has more uncertainty than closely spaced drilling.
Capping of high-grade outliers was used to ensure that the mineral content of the deposit was not over stated. High grade outlier samples
will tend to overestimate the metal content of the mineral deposit. The block model for the deposit was constructed using sufficient sized
blocks to account for mining dilution and uncertainties related to the actual physical distribution of mineralization. Domains were utilized
to minimize the estimation of mineralization into rock units that do not host mineralization. These underlying factors and risks were
considered in the final conclusion of the mineral resource estimate.
Mineral
Resource Estimate
Geostatistics and estimates of mineralization were
prepared by Resource Development Associates Inc. Industry accepted grade estimation techniques were used to develop global mineralization
block models for the Newgard, Quill and UTZ zones. The Mineral Resource Estimate considers underground mining and mill processing as a
basis for reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction. The total Mineral Resource estimate for the Bunker Hill Mine is listed
in Table 1-1 at a cutoff grade of NSR 70 $/ton. Mineral Resources are classified according to §229.1302(d)(1)(iii)(A) (Item 1302(d)(1)(iii)(A)
of Regulation S-K).
Table 1-1 Bunker Hill Mine Mineral Resource Estimate (Exclusive of Mineral
Reserves), August 29, 2022 – Resource Development Asociates Inc.
(1) The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Resource Development Associates Inc.
(2)
Measured, Indicated and Inferred classifications are classified according to §229.1302(d)(1)(iii)(A) (Item 1302(d)(1)(iii)(A) of
Regulation S-K).
(3)
Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability
(4)
Net smelter return (NSR) is defined as the return from sales of concentrates, expressed in US$/t, i.e.: NSR = (Contained metal) * (Metallurgical
recoveries) * (Metal Payability %) * (Metal prices) – (Treatment, refining, transport and other selling costs). For the Mineral
Resource Estimate, NSR values were calculated using updated open-cycle metallurgical results including recoveries of 85.1%, 84.2% and
88.2% for Zn, Ag and Pb respectively, and concentrate grades of 58% Zn in zinc concentrate, and 67% Pb and 12.13 oz/ton Ag in lead concentrate.
(5)
Mineral Resources are estimated using a zinc price of $1.20 per pound, silver price of $20.00 per ounce, and lead price of $1.00 per
pound.
(6)
Historic mining voids, stopes and development drifting have been depleted from the Mineral Resource Estimate
(7)
Totals may not add up due to rounding
(8) Mineral Resources are reported exclusive of Mineral
Reserves. The reserves disclosed in the report represent measured mineral resources and indicated resources that were evaluated with modifying
factors related to underground mining.
(9) The point of reference for mineral resources is in situ mineralization.
Mineral
Reserves
Mineral
Reserves have been estimated for the Quill, Newgard and UTZ sections of the Project. Measured and Indicated (M & I) Mineral Resources
were converted to Probable Mineral Reserves for the mine. Measured Mineral Resources were converted to Probable Mineral Reserves because
of uncertainties associated with modifying factors that were taken into account in the conversion from Mineral Resources to Mineral Reserves.
Measured
and Indicated Resources were converted to Probable Mineral Reserves by evaluating operating cost, projected metal revenues and estimated
stope shapes and geometries. The general widths, plunge and shape of the Quill and Newgard mineralization lends itself well to transverse
(perpendicular to strike) long hole open stoping (LHOS) with fill utilizing rubber tire equipment. The UTZ deposit is more amenable to
cut-and-fill (CF) methods due to its shape and geometry. Extraction of the planned mine shapes is assumed to be 100% of the NSR $80/ton
plan. Breakeven NSR is $70/ton for LHOS and $75/ton for cut-and-fill stopes.
22
Mineral
Reserves were classified in accordance with §229.1302(e)(2) (Item 1302(e)(2) of Regulation S-K). The mineral reserve statement is
presented in Table 1-2. Mineral Reserves are estimated at an NSR value cutoff of $80/short ton at the reference point of saleable mill
concentrates with an effective date of August 29, 2022.
Table
1-2 Bunker Hill Mineral Reserve Estimate, August 29, 2022 – Minetech, USA, LLC
(1)
Plan Dilution is zero grade waste included in the designed stope shapes and probable tonnages
(2)
Unplanned dilution is 5% external dilution added at zero grade
(3)
Mineral Reserves stated are inclusive of all above mentioned dilutions and are factored for ore loss due to mining activities
(4)
Net smelter return (NSR) is defined as the return from sales of concentrates, expressed in US$/t, i.e.: NSR = (Contained metal) * (Metallurgical
recoveries) * (Metal Payability %) * (Metal prices) – (Treatment, refining, transport and other selling costs). For the Mineral
Reserve Estimate, NSR values were calculated using updated open-cycle metallurgical results including recoveries of 85.1%, 84.2% and
88.2% for Zn, Ag and Pb respectively, and concentrate grades of 58% Zn in zinc concentrate, and 67% Pb and 12.13 oz/ton Ag in lead concentrate.
(5)
Mineral Reserves are estimated using a zinc price of $1.20 per pound, silver price of $20.00 per ounce, and lead price of $1.00 per pound.
(6)
Historic mining voids, stopes and development drifting have been depleted from the Mineral Reserve Estimate
(7)
Totals may not add up due to rounding
23
Economic
Summary
The
summary of the current projected financial performance of the Bunker Hill Mine is listed in Table 1-3. Sensitivities are summarized in
Table 1-4.
Table
1-3 Bunker Hill Project Economic Summary
Year
Initial
Capex
1
2
3
4
5
TOTAL
ANNUAL
AVERAGE
Metal Prices
Zinc ($/lb)
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.29
1.29
Lead ($/lb)
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
Silver ($/oz)
22
22
22
21.5
21.5
21.5
21.7
21.7
Mine plan
Ore mined (kt)
77
652
655
655
655
665
3,360
657
Zinc grade (%)
5.90
%
5.60
%
4.70
%
5.70
%
5.70
%
5.90
%
5.50
%
5.50
%
Lead grade (%)
2.10
%
2.40
%
2.70
%
2.90
%
2.40
%
1.90
%
2.50
%
2.50
%
Silver grade (oz/t)
0.5
0.7
1.3
1.4
1.2
0.8
1.1
1.1
Zinc eq grade (%)
7.70
%
8.00
%
8.10
%
9.40
%
8.80
%
8.20
%
8.50
%
8.50
%
Production
Zinc concentrate (t)
6,671
53,504
44,852
54,997
55,061
57,909
272,995
53,265
Lead concentrate (t)
2,091
20,945
23,577
25,078
20,955
16,605
109,251
21,432
Zn grade - Zn conc (%)
58.00
%
58.00
%
58.00
%
58.00
%
58.00
%
58.00
%
58.00
%
58.00
%
Pb grade - Pb conc (%)
67.00
%
67.00
%
67.00
%
67.00
%
67.00
%
67.00
%
67.00
%
67.00
%
Ag grade - Pb conc (oz/t)
14.4
18.6
31.5
30.1
31
27.4
27.6
27.7
Zn prod. - Zn conc (klbs)
7,738
62,065
52,029
63,796
63,871
67,174
316,674
61,787
Pb prod. - Pb conc (klbs)
2,802
28,067
31,593
33,605
28,080
22,251
146,397
28,719
Ag prod. - Pb conc (koz)
30
390
742
754
649
455
3,020
598
Zinc eq produced (klbs)
9,954
87,233
87,679
102,310
96,375
91,909
475,460
93,101
Cost metrics
Mining ($/t)
35
38
37
35
41
37
37
Processing ($/t)
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
G&A ($/t)
9
9
9
9
6
9
9
Opex - total ($/t)
65
68
67
65
69
67
67
Sustaining capex ($/t)
18
22
19
41
8
21
21
Cash costs: by-prod. ($/lb
Zn payable)
0.61
0.42
0.36
0.45
0.64
0.5
0.5
AISC: by-prod. ($/lb Zn payable)
0.82
0.74
0.59
0.95
0.73
0.77
0.77
FCF & Valuation ($000’s)
Zinc revenue
73,857
57,492
67,784
67,863
71,373
338,368
67,674
Lead revenue
25,330
28,513
30,328
25,342
20,081
129,595
25,919
Silver revenue
7,900
15,515
15,406
13,256
9,260
61,337
12,267
Gross revenue
107,087
101,520
113,518
106,461
100,714
529,300
105,860
TC - Zinc conc
-16,257
-11,138
-13,657
-13,673
-14,380
-69,105
-13,821
TC - Lead conc
-3,698
-4,162
-4,428
-3,700
-2,932
-18,919
-3,784
RC - Lead conc
-449
-882
-896
-771
-538
-3,535
-707
Land freight
-2,193
-2,019
-2,360
-2,239
-2,192
-11,002
-2,200
Net smelter return
84,491
83,319
92,178
86,079
80,672
426,739
85,348
Mining costs
-22,828
-24,592
-23,971
-22,927
-27,454
-121,772
-24,354
Processing costs
-13,766
-13,842
-13,842
-13,842
-14,053
-69,346
-13,869
G&A costs
-6,050
-6,063
-6,063
-6,063
-4,257
-28,496
-5,699
EBITDA
41,847
38,822
48,302
43,247
34,908
207,126
41,425
Sustaining capex
-11,475
-14,127
-12,651
-26,982
-5,215
-70,450
-14,090
Initial capex
-54,853
-54,853
-
Land & salvage value
12,281
12,281
12,281
Pre-tax
free cash flow
-54,853
30,372
24,695
35,650
16,266
41,974
94,103
29,791
Taxes
-511
-1,394
-1,382
-2,218
-1,155
-1,224
-7,884
-1,475
Free cash
flow
-55,364
28,978
23,313
33,432
15,111
40,750
86,219
28,317
NPV (5%)
62,826
NPV (8%)
51,813
IRR (%)
36.00
%
Payback
(years)
2.1
’
Table
1-4 Sensitivity Analysis
24
Property
Description and Ownership
The
Bunker Hill Mine is located in Shoshone County, Idaho with portions of the mine located within the cities of Kellogg and Wardner, Idaho
in northwestern USA. The Kellogg Tunnel, which is the main access to the mine, is located at 47.53611°N latitude, 116.1381W longitude.
The approximate elevation for the above cited coordinates is 2366 ft.
On
December 15, 2021 BHMC signed a Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) with Placer Mining Corporation and both William and Shirley Pangburn
to acquire full ownership of the subsequently listed mineral titles in addition to other Surface Rights and Real Property associated
with land and structures of the Bunker Hill Mine.
On
January 7, 2022, the Company closed the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine. Mine assets were purchased for $7,700,000, with $300,000 of
previous lease payments and a deposit of $2,000,000 applied to the purchase, resulting in cash paid at closing of approximately $5,400,000.
The EPA obligation of $19,000,000 was assumed by Bunker Hill as part of the acquisition.
Geology
and Mineralization
The
Northern Idaho Panhandle Region in which the Bunker Hill Mine is located is underlain by the Middle Proterozoic-aged Belt-Purcell Supergroup
of fine-grained, dominantly siliciclastic sedimentary rocks which extends from western Montana (locally named the Belt Supergroup) to
southern British Columbia (locally named the Purcell Supergroup) and is collectively over 23,000 feet in total stratigraphic thickness.
Mineralization
at the Bunker Hill Mine is hosted almost exclusively in the Upper Revett formation of the Ravalli Group, a part of the Belt
Supergroup of Middle Proterozoic-aged, fine-grained sediments. Geologic mapping and interpretation progressed by leaps and bounds
following the recognition of a predictable stratigraphic section at the Bunker Hill Mine and enabled the measurement of specific
offsets across major faults, discussed in the following section. From an exploration and mining perspective, there were two critical
conclusions from this research: all significant mineralized shoots are hosted in quartzite units where they are cut by vein
structures, and the location of the quartzite units can be projected up and down section, and across fault offsets, to target
extensions and offsets of known mineralized shoots and veins.
Mineralization
at Bunker Hill Mine falls in four categories, described below from oldest to youngest events:
Bluebird
Veins (BB): W—NW striking, SW-dipping, variable ratio of sphalerite-pyrite-siderite mineralization. Thick, tabular cores with
gradational margins bleeding out along bedding and fractures.
Stringer/Disseminated
Zones: Disseminated, fracture controlled and bedding controlled blebs and stringer mineralization associated with Bluebird Structures,
commonly as halos to vein-like bodies or as isolated areas where brecciated quartzite beds are intersected by the W-NW structure and
fold fabrics.
Galena-Quartz
Veins (GQ): E to NE striking, S to SE dipping, quartz-argentiferous galena +/-siderite-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-tetrahedrite veins,
sinuous-planar with sharp margins, cross-cut Bluebird Veins.
Hybrid
Zones: Formed at intersections where GQ veins cut BB veins, with open space deposition of sulfides and quartz in the vein refraction
in quartzite beds, and replacement of siderite in the BB vein structure by argentiferous galena from the GQ Vein.
25
Environmental
Studies and Permitting
Because
the mine is on patented mining claims (privately-owned land), only a limited number of permits are required for mining and milling operations.
These relate to: (1) air quality and emissions from crushing, milling and processing and (2) any refurbishment of surface buildings that
may require construction permits.
The
Bunker Hill Mine is located within the Bunker Hill Superfund site (EPA National Priorities Listing IDD048340921). Cleanup activities
have been completed in Operable Unit 2 of the Bunker Hill Superfund Site where the mine is located, though water treatment continues at
the Central Treatment Plant (the “ CTP ”) located near Bunker Hill Mine. The CTP is owned by the EPA and is operated
by its contractors.
BHMC
entered into a Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent with the US Environmental Protection Agency (“US EPA”) and the US
Department of Justice (“DOJ”) on May 14, 2018. Section 9, Paragraph 33 of that agreement stipulates that BHMC must obtain
a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permit for effluent discharged by Bunker Hill Mine by May 14,
2023. This obligation exists and the deadline will occur at a point in time where restart activities are planned to occur.
BHMC
will initiate a voluntary Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (“ESHIA”) for the activities described in the
Technical Report Summary and for its business model as a whole. This study is projected for completion in 2024 and will conform to ISO, IFC
and GRI standards.
Metallurgical
Testing
Resource Development Inc. (Rdi)
initiated metallurgical test work on three samples designated Newgard, Quill and Utz with the primary objective of determining the process
flowsheet and the metal recoveries and concentrate grades. Flotation testing was completed through locked-cycle testing, the results
of which are displayed in table 1-5
Table
1-5 Summary of Locked-Cycle Flotation Test Results
The
open-cycle and locked-cycle tests were completed at a primary grind of P 80 270 mesh for rougher flotation. Rougher scavenger
flotation was included in both the lead and zinc circuits to increase the amount of value sent to the cleaner stages. Regrind of the
lead rougher concentrate with a pebble mill was completed to a particle size of approximately P 80 400 mesh for cleaner flotation.
No regrind was completed with the zinc rougher concentrate.
26
BHMC
has contracted SGS Canada Inc (SGS) to conduct a metallurgical study to further evaluate and optimize metal recovery for the Bunker Hill
Project. The primary objective of the test program is to complete metallurgical test work to improve met results over the Pre-feasibility
Study (PFS) performed by Rdi for the Bunker Hill Project.
Figure
1-1 Locked-Cycle Test Process Flowsheet
Mining
Method
Long-hole
stoping with fill (LHOS), cut-and-fill and possibly room-and-pillar mining with fill are the only methods viable for sustained operations
today. LHOS is the preferred mining method with limited cut-and-fill mining at Bunker Hill Mine. Room-and-pillar mining is not in the
current plan. Timbered ground support has been replaced with newer ground support technology of rock bolts, mesh, shotcrete and steel
sets as required.
Beginning
in October of 2021 and completed in April of 2022, BHMC conducted a geotechnical investigation of the underground conditions at the Bunker
Hill Mine. Data collection involved a data analysis of RQD values logged with previous exploration drilling, geotechnical logging of
recently drilled rock cores and an extensive investigation of pre-existing underground excavations and development. Ground conditions
are generally good to excellent at Bunker Hill Mine and the rest of the mines in the Silver Valley. Bunker Hill Mine does not have a
history of rock burst events that are frequent in the deeper mines to the east.
Recovery
Methods
Bunker
Hill plans to re-construct a crush-grind-flotation-concentration mill from the nearby Pend Oreille (PO) mine in northern Washington on
the Bunker Hill Kellogg Mine Yard. There currently is a large building that housed the historic machine shop at the Bunker Hill mine
that will first need to be dismantled and removed for access to the existing slab. The future structures to house the grind-flotation-concentration
circuit, as well as the secondary crushing circuit and concentrate storage facilities will need to be constructed.
The
process consists of a primary and secondary ore crushing circuit, then a primary grinding circuit followed by two separate flotation
circuits to recover lead, zinc, silver and gold into two separate concentrate products; a lead, silver, gold concentrate and a zinc concentrate.
Approximately 648,000, short tons of ore will be processed a year at a rate of 1,800 stpd, or 79 stph at 95% availability.
27
Figure
1-2 Bunker Hill Process Flowsheet
Current
Exploration and Development
Bunker
Hill has a rare exploration opportunity available at the Bunker Hill Mine and has embarked on a new path to fully maximize the potential.
A treasure trove of geologic and production data has been organized and preserved in good condition in the mine office since the shutdown
of major mine operations in the early 1980s. This data represents 70+ years of proper scientific data and sample collection, with high
standards of accuracy and precision that were generally at or above industry standards at the time.
The
Company saw the wealth of information that was available but not readily usable and embarked on a scanning and digitizing program. From
this they were able to build a 3D digital model of the mine workings and 3D surfaces and solids of important geologic features. To add
to this, all of the historic drill core lithology logs and assay data (>2900 holes) was entered into a database and imported with
the other data into Maptek Vulcan 3D software.
In
addition to both continued geologic digitization and the completed 2021 exploration drill program, the Company has performed a geophysical
survey over the summer of 2021. The survey was conducted as a ground geophysical 3DIP survey through DIAS Geophysical Ltd out of Saskatoon,
SK.
28
Conclusions
The
Pre-Feasibility level analyses demonstrates that the restart of the Bunker Hill mine can reasonably be expected to generate a positive return
on investment with an after-tax IRR of 36% based on the reserves presented. It is reasonable to expect the conversion of Inferred resources
to Indicated resources and indicated resources to measured resources to continue. Inferred Mineral Resources are considered too geologically
speculative to have economic considerations applied to them to be classified as a Mineral Reserve.
The
Technical Report Summary is based on all available technical and scientific data available as of August 29, 2022. Mineral Resources
are considered by the QP to meet the reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction due two main factors; 1) cut-off grades
are based on scientific data and assumptions related to the project and 2) Mineral Resources are estimated only within blocks of
mineralization that have been accessible in the past by mining operations as well as by using generally accepted mining and
processing costs that are similar to many projects in Idaho.
Recommendations
Continued analysis and interpretation of the geophysical
survey results should aid to guide future exploration activities outside of historical mine working areas. Additional exploration drilling
with the advancement of underground mine development is also advised due to the proximity of future development to under-explored areas
of historical workings. Continued digitization and interpretation of historical mapping and research will aid to guide future underground
and surface exploration activities.
Completion of issued for construction
(IFC) level drawings for the mineral processing facilities is recommended.
Completion of IFC level engineering
drawings related to the paste backfill plant are recommended. Final tails product material generated from additional metallurgical testing
will work to optimize binder compositions and have the potential to reduce backfill OPEX costs.
Additional geotechnical studies
are recommended with the advancement of underground development. Continued geotechnical diamond drilling associated with future resource
delineation and exploration drilling activities will provide a better sample set for rock strength testing and geotechnical logging. Future
underground development will also allow for the investigation of previously mined areas and association of historical span allowances
based on previous ground support methods.
Additional resource delineation and conversion drilling
and mine block modeling should continue to increase the conversion of Inferred to Indicated Resources.
Table
1-6 Proposed Work Program to Advance Bunker Hill
Activity
Amount
Geophysical
Interpretation and Additional Geophysics
$ 0.05M
Environmental
Studies
$ 0.03M
Geotechnical
Studies
$ 0.15M
Mill
and Process Plant Engineering
$ 1.70M
Hydraulic
Backfill and Tailing Placement Engineering
$ 0.50M
Total
Recommended Budget
$ 2.43M
Project
Infrastructure
The
Bunker Hill complex is a mature mine with much of the underground infrastructure and development still in place. The mill, smelter and
tailing impoundment have been removed and these sites have been reclaimed. Part of the reclamation included surface water diversion structures
which are still in use and are maintained in good condition. The original Bunker Hill mine offices, car and maintenance shops, and change
house are located near the Kellogg Tunnel (KT) portal and are in serviceable condition.
Bunker
Hill is located in Kellogg Idaho along the Interstate 90 corridor on the west side of what is traditionally known as the Silver Valley.
It is 60 miles from the Spokane, WA airport to the west and 125 miles to the Missoula, MT airport to the east. The Silver Valley of north
Idaho is a desirable place to live and is home to an enthusiastic and talented underground mining work force.
29
Mine
power requirements will be met with the Avista Kellogg substation, located next to the Bunker Hill main offices supplying power to the
mine and other local consumers. There are two existing distribution lines now supplying the mine from the Kellogg Avista substation.
One feeds the surface mine facilities and the underground loads from the Kellogg side, the other feeds the Wardner mine yard and facilities.
The current 3-phase 2.5kV mine distribution system on the Kellogg side is in the process of being upgraded to 3-phase 13.2kV.
Mine
discharge water now gravity drains out the 9-level through the Kellogg Tunnel via a ditch adjacent to the rail line to the portal. It
is then routed to a water treatment plant constructed by the EPA and currently operated by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
(IDEQ).
BHMC
commissioned Patterson & Cooke North America to perform tradeoff studies for costing and operating the mine backfill and tailing
placement facilities. Results from the tradeoff studies led to the location of the plant on surface, both adjacent to the mill and at
Wardner. Tailings thickening will take place inside the mill/process facility building, with the underflow being pumped to the tailings
filtration plant located adjacent to the mill/process building. Vacuum filtration will take the thickened tailings and produce a filter
cake material which will be deposited and stored in a load-out facility at the plant. A surface loader will transfer the filter cake
tailings into overland haul trucks to deliver the material up to the Wardner side of operations along the return route from ROM ore haulage.
Once delivered to the storage facility at Wardner, material will be loaded into the paste plant, combined with an ordinary cement binder,
and subsequently pumped underground via a reticulated piping system.
ITEM
3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Other
than as described below, neither the Company nor its property is the subject of any current, pending, or threatened legal proceedings.
The Company is not aware of any other legal proceedings in which any director, officer or affiliate of the Company, any owner of record
or beneficially of more than 5% of any class of the Company’s voting securities, or any associate of any such director, officer,
affiliate or security holder of the Company, is a party adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or has a material interest
adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
On
July 28, 2021, a lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Idaho brought by Crescent Mining, LLC (“Crescent”).
The named defendants include Placer Mining, Robert Hopper Jr., and the Company. The lawsuit alleges that Placer Mining and Robert Hopper
Jr. intentionally flooded the Crescent Mine during the period from 1991 and 1994, and that the Company is jointly and severally liable
with the other defendants for unspecified past and future costs associated with the presence of AMD in the Crescent Mine. The plaintiff
has requested unspecified damages. On September 20, 2021, the Company filed a motion to dismiss Crescent’s claims against it, contending
that such claims are facially deficient. On March 2, 2022, Chief US District Court Judge, David C. Nye granted in part and denied
in part the Company’s motion to dismiss. The court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss Crescent’s Cost Recovery
claim under CERCLA Section 107(a), Declaratory Judgment, Tortious Interference, Trespass, Nuisance and Negligence claims. These claims
were dismissed without prejudice. The court denied the motion to dismiss filed by Placer Mining Corp. for Crescent’s trespass,
nuisance and negligence claims. Crescent later filed an amended complaint on April 1, 2022. Placer Mining Corp. and Bunker Hill Mining
Corp are named as co-defendants. Bunker Hill responded to the amended filing, refuting and denying all allegations made in the complaint
except those that are assertions of fact as a matter of public record. The Company believes Crescent’s lawsuit is without merit
and intends to vigorously defend itself, as well as Placer Mining Corp. pursuant to the Company’s indemnification of Placer Mining
Corp in the Sale and Purchase agreement executed between the companies for the Mine on December 15, 2021.
On
October 26, 2021, the Company asserted claims against Crescent in a separate lawsuit. Bunker Hill Mining Corporation v. Venzee Technologies
Inc. et al, Case No. 2:21-cv-209-REP, filed in the same court on May 14, 2021. The Company has subsequently executed a tolling agreement
with Venzee in exchange for dropping its lawsuit. The Company originally filed this lawsuit on May 14, 2021 against other parties but
has since filed an amended complaint to include its claims against Crescent. This lawsuit has been consolidated into the lawsuit Crescent
filed on July 28, 2021.
ITEM
4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
The
enacted Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“the Act”) requires the operators of mines to include
in each periodic report filed with the SEC certain specified disclosures regarding the Company’s history of mine safety. The information
concerning mine safety disclosures required by the Act and this Item is included in Exhibit 95 to this report.
30
PART
II
ITEM
5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market
Information
Our
common shares are traded on Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol “BNKR” and on the OTCQB under the symbol “BHLL”.
Stockholders
As
of April 17, 2023, there were approximately 157 stockholders of record of our common shares and, according to our estimates, approximately
500 beneficial owners of our common shares.
Unregistered
Sales of Securities
On
April 1, 2022, the Company closed a private placement of 37,849,325 special warrants of the Company and a non-brokered private placement
of 1,471,664 units of the Company for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $9,384,622 (C$11,796,297). Related parties, including
management, directors, and consultants, participated in the special warrant private placement for a total of 4,809,160 shares (included
in the total above). The special warrants of the Company were issued at a price of C$0.30 per special warrant. Each special warrant of
the Company became automatically exercisable on June 3, 2022. Each unit of the Company consists of one share of common stock and one
warrant of the Company. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one share of common stock of the Company for C$0.37 until April 1,
2025. The offering of special warrants of the Company was led by Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. and included BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and
Laurentian Bank Securities Inc. (collectively, the “Agents”). In connection with the private placement, the Agents and other
eligible parties received (i) cash commission in the amount of $563,968 and (ii) compensation options exercisable to acquire an aggregate
of 1,879,892 units of the Company (each, a “Compensation Unit”) at C$0.30 per unit until April 1, 2024. Each Compensation
Unit consists of one share of common stock and one warrant of the Company. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one warrant
share at a price of $0.37 per warrant share until April 1, 2024. The Company relied on the exemption from registration under Section
4(a)(2) of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Rule 506 of Regulation D, or Regulation S, and in reliance on similar exemptions
under applicable state laws, for purposes of the private placement.
Issuer
Purchases of Equity Securities
None.
ITEM
6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Not
Applicable.
ITEM
7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
SPECIAL
NOTE OF CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this report, including statements in the following
discussion, are what are known as “forward looking statements”, which are basically statements about the future. For that
reason, these statements involve risk and uncertainty since no one can accurately predict the future. Words such as “plans,”
“intends,” “will,” “hopes,” “seeks,” “anticipates,” “expects “and
the like often identify such forward looking statements, but are not the only indication that a statement is a forward-looking statement.
Such forward looking statements include statements concerning the Company’s plans and objectives with respect to the present and
future operations of the Company, and statements which express or imply that such present and future operations will or may produce revenues,
income or profits. Numerous factors and future events could cause the Company to change such plans and objectives or fail to successfully
implement such plans or achieve such objectives, or cause such present and future operations to fail to produce revenues, income or profits.
Therefore, the reader is advised that the following discussion should be considered in light of the discussion of risks and other factors
contained in this report and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. No statements contained in the following discussion should
be construed as a guarantee or assurance of future performance or future results.
31
Background
and Overview
The
Company’s sole focus is the development and restart of its 100% owned flagship asset, the Bunker Hill mine (the “Mine”)
in Idaho, USA. The Mine remains the largest single producing mine by tonnage in the Silver Valley region of northwest Idaho, producing
over 165 million ounces of silver and 5 million tons of base metals between 1885 and 1981. The Bunker Hill Mine is located within Operable
Unit 2 of the Bunker Hill Superfund site (EPA National Priorities Listing IDD048340921), where cleanup activities have been completed.
The
Company purchased the Bunker Hill Mine on January 7, 2022 for $5,400,000 in cash. Prior to purchasing the Mine, the Company had entered
into a series of agreements with Placer Mining Corporation (“Placer Mining”), the prior owner, for the lease and option to
purchase the Mine. The first of these agreements was announced on August 28, 2017, with subsequent amendments and/or extensions announced
on November 1, 2019, July 7, 2020, and November 20, 2020.
Under
the most recent of these agreements, the Company was required to make payments pursuant to an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (“EPA”) whereby for so long as the Company leases, owns and/or occupies the Mine, the Company would make payments
to the EPA on behalf of Placer Mining in satisfaction of the EPA’s claim for historical water treatment cost recovery in accordance
with the Settlement Agreement reached with the EPA in 2018. Immediately prior to the purchase of the Mine, the Company’s liability
to EPA in this regard totaled $11,000,000. Concurrent with the purchase of the Mine, the Company assumed incremental liabilities of $8,000,000
to the EPA, consistent with the terms of the amended Settlement Agreement with the EPA that was executed in December 2021 (see “EPA
2018 Settlement Agreement & 2021 Amended Settlement Agreement” in the “Our Business” section above).
In
early 2020, a new management team comprised of former executives from Barrick Gold Corp. assumed leadership of the Company. Since that
time, the Company conducted multiple exploration campaigns, published multiple economic studies and Mineral Resource Estimates, and advanced
the rehabilitation and development of the Mine. In December 2021, it announced a project finance package with Sprott Private Resource
Streaming & Royalty Corp., an amended Settlement Agreement with the EPA, and the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine, setting the stage
for a rapid restart of the Mine.
In
January 2022, with the closing of the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine, the funding of the $8,000,000 Royalty Convertible Debenture and
$6,000,000 Series Convertible Debenture, and the announcement of an MOU for the purchase of the Pend Oreille process plant from a subsidiary
of Teck Resources Limited, the Company embarked on a program of activities with the goal of achieving a restart of the Mine. Key milestones
and achievements from January 2022 onwards have included the closing of the purchase of the Pend Oreille process plant, the demobilization
of the process plant to the Bunker Hill site, the completion of demolition activities at the Pend Oreille site, a Prefeasibility Study
envisaging the restart of the Mine, and the completion of the primary portion of the ramp decline connecting the 5 and 6 Levels of the
Bunker Hill Mine.
Results
of Operations
The
following discussion and analysis provide information that is believed to be relevant to an assessment and understanding of the results
of operation and financial condition of the Company for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022. Unless otherwise stated, all figures
herein are expressed in U.S. dollars, which is the Company’s functional currency.
Comparison
of the year ended December 31, 2022 and the year ended December 31, 2021
Revenue
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company generated no revenue (year ended December 31, 2021 - $nil).
Expenses
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company reported total operating expenses of $16,487,161 as compared to total operating expenses
of $18,752,504 for the year ended December 31, 2021.
The
decrease in operating expenses was impacted by a shift in focus by the company from exploration related activities prior to the purchase
of the Mine and process plant (purchased in January 2022 and June 2022 respectively) in 2021, to development related activities in 2022.
For financial accounting purposes, the Company reported all direct exploration expenses under the exploration expense line item in consolidated
statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2021, which totalled $13,530,819. With the
purchase of the Mine in early January 2022 and concurrent shift to development related activities to advance mine restart efforts, the
Company reported exploration expenses of $nil for the year ended December 31, 2022, and reported $7,827,656 of mine preparation expenses
associated with these development activities. This excludes costs capitalized to property, plant and equipment during the year ended
December 31, 2022.
32
The
increase in consulting fees and wages ( $5,477,765 for the
year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $1,533,954 for the year ended December 31, 2021) reflects (i) the engagement of
numerous engineering, geological and other professional firms to assist the Company in consummating several complex debt and equity
financings, the purchases of the mine and processing plant, the EPA financial assurance requirements, fair value measurements of
complex instruments, and advancement of project activities, and (ii) an increase in employees concurrent with a ramp-up in
development activities through 2022.
Upon
the release of the prefeasibility study dated September 30, 2022, the Company determined that the costs of the mine after this point
constituted mine development (capitalized to non-current assets) instead of mine preparation costs (expense) given the existence of
probable mineral reserves and an economic study incorporating them. Certain indirect expenses may be reported as operation and
administration expense or consulting expense on the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income.
Net Income and Comprehensive Income
The Company had net income of $898,591 for the year ended December
31, 2022 (net loss of $6,402,277 for the year ended December 31, 2021). In addition to the decrease in operating expenses (as
described above), net income in the year ended December 31, 2022 was positively impacted by a gain on EPA settlement of $8,614,103 (year
ended December 31, 2021: $nil) resulting from the reclassification of $17,000,000 of current liabilities to non-current liabilities, and
a $3,395,938 increase in the gain due to change in derivative liability ($15,696,391 for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to
$12,300,453 for the year ended December 31, 2021) driven by a proportionally greater decline in the Company’s share price in 2022
relative to 2021. This was partially offset by impacts from the $29,000,000 of convertible debenture financings that were entered into
during the year ended December 31, 2022, including an increase in interest expense of $3,279,819 ($3,382,559 for the year ended December
31, 2022 compared to $102,740 for the year ended December 31, 2021), an increase in debenture finance costs of $1,230,540 (year ended
December 31, 2021: $nil) and an increase in the loss on fair value of convertible debentures of $1,140,537 (year ended December 31, 2021:
$nil) and increase in finance costs $945,507 (year ended December 31, 2021: $nil).
The Company
had comprehensive income of $1,152,466 for the year ended December 31, 2022 (comprehensive loss of $6,402,277 for the year ended
December 31, 2021). Comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2022 is inclusive of a $253,875 gain on change in fair
value on own credit risk ($nil for the year ended December 31, 2021) relating to the convertible debentures entered into during the
year ended December 31, 2022.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Going
Concern
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The Company has incurred losses
since inception resulting in an accumulated deficit of $71,592,559 and further losses are anticipated in the development of its business.
The Company does not have sufficient cash to fund normal operations and meet debt obligations for the next 12 months without deferring
payment on certain current liabilities and/or raising additional funds. In order to continue to meet its fiscal obligations in the current
fiscal year and beyond, the Company must seek additional financing. This raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to
continue as a going concern. Its ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon the ability of the Company to generate profitable
operations in the future and/or to obtain the necessary financing to meet its obligations and repay its liabilities arising from normal
business operations when they come due. The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments
that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Management
is considering various financing alternatives including, but not limited to, raising capital through the capital markets, debt and closing
on the multi-metals stream transaction. These consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments
relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded assets, or the amounts of and classification of liabilities that might
be necessary in the event the Company cannot continue in existence.
Debt
and Equity Financings
As described above, during year ended December 31, 2022, the Company closed
on three convertible debentures totaling $29,000,000, a loan facility of $5,000,000, and equity financings (net of issuance costs) totaling
$7,767,849. The proceeds of these financings were primarily used to purchase the Bunker Hill Mine and the processing plant, the satisfaction
of short-term obligations to the EPA (including financial assurance commitments, cost recovery and water treatment payments), advancement
of mine restart activities and the funding of working capital requirements.
Current
Assets and Total Assets
As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s balance sheet reflects that
the Company had: (i) total current assets of $7,741,052, compared to total current assets of $3,622,548 at December 31, 2021 – an
increase of $4,118,504; and (ii) total assets of $32,929,892, compared to total assets of $4,071,796 at December 31, 2021 – an increase
of $28,858,096. The increase in current assets was primarily due to an increase in restricted cash as a result of the proceeds from the
convertible debentures and equity financings, and from increases in prepaid expenses and deposits. Total assets increased principally
due to the purchase of, and costs capitalized to, the Bunker Hill Mine and process plant.
33
Current
Liabilities and Total Liabilities
As
of December 31, 2022, the Company’s balance sheets reflects that the Company had total current liabilities of $10,155,582 and total
liabilities of $59,106,835, compared to total current liabilities of $22,795,277 and total liabilities of $38,314,164 as of December
31, 2021. The decrease in current liabilities is primarily reflective of financing and assurance activities that moved the EPA cost recovery
liability from current to long-term liabilities. Total liabilities increased as a result of the closing of the three convertible
debentures, one loan facility and movement of the EPA cost recovery liability from current to long term, offset by the decrease in the
long-term derivative warrant liability and promissory note.
Working
Capital and Shareholders’ Deficit
As of December 31, 2022,
the Company had a working capital deficit of $2,414,530 and a shareholders’ deficiency of $26,176,943 compared to a working capital
deficit of $19,172,729 and a shareholders’ deficiency of $34,242,368 as of December 31, 2021. The working capital deficit decreased
during the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to funding from debt and equity financings, and the reclassification of cost recovery
liabilities from current to long-term. The shareholders’ deficiency decreased primarily due to proceeds from equity financing in
the second quarter of 2022, and comprehensive net income in 2022.
Cash
Flow
During the year ended December
31, 2022, unrestricted cash increased by $222,042 as a result of cash provided from the closing of the convertible debentures, loan facility
and equity financings, with proceeds used to satisfy short-term obligations with the EPA, purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine and a processing
plant, partial repayment of the outstanding promissory note, advancement of mine restart activities, and funding of working capital requirements.
In addition to the above, restricted cash increased $6,476,000 during the year end December 31, 2022.
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, $22,498,307 was used in operating activities, primarily due to the securing of the Company’s
financial assurance obligations with the EPA, payments made to the EPA in satisfaction of cost recovery and water treatment payables,
funding of mine restart activities, and other working capital requirements. This compares with cash used in operating activities of $11,372,153
for the year ended December 31, 2021.
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, cash of $11,174,672 was used in investing activities primarily for the purchase of the Bunker Hill
Mine, a process plant, equipment, and real estate, compared with $94,693 used for investing activities in the year ended December 31,
2021.
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, cash of $40,371,021 was provided by financing activities primarily due to proceeds from the three convertible
debentures, one loan facility and the equity financings, partially offset by cash used for repayment of a promissory note, compared with
cash of $8,384,248 provided by financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2021.
Subsequent
Events
Events
occurring subsequent to December 31, 2022, as disclosed above in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section. In addition, the Company
had the following subsequent events.
Share
Issuance
On
January 10, 2023, the Company issued 6,377,272 common shares in connection with its election to satisfy interest payments under the outstanding
convertible debentures for the three months ending December 31, 2022.
On
March 31, 2023, the Company issued 8,464,288 common shares in connection with its election to satisfy interest payments under the outstanding
convertible debentures for the three months ending March 31, 2023.
Corporate
Update
On
Feb 28, 2023, the Company reported that it had temporarily paused discretionary projects and procurement activities until the completion
of its financing initiatives. Primarily due to the inability to procure certain long-lead items that were planned to be ordered by February
2023, and longer estimated delivery times thereof, the Company now expects the Bunker Hill Mine restart to be achieved in 2024. Total
project capital expenditures are not expected to be materially impacted given the Company’s ability to reschedule discretionary
expenditures and manage a modest fixed cost base.
34
Teck
Warrant Amendment
On
March 15, 2023, the Company amended the exercise price of 10,416,667 common stock purchase warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”)
and the expiry date of the warrants to March 31, 2023. The Warrants comprise units of the Company issued to Teck Resources Limited (“Teck”)
on a private placement basis on May 13, 2022, in consideration for the Company’s acquisition of the Pend Oreille process plant.
Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of common stock of the Company (each, a “Warrant Share”) at
an exercise price of C$0.37 per Warrant Share at any time on or prior to May 12, 2025. The Company amended the exercise price of the
Warrants from C$0.37 to C$0.11 per Warrant Share (the “Amended Exercise Price”) and amend the expiry date from May 12, 2025,
to March 31, 2023. Following the amendment of the terms of the warrants, Teck exercised all 10,416,667 warrants at an exercise price
of C$0.11, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$1,145,834 to the Company.
Prospectus
Offering Termination and Private Placement
On
February 15, 2023, the Company reported that it intended to terminate its previously announced prospectus offering of Common Shares following
its determination that effectiveness of a registration statement on Form S-1 would not be achievable in a time frame consistent with
its capital requirements. Concurrently, the Company announced that it had entered into an agreement with a syndicate of agents in connection
with a proposed private placement of up to $9,000,000 of special warrants of the Company (the “Special Warrants”).
On
March 28, 2023, the Company announced the closing of its private placement of the Special Warrants by issuing 51,633,727 Special Warrants
at a price of C$0.12 per Special Warrant, for aggregate gross proceeds of C$6,196,047. Each Unit consists of one share of common stock
of the Company (each, a “Unit Share”) and one common stock purchase warrant of the Company (each, a “Warrant”).
Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one share of common stock of the Company (a “Warrant Share”, and
together with the Unit Shares, the “Underlying Shares”) at an exercise price of $0.15 per Warrant Share until March 27, 2026.
In consideration for their services in connection with the Offering, a cash commission in the amount of $211,461 is payable to the
Agents. The Agents were also issued 2,070,258 compensation options (the “Compensation Options”). Each Compensation Option
is exercisable to acquire one unit of the Company (a “Compensation Unit”) at the Issue Price for a period of 36 months from
March 27, 2023, subject to adjustment in certain events. Each Compensation Unit consists of one share of common stock of the Company
and one common stock purchase warrant of the Company (an “Agents’ Compensation Warrant”) Each Agents’ Compensation
Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one share of common stock of the Company (an “Agents’ Compensation Warrant
Share”) at a price of C$0.15 per Agents’ Compensation Warrant Share until March 27, 2026.
Critical
accounting estimates
The
preparation of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements
and reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Estimates and judgments are continuously evaluated and are based on management’s
experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual
outcomes can differ from these estimates. The key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant risk of causing material
adjustment to the amounts recognized in the financial statements are:
Share-based
payments
Management
determines costs for share-based payments using market-based valuation techniques. The fair value of the share awards and warrant liabilities
are determined at the date of grant using generally accepted valuation techniques and for warrant liabilities at each balance sheets date
thereafter. Assumptions are made and judgment used in applying valuation techniques. These assumptions and judgments include estimating
the future volatility of the stock price and expected dividend yield. Such judgments and assumptions are inherently uncertain. Changes
in these assumptions affect the fair value estimates.
Warrants
and accrued liabilities
Estimating
the fair value of derivative warrant liability requires determining the most appropriate valuation model, which is dependent on the terms
and conditions of the issuance. This estimate also requires determining the most appropriate inputs to the valuation model including
the expected life of the warrants and conversion feature derivative liability, volatility and dividend yield and making assumptions about
them.
The
Company has to make estimates to accrue for certain expenditures due to delay in receipt of third-party vendor invoices. These accruals
are made based on trends, history and knowledge of activities. Actual results may be different.
The
Company makes monthly estimates of its water treatment costs, with a true-up to the annual invoice received from the IDEQ. Using the
actual costs in the annual invoice, the Company will then reassess its estimate for future periods. Given the nature, complexity and
variability of the various actual cost items included in the invoice, the Company has used the most recent invoice as its estimate of
the water treatment costs for future periods.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
The
Company has no off-balance sheet arrangements.
ITEM
7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Not
Applicable.
35
ITEM
8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – MNP, LLP PCAOB ID: 1930
37
Consolidated
Balance Sheets, December 31, 2022 and 2021
39
Consolidated
Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
40
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
41
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Deficit for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
42
Notes
to the Consolidated Financial Statements
43-67
36
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To
the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (formerly Liberty Silver Corp.)
Opinion
on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We
have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (the Company) as at December 31, 2022 and 2021,
and the related consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss), cash flows, and changes in shareholders’
deficiency for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the
consolidated financial statements).
In
our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the
Company as at December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its consolidated operations and its consolidated cash flows for each of
the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of America.
Material
Uncertainty Related to Going Concern
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As
discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has suffered an accumulated deficit and recurring losses
from operations and does not have sufficient working capital which raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going
concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The consolidated financial
statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. This matter is also described in
the “Critical Audit Matters” section of our report.
Basis
for Opinion
These
consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion
on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance
with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part
of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing
an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our
audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether
due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence
regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles
used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical
Audit Matters
The
critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements
that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are
material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The
communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole,
and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the
accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
37
Critical
Audit Matter Description
Audit
Response
Going
Concern
As described in Note 1 of the consolidated financial statements, the Company
has been incurring losses from operations and does not have sufficient working capital needed to meet its current obligations and commitments.
In order to continue as a going concern, the Company must seek additional financing.
Significant assumptions and judgements on cash flow projections were made
by management in estimating future cash flows, which are subject to high degree of uncertainty.
Refer to Note 1 Nature and Continuance of Operations and Going Concern.
This matter is also described in the “Material Uncertainty Related
to Going Concern” section of our report.
We responded to this matter by performing audit procedures in relation
to the assessment of the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern. Our audit work in relation to this included, but was not
restricted to, the following:
●
Evaluated the impact of the Company’s existing financial arrangements
and conditions in relation to the ability to continue as a going concern.
●
Obtained an understanding from management on the Company’s future
plans on the operations including financing arrangements.
●
Evaluated the assumptions and estimates on cashflow projections used in
the forecast incorporating information established from our understanding above and any materialized arrangements subsequent to the period
end.
●
Assessed the appropriateness of the related disclosures.
Valuation
of Series 1 & 2 Convertible Debentures and Royalty Convertible Debenture (CDs)
The
Company issued various convertible debentures that are complex in nature and are required to be fair valued on issuance and at each
reporting period.
The
calculation of the fair value of the CDs requires management to use an appropriate valuation model and incorporates estimates.
Due
to the complexity of these CDs and the estimates and assumptions involved in the determination of fair value we consider this to
be a critical audit matter.
Refer
to Note 3 Significant Account Policies – Use of Estimates and Assumptions and Note 8 – Promissory Note Payable and Convertible
Debentures
We
responded to this matter by performing audit procedures in relation to the accounting and valuation of the CDs. Our audit work in
relation to this included, but was not restricted to, the following:
●
Obtained
and reviewed the agreements for the CDs.
●
Obtained
management’s analysis and assessment of the accounting of the CDs and their calculation of the fair value related to the instruments.
●
Assessed
the accounting treatment of the CDs to ensure it follows the appropriate accounting guidance.
●
Assessed
the reasonability of the model used to value the CDs and the appropriateness of the inputs used and recalculated the fair values.
●
Performed
a sensitivity analysis of the inputs.
●
Recalculated
the covenants involved to ensure compliance.
MNP
LLP
Chartered Professional Accountants
Licensed Public Accountants
We
have served as the Company’s auditor since 2014.
Mississauga,
Canada
April 17, 2023
38
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
ASSETS
Current
assets
Cash
$ 708,105
$ 486,063
Restricted
cash (note 7)
6,476,000
-
Accounts
receivable and prepaid expenses (note 5)
556,947
413,443
Short-term
deposit
-
68,939
Prepaid
mine deposit and acquisition costs (note 6)
-
2,260,463
Prepaid
finance costs
-
393,640
Total
current assets
7,741,052
3,622,548
Non-current
assets
Spare
parts inventory
341,004
-
Equipment
(note 5)
551,204
396,894
Long-term deposit (note 5)
269,015
-
Right-of-use
assets (note 6)
-
52,353
Bunker
Hill Mine and Mining interests (note 7)
15,896,645
1
Process
plant (note 5)
8,130,972
-
Total
assets
$ 32,929,892
$ 4,071,796
EQUITY
AND LIABILITIES
Current
liabilities
Accounts
payable
$ 4,523,502
$ 1,312,062
Accrued
liabilities
1,500,164
869,581
EPA
water treatment payable (note 8)
-
5,110,706
Interest
payable (notes 8 and 9)
1,154,477
409,242
Derivative
warrant liability (note 11)
903,697
-
Deferred share units
liability (note 14)
573,742
1,531,409
Promissory
notes payable (note 9)
1,500,000
2,500,000
Environment protection agency
cost recovery payable (note 8)
-
11,000,000
Current
portion of lease liability (note 10)
-
62,277
Total
current liabilities
10,155,582
22,795,277
Non-current
liabilities
Loan
payable (note 9)
4,684,446
-
Series
1 convertible debenture (note 9)
5,537,360
-
Series
2 convertible debenture (note 9)
14,063,525
-
Royalty
convertible debenture (note 9)
10,285,777
-
Environment
protection agency cost recovery liability net of discount (note 8)
7,941,466
-
Derivative
warrant liability (note 11)
6,438,679
15,518,887
Total
liabilities
59,106,835
38,314,164
Shareholders’
Deficiency
Preferred
shares, $ 0.000001 par value, 10,000,000 preferred shares authorized; Nil preferred shares issued and outstanding (note 11)
-
-
Common
shares, $ 0.000001 par value, 1,500,000,000 common shares authorized; 229,501,661 and 164,435,826 common shares issued and outstanding,
respectively (note 11)
228
164
Additional
paid-in-capital (note 11)
45,161,513
38,248,618
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
253,875
-
Accumulated
Deficit
( 71,592,559 )
( 72,491,150 )
Total
shareholders’ deficiency
( 26,176,943 )
( 34,242,368 )
Total
shareholders’ deficiency and liabilities
$ 32,929,892
$ 4,071,796
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
39
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Consolidated
Statements of Income (loss) and Comprehensive Income (loss)
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Year
Year
Ended
Ended
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Operating
expenses
Operation
and administration (notes 11, 13 and 14)
$ 2,033,879
$ 2,651,954
Exploration
-
13,530,819
Mine
preparation
7,827,656
-
Legal
and accounting
1,147,861
1,035,777
Consulting
and wages (note 17)
5,477,765
1,533,954
Loss
from operations
( 16,487,161 )
( 18,752,504 )
Other
income or gain (expense or loss)
Change
in derivative liability (note 11)
15,696,391
12,300,453
(loss) gain on foreign exchange
( 237,546 )
208,660
Loss
on fair value of convertible debentures (note 9)
( 1,140,537 )
-
Gain
on EPA debt extinguishment (note 8)
8,614,103
-
Interest
expense (notes 8 and 9)
( 3,382,559 )
( 102,740 )
Debenture
finance costs (note 9)
( 1,230,540 )
-
Financing
costs
( 945,507 )
-
Other
income
18,626
-
Other
expense
( 6,679 )
-
Loss
on debt settlement
-
( 56,146 )
Net
income (loss) for the year
$ 898,591
$ ( 6,402,277 )
Other
comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Gain
on change in FV on own credit risk (note 9)
253,875
-
Other
comprehensive income (loss)
253,875
-
Comprehensive
income (loss)
1,152,466
( 6,402,277 )
Net
Income (loss) per common share
Net
income (loss) per common share – basic (note 12)
$ 0.00
$ ( 0.04 )
Net
income (loss) per common share – fully diluted (note 12)
$ 0.00
$ ( 0.04 )
Weighted
average number of common shares
Weighted
average common shares – basic (note 12)
205,950,811
161,868,334
Weighted
average common shares – fully diluted (note 12)
269,801,281
161,868,334
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
40
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Year
Year
Ended
Ended
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Operating
activities
Net
Income (loss) for the year
$ 898,591
$ ( 6,402,277 )
Adjustments
to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Stock-based
compensation
421,881
1,730,308
Depreciation
expense
214,643
239,904
Change
in derivative liability
( 15,696,391 )
( 12,300,453 )
Units
issued for services
1,060,858
-
Imputed
interest expense on lease liability
1,834
12,696
Interest
expense
16,466
-
Financing
costs
264,435
-
Foreign
exchange loss (gain)
233,059
-
Foreign
exchange loss (gain) on re-translation of lease
718
2,165
Loss
on debt settlement
-
56,146
Amortization
of EPA discount
996,400
-
Loss
on fair value of convertible debt derivatives
1,140,537
-
Gain
on EPA debt extinguishment
( 8,614,103 )
-
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts
receivable
369,544
( 12,598 )
Prepaid
mine acquisition costs
-
( 260,463 )
Prepaid
finance costs
393,640
( 393,640 )
Prepaid
expenses and deposits
( 1,133,124 )
( 76,112 )
Accounts
payable
773,102
( 128,774 )
Accrued
liabilities
316,167
787,363
EPA
water treatment payable
( 4,458,707 )
1,974,656
EPA
cost recovery payable
( 2,000,000 )
3,000,000
Interest
payable – EPA
( 78,710 )
-
Interest
payable
2,380,853
246,702
Net
cash used in operating activities
( 22,498,307 )
( 11,372,153 )
Investing
activities
Purchase
of spare inventory
( 341,004 )
-
Land
purchase
( 202,000 )
-
Bunker
Hill mine purchase
( 5,524,322 )
-
Mine
improvements
( 1,157,059 )
-
Purchase
and demobilization of Process plant
( 3,129,856 )
-
Process
plant
( 503,831 )
-
Purchase
of machinery and equipment
( 316,600 )
( 94,693 )
Net
cash used in investing activities
( 11,174,672 )
( 94,693 )
Financing
activities
Proceeds
from convertible debentures
29,000,000
-
Proceeds
from bridge loan
4,668,000
-
Proceeds
from issuance of shares, net of issue costs
7,767,849
6,013,439
Proceeds
from promissory note
-
2,500,000
Repayment
of promissory note
( 1,000,000 )
-
Lease
payments
( 64,828 )
( 129,191 )
Net
cash provided by financing activities
40,371,021
8,384,248
Net
change in cash and restricted cash
6,698,042
( 3,082,598 )
Cash,
beginning of year
486,063
3,568,661
Cash
and restricted cash, end of year
$ 7,148,105
$ 486,063
Supplemental
disclosures
Non-cash
activities:
Units
issued to settle accounts payable and accrued liabilities
$ 228,421
$ 188,146
Units
issued to settle interest payable
1,400,174
-
Mill
purchase for shares and warrants
3,243,296
-
Units
issued to settle DSU/RSU/Bonuses
872,399
-
Reconciliation from Cash Flow Statement to Balance Sheet:
Cash and restricted cash, end of year
$ 7,148,105
$ 486,063
Less restricted cash
6,476,000
-
Cash
$ 708,105
$ 486,063
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
41
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Deficiency
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Accumulated
Additional
other
Common
stock
paid-in-
comprehensive
Accumulated
Shares
Amount
capital
loss
deficit
Total
Balance,
December 31, 2021
164,435,826
$ 164
$ 38,248,618
$ -
$ ( 72,491,150 )
$ ( 34,242,368 )
Stock-based
compensation
-
-
700,737
-
-
700,737
Compensation
options
-
-
264,435
-
-
264,435
Shares
issued for interest payable
11,544,279
12
1,400,174
-
-
1,400,174
Shares
issued for RSUs vested
2,565,900
2
( 2 )
-
-
-
Non
brokered shares issued for C$ 0.30
1,471,664
1
352,854
-
-
352,855
Special
warrant shares issued for C$ 0.30
37,849,325
38
9,083,719
-
-
9,083,757
Contractor
shares issued for C$ 0.30
1,218,000
1
289,999
-
-
290,000
Shares
issued for Process plant purchase
10,416,667
10
1,970,254
-
-
1,970,264
Issue
costs
-
-
( 902,427 )
-
-
( 902,427 )
Warrant
valuation
-
-
( 6,246,848 )
-
-
( 6,246,848 )
Gain
on fair value from change in credit risk
-
-
-
253,875
-
253,875
Net
income for the period
-
-
-
-
898,591
898,591
Shares issued at $0.32 per share(ii)
$0.32 per share(ii), shares
Shares issued for debt settlement at $0.45 per share
Shares issued for debt settlement at $0.45 per share, shares
Balance,
December 31, 2022
229,501,661
$ 228
$ 45,161,513
$ 253,875
$ ( 71,592,559 )
$ ( 26,176,943 )
Balance,
December 31, 2020
143,117,452
$ 143
$ 34,551,133
$ -
$ ( 66,088,873 )
$ ( 31,537,597 )
Beginning
balance value
143,117,452
$ 143
$ 34,551,133
$ -
( 66,088,873 )
( 31,537,597 )
Stock-based
compensation
-
-
1,309,024
-
-
1,309,024
Shares
issued at $ 0.32 per share (ii)
19,576,360
20
6,168,049
-
-
6,168,069
Shares
issued for debt settlement at $ 0.45 per share (iii)
417,720
-
188,146
-
-
188,146
Shares
issued for RSUs vested
1,324,294
1
( 1 )
-
-
-
Issue
costs
-
-
( 154,630 )
-
-
( 154,630 )
Warrant
valuation
-
-
( 3,813,103 )
-
-
( 3,813,103 )
Net
loss for the period
-
-
-
-
( 6,402,277 )
( 6,402,277 )
Net
income (loss)
-
-
-
-
( 6,402,277 )
( 6,402,277 )
Balance,
December 31, 2021
164,435,826
$ 164
$ 38,248,618
$ -
$ ( 72,491,150 )
$ ( 34,242,368 )
Ending
balance value
164,435,826
$ 164
$ 38,248,618
$ -
$ ( 72,491,150 )
$ ( 34,242,368 )
(i)
Shares
issued at C$ 0.30 , converted to US at $ 0.24 (note 11)
(ii)
Units
issued at C$ 0.40 , converted to US at $ 0.32 (note 11)
(iii)
Units
issued at C$ 0.57 , converted to US at $ 0.45 (note 11)
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
42
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
1.
Nature and continuance of operations and going concern
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp. (the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the state of Nevada , U.S.A. on February 20, 2007, under
the name Lincoln Mining Corp. Pursuant to a Certificate of Amendment dated February 11, 2010, the Company changed its name to Liberty
Silver Corp., and on September 29, 2017, the Company changed its name to Bunker Hill Mining Corp. The Company’s registered office
is located at 1802 N. Carson Street, Suite 212, Carson City, Nevada 89701, and its head office is located at 82 Richmond Street East,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5C 1P1. As of the date of this Form 10-Q, the Company had one subsidiary, Silver Valley Metals Corp. (“Silver
Valley”, formerly American Zinc Corp.), an Idaho corporation created to facilitate the work being conducted at the Bunker Hill
Mine in Kellogg, Idaho.
The Company was incorporated for the initial purpose
of engaging in mineral exploration activities at the Mine. The Company has moved into the development stage concurrent with (i) purchasing
the Mine and a process plant, (ii) completing successive technical and economic studies, including a Prefeasibility Study, (iii) delineating
mineral reserves, and (iv) conducting the program of activities outlined above.
Going
Concern:
These
consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The Company has incurred losses since inception resulting
in an accumulated deficit of $ 71,592,559 and further losses are anticipated in the development of its business. The Company does not
have sufficient cash to fund normal operations and meet debt obligations for the next 12 months without deferring payment on certain
current liabilities and/or raising additional funds. In order to continue to meet its fiscal obligations in the current fiscal year and
beyond, the Company must seek additional financing. This raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a
going concern. Its ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon the ability of the Company to generate profitable operations
in the future and/or to obtain the necessary financing to meet its obligations and repay its liabilities arising from normal business
operations when they come due. The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments
that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Management
is considering various financing alternatives including, but not limited to, raising capital through the capital markets, debt, and closing
on the multi-metals stream transaction (see note 8). These consolidated financial statements do not include
any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded assets, or the amounts of and classification of liabilities
that might be necessary in the event the Company cannot continue in existence.
COVID-19:
The
Company’s operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of epidemics, pandemics,
or other health crises, including the recent outbreak of respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”).
Although the pandemic has subsided significantly, the Company cannot accurately predict the impact a COVID-19 resurgence would have on
its operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations with the Company, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate
geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions
imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could
result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in
an economic downturn that could further affect the Company’s operations and ability to finance its operations.
The
Russia/Ukraine Crisis:
The
Company’s operations could be adversely affected by the effects of the Russia/Ukraine crisis and the effects of sanctions imposed
against Russia or that country’s retributions against those sanctions, embargos or further-reaching impacts upon energy prices,
food prices and market disruptions. The Company cannot accurately predict the impact the crisis will have on its operations and the ability
of contractors to meet their obligations with the Company, including uncertainties relating the severity of its effects, the duration
of the conflict, and the length and magnitude of energy bans, embargos and restrictions imposed by governments. In addition, the crisis
could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of the United States in general, resulting in an economic downturn that could
further affect the Company’s operations and ability to finance its operations. Additionally, the Company cannot predict changes
in precious metals pricing or changes in commodities pricing which may alternately affect the Company either positively or negatively.
43
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
2.
Basis of presentation
The
consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America applicable to exploration stage enterprises. The consolidated financial statements are expressed in U.S. dollars,
the Company’s functional currency.
3.
Significant accounting policies
The
following is a summary of significant accounting policies used in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements.
Basis
of consolidation
These
consolidated financial statements include the assets, liabilities and expenses of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Silver
Valley Metals Corp. (formerly American Zinc Corp.). All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated on consolidation.
Cash
and cash equivalents
Cash
and cash equivalents may include highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.
Mineral
rights, property and acquisition costs
The
Company transitioned from the exploration stage to the development stage at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2022. The Company
has not yet realized any revenues from its planned operations.
The
Company capitalizes acquisition and option costs of mineral rights as intangible assets when there is sufficient evidence to support
probability of generating positive economic returns in the future. Upon commencement of commercial production, the mineral rights will
be amortized using the unit-of-production method over the life of the mineral rights. If the Company does not continue with exploration
after the completion of the feasibility study, the mineral rights will be expensed at that time.
The
costs of acquiring mining properties are capitalized upon acquisition. Mine development costs incurred to develop and expand the capacity
of mines, or to develop mine areas in advance of production, are also capitalized once proven and probable reserves exist and the property
is a commercially mineable property. Costs incurred to maintain current exploration or to maintain assets on a standby basis are charged
to operations. Costs of abandoned projects are charged to operations upon abandonment. The Company evaluates the carrying value of capitalized
mining costs and related property and equipment costs, to determine if these costs are in excess of their recoverable amount whenever
events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Evaluation of the carrying value of capitalized
costs and any related property and equipment costs are based upon expected future cash flows and/or estimated salvage value in accordance
with Accounting Standards Codification (FASB ASC) 360-10-35, Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.
Equipment
Equipment
is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided principally on the straight-line method over the estimated
useful lives of the assets, which range from 3 to 10 years. The cost of repairs and maintenance is charged to expense as incurred. Upon
sale or other disposition of a depreciable asset, cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss
is reflected in other income or gain (expense or loss).
The
Company periodically evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that may warrant revision of the estimated useful lives
of equipment or whether the remaining balance of the equipment should be evaluated for possible impairment. If events and circumstances
warrant evaluation, the Company uses an estimate of the related undiscounted cash flows over the remaining life of the equipment in measuring
their recoverability.
44
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Leases
Operating
lease right of use (“ROU”) assets represent the right to use the leased asset for the lease term and operating lease liabilities
are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. As most leases
do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses an incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the adoption date
in determining the present value of future payments. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is amortized on a straight-line basis over
the lease term and is included in operation and administration expenses in the consolidated statements of Income (loss) and comprehensive Income (loss).
The
Company is required to make additional payments for certain variable costs. These costs are expensed and included in operation and administration
expenses in the consolidated statements of loss and comprehensive loss. Rental income obtained through subleases is recorded as income
over the lease term and is offset against operation and administration expenses.
Impairment
of long-lived assets
The
Company reviews and evaluates long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the related carrying
amounts may not be recoverable. The assets are subject to impairment consideration under FASB ASC 360, Property, Plant and Equipment,
if events or circumstances indicate that their carrying amount might not be recoverable. When the Company determines that an impairment
analysis should be done, the analysis is performed using the rules of FASB ASC 930-360-35, Extractive Activities – Mining, and
360-10-15-3 through 15-5, Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.
Various
factors could impact the Company’s ability to achieve forecasted production schedules. Additionally, commodity prices, capital
expenditure requirements and reclamation costs could differ from the assumptions the Company may use in future production cash flow
models when compared to factors used to assess impairment. The ability to achieve the estimated quantities of recoverable minerals
from development stage mineral interests involves further risks in addition to those factors applicable to mineral interests where
proven and probable reserves have been identified, due to the lower level of confidence that the identified mineralized material can
ultimately be mined economically.
Fair
value of financial instruments
The
Company adopted FASB ASC 820-10, Fair Value Measurement. This guidance defines fair value, establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy
for disclosures of fair value measurement and enhances disclosure requirements for fair value measures. The three levels are defined
as follows:
●
Level
1 inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
●
Level
2 inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that
are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.
●
Level
3 inputs to valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair measurement.
The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets for cash,
restricted cash, accounts receivable excluding HST, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, interest payable, promissory notes payable,
environmental protection agency water treatment payable, environmental protection agency cost recovery payable, and lease liability, all
of which qualify as financial instruments, are a reasonable estimate of fair value because of the short period of time between the origination
of such instruments and their expected realization and current market rate of interest. The carrying amounts of convertible loans are
reported at estimated fair values as a result of the application of fair value models at each quarter end. The Company measured its DSU
liability at fair value on recurring basis using level 1 inputs. Derivative warrant liabilities and convertible debentures are measured
at fair value on recurring basis using level 3 inputs.
Environmental
expenditures
The
operations of the Company have been, and may in the future be, affected from time to time, in varying degrees, by changes in environmental
regulations, including those for future reclamation and site restoration costs. Both the likelihood of new regulations and their overall
effect upon the Company vary greatly and are not predictable. The Company’s policy is to meet, or if possible, surpass standards
set by relevant legislation, by application of technically proven and economically feasible measures.
Environmental
expenditures that relate to ongoing environmental and reclamation programs are expensed as incurred or capitalized and amortized depending
on their future economic benefits. Estimated future reclamation and site restoration costs, when the ultimate liability is reasonably
determinable, are charged against earnings over the estimated remaining life of the related business operation, net of expected recoveries.
45
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Income
taxes
The
Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with Accounting Standard Codification 740, Income Taxes (“FASB ASC 740”),
on a tax jurisdictional basis. The Company files income tax returns in the United States.
Deferred
tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax bases of
assets and liabilities and the consolidated financial statements reported amounts using enacted tax rates and laws in effect in the year
in which the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is provided against deferred tax assets when it is determined
to be more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized.
The
Company assesses the likelihood of the consolidated financial statements effect of a tax position that should be recognized when it is
more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination by a taxing authority based on the technical merits of the
tax position, circumstances, and information available as of the reporting date. The Company is subject to examination by taxing authorities
in jurisdictions such as the United States. Management does not believe that there are any uncertain tax positions that would result
in an asset or liability for taxes being recognized in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The Company recognizes tax-related
interest and penalties, if any, as a component of income tax expense.
FSAB
ASC 740 prescribes recognition threshold and measurement attributes for the consolidated financial statements recognition and measurement
of a tax position taken, or expected to be taken, in a tax return. FASB ASC 740 also provides guidance on de-recognition, classification,
interest and penalties, accounting in periods, disclosure and transition. At December 31, 2022, December 31, 2021, the Company has not
taken any tax positions that would require disclosure under FASB ASC 740.
Basic
and diluted net income (loss) per share
The
Company computes net income (loss) per share in accordance with FASB ASC 260, Earnings per Share (“FASB ASC 260”). Under the provisions
of FASB ASC 260, basic net income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period.
Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and, if dilutive, potential common shares outstanding
during the period. Potential common shares consist of the incremental common shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options, RSU’s, warrants
and the conversion of convertible loan payable. As of December 31, 2022, 9,005,636 stock options, 162,129,064 warrants, and 5,470,799
broker options were considered in the calculation but not included, as they were anti-dilutive (December 31, 2021 – 9,053,136 stock
options, 111,412,712 warrants, and 3,590,907 broker options).
Stock-based
compensation
In
December 2004, FASB issued FASB ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“FASB ASC 718”), which establishes standards
for the accounting for transactions in which an entity exchanges its equity instruments for goods or services. It also addresses transactions
in which an entity incurs liabilities in exchange for goods or services that are based on the fair value of the entity’s equity
instruments or that may be settled by the issuance of those equity instruments. FASB ASC 718 focuses primarily on accounting for transactions
in which an entity obtains employee services in share-based payment transactions. FASB ASC 718 requires that the compensation cost relating
to share-based payment transactions be recognized in the consolidated financial statements. That cost will be measured based on the fair
value of the equity or liability instruments issued.
The
Company accounts for stock-based compensation arrangements with non-employees in accordance with ASU 505-50, Equity-Based Payments to
Non-Employees, which requires that such equity instruments are recorded at the value on the grant date based on fair value of the equity
or goods and services whichever is more reliable.
Restricted
share units (“RSUs”)
The
Company estimates the grant date fair value of RSUs using the Company’s common shares at the grant date. The Company records the
value of the RSUs in paid-in capital.
Deferred
share units (“DSUs”)
The
Company estimates the grant date fair value of the DSUs using the trading price of the Company’s common shares on the day of grant.
The Company records the value of the DSUs owing to its directors as DSU liability and measures the DSU liability at fair value at each
reporting date, with changes in fair value recognized as stock-based compensation in profit (loss).
46
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Use
of estimates and assumptions
Many
of the amounts included in the consolidated financial statements require management to make judgments and/or estimates. These judgments
and estimates are continuously evaluated and are based on management’s experience and knowledge of the relevant facts and circumstances.
Actual results may differ from the amounts included in the consolidated financial statements.
Areas
of significant judgment and estimates affecting the amounts recognized in the consolidated financial statements include:
Going
concern
The
assessment of the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern involves judgment regarding future funding available for its
operations and working capital requirements as discussed in note 1.
Accrued
liabilities
The
Company has to make estimates to accrue for certain expenditures due to delay in receipt of third-party vendor invoices. These accruals
are made based on trends, history and knowledge of activities. Actual results may be different. The Company makes monthly estimates of
its water treatment costs, with a true-up to the annual invoice received from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (“IDEQ”).
Using the actual costs in the annual invoice, the Company then reassesses its estimate for future periods. Given the nature, complexity
and variability of the various actual cost items included in the invoice, the Company has used the most recent invoice as its estimate
of the water treatment costs for future periods.
Convertible
loans, promissory notes and warrants
Estimating
the fair value of derivative warrant liability requires determining the most appropriate
valuation model, which is dependent on the terms and conditions of the issuance. This estimate also requires determining the most appropriate
inputs to the valuation model including the expected life of the warrants derivative liability, volatility and
dividend yield and making assumptions about them. The assumptions and models used for estimating fair value of warrants derivative liability are disclosed in Notes 9 and 11.
The fair value estimates of the convertible loans
use inputs to the valuation model that include risk-free rates, equity value per common share, USD-CAD exchange rates, spot and futures
prices of minerals, expected equity volatility, expected volatility in minerals prices, discount for lack of marketability, credit spread,
expected mineral production over the life of the mine, and project risk/estimation risk factors. See Note 11 for full disclosures related
to the convertible loans and promissory notes.
The
fair value estimates may differ from actual fair values and these differences may be significant and could have a material impact on
the Company’s balance sheets and the consolidated statements of operations. Assets are reviewed for an indication of impairment
at each reporting date. This determination requires significant judgment. Factors that could trigger an impairment review include, but
are not limited to, significant negative industry or economic trends, interruptions in exploration activities or a significant drop in
precious metal prices.
Reclassifications
Certain
reclassifications have been made to conform prior year’s data to the current presentation. The reclassifications have no effect
on the results of reported operations or stockholders’ deficit or cash flows.
Concentrations
of credit risk
The
Company’s financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk primarily consist of its cash and restricted cash. The Company
places its cash with financial institutions of high credit worthiness. At times, its cash equivalents with a particular financial
institution may exceed any applicable government insurance limits. The Company’s management also routinely assesses the
financial strength and credit worthiness of any parties to which it extends funds and as such, it believes that any associated
credit risk exposures are limited.
Risks
and uncertainties
The
Company operates in the mineral resource exploration and mine development industry that is subject to significant risks and uncertainties,
including financial, operational, and other risks associated with operating a mineral resource exploration business, including the potential
risk of business failure.
47
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Foreign
currency transactions
The
Company from time to time will receive invoices from service providers that are presenting their invoices using the Canadian dollar.
The Company will use its U.S. dollars to settle the Canadian dollar liabilities and any differences resulting from the exchange transaction
are reported as gain or loss on foreign exchange.
Convertible
loans and promissory notes payable
The
Company reviews the terms of its convertible loans and promissory notes payable to determine whether there are embedded derivatives,
including the embedded options, that are required to be bifurcated and accounted for as individual derivative financial instruments.
In circumstances where the convertible loans or the promissory note contains embedded derivatives that are to be separated from the host
contracts, the total proceeds received are first allocated to the fair value of the derivative financial instruments determined using
the binomial model. The remaining proceeds, if any, are then allocated to the debenture cost contracts, usually resulting in those instruments
being recorded at a discount from their principal amount. This discount is accreted over the expected life of the instruments to profit
(loss) using the effective interest method. In circumstances where the convertible loans or the promissory note contains embedded derivatives that are not separated
from the host contracts, the fair values of the host contract and the derivative are valued together, with the change in fair value accounted
through earnings, profit and loss for each period reported.
The
debenture host contracts are subsequently recorded at amortized cost at each reporting date, using the effective interest method. The
embedded derivatives are subsequently recorded at fair value at each reporting date, with changes in fair value recognized in profit
(loss).
The Company applies ASC 480 distinguishing liabilities
from equity and ASC 815 derivatives and hedging in determining the appropriate accounting treatment for hybrid instruments. The embedded
options within the convertible loans are not bifurcated and measured at fair value at each period end.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Accounting
Standards Updates Adopted
In August
2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020 - 06 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 is to address issues identified as a result of the complexity associated
with applying generally accepted accounting principles for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity.
The update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 for smaller reporting companies, including interim
periods within those fiscal years and with early adoption permitted. The Company is assessing the impact from the adoption of this amendment.
Management does
not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect
on the accompanying financial statements.
48
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
4. Accounts receivable and prepaid expenses
Accounts receivable and prepaid expenses consists
of the following:
Schedule of Accounts receivable and prepaid expenses
December 31,
December 31,
2022
2021
Prepaid expenses
$ 386,218
$ 413,443
Environment protection agency overpayment (note 8)
170,729
-
Total
$ 556,947
$ 413,443
5.
Equipment
Equipment
consists of the following:
Schedule of Equipment
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Equipment
$ 920,571
$ 603,972
Equipment, gross
920,571
603,972
Less
accumulated depreciation
( 369,367 )
( 207,078 )
Equipment,
net
$ 551,204
$ 396,894
The
total depreciation expense during the year ended December 31, 2022, was $ 162,290 (year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 133,526 ).
Process
Plant Purchase from Teck Resources Limited
On
May 13, 2022, the Company completed purchase of a comprehensive package of equipment and parts inventory from Teck Resources Limited
(“Teck”). The package comprises substantially all processing equipment of value located at the Pend Oreille mine site, including
complete crushing, grinding and flotation circuits suitable for a planned ~1,500 ton-per-day operation at the Bunker Hill site, and total
inventory of nearly 10,000 components and parts for mill, assay lab, conveyer, field instruments, and electrical spares.
The
purchase of the mill has been valued at:
-
Cash
consideration given, comprised of $ 500,000 non-refundable deposit remitted on January 7, 2022 and $ 231,000 sales tax remitted on May
13, 2022, a total of $ 731,000 cash remitted.
-
Value
of common shares issued on May 13, 2022 at the market price of that day, a value of $ 1,970,264 .
-
Fair
value of the warrants issued together with the inputs, as determined by a binomial model, resulted in a fair value of $ 1,273,032 .
See note 10.
-
As
a result, the total value of the mill purchase was determined to be $ 3,974,296 .
The
process plant was purchased in an assembled state in the seller’s location, and included major processing systems, significant
components, and a large inventory of spare parts. The Company has disassembled and transported it to the Bunker Hill site, and will be
reassembling it as an integral part of the Company’s future operations. The Company determined that the transaction should be accounted
for as an asset acquisition, with the process plant representing a single asset, with the exception of the inventory of spare parts,
which has been separated out and appears on the balance sheets as a current asset in accordance with a preliminary purchase price allocation.
As the plant is demobilized, transported and reassembled, installation and other costs associated with these activities will be captured
and capitalized as components of the asset.
49
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
At
December 31, 2022, the asset consists of the following:
Schedule
of Plant Asset Consists
December
31,
2022
Deposit
paid
$ 500,000
Sales
tax paid
231,000
Value
of shares issued
1,970,264
Value
of warrants issued
1,273,032
Total
plant & inventory purchased
3,974,296
Site
preparation costs
2,296,266
Demobilization
2,201,414
Less
spare parts inventory
( 341,004 )
Pend
Oreille plant asset, net
$ 8,130,972
Ball
Mill upgrade
On
August 30, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement to purchase a ball mill from D’Angelo International LLC for $ 675,000 . The
purchase of the mill is to be made in three cash payments. The first two payments were made as follows:
$ 100,000
on September 15, 2022 as a non-refundable long-term deposit
$ 100,000
on October 13, 2022, as a refundable long-term deposit
As
of December 31, 2022, the Company had not made the final payment of $ 475,000 .
6.
Right-of-use asset
Right-of-use
asset consists of the following:
Schedule
of Right-of-use Asset
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Office
lease
$ 319,133
319,133
Less
accumulated depreciation
( 319,133 )
( 266,780 )
Right-of-use
asset, net
$ -
$ 52,353
The
total depreciation expense during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $ 52,353 (year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 106,378 ).
7.
Mining Interests
Bunker
Hill Mine Complex
The
Company purchased the Bunker Hill Mine (the “Mine”) in January 2022, as described below.
Prior
to purchasing the Mine, the Company had entered into a series of agreements with Placer Mining Corporation (“Placer Mining”),
the prior owner, for the lease and option to purchase the Mine. The first of these agreements was announced on August 28, 2017, with
subsequent amendments and/or extensions announced on November 1, 2019, July 7, 2020, and November 20, 2020.
Under
the terms of the November 20, 2020 amended agreement (the “Amended Agreement”), a purchase price of $ 7,700,000 was agreed,
with $ 5,700,000 payable in cash (with an aggregate of $ 300,000 to be credited toward the purchase price of the Mine as having been previously
paid by the Company) and $ 2,000,000 in Common Shares of the Company. On November 20, 2020 the Company made an advance payment of $ 2,000,000 , credited
towards the purchase price of the Mine, which had the effect of decreasing the remaining amount payable to purchase the Mine to an aggregate
of $ 3,400,000 payable in cash and $ 2,000,000 in Common Shares of the Company.
50
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
The
Amended Agreement also required payments pursuant to an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) whereby for so long as the Company leases, owns and/or
occupies the Mine, the Company would make payments to the EPA on behalf of Placer Mining in satisfaction of the EPA’s claim for
historical water treatment cost recovery in accordance with the Settlement Agreement reached with the EPA in 2018. Immediately prior
to the purchase of the Mine, the Company’s liability to EPA in this regard totaled $ 11,000,000 . (See also Note 8 Environmental
Protection Agency Agreement).
Prior to the completion of the sale, the Company accrued
$ 260,463 in acquisition costs during the year ended December 31, 2021. Together with the $ 2,000,000 advance payment made in November 2020,
this comprises the balance of $ 2,260,463 for prepaid mine deposit and acquisition costs on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2021.
The
Company completed the purchase of the Mine on January 7, 2022. The terms of the purchase price were modified to $ 5,400,000 in cash, from
$ 3,400,000 of cash and $ 2,000,000 of Common Shares. Concurrent with the purchase of the Mine, the Company assumed incremental liabilities
of $ 8,000,000 to the EPA, consistent with the terms of the amended Settlement Agreement with the EPA that was executed in December 2021
(see also Note 8 Environmental protection Agency Agreement).
The
$ 5,400,000 contract cash paid at purchase was the $ 7,700,000 less the $ 2,000,000 deposit and $ 300,000 credit given by the seller for
prior years’ maintenance payments. Management has determined the purchase to be an acquisition of a single asset as guided by ASU
805-10 Business Combinations.
The
carrying cost of the Mine is comprised of the following:
Schedule
of Mining Interests
December
31,
2022
Contract
purchase price
$ 7,700,000
Less:
Credit by seller for prior maintenance payments
( 300,000 )
Net
present value of water treatment cost recovery liability assumed (note 8)
6,402,425
Closing
costs capitalized
2,638
Mine
acquisition costs - legal
442,147
Carrying
cost of mine – January 7, 2022
$ 14,247,210
Capitalized
mining costs – 2022
1,447,435
Carrying
cost of mine - total
$ 15,694,645
Land
Purchase
On
March 3, 2022, the Company purchased a 225-acre surface land parcel for $ 202,000 which includes the surface rights to portions of 24
patented mining claims, for which the Company already owns the mineral rights.
8.
Environmental Protection Agency
Historical
Cost Recovery Payables
As
a part of the lease of the Mine, the Company was required to make payments pursuant to an agreement with the EPA whereby for so long as the Company leases, owns and/or occupies the Mine, the Company was required to
make payments to the EPA on behalf of Placer Mining in satisfaction of the EPA’s claim for cost recovery related to historical
treatment costs paid by the EPA from 1995 to 2017. These payments, if all are made, will total $ 20,000,000 . The agreement called for
payments starting with $ 1,000,000 30 days after a fully ratified agreement was signed (which payment was made) followed by $ 2,000,000
on November 1, 2018, and $ 3,000,000 on each of the next five anniversaries with a final $ 2,000,000 payment on November 1, 2024. The November
1, 2018, November 1, 2019, November 1, 2020, and November 1, 2021, payments were not made. As a result, a total of $ 11,000,000 was outstanding
as of December 31, 2021, accounted for within current liabilities. As the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine (which would trigger the immediate
recognition of the remaining liabilities due through November 1, 2024) had not yet taken place, the remaining $ 8,000,000 cost recovery
liabilities were not recognized on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2021.
Through
2021, the Company engaged in discussions with the EPA to reschedule these payments in ways that enable the sustainable operation of the
Mine as a viable long-term business.
51
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Effective
December 19, 2021, the Company entered into an amended Settlement Agreement between the Company, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality,
US Department of Justice, and the EPA (the “Amended Settlement”). Upon the effectivity of the Amended Settlement, the Company
would become fully compliant with its payment obligations to these parties. The Amended Settlement modified the payment schedule and
payment terms for recovery of the aforementioned historical environmental response costs. Pursuant to the terms of the Amended Settlement,
upon purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine and the satisfaction of financial assurance commitments (as described below), the $ 19,000,000 of
cost recovery liabilities will be paid by the Company to the EPA on the following dates:
Schedule
of Amended Settlement Environmental Protection Agency Agreement
Date
Amount
Within
30 days of Settlement Agreement
$ 2,000,000
November
1, 2024
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2025
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2026
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2027
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2028
$ 3,000,000
November
1, 2029
$ 2,000,000
plus accrued interest
In
addition to the changes in payment terms and schedule, the Amended Settlement included a commitment by the Company to secure $ 17,000,000
of financial assurance in the form of performance bonds or letters of credit deemed acceptable to the EPA within 180 days from the effective
date of the Amended Settlement. Once put in place, the financial assurance can be drawn on by the EPA in the event of non-performance
by the Company of its payment obligations under the Amended Settlement (the “Financial Assurance”). The amount of the bonds
will decrease over time as individual payments are made.
The
Company completed the purchase of the Mine (see note 7) and made the initial $ 2,000,000
cost recovery payment on January 7, 2022. Concurrent with the purchase of the Mine, the Company assumed the balance of the EPA
liability totaling $ 17,000,000 ,
an increase of $ 8,000,000 . This was capitalized as $ 6,402,425 to the carrying value of the Bunker Hill Mine at time of purchase, comprised of
$ 3,000,000 of incremental current liabilities and $ 5,000,000 of non-current liabilities (discounted to $3,402,425). See note 7.
As
of March 31, 2022, the financial assurance had not yet been secured, and as such the Company accounted for the $17,000,000 liabilities
according to the previous payment schedule, resulting in $12,000,000 classified as a current liability and $5,000,000 as a long-term
liability. The long-term portion was discounted at an interest rate of 16.5% to arrive at a net present value of $3,540,851 after discount ($3,402,425 as of the purchase of the mine plus $138,427 of accretion expense during the quarter
ended March 31, 2022.
During
the quarter ended June 30, 2022, the Company was successful in obtaining the final financial assurance. Specifically, a $ 9,999,000
payment bond and a $ 7,001,000
letter of credit were secured and provided to the EPA. This milestone provides for the Company to recognize the effects of the
change in terms of the EPA liability as outlined in the Amendment Settlement. Once the financial assurance was put into place, the
restructuring of the payment stream under the Amendment Settlement occurred with the entire $ 17,000,000
liability being recognized as long-term in nature. The aforementioned payment bond is secured by a $ 2,475,000
letter of credit. The $ 2,475,000
and $ 7,001,000
letters of credit are secured by $ 9,476,000
of cash deposits under an agreement with a commercial bank. These cash deposits comprise the $ 9,476,000
of restricted cash shown within current assets as of September 30, 2022.
During
the quarter ended December 31, 2022 the $ 7,001,000 letter of credit was reduced to $ 2,000,001 as a result of a new $ 5,000,000 payment
bond obtained through an insurance company. The collateral for the new payment bond is comprised of a $ 2,000,000 letter of credit and
land pledged by third parties, with whom the company has entered into a financing cooperation agreement that contemplates a monthly fee
of $ 20,000 (payable in cash or common shares of the Company, at the Company’s election). As a result of the $ 3,000,000 net decrease
in the Company’s letter of credit requirements, the Company’s restricted cash balance (utilized as collateral for letters
of credit) decreased by $ 3,000,000 from $ 9,476,000 as of September 30, 2022 to $ 6,476,000 as of December 31, 2022.
Under
ASC 470-50, Debt Modifications and Extinguishments, the Company performed a comparison of net present value of the pre-settlement Cost
Recovery obligation to the post-settlement schedule of Cost Recovery obligation to determine this was an extinguishment of debt. The
Company recorded a gain on extinguishment of debt totaling $ 8,614,103 .
The old debt, including any discount, was written off and the new payment stream of the amended $ 17,000,000
table, including the new discount of $ 9,927,590 ,
using the effective interest rate of 19.95 %,
was recorded to result in a net liability of $ 7,072,410 ,
which is due long-term. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded combined discount amortization expense of $ 712,713
on the discounted pre- and post-extinguishment
liability, and interest expense of $ 156,343 respectively, bringing the net liability to $ 7,941,466 . As at December 31, 2022 interest of $ 24,587 ($ 306,501
at December 31, 2021) is included in interest payable
on the consolidated balance sheets.
52
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Water
Treatment Charges – EPA
Separate
to the cost recovery liabilities outlined above, the Company is responsible for the payment of ongoing water treatment charges. Water
treatment charges incurred through December 31, 2021 were payable to the EPA, and charges thereafter are payable to the Idaho Department
of Environmental Quality (“IDEQ”) given a handover of responsibilities for the Central Treatment Plant from the EPA to the
IDEQ as of that date. The Company had estimated water treatment payables to the EPA of $ nil as of December 31, 2022 and $ 5,110,706 at
December 31, 2021, which is reflected in current liabilities.
Water
Treatment Charges – IDEQ
For
the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company made net payments of $ 1,400,000
(12 monthly payments of $ 140,000
less $ 280,000
refund received in December 2022) to the IDEQ to estimate the cost of treating water at the Central Treatment Plant. As of December
31, 2022, a prepaid expense of $ 170,729
represents the difference between the actual cost of water treatment through December 31, 2022 and net payments made by the Company
to the IDEQ. This balance has been recognized on the consolidated balance sheets as accounts receivable and prepaid
expenses.
9.
Promissory notes payable and Convertible Debentures
On
September 22, 2021, the Company issued a non-convertible promissory note in the amount of $ 2,500,000 bearing interest of 15 % per annum
and payable at maturity. The promissory note was scheduled to mature on March 15, 2022 ; however, the note holder agreed to accept $ 500,000
payment, which the Company paid, by April 15, 2022, and the remaining principal and interest was deferred to June 20, 2022. Prior to
the revised maturity of June 20, 2022, the note holder agreed to accept a further $ 500,000 payment by June 30, 2022, which the Company
paid. The remaining principal and interest has been deferred to June 15, 2023. The Company purchased a land parcel for approximately
$ 202,000 on March 3, 2022, which may be used as security for the promissory note. At December 31, 2022, the Company owes $ 1,500,000 in
promissory notes payable, which is included in current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. Interest expense for the years
ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $ 281,301 and $ 102,740 respectively. At December 31, 2022 interest of $ 384,041 ($ 102,740 at December
31, 2021) is included in interest payable on the consolidated balance sheets.
Project
Finance Package with Sprott Private Resource Streaming & Royalty Corp.
On
December 20, 2021, the Company executed a non-binding term sheet outlining a $ 50,000,000 project finance package with Sprott Private
Resource Streaming and Royalty Corp. (“SRSR”).
The
non-binding term sheet with SRSR outlined a $ 50,000,000 project financing package that the Company expects to fulfill the majority of
its funding requirements to restart the Mine. The term sheet consisted of an $ 8,000,000 royalty convertible debenture (the “RCD”),
a $ 5,000,000 convertible debenture (the “CD1”), and a multi-metals stream of up to $ 37,000,000 (the “Stream”).
The CD1 was subsequently increased to $ 6,000,000 , increasing the project financing package to $ 51,000,000 .
On
June 17, 2022, the Company consummated a new $ 15,000,000 convertible debenture (the “CD2”). As a result, total potential
funding from SRSR was further increased to $ 66,000,000 including the RCD, CD1, CD2 and the Stream (together, the “Project Financing
Package”).
$8,000,000
Royalty Convertible Debenture (RCD)
The
Company closed the $ 8,000,000 RCD on January 7, 2022. The RCD bears interest at an annual rate of 9.0 %, payable in cash or Common Shares
at the Company’s option, until such time that SRSR elects to convert a royalty, with such conversion option expiring at the earlier
of advancement of the Stream or July 7, 2023 (subsequently amended as described below). In the event of conversion, the RCD will cease
to exist and the Company will grant a royalty for 1.85 % of life-of-mine gross revenue from mining claims considered to be historically
worked, contiguous to current accessible underground development, and covered by the Company’s 2021 ground geophysical survey (the
“SRSR Royalty”). A 1.35% rate will apply to claims outside of these areas. The RCD was initially secured by a share pledge
of the Company’s operating subsidiary, Silver Valley, until a full security package was put in place concurrent with the consummation
of the CD1. In the event of non-conversion, the principal of the RCD will be repayable in cash.
Concurrent
with the funding of the CD2 in June 2022, the Company and SRSR agreed to a number of amendments to the terms of the RCD, including an
amendment of the maturity date from July 7, 2023 to March 31, 2025 . The parties also agreed to enter into a Royalty Put Option such that
in the event the RCD is converted into a royalty as described above, the holder of the royalty will be entitled to resell the royalty
to the Company for $ 8,000,000 upon default under the CD1 or CD2 until such time that the CD1 and CD2 are paid in full. The Company determined
that the amendments in the terms of the RCD should not be treated as an extinguishment of the RCD, and have therefore been accounted
for as a modification as a result of the treatment the Company reported a gain of $ 607,261 in the loss on fair value of convertible debentures line
of the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) for the year
ended December 31, 2022.
53
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
$6,000,000
Series 1 Convertible Debenture (CD1))
The
Company closed the $ 6,000,000 CD1 on January 28, 2022, which was increased from the previously-announced $ 5,000,000 . The CD1 bears interest
at an annual rate of 7.5 %, payable in cash or shares at the Company’s option, and matures on July 7, 2023 (subsequently amended,
as described below). The CD1 is secured by a pledge of the Company’s properties and assets. Until the closing of the Stream, the
CD1 was to be convertible into Common Shares at a price of C$ 0.30 per Common Share, subject to stock exchange approval (subsequently
amended, as described below). Alternatively, SRSR may elect to retire the CD1 with the cash proceeds from the Stream. The Company may
elect to repay the CD1 early; if SRSR elects not to exercise its conversion option at such time, a minimum of 12 months of interest would
apply.
Concurrent
with the funding of the CD2 in June 2022, the Company and SRSR agreed to a number of amendments to the terms of the CD1, including that
the maturity date would be amended from July 7, 2023 to March 31, 2025 , and that the CD1 would remain outstanding until the new maturity
date regardless of whether the Stream is advanced, unless the Company elects to exercise its option of early repayment. The Company determined
that the amendments in the terms of the CD1 should not be treated as an extinguishment of the CD1, and have therefore been accounted
for as a modification as a result of the treatment the Company reported a gain of $ 179,046 in the loss on fair value of convertible debentures line
of the statement of operations for the year
ended December 31, 2022.
$15,000,000
Series 2 Convertible Debenture (CD2)
The
Company closed the $ 15,000,000 CD2 on June 17, 2022. The CD2 bears interest at an annual rate of 10.5 %, payable in cash or shares at
the Company’s option, and matures on March 31, 2025. The CD2 is secured by a pledge of the Company’s properties and assets.
The repayment terms include 3 quarterly payments of $ 2,000,000 each beginning June 30, 2024 and $ 9,000,000 on the maturity date.
In
light of the Series 2 Convertible Debenture financing, the previously permitted additional senior secured indebtedness of up to $ 15 million
for project finance has been removed.
The
Company determined that in accordance with ASC 815 Derivatives and Hedging, each debenture will be valued and carried as a single instrument, with the
periodic changes to fair value accounted through earnings, profit and loss.
Consistent
with the approach above, the following table summarizes the key valuation inputs as at applicable valuation dates:
Schedule of Key Valuation Inputs
Reference
(2)(4) (5)
Valuation
date
Maturity
date
Contractual
Interest rate
Stock
price (US$)
Expected
equity volatility
Credit
spread
Risk-free
rate
Risk-
adjusted rate
CD1
note (1)
01-28-22
07-07-23
7.50 %
0.230
120 %
8.70 %
0.92 %
16.18 %
RCD
note
01-07-22
07-07-23
9.00 %
0.242
130 %
9.21 %
0.65 %
16.39 %
CD1 note (1)
03-31-22
07-07-23
7.50 %
0.235
120 %
8.85 %
1.80 %
17.12 %
RCD
note
03-31-22
07-07-23
9.00 %
0.235
120 %
8.85 %
1.80 %
17.12 %
CD2 note(1)
06-17-22
03-31-25
10.50 %
0.185
120 %
9.45 %
3.28 %
20.95 %
CD2 note(1)
06-30-22
03-31-25
10.50 %
0.150
120 %
10.71 %
2.95 %
21.78 %
CD1 note
06-30-22
03-31-25
7.50 %
0.150
120 %
10.71 %
2.95 %
19.89 %
RCD
note
06-30-22
03-31-25
9.00 %
0.150
120 %
10.71 %
2.95 %
19.89 %
CD1 note
09-30-22
03-31-25
7.50 %
0.085
120 %
13.31 %
4.19 %
23.35 %
RCD
note
09-30-22
03-31-25
9.00 %
0.085
120 %
13.31 %
4.19 %
23.35 %
CD2 note
09-30-22
03-31-25
10.50 %
0.085
120 %
13.31 %
4.19 %
25.21 %
CD1 note(3)
12-31-22
03-31-25
7.50 %
0.125
120 %
7.08 %
4.32 %
17.85 %
RCD
note
12-31-22
03-31-25
9.00 %
0.125
120 %
7.08 %
4.32 %
17.85 %
CD2 note(3)
12-31-22
03-31-25
10.50 %
0.125
120 %
7.08 %
4.32 %
19.76 %
(1)
The
CD1 carried a Discount for Lack of Marketability (“DLOM”) of 5.0 %
as of the issuance date and as of March 31, 2022. The CD2 carried a DLOM of 10.0 % as of the issuance date and June
30, 2022
(2)
CD1
and RCD carry an instrument-specific spread of 7.23 %, CD2 carries an instrument-specific spread of 9.32 %
(3)
The
conversion price of the CD1 is $ 0.219
and CD2 is $ 0.212 as of December 31, 2022
(4)
A
project risk rate of 13.0 % was used for all scenarios of the RCD fair value computations
(5)
The valuation of the RCD is driven by the aggregation of (i) the present
value of future potential cash flow to the royalty holder, in the event that the RCD is converted to a royalty, utilizing an estimate
of future metal sales and Monte Carlo simulations of future metal prices, and (ii) the computation of the present value assuming no conversion
to the 1.85 % gross revenue royalty. The valuation of (i) is compared to the valuation of (ii) for each simulation, with the higher value
used in the aggregation to arrive at the fair value of the RCD. This results in an implied probability of the RCD being converted to the
royalty, in the event that the Stream is advanced. Based on this methodology, as of December 31. 2022, the implied probability of the
RCD being converted to a 1.85 % royalty, in the event that the Stream is advanced, was 98 %. Credit spread, Risk-free rate, and Risk-adjusted
rate shown for the RCD are applicable to the scenario where the Stream is not advanced. There are immaterial differences in these inputs
for the scenario where the Stream is advanced. As of December 31, 2022 these were 6.71 %, 4.36 %, and 17.55 % respectively for the Scenario
where the Stream is advanced
54
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
The
resulting fair values of the CD1, RCD, and CD2 at the issuance dates, and as of December 31, 2022, were
as follows:
Schedule
of Fair Value Derivative Liability
Instrument
Description
Issuance date CD1 RCD, CD2
December
31,
2022
CD1
$ 6,320,807
$ 5,537,360
RCD
7,679,193
10,285,777
CD2
15,000,000
14,063,525
Total
$ 29,000,000
$ 29,886,662
The
total loss on fair value of debentures recognized during the year ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, was $ 1,140,537
and $ nil ,
respectively. The portion of changes in fair value that is attributable to changes in the Company’s credit risk is accounted
for within other comprehensive income. During the year ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company recognized $ 253,875
and $ nil
respectively, within other comprehensive income. Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $ 2,092,065 and $ nil respectively. At December
31, 2022 interest of $ 691,890 ($ nil at December 31, 2021) is included in interest payable on the consolidated balance sheets.
The
Company performs quarterly testing of the covenants in the RCD, CD1 and CD2, and was in compliance with all such covenants as of December
31, 2022.
The
Loan Facility
On
December 6, 2022, the Company closed a new $ 5,000,000
loan facility with Sprott (the “Bridge Loan”). The Bridge Loan is secured by the same security package that is in place
with respect to the RCD, CD1, and CD2. The
Bridge Loan bears interest at a rate of 10.5% per annum and matures at the earlier of (i) the advance of the Stream, or (ii) June
30, 2024 . In addition, the minimum quantity of metal delivered under the Stream, if advanced, would increase by 5 %
relative to amounts previously announced. Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $ 70,404 and $ nil respectively. At December 31,
2022 interest of $ 53,985 ($ nil at December 31, 2021) is included in interest payable on the consolidated balance sheets.
The
Stream
A
minimum of $ 27,000,000 and a maximum of $ 37,000,000 (the “Stream Amount”) will be made available under the Stream, at the
Company’s option, once the conditions of availability of the Stream have been satisfied, including confirmation of full project
funding by an independent engineer appointed by SRSR. If the Company draws the maximum funding of $ 37,000,000 , the Stream would apply
to 10% of payable metals sold until a minimum quantity of metal is delivered consisting of, individually, 55 million pounds of zinc,
35 million pounds of lead, and 1 million ounces of silver (subsequently amended, as described below). Thereafter, the Stream would apply
to 2% of payable metals sold. If the Company elects to draw less than $37,000,000 under the Stream, the percentage and quantities of
payable metals streamed will adjust pro-rata. The delivery price of streamed metals will be 20% of the applicable spot price. The Company
may buy back 50% of the Stream Amount at a 1.40x multiple of the Stream Amount between the second and third anniversary of the date of
funding, and at a 1.65x multiple of the Stream Amount between the third and fourth anniversary of the date of funding. As of December 31, 2022, the Stream had not been advanced.
55
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Concurrent
with the funding of the CD2 in June 2022, the Company and SRSR agreed that the minimum quantity of metal delivered under the Stream,
if advanced, will increase by 10% relative to the amounts noted above.
Other Interest
During the year ended December 31, 2022 and December
the Company recognized $ 72,304 and $ nil respectively of other interest expense.
10.
Lease liability
The
Company had an operating lease for office space that expired in 2022. Below is a summary of the Company’s lease liability as of
December 31, 2022:
Schedule of Operating Lease Liability
Office
lease
Balance,
December 31, 2020
$ 176,607
Addition
-
Interest
expense
12,696
Lease
payments
( 129,191 )
Foreign
exchange loss
2,165
Balance, December
31, 2021
62,277
Addition
-
Interest
expense
1,834
Lease
payments
( 64,828 )
Foreign
exchange loss
717
Balance,
December 31, 2022
-
11.
Capital stock, warrants and stock options
Authorized
The
total authorized capital is as follows:
●
1,500,000,000
common shares, with a par value of $ 0.000001 per common share; and
●
10,000,000
preferred shares with a par value of $ 0.000001 per preferred share
Issued
and outstanding
In
February 2021, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement of units of the Company (the “February 2021 Offering”),
issuing 19,576,360 units of the Company (“February 2021 Units”) at C$ 0.40 per February 2021 Unit for gross proceeds of $ 6,168,069
(C$ 7,830,544 ). Each February 2021 Unit consisted of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant of the Company
(each, “February 2021 Warrant”), which entitles the holder to acquire a common share of the Company at C$ 0.60 per common
share for a period of five years . In connection with the February 2021 Offering, the Company incurred share issuance costs of $ 154,630
and issued 351,000 compensation options (the “February 2021 Compensation Options”). Each February 2021 Compensation Option
is exercisable into one February 2021 Unit at an exercise price of C$ 0.40 for a period of three years.
The
Company also issued 417,720 February 2021 Units to settle $ 132,000 of accrued liabilities at a deemed price of $ 0.45 based on the fair
value of the units issued. As a result, the Company recorded a loss on debt settlement of $ 56,146 .
In
April 2022, the Company closed a private placement of 37,849,325 Special Warrants and a non-brokered private placement of 1,471,664 units
of the Company for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $ 9,384,622 (C$ 11,796,297 ). Related parties, including management, directors,
and consultants, participated in the Special Warrant private placement for a total of 4,809,160 shares (included in the total above).
56
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
The
Special Warrants were issued at a price of C$ 0.30 per special warrant. Each Special Warrant shall be automatically exercisable (without
payment of any further consideration and subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments) into one unit of the Company (a “Brokered
Unit”) on the date that is the earlier of: (i) the date that is three (3) business days following the date on which the Company
has obtained both (A) a receipt from the Canadian security commission in each of the each of the provinces of Canada which the purchasers
and Agents (as defined herein) are residents where the Special Warrants are sold (the “Qualifying Jurisdictions”) for a (final)
short-form prospectus qualifying the distribution of the common stock of the Company (“Common Shares”) and common stock purchase
warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”) issuable upon exercise of the Special Warrants (the “Qualification Prospectus”);
and (B) notification that the registration statement, under U.S. securities laws, of the Company filed with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has been declared effective by the SEC (the “Registration Statement”); and
(ii) the date that is six months following April 1, 2022 (the “Closing Date”). Each unit consists of one common share
and one warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share for C$ 0.37 until April 1, 2025. The warrants shall also
be exercisable on a cashless basis in the event the Registration Statement has not been made effective by the SEC prior to the date of
exercise.
On
May 31, 2022, the Company announced that it had received a receipt from the Ontario Securities Commission for its final short-form Canadian
prospectus qualifying the distribution of the common stock of the Company and common stock purchase warrants of the Company issuable
upon exercise of the special warrants of the Company that were issued on April 1, 2022. The Company also announced that it received notice
from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission that its Form S-1 has been declared effective as of May 27, 2022. As a result
of obtaining the receipt for the Canadian prospectus and the declaration of effectiveness for the Form S-1, each unexercised Special
Warrant was automatically exercised into one Common Share and one Warrant without further action on the part of the holders.
The
non-brokered 1,471,664 units were issued at a price of C$ 0.30 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one warrant. Each
warrant entitles the holder to acquire one warrant share for C$ 0.37 until April 1, 2025.
In
connection with the special warrants offering, the agents earned a cash commission in the amount of C$ 563,968 and compensation options
exercisable to acquire an aggregate of 1,879,892 units of the Company at C$ 0.30 a unit until April 1, 2024. Each compensation unit consists
of one common share and one warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one warrant share for C$ 0.37 until April 1, 2024.
In April 2022, the Company issued 1,315,856 common
shares in connection with its election to satisfy interest payments under the outstanding convertible debentures for the three months
ended March 31, 2022.
In April 2022, the Company issued 768,750 shares in
connection with the settlement of RSU’s.
In
May 2022, the Company issued 10,416,667 units to Teck Resources Limited in consideration towards the purchase of the Pend Oreille Processing
Plant at C$ 0.245 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one warrant
share for C$ 0.37 until May 13, 2025.
In
June 2022, the Company issued 1,218,000 units to contractors for bonuses during the three months ended March 31, 2022. Each unit
consists of one common share and one warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire one warrant share for C$ 0.37 until April 1,
2025.
In June 2022, the Company issued 165,000 shares in
connection with the settlement of RSU’s.
In
July 2022, the Company issued 1,975,482 common shares in connection with its election to satisfy interest payments under the outstanding
convertible debentures for the three months ended June 30, 2022.
In September 2022, the Company issued 33,000 common
shares in connection with the settlement of RSU’s.
In
October 2022, the Company issued 8,252,940 common shares in connection with its election to satisfy interest payments under the outstanding
convertible debentures for the three months ended September 30, 2022.
In
November 2022, the Company issued 1,599,150 common shares in connection with settlement of RSU’s.
For
each financing, the Company has accounted for the warrants in accordance with ASC Topic 815 Derivatives and Hedging. The warrants are considered derivative
instruments as they were issued in a currency other than the Company’s functional currency of the U.S. dollar. The estimated
fair value of warrants accounted for as liabilities was determined on the date of issue and marks to market at each financial
reporting period. The change in fair value of the warrant is recorded in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive
loss as a gain or loss in the change in derivative liability line
item and is estimated using the Binomial model.
57
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
The
fair value of the warrant liabilities related to the various tranches of warrants issued during the period were estimated using the Binomial
model to determine the fair value using the following assumptions on the day of issuance and as at December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021:
Schedule of Estimated Using the Binomial Model to Determine the Fair Value of Warrant Liabilities
April
2022 special warrants issuance
December
31,
2022
April
1,
2022
Expected
life
822
days
1,096
days
Volatility
120 %
120 %
Risk
free interest rate
4.06 %
2.35 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price (C$)
$ 0.17
$ 0.29
Fair
value
$ 2,406,104
$ 5,947,232
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 3,541,128 )
$ -
April
2022 non-brokered issuance
December
31,
2022
April
1,
2022
Expected
life
822
days
1,096
days
Volatility
120 %
120 %
Risk
free interest rate
4.06 %
2.35 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price (C$)
$ 0.17
$ 0.29
Fair
value
$ 93,553
$ 186,190
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 92,637 )
$ -
May
2022 Teck issuance
December
31,
2022
May
13,
2022
Expected
life
864
days
1,096
days
Volatility
120 %
120 %
Risk
free interest rate
4.06 %
2.68 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price (C$)
$ 0.17
$ 0.25
Fair
value
$ 684,497
$ 1,273,032
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 588,535 )
$ -
June
2022 issuance
December
31,
2022
June
30,
2022
Expected
life
822
days
1,006
days
Volatility
120 %
120 %
Risk
free interest rate
3.72 %
3.14 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price (C$)
$ 0.17
$ 0.20
Fair
value
$ 77,429
$ 113,425
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 35,996 )
$ -
February
2021 issuance
December
31,
2022
December
31,
2021
Expected
life
1,136
days
1,501
days
Volatility
120 %
100 %
Risk
free interest rate
3.72 %
1.25 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price
$ 0.17
$ 0.37
Fair
value
$ 1,335,990
$ 3,483,745
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 2,147,756 )
$ -
The
warrant liabilities as a result of the August 2018, November 2018, June 2019, August 2019, and August 2020 private placements were revalued
as at December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 using the Binomial model and the following assumptions:
August
2020 issuance
December
31,
2022
December
31,
2021
Expected
life
243
days
608
days
Volatility
120 %
100 %
Risk
free interest rate
4.06 %
0.95 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price
$ 0.17
$ 0.37
Fair
value
$ 903,697
$ 6,790,163
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 5,886,466 )
$ -
58
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
June
2019 issuance (i)
December
31,
2022
December
31,
2021
Expected
life
1,096
days
1,461
days
Volatility
120 %
100 %
Risk
free interest rate
3.82 %
1.02 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price
$ 0.17
$ 0.37
Fair
value
$ 725,737
$ 2,067,493
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 1,341,756 )
$ -
(i) During the six
months ended December 31, 2020, the Company amended the exercise price to C$ 0.59
per common share and extended the expiry date
to December
31, 2025 for 11,660,000
warrants.
August
2019 issuance (ii)
December
31,
2022
December
31,
2021
Expected
life
1,096
days
1,461
days
Volatility
120 %
100 %
Risk
free interest rate
3.82 %
1.02 %
Dividend
yield
0 %
0 %
Share
price
$ 0.17
$ 0.37
Fair
value
$ 1,115,369
$ 3,177,485
Change
in derivative liability
$ ( 2,062,116 )
$ -
(ii) During the six
months ended December 31, 2020, the Company amended the exercise price to C$ 0.59 per common share and extended the expiry date to December
31, 2025 , for 17,920,000 warrants. The terms of the remaining 2,752,900 warrants remain unchanged.
Warrants
Schedule of Warrant Activity
Weighted
Weighted
average
average
Number
of
exercise
price
grant
date
warrants
(C$)
value
($)
Balance,
December 31, 2020
95,777,806
$ 0.54
$ 0.18
Issued
19,994,080
0.60
0.19
Expired
( 4,359,174 )
0.59
0.19
Balance,
December 31, 2021
111,412,712
$ 0.54
$ 0.18
Issued
50,955,636
0.37
0.15
Expired
( 239,284 )
0.70
0.21
Balance,
December 31, 2022
162,129,064
$ 0.49
$ 0.17
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, 239,284 February 2020 broker warrants expired.
At
December 31, 2022, the following warrants were outstanding:
Schedule of Warrants Outstanding Exercise Price
Exercise
Number
of
Number
of
warrants
Expiry
date
price
(C$)
warrants
exercisable
August
31, 2023
0.50
58,284,148
58,284,148
December
31, 2025
0.59
32,895,200
32,895,200
February
9, 2026
0.60
17,112,500
17,112,500
February
16, 2026
0.60
2,881,580
2,881,580
April
1, 2025
0.37
40,538,969
40,538,969
May
13, 2025
0.37
10,416,667
10,416,667
162,129,064
162,129,064
59
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Compensation
options
At
December 31, 2022, the following compensation options were outstanding:
Schedule
of Compensation Options
Weighted
Number
of
average
broker
exercise
price
options
(C$)
Issued
- August 2020 Compensation Options
3,239,907
$ 0.35
Balance,
December 31, 2020
3,239,907
$ 0.35
Issued
– February 2021 Compensation Options
351,000
0.40
Balance,
December 31, 2021
3,590,907
0.35
Issued
– April 2022 Compensation Options
1,879,892
0.30
Balance,
December 31, 2022
5,470,799
$ 0.34
Schedule of Estimated Using Black-Scholes Valuation Model for Fair Value of Broker Options
Grant
Date
Risk
free interest rate
Dividend
yield
Volatility
Stock
price
Weighted
average
life
August
2020
0.31 %
0 %
100 %
C$ 0.35
3
years
February 2021
0.26 %
0 %
100 %
C$ 0.40
3
years
April 1, 2022
2.34 %
0 %
120 %
C$ 0.30
2
years
Schedule of Broker Exercise Prices
Exercise
Number
of
Fair
value
Expiry
date
price
(C$)
broker
options
($)
August
31, 2023 (i)
$ 0.35
3,239,907
$ 521,993
February
16, 2024 (ii)
$ 0.40
351,000
$ 68,078
April
1, 2024 (iii)
$ 0.30
1,879,892
$ 264,435
5,470,799
$ 854,506
(i) Exercisable into
one August 2020 Unit
(ii) Exercisable into
one February 2021 Unit
(iii) Exercisable into
one April 2022 Unit
60
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
Stock
options
The
following table summarizes the stock option activity during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
Schedule of Stock Options
Weighted
average
Number
of
exercise
price
stock
options
(C$)
Balance,
December 31, 2020
8,015,159
$ 0.62
Granted
(i)
1,037,977
0.34
Balance,
December 31, 2021
9,053,136
$ 0.58
Granted
(ii)
700,000
0.15
Expired
May 1, 2022
( 47,500 )
10.00
Forfeited
November 25, 2022
( 150,000 )
0.15
Expired
December 31, 2022
( 235,500 )
0.50
Balance,
December 31, 2022
9,320,636
$ 0.51
(i)
On
February 19, 2021, 1,037,977 stock options were issued to an officer of the Company, of which 273,271 stock options vested immediately
and the balance of 764,706 stock options vested on December 31, 2021. These options have a 5 -year life and are exercisable at C$ 0.335
per common share. The grant date fair value of the options was estimated at $ 204,213 . The vesting of these options resulted in stock-based
compensation of $ nil for the year ended December 31, 2022 ($ 204,213 for the year ended December 31, 2021) which is included in operation
and administration expenses on the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
(ii)
On
August 24, 2022, 300,000 stock options were issued to an employee of the Company, of which
150,000 vested immediately and the remaining balance of outstanding options to vest equally
over the next two anniversaries of the grant date. These options have a 5 -year life and are
exercisable at C$ 0.15 per common share. The grant fair value of the options was estimated
at $ 28,930 . The vesting of these options resulted in stock-based compensation of $ 15,594
for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is included in the operation and administration
expense of the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
(iii)
On
November 23, 2022, 400,000 stock options were issued to an employee of the Company, of which 200,000 vested immediately and the remaining
balance of outstanding options to vest equally over the next two anniversaries of the grant date. These options have a 5 -year life
and are exercisable at C$ 0.15 per common share. The grant fair value of the options was estimated at $ 37,387 . The vesting of these
options resulted in stock-based compensation of $ 20,191 for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is included in the operation
and administration expense of the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
The
fair value of these stock options was determined on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model, and using the following
underlying assumptions:
Schedule of Estimated Using Black-Scholes Valuation Model for Fair value of Stock Options
Risk
free
interest
rate
Dividend
yield
Volatility
Stock
price
Weighted
average life
(i)
0.64 %
0 %
100 %
C$ 0.34
5
years
(ii)
3.27 %
0 %
120 %
C$ 0.15
5
years
(iii)
3.22 %
0 %
120 %
C$ 0.15
5
years
The
following table reflects the actual stock options issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022:
Schedule
of Actual Stock Options Issued and Outstanding
Number
of
remaining
Number
of
options
Exercise
contractual
options
vested
Grant
date
price
(C$)
life
(years)
outstanding
(exercisable)
fair
value ($)
0.60
0.75
200,000
200,000
52,909
0.60
1.82
1,575,000
1,575,000
435,069
0.55
2.30
5,957,659
2,978,830
1,536,764
0.335
3.14
1,037,977
1,037,977
204,213
0.15
0.90
150,000
150,000
14,465
0.15
4.90
400,000
200,000
37,387
9,320,636
6,141,807
$ 2,280,807
61
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
12.
Income per Share
Potentially
dilutive securities include convertible loan payable, warrants, broker options, stock options, and unvested restricted share units (“RSU”).
Diluted income per share reflects the assumed exercise or conversion of all dilutive securities using the treasury stock method.
Schedule
of Income Per Share
Year ended December 31,
2022
Year ended December 31,
2021
Net
income (loss) for the period
898,591
( 6,402,277 )
Basic
income (loss) per share Weighted average number of common shares - basic
205,950,811
161,868,334
Net
income (loss) per share – basic
0.00
( 0.04 )
Net
income (loss) for the period
898,591
( 6,402,277 )
Dilutive
effect of convertible debentures
( 370,121 )
-
Dilutive
effect of warrants on net income
-
-
Diluted
net income (loss) for the period
528,470
( 6,402,277 )
Diluted income (loss)
per share
205,950,811
161,868,334
Weighted average
number of common shares - basic
Diluted
effect:
Stock options and RSUs
63,850,470
-
Weighted
average number of common shares - fully diluted
269,801,281
161,868,334
Net
income (loss) per share - fully diluted
0.00
( 0.04 )
13.
Restricted share units
Effective
March 25, 2020, the Board of Directors approved a Restricted Share Unit (“RSU”) Plan to grant RSUs to its officers, directors,
key employees and consultants.
The
following table summarizes the RSU activity during the year ended December 31, 2022:
Schedule of Restricted Share Units
Weighted
average
grant
date
fair
value
Number
of
per
share
shares
(C$)
Unvested
as at December 31, 2020
988,990
$ 0.39
Granted
1,348,434
0.38
Vested
( 1,516,299 )
0.41
Forfeited
( 245,125 )
0.52
Unvested
as at December 31, 2021
576,000
$ 0.62
Granted
6,620,641
0.17
Vested
( 2,373,900 )
0.18
Unvested
as at December 31, 2022
4,822,741
$ 0.22
62
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
(i)
On January 1, 2021, the Company granted 735,383 RSUs to a consultant of the Company. 245,128 RSUs vested immediately with the remaining
RSUs vesting in one twelfth increments per month. During the year ended 2021, a total of 490,258 RSUs vested, and in July 2021, the consultant
forfeited the remaining 245,125 unvested RSUs, resulting in a reversal of share-based compensation of $ 64,870 . The vesting of these RSUs
resulted in stock-based compensation of $ nil for the year ended December 31, 2022 and $ 199,542 for the year ended December 31, 2021,
which is included in operation and administration expenses on the consolidated statements of loss and comprehensive loss.
(ii)
On July 1, 2021, the Company granted 17,823 RSUs to a consultant of the Company, vested immediately. The vesting of these RSUs resulted
in stock-based compensation of $ nil for the year ended December 31, 2022 and $ 4,026 for the year ended December 31, 2021, which is included
in operation and administration expenses on the consolidated statements of loss and comprehensive loss.
(iii)
On August 5, 2021, the Company granted 595,228 RSUs to consultants of the Company, vested immediately. The vesting of these RSUs resulted
in stock-based compensation of $ nil for the year ended December 31, 2022 and $ 100,022 for the year ended December 31, 2021, which is
included in operation and administration expenses on the consolidated statements of loss and comprehensive loss.
(iv)
On January 10, 2022, the Company granted 500,000 RSUs to a consultant of the Company, vested immediately. The vesting of these RSUs
resulted in stock-based compensation of $ 122,249 for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is included in operation and administration
expenses on the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
(v)
On April 29, 2022, the Company granted 76,750 RSUs to certain consultants of the Company, vested immediately. The vesting of these RSUs
resulted in stock-based compensation of $ 16,800 for the year ended December, 2022, which is included in operation and administration
expenses on the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
(vi)
On June 30, 2022, the Company granted 15,000 RSUs to a consultant of the Company, vested immediately. The vesting of these RSUs resulted
in stock-based compensation of $ 2,328 for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is included in operation and administration expenses
on the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
(vii)
On September 29, 2022 the Company granted 33,000 RSUs to two consultants of the Company, vested immediately. The vesting of these RSUs
resulted in stock-based compensation of $ 2,889 for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is included in operation and administration
expenses on the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
(viii)
On October 31, 2022 the Company granted 1,599,150 RSUs to two consultants of the Company, vested immediately. The vesting of these RSUs
resulted in stock-based compensation of $ 111,304 for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is included in operation and administration
expenses on the consolidated statements of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss).
(ix)
On November 17, 2022 the Company granted 4,396,741 RSUs to certain key management of the Company. The RSUs vest in one third increments
upon each anniversary of the grant date. The vesting of these RSUs resulted in stock-based compensation of $ 79,504 for the year ended
December 31, 2022, which is included in operation and administration expenses on the consolidated statements of loss and comprehensive
loss.
14.
Deferred share units
Effective
April 21, 2020, the Board of Directors approved a Deferred Share Unit (“DSU”) Plan to grant DSUs to its directors. The DSU
Plan permits the eligible directors to defer receipt of all or a portion of their retainer or compensation until termination of their
services and to receive such fees in the form of cash at that time.
Upon
vesting of the DSUs or termination of service as a director, the director will be able to redeem DSUs based upon the then market price
of the Company’s common share on the date of redemption in exchange for cash.
63
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
The
following table summarizes the DSU activity during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
Schedule of Deferred Share Units
Weighted
average
grant
date
fair
value
Number
of
per
share
shares
(C$)
Unvested
as at December 31, 2020
7,500,000
$ 1.03
Vested
( 1,875,000 )
1.03
Unvested
as at December 31, 2021
5,625,000
$ 1.03
Granted
(i)
210,000
0.20
Vested
(ii)(iii)
( 3,125,000 )
1.03
Unvested
as at December 31, 2022
2,710,000
$ 1.00
(i)
On
April 21, 2020, the Company granted 7,500,000 DSUs. The DSUs vest in one fourth increments upon each anniversary of the grant date
and expire in 5 years. On July 1, 2022 the Company granted 210,000 DSU’s, these DSU’s vest after 12 months of the issuance
date. During the year ended December 31, 2022, and 2021 the Company recognized recovery of $ 282,967 and expense of $ 421,284 , respectively,
in stock-based compensation related to the DSUs, which is included in operation and administration expenses on the consolidated statements
of income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss), as DSU’s were settled in cash during the year ended December 31, 2022. Upon
redemption of the 2,500,000 DSUs (see (iii)) the fair value of the remaining DSU liability at December, 2022 was $ 573,742 .
(ii)
On
March 31, 2022, the Board approved the early vesting of 625,000 DSUs for one of the Company’s Directors.
(iii)
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, the director redeemed 2,500,000 DSUs for C$ 750,000 , and elected to use net proceeds to subscribe
for 375,000 units in the Company’s April 2022 special warrant issuance at C$ 0.30 per unit, with the balance of the redeemed
amount payable in cash after applicable withholding tax deductions. The DSU’s were therefore all accelerated to vest.
15.
Commitments and contingencies
As
stipulated in the agreement with the EPA and as described in Note 7, the Company is required to make two types of payments to the EPA
and IDEQ, one for historical water treatment cost-recovery to the EPA, and the other for ongoing water treatment. Water treatment costs
incurred through December 2021 are payable to the EPA, and water treatment costs incurred thereafter are payable to the IDEQ. The IDEQ
(as done formerly by the EPA) invoices the Company on an annual basis for the actual water treatment costs, which may exceed the recognized
estimated costs significantly. When the Company receives the water treatment invoices, it records any liability for actual costs over
and above any estimates made and adjusts future estimates as required based on these actual invoices received. The Company is required
to pay for the actual costs regardless of the periodic required estimated accruals and payments made each year.
On
July 28, 2021, a lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Idaho brought by Crescent Mining, LLC (“Crescent”).
The named defendants include Placer Mining, Robert Hopper Jr., and the Company. The lawsuit alleges that Placer Mining and Robert Hopper
Jr. intentionally flooded the Crescent Mine during the period from 1991 and 1994, and that the Company is jointly and severally liable
with the other defendants for unspecified past and future costs associated with the presence of AMD in the Crescent Mine. The plaintiff
has requested unspecified damages. On September 20, 2021, the Company filed a motion to dismiss Crescent’s claims against it, contending
that such claims are facially deficient. On March 2, 2022, Chief US District Court Judge, David C. Nye granted in part and denied
in part the Company’s motion to dismiss. The court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss Crescent’s Cost Recovery
claim under CERCLA Section 107(a), Declaratory Judgment, Tortious Interference, Trespass, Nuisance and Negligence claims. These claims
were dismissed without prejudice. The court denied the motion to dismiss filed by Placer Mining Corp. for Crescent’s trespass,
nuisance and negligence claims. Crescent later filed an amended complaint on April 1, 2022. Placer Mining Corp. and Bunker Hill Mining
Corp are named as co-defendants. Bunker Hill responded to the amended filing, refuting and denying all allegations made in the complaint
except those that are assertions of fact as a matter of public record. The Company believes Crescent’s lawsuit is without merit
and intends to vigorously defend itself, as well as Placer Mining Corp. pursuant to the Company’s indemnification of Placer Mining
Corp in the Sale and Purchase agreement executed between the companies for the Mine on December 15, 2021.
64
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
16.
Income taxes
As
at December 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, the Company had no accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions. The
income tax provision differs from the amount of income tax determined by applying the U.S. federal tax rate of 21.0 % (December 31, 2021
– 21.0 %) to pretax loss from operations for the periods ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021:
Schedule of Income Tax Provision
Year
Year
Ended
Ended
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Income
(loss) before income taxes
$ 898,591
$ ( 6,402,277 )
Expected
income tax recovery
188,704
( 1,344,478 )
Change
in estimates in respect of prior periods
( 41,351 )
837,195
Change
in tax rate
133,687
274,477
Change
in fair value of derivative liability
( 3,296,242 )
( 2,583,095 )
State
and local taxes, net of federal benefit
( 709,272 )
( 960,296 )
Other
308
5,033
Change
in valuation allowance
3,724,166
3,771,164
Total
$ -
$ -
Deferred
tax assets and the valuation account are as follows:
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Deferred
tax asset:
Net
operating loss carryforwards
$ 10,291,114
$ 6,724,313
Mineral
interest purchase option
-
10,707,362
Mining
interests
8,391,938
-
EPA
liabilities
2,068,062
-
Other
deferred tax assets
851,563
454,499
Valuation
allowance
( 21,602,677 )
( 17,886,174 )
Total
$ -
$ -
Schedule of Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Deferred
tax asset:
Net
operating loss carryforwards
$ 101,662
$ 59,955
Deferred
tax liabilities:
Equipment
-
( 18,809 )
Unrealized
foreign exchange gain
( 101,662 )
( 41,146 )
Net
deferred tax asset
$ -
$ -
The
potential income tax benefit of these losses has been offset by a full valuation allowance.
As
of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company has an unused net operating loss carryforward balance of $ 40,227,950 , and $ 26,356,908 ,
respectively, that is available to offset future taxable income. The net operating loss carryforwards generated before 2018 expire between
2031 and 2037. The losses generated in 2018 and later tax years do not expire.
The
Company did not have any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly
increase or decrease within the next 12 months.
The
tax years that remain subject to examination by major taxing jurisdictions are those for the years ended December 31, 2022 and December
31, 2021 and years 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.
65
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
17.
Related party transactions
The
Company’s key management personnel have the authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities
of the Company and consists of the Company’s executive management team and management directors.
Schedule of Related Party Transactions
Year
Ended
Year
Ended
December
31,
December
31,
2022
2021
Consulting
fees, wages and bonus
$ 1,429,326
$ 901,210
At
December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, $ 154,797 and $ 279,554 , respectively is owed to key management personnel with all amounts included
in accounts payable and accrued liabilities.
(i)
During the year ended December 31, 2022, Wayne Parsons (Director and former CFO) billed $ 147,287 (year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 120,127 )
for consulting services to the Company, in addition to 2,500,000 DSU’s which settled on June 30, 2022, at a value of $ 582,027 concurrent with his
departure from the Board of Directors.
(ii)
During the year ended December 31, 2022, Richard Williams (Director and Executive Chairman) billed $ 372,084
(year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 179,605 )
for consulting services and bonus payment to the Company. At December 31, 2022, $ 135,600
is owed to Richard Williams (December 31, 2021 - $ 108,719 )
for consulting services, with all amounts included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities.
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, 1,110,756 restricted share units (RSU’s) were issued to Richard Williams which will vest in one third
increments on March 31, 2023, March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2025. The vesting of these RSU’s resulted in stock-based compensation
of $ 20,085 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(iii)
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company incurred $ 438,600
in payroll expense and bonus payment for Sam Ash (year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 250,000 )
for services to the Company. At December 31, 2022, $ nil
(December 31, 2021 - $ 62,500 )
is payable and included in accrued liabilities.
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, 1,249,600 restricted share units (RSU’s) were issued to Sam Ash which will vest in one third
increments on March 31, 2023, March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2025. The vesting of these RSU’s resulted in stock-based compensation
of $ 22,596 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(iv)
During the year ended December 31, 2022, Pam Saxton (Director) billed $ 36,133 (year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 37,669 ) for consulting
services to the Company.
(v)
During the year ended December 31, 2022, Cassandra Joseph (Director) billed $ 36,133 (year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 37,494 ) for consulting
services to the Company.
(vi)
During the year ended December 31, 2022, Mark Cruise (Director) billed $ 15,774 (year ended December 31, 2021 - $0) for consulting services
to the Company. On July 1, 2022, the Company issued 210,000 DSU’s to a Mark Cruise.
(vii)
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company incurred $ 383,315
in payroll expense and bonus payment for David Wiens (CFO) (year ended December 31, 2021, $ 276,315 )
for services to the Company. At December 31, 2022, $ 19,197
(year ended December 31, 2021 - $ 108,335 )
is payable, including reimbursable expenses, and included in accrued liabilities.
During
the year ended December 31, 2022, 1,018,193 restricted share units (RSU’s) were issued to David Wiens which will vest in one third
increments on March 31, 2023, March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2025. The vesting of these RSU’s resulted in stock-based compensation
of $ 18,411 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
During
the year ended December 31, 2021, 1,037,977 stock options were issued to David Wiens, of which 273,271 stock options vested immediately
and the balance of 764,706 stock options vested on December 31, 2021. These options have a 5 -year life and are exercisable at C$ 0.335
per common share. The grant date fair value of the options was estimated at $ 204,213 . The vesting of these options resulted in stock-based
compensation of $ 204,213 for the year ended December 31, 2021.
66
Bunker
Hill Mining Corp.
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Years
Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021
(Expressed
in United States Dollars)
18.
Subsequent events
Share
Issuance
On
January 10, 2023, the Company issued 6,377,272 common shares in connection with its election to satisfy interest payments under the outstanding
convertible debentures for the three months ending December 31, 2022.
On
March 31, 2023, the Company issued 8,464,288 common shares in connection with its election to satisfy interest payments under the outstanding
convertible debentures for the three months ending March 31, 2023.
Corporate
Update
On
February 28, 2023, the Company reported that it had temporarily paused discretionary projects and procurement activities until the completion
of its financing initiatives. Primarily due to the inability to procure certain long-lead items that were planned to be ordered by February
2023, and longer estimated delivery times thereof, the Company now expects the Bunker Hill Mine restart to be achieved in 2024.
Teck
Warrant Amendment
On
March 15, 2023, the Company amended the exercise price of 10,416,667 common stock purchase warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”)
and the expiry date of the warrants to March 31, 2023. The Warrants comprise units of the Company issued to Teck Resources Limited (“Teck”)
on a private placement basis on May 13, 2022, in consideration for the Company’s acquisition of the Pend Oreille process plant.
Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of common stock of the Company (each, a “Warrant Share”) at
an exercise price of C$ 0.37 per Warrant Share at any time on or prior to May 12, 2025. The Company amended the exercise price of the
Warrants from C$ 0.37 to C$ 0.11 per Warrant Share (the “Amended Exercise Price”) and amend the expiry date from May 12, 2025,
to March 31, 2023. Following the amendment of the terms of the warrants, Teck exercised all 10,416,667 warrants at an exercise price
of C$ 0.11 , for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$ 1,145,834 to the Company.
Termination
of Prospectus Offering and Private Placement
On
February 15, 2023, the Company reported that it intended to terminate its previously announced prospectus offering of Common Shares following
its determination that effectiveness of a registration statement on Form S-1 would not be achievable in a time frame consistent with
its capital requirements. Concurrently, the Company announced that it had entered into an agreement with a syndicate of agents in connection
with a proposed private placement of up to C$ 9 million of special warrants of the Company (the “Special Warrants”).
On
March 28, 2023, the Company announced the closing of its private placement of the Special Warrants by issuing 51,633,727 Special Warrants
at a price of C$ 0.12 per Special Warrant, for aggregate gross proceeds of C$ 6,196,047.26 . Each Unit consists of one share of common stock
of the Company (each, a “Unit Share”) and one common stock purchase warrant of the Company (each, a “Warrant”).
Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one share of common stock of the Company (a “Warrant Share”, and
together with the Unit Shares, the “Underlying Shares”) at an exercise price of C$ 0.15 per Warrant Share until March 27, 2026.
In consideration for their services in connection with the Offering, a cash commission in the amount of C$ 211,461.38 is payable to the
Agents. The Agents were also issued 2,070,258 compensation options (the “Compensation Options”). Each Compensation Option
is exercisable to acquire one unit of the Company (a “Compensation Unit”) at the Issue Price for a period of 36 months from
March 27, 2023, subject to adjustment in certain events. Each Compensation Unit consists of one share of common stock of the Company
and one common stock purchase warrant of the Company (an “Agents’ Compensation Warrant”). Each Agents’ Compensation
Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one share of common stock of the Company (an “Agents’ Compensation Warrant
Share”) at a price of C$ 0.15 per Agents’ Compensation Warrant Share until March 27, 2026.
67
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
Effective
September 2, 2014, the Company appointed the firm of MNP, LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the Company’s principal independent
accountant to audit the Company’s financial statements. The Company has had no disagreements with its accountants that would require
disclosure pursuant to Item 304 of Regulation S-K.
ITEM
9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
The
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) defines the term “disclosure controls and procedures” to mean a company’s
controls and other procedures of an issuer that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that
it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation,
controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits
under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including its principal executive and principal
financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
The Company maintains such a system of controls and procedures in an effort to ensure that all information which it is required to disclose
in the reports it files under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified under
the SEC’s rules and forms and that information required to be disclosed is accumulated and communicated to principal executive
and principal financial officers to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
As of the end of the period covered by this report, the Company made an
evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the disclosure controls and procedures over financial reporting for the
timely alert to material information required to be included in the Company’s periodic SEC reports and of ensuring that such information
is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified. This evaluation resulted in the conclusion that
the design and operation of the disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2022.
Internal
Control Over Financial Reporting
The
management of the Company is responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and related financial information appearing
in this report. The financial statements and notes have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in
the United States of America. The management of the Company also is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control
over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. A company’s internal control over
financial reporting is defined as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s
internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: i) pertain to the maintenance of records that
in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; ii) provide reasonable
assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the issuer are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management
and directors of the Company; and iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition,
use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Management,
including the CEO and CFO, does not expect that the Company’s disclosure controls, procedures and internal control over financial reporting will prevent all error
and all fraud. Because of its inherent limitations, a system of internal control over financial reporting can provide only reasonable,
not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met and may not prevent or detect misstatements. Further, over
time, control may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may
deteriorate. The design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must
be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide
absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected. These inherent limitations
include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake.
Additionally, controls can be circumvented if there exists in an individual a desire to do so. There can be no assurance that any design
will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
With the participation of the CEO and CFO, the Company’s management
evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022 to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports filed or submitted by the Company under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, including to ensure that information required
to be disclosed by the Company in the reports filed or submitted by the Company under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated
to the Company’s management, including the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officer, or persons performing
similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by
the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on that evaluation, the Company’s
CEO and CFO have concluded that the internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2022.
Changes
in Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There
has been no change in the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, other than
the remediation of the material weakness described below that materially affected or was reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s
disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting.
Remediation
of Previously Reported Material Weakness
As
previously disclosed in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, management had concluded there was a material weakness in
the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and identified significant deficiencies in the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting.
Remediation
actions were fully implemented and executed during the year ended December 31, 2022, which include:
● The
Company replaced certain accounting resources with qualified finance and accounting staff
who are experienced in established and proven internal controls and accounting procedures
with other companies in the same industry.
● The
Company engaged a third-party firm to assist in developing and implementing disclosure controls
and procedures and internal control policies and procedures over financial reporting.
● Appropriate
segregation and assignment of duties between individuals and third-party firms were implemented
to perform the regular accounting and finance functions of the Company to assure that transactions
occurred timely and in a controlled manner.
● Processes
and controls were implemented over accounts payable transactions and account reconciliations,
including the timely submission, review and payment of management expense reports.
These
remediation actions were fully implemented and are reflected in the Company’s transactions in 2022; and, as a result, the Company’s
management, with the participation of the CEO and CFO, have concluded that, as of December 31. 2022, the material weakness was remediated.
This
report does not include an attestation report of the Company’s registered public accounting firm regarding disclosure controls
and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report is not subject to attestation by the Company’s
registered public accounting firm.
ITEM
9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
68
PART
III
ITEM
10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Directors
and Executive Officers
The
following table sets forth the directors, executive officers, their ages, and all offices and positions held within the Company as of
December 31, 2022. Directors are elected for a period of one year and thereafter serve until their successor is duly elected by the stockholders
and qualified. Officers and other employees serve at the will of the Board.
Name
Position
Held with the Company
Age
Date
First Elected or Appointed
Sam
Ash
President,
CEO and Director
44
April
14, 2020
Richard
Williams
Executive
Chairman and Director
56
March
27, 2020
David
Wiens
CFO
and Corporate Secretary
43
January
12, 2021
Mark
Cruise
Director
52
June
30, 2022
Cassandra
Joseph
Director
51
November
2, 2020
Dickson
Hall
Director
70
January
5, 2018
Pamela
Saxton
Director
70
October
30, 2020
Biographical
Information
Sam
Ash was a Partner from 2015 at Barrick Gold Corp. (“Barrick”) and held various roles over the nine years employed
there. This includes three years as General Manager of the Lumwana Copper Mine in Zambia, Technical Support Manager to Barrick’s
Copper Business Unit, General Support Manager on the Cortez Mine in Nevada and Chief Engineer leading the roll-out of new Underground
Mining standards in the USA and Tanzania. Prior to his time at Barrick, Mr. Ash served as Manager of New Operations for Veris Gold Corp.
(formerly, Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp.) primarily on the Jerritt Canyon Mine in Nevada, and also as an Underground Mine Supervisor with Drummond
Company, Inc. He has recently completed his Masters’ Degree in Leadership and Strategy at the London Business School and has a
BS in Mining Engineering from the University of Missouri Rolla.
Richard
Williams is an executive with an established track-record of transformational leadership within the mining industry and other
demanding environments. He is currently an advisor to companies facing complex operational, political or ESG challenges. Formerly the
Chief Operating Officer of Barrick and the company’s Executive Envoy to Tanzania, he has also served as Chief Executive Officer
of the Afghan Gold and Minerals Company, Non-Executive Director of Trevali Mining Corporation and as a Non-Executive Director of Gem
Diamonds Limited. Prior to his commercial mining experience, Mr. Williams served as the Commanding Officer of the British Army’s
Special Forces Regiment, the SAS. He holds an MBA from Cranfield University, a BSc in Economics from University College London and an
MA in Security Studies from Kings College London.
David
Wiens is the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Wiens is an experienced mining executive with
over 18 years’ experience in corporate finance, financial planning & analysis, treasury and investor relations. Mr. Wiens spent
the last eight years with Americas-focused precious metals companies, including over six years at SSR Mining Inc. where he was part of
a team that transformed the company from a single asset silver producer with limited mine life to a diversified long-life precious metals
company, while meeting production and cost guidance seven years in a row. As Director, Corporate Finance, he led a number of functions
including corporate finance, FP&A, treasury, investor relations, concentrate marketing and gold dore sales. SSR Mining Inc. completed
a $5 billion merger with Alacer Gold Corp. in September 2020. Prior to his corporate roles, he was an investment banker at a number of
financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank AG in London, United Kingdom. Mr. Wiens earned his Bachelor of Commerce with a Finance
specialization at the University of British Columbia in Canada, is a CFA® Charterholder, and is completing the CPA designation.
Mark
Cruise is a professional geologist with over 27 years of international exploration, development and mining experience. A former
polymetallic commodity specialist with Anglo American plc, Dr Cruise founded and was Chief Executive Officer of Trevali Mining Corporation.
Under his leadership, from 2008-2019, the company grew from an initial discovery into a global zinc-lead-silver producer with operations
in the Americas and Africa. He has previously served as Vice President Business Development and Exploration, COO and CEO for several
TSX, TSX-Venture and NYSE-Americas listed exploration and development Companies. Mark has been an independent Director ofmultiple TSX-V;
TSX and NYSE-Americas listed Companies with market capitalizations ranging from tens of millions to in-excess of US$1 billion.
69
Cassandra Joseph is an American lawyer
with extensive experience managing the commercial relationship between mining companies and environmental regulators. She is currently
VP General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, having previously been Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for
Nevada Copper Corp. and Associate General Counsel for Tahoe Resources Inc. until it was acquired by Pan American Silver Corp. in 2019.
Before this, she worked for the Attorney Generals of California and Nevada, as Deputy and Senior Deputy Attorney General, and as a partner
in Watson Rounds PLC (now Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP). Educated at Santa Clara University, and University of California at Berkeley,
she was called to the State Bar of California in 1999; the US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit in 2001; State Bar of Nevada in 2005; and
the US Supreme Court, US Court of Appeals and Federal Circuit in 2007.
Dickson
Hall currently serves as a Director. He is a partner in Valuestone Advisory Limited, manager of Valuestone Global Resources
Fund 1, a mining fund associated with Jiangxi Copper Corporation and China Construction Bank International. Mr. Hall has more than 40
years’ experience in the resource field, much of it in Asia. From 2005 to 2016 he directed corporate development efforts in Asia
for Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI) raising capital, establishing strategic partnerships and broadening the Asian shareholder base for HDI
public companies. He was Senior Vice President of Continental Minerals Corporation which developed the Xietongmen copper-gold project
in Tibet, China before selling to China’s Jinchuan Group in 2011 for $446 million. Mr. Hall is also a director and Investment Committee
member of Can-China Global Resources Fund, an energy and mining fund backed by the Export-Import Bank of China. He is or has been a director
of various resource and non-resource companies. Mr. Hall is a graduate of the University of British Columbia (BA, MA) and has diplomas
from Beijing University and Beijing Language Institute.
Pam Saxton
is an experienced mining company executive and Director. She is currently on the Board of Timberline Resources Corporation and serves
as Audit Committee Chair and was previously a Board Member and Audit Committee Chair at Pershing Gold Corporation. She also was on the
Board of Aquila Resources Inc. and served on a North American Advisory Board for Damstra Technology – Damstra Holdings Limited.
As an Executive, she has served as CFO for Thompson Creek Metals Company and NewWest Gold Corporation, both in Colorado. Having started
her professional life working as an auditor for Arthur Andersen in Denver, her career has included senior finance appointments in the
American Natural Resources Industry including serving as VP Finance for Franco-Nevada Corporation’s U.S. Operations. Ms. Saxton
is qualified to serve on the Board by virtue of her expertise in finance, accounting and auditing matters.
Family
Relationships
There
are no family relationships between any of the current directors or officers of the Company.
Involvement
in Certain Legal Proceedings
Neither
the Company nor its property is the subject of any other pending legal proceedings, and no other such proceeding is known to be contemplated
by any governmental authority. The Company is not aware of any other legal proceedings in which any director, officer or affiliate of
the Company, any owner of record or beneficially of more than 5% of any class of the Company’s voting securities, or any associate
of any such director, officer, affiliate or security holder of the Company, is a party adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or has a material interest adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
Directorships
None
of the Company’s executive officers or directors is a director of any company with a class of equity securities registered pursuant
to Section 12 of the Exchange Act or subject to the requirements of the Exchange Act or any company registered as an investment company
under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Code
of Ethics
The
Company’s Board has adopted a code of ethics that will apply to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer and
principal accounting officer or controller and to persons performing similar functions. The code of ethics is designed to deter wrongdoing
and to promote honest and ethical conduct, full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure, compliance with applicable laws,
rules and regulations, prompt internal reporting of violations of the code and accountability for adherence to the code. The Company
will provide a copy of its code of ethics, without charge, to any person upon receipt of written request for such, delivered to our corporate
headquarters. All such requests should be sent care of Bunker Hill Mining Corp., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 82 Richmond Street East,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5C 1P1.
70
ITEM
11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary
Compensation Table
The
following table sets forth, for the years indicated, all compensation paid, distributed or accrued for services, including salary and
bonus amounts, rendered in all capacities by the Company’s principal executive officer, chief financial officer and all other executive
officers; the information contained below represents compensation paid, distributed or accrued to the Company’s officers for their
work related to the Company.
Name
and
Principal
Position
Year
Salary
($)
Bonus
($)
Stock
Awards
(4) ($)
Option
Awards
(1) ($)
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
(#)
Non-qualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
All
other
Compensation
($)
Total
($)
David Wiens (2)
December 31,
2022
219,848
163,467
118,217
-
-
-
-
501,532
Chief Financial Officer
December 31,
2021
210,315
66,000 (3)
-
204,213
-
-
-
480,208
John Ryan (5)
December 31,
2022
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Former Chief Executive Officer
December 31,
2021
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Richard Williams
December 31,
2022
240,000
132,084
128,964
-
-
-
-
501,048
Executive Chairman
December 31,
2021
180,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
180,000
Sam Ash (5)
December 31,
2022
270,000
168,600
145,085
-
-
-
-
603,685
Chief Executive Officer
December 31,
2021
250,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
250,000
(1)
Option
awards reflect the aggregate grant date fair value computed using the Black-Scholes model; for a discussion, please refer to Note
11 in the Notes to the Financial Statements herein.
(2)
David
Wiens appointed as the Company’s CFO on January 1, 2021. On February 19, 2021, 1,037,977 stock options were issued to David
Wiens, of which 273,271 stock options vested immediately and the balance of 764,706 stock options vested on December 31, 2021. These
options have a 5-year life and are exercisable at C$0.335 per common share. The grant date fair value of the options was estimated
at $204,213.
(3)
In
February 2021, the Company issued 208,860 February 2021 Units at a deemed price of $0.45 to settle $66,000 (C$83,544) of bonus owed
to David Wiens. Each February 2021 Unit consisted of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, which entitles the holder
to acquire a common share of the Company at C$0.60 per common share for a period of five years until February 16, 2026.
(4)
In
November 2022, 3,378,548 RSU’s were issued to officers of the Company. These RSU’s are calculated using a share price
of C$.0155 on the applicable grant date and will vest in one third increments on March 31, 2023, March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
(5)
Sam
Ash became the Company’s CEO on April 14, 2020.
Grant
of Plan Based Awards
On
February 19, 2021, 1,037,977 stock options were issued to an officer of the Company, of which 273,271 stock options vest immediately
and the balance of 764,706 stock options shall vest on December 31, 2021. These options have a 5-year life and are exercisable at C$0.335
per Common Share.
On
November 17, 2022, 3,378,548 RSU’s were issued to officers of the Company. These RSU’s will vest in one third increments
on March 31, 2023, March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
71
Outstanding
Stock Options Awards At Fiscal Year End
The
following table provides a summary of equity awards outstanding at December 31, 2022, for each of the named executive officers.
Option
Awards
Stock
Awards
Name
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Exercisable
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Unexercisable
Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options (#)
Option Exercise Price
(C$)
Option
Expiration
Date
Number of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested
(#)
Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested
($)
Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested
(#)
Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested
($)
John
Ryan
390,000
—
—
0.60
October 24,
2024
—
—
100,000
12,552
Sam
Ash
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1,449,600
181,949
Richard
Williams (1)
989,415
2,968,244
—
0.55
April 20,
2025
—
—
1,110,756
139,419
David
Wiens
1,037,977
—
—
0.335
February 19,
2026
—
—
1,018,193
127,800
(1)
As
of December 31, 2022, Richard Williams held 2,500,000 vested DSU’s and 2,500,000 unvested DSU’s.
Long-Term
Incentive and Compensation Plans
In
May 2020, and as part of its overall compensation planning, the Board introduced a long-term incentive plan (the “Long Term Incentive
Plan” or “LTIP”) that provides for time-based RSUs, DSUs, options (“Options”) and performance-based share
unit awards (“PSUs”, and collectively with RSUs, DSUs and Options, “Awards”) that may be granted to employees,
officers and eligible consultants and directors of the Company and its affiliates. Recipients of Awards are defined as “Participants”.
The
aim of the Company’s compensation program is to attract and retain highly qualified executives and to link compensation to performance
and shareholder value. This must ensure that the compensation is sufficiently competitive to achieve this objective. The Board considers
a number of factors in order to determine compensation, including the Company’s contractual obligations, the individual’s
performance and other qualitative aspects of the individual’s performance and achievements, the amount of time and effort the individual
will devote to the Company and the Company’s financial resources.
The
Company’s compensation program is comprised of:
(a)
A
base salary or management fee arrangement and benefits . The base salaries or management fee arrangements and benefits paid to
the key executives are not based on any specific formula and are set so as to be competitive with other companies of similar size
and state of development in the mineral industry. This base salary also includes sign-on incentives, which may be issued in the form
of cash, RSUs, DSUs or Options.
(b)
A
short-term incentive program in the form of bonuses . Bonuses are paid to key executives based on individual, team and Company
performance and the executive’s position in the Company. Any bonus awards are at the sole discretion of the Board.
(c)
Long-term Incentive Plan . The LTIP consists of DSUs, RSUs, PSUs, and Options which provide the Board with additional long-term incentive
mechanisms to align the interests of the directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company with shareholder interests.
The LTIP also provides for, among other things, an accelerated vesting of awards in the event of a change in control, thereby aligning
the Company’s practices with current corporate governance best practices respecting a change in control.
The
Board believe that equity-based compensation plans are the most effective way to align the interests of management with those of shareholders.
Long-term incentives must also be competitive and align with the Company’s compensation philosophy.
The
Company does not have a pension plan that provides for payments or benefits to its executive officers.
Change
of Control Agreements
The
Company has provided change of control benefits to certain senior officers to encourage them to continue their employment in the event
of a purchase, sale, reorganization, or other significant change in the business.
If
the employment agreement of the senior officer is terminated by the (a) Company without just cause, or (b) senior officer for good reason
pursuant to the terms of the employment agreement, at any time within 12 months of a change of control, the Company is required to make
a lump sum severance payment equal to 24 months of base salary. In addition, at such time all Awards shall be deemed to have vested,
and all restrictions and conditions applicable to such Awards shall be deemed to have lapsed and the Awards shall be issued and delivered.
72
Employment
Agreements
The
Company has various employment agreements with certain executives, which provide for compensation and certain other benefits and for
severance payments under certain circumstances. Certain employment agreements also contain clauses that become effective upon a change
of control of the Company, as described above. The Company may be obligated to pay certain amounts to such employees upon the occurrence
of any of the defined events in the various employment agreements.
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
On
April 19, 2011, subject to shareholder approval, which was obtained at the Company’s annual and special meeting of shareholders
held on December 21, 2012, the Board approved the adoption of the Liberty Silver Corp. Incentive Share Plan (the “Plan”)
under which Common Shares of the Company’s common stock have been reserved for purposes of possible future issuance of incentive
stock options, non-qualified stock options, and stock grants to employees, directors and certain key individuals. Under the Plan, the
maximum number of Common Shares reserved for issuance shall not exceed 10% of the Common Shares of the Company outstanding from time
to time. The purpose of the Plan shall be to advance the interests of the Company by encouraging equity participation in the Company
through the acquisition of Common Shares of the Company. In order to maintain flexibility in the award of stock benefits, the Plan constitutes
a single plan, but is composed of two parts. The first part is the Share Option Plan which provides grants of both incentive stock options
under Section 422A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and nonqualified stock options. The second part is the Share Bonus
Plan which provides grants of shares of Company common stock. The following is intended to be a summary of some of the material terms
of the Plan, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety, by the full text of the Plan.
The
Plan
The
Plan is a rolling plan, under which the maximum number of Common Shares reserved for issuance under the Share Option Plan, together with
the Share Bonus Plan, shall not exceed 10% of the Common Shares outstanding (on a non-diluted basis) at any given time. The purpose of
the Plan is to advance the interests of the Company by: (i) providing certain employees, senior officers, directors, or consultants of
the Company (collectively, the “Optionees”) with additional performance incentives; (ii) encouraging share ownership by the
Optionees; (iii) increasing the proprietary interest of the Optionees in the success of the Company; (iv) encouraging the Optionees to
remain with the Company; and (v) attracting new employees, officers, directors and consultants to the Company.
Share
Option Plan
The
following information is intended to be a brief description and summary of the material features of the Share Option Plan:
(a)
The
aggregate maximum number of Common Shares available for issuance from treasury under the Share Option Plan, together with the Share
Bonus Plan, at any given time is 10% of the outstanding Common Shares as at the date of grant of an option under the Plan, subject
to adjustment or increase of such number pursuant to the terms of the Plan. Any Common Shares subject to an option which has been
granted under the Share Option Plan and which has been surrendered, terminated, or expired without being exercised, in whole or in
part, will again be available under the Plan.
(b)
The
exercise price of an option shall be determined by the Board at the time each option is granted, provided that such price shall not
be less than the closing price of the Common Shares on the principal stock exchange(s) upon which the Common Shares are listed and
posted for trading on the trading day immediately preceding the day of the grant of the option.
(c)
Options
granted to persons conducting Investor Relations Activities (as defined in the Plan) for the Company must vest in stages over twelve
months with no more than ¼ of the options vesting in any three-month period.
(d)
In
the event an Optionee ceases to be eligible for the grant of options under the Share Option Plan, options previously granted to such
person will cease to be exercisable within a period of 12 months following the date such person ceases to be eligible under the Plan.
(e)
In
the event that a take-over bid or issuer bid is made for all or any of the issued and outstanding Shares, then the Board may, by
resolution, permit all options outstanding to become immediately exercisable in order to permit Common Shares issuable under such
options to be tendered to such bid.
73
Share
Bonus Plan
The
following information is intended to be a brief description and summary of the material features of the Share Bonus Plan:
(a)
Participants
in the Share Bonus Plan shall be directors, officers, employees, or consultants of the Company who, by the nature of their positions
are, in the opinion of the Board and upon the recommendation of the President of the Company, in a position to contribute to the
success of the Company.
(b)
The
determination regarding the amount of bonus Common Shares issued pursuant to the Share Bonus Plan will take into consideration the
Optionee’s present and potential contribution to the success of the Company and shall be determined from time to time by the
Board. However, in no event shall the number of bonus Common Shares pursuant to the Share Bonus Plan, together with the Share Option
Plan, exceed 10% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares in the aggregate.
General
Features of the Plan
In
addition to the above summaries of the Share Option Plan and the Share Bonus Plan, the following is intended to be a brief description
and summary of some of the general features of the Plan:
(a)
The
aggregate number of Common Shares reserved pursuant to the Plan for issuance to insiders of the Company within any twelve-month period,
under all security-based compensation arrangements of the Company, shall not exceed 10% of the total number of Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b)
The
aggregate number of Common Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the Plan to any one person in any twelve-month period shall not
exceed 5% of the total number of Common Shares outstanding from time to time, unless disinterested shareholder approval is obtained
pursuant to the policies of the Company’s principal stock exchange(s) upon which the Common Shares are listed and posted for
trading or any stock exchange or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the securities of the Company. No more than 2% of
the outstanding Common Shares may be granted to any one Consultant (as defined in the Plan) in any twelve-month period, or to persons
conducting Investor Relations Activities (as defined in the Plan) in any twelve-month period.
RSU
Plan
On
November 15, 2022, the Board of the Company approved the adoption of the Company’s Restricted Stock Unit Incentive Plan (the “RSU
Plan”) under which RSUs of the Company, whereby each RSU represents the right to receive one Common Share, have been reserved for
purposes of possible future issuances of RSUs. The RSU Plan is intended to enhance the Company’s ability to attract and retain
highly qualified officers, directors, key employees, consultants and other persons, and to motivate such officers, directors, key employees,
consultants and other persons to serve the Company and to expend maximum effort to improve the business results and earnings of the Company
by providing to such persons an opportunity to acquire or increase a direct proprietary interest in the operations and future success
of the Company. To this end, the RSU Plan provides for the grant of RSUs and any of these awards of RSUs (“RSU Awards”) may,
but need not, be made as performance incentives to reward attainment of annual or long-term performance goals of the Company.
The
following information is intended to be a brief description and summary of the material features of the RSU Plan:
(a)
The
maximum number of Common Shares available for issuance under the RSU Plan shall be 14,125,808, subject to adjustment or increase
of such number pursuant to the terms of the RSU Plan.
(b)
The
number of Common Shares to be issued under the RSU Plan shall not exceed 10% of the total number of the issued and outstanding Common
Shares.
(c)
In
the event that an RSU Award is exercised for Common Shares, the Common Shares reserved for issuance in connection with such RSU Award
will be returned to the pool of available Common Shares authorized for issuance under the RSU Plan and will be available for reservation
pursuant to a new RSU Award grant.
(d)
RSU
Awards may be made under the RSU Plan to any employee, director or consultant of the Company, as the Board shall determine and designate
from time to time.
(e)
RSU
Awards granted under the RSU Plan may, in the discretion of the Board, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with,
or in substitution or exchange for, any other RSU Award or any award granted under another plan of the Company.
(f)
At
the time a grant of RSUs is made, the Board may, in its sole discretion, establish a vesting period applicable to such RSUs, and
each RSU Award may be subject to a different vesting period.
DSU
Plan
On
April 21, 2020, the Board approved the adoption of the Company’s Deferred Share Unit Plan (the “DSU Plan”), pursuant
to which the Board may grant DSUs to eligible persons under the DSU Plan. Each DSU entitles the grantee to receive on vesting an amount
equal to: (A) the number of vested DSUs elected to be redeemed multiplied by (B) the fair market value of the Common Shares less (C)
any applicable withholdings pursuant to the DSU Plan. The purposes of the DSU Plan are to: (i) align the interests of directors of the
Company with the long term interests of shareholders of the Company; and (ii) allow the Company to attract and retain high quality directors.
74
The
following information is intended to be a brief description and summary of the material features of the DSU Plan:
(a)
A
committee of directors of the Company appointed by the Board to administer the DSU Plan may grant DSUs to any director of the Company
in its sole discretion.
(b)
Awards
may be made under the DSU Plan to any director of the Company, as the committee appointed by the Board shall determine and designate
from time to time.
(c)
Should
the Common Shares no longer be publicly traded at the relevant time such that the fair market value of the Common Shares cannot be
determined in accordance with the formula set out in the definition of that term pursuant to the DSU Plan, the fair market value
of a Common Share shall be determined by the committee appointed by the Board in its sole discretion.
(d)
At
the time a grant of DSUs is made, the committee appointed by the Board may, in its sole discretion, establish a vesting period applicable
to such DSUs.
Director
Compensation
The
general policy of the Board is that compensation for independent directors should be a fair mix between cash and equity-based compensation.
Additionally, the Company reimburses directors for reasonable expenses incurred during the course of their performance. There are no
long-term incentive or medical reimbursement plans. The Company does not pay directors, who are part of management, for Board service
in addition to their regular employee compensation. The Board determines the amount of director compensation. The board may appoint a
compensation committee to take on this role.
The
following table provides a summary of compensation paid to directors during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Director
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash
($)
Stock
Awards
($)
Option
Awards
($)
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
All
Other
Compensation
($) (1)
Total
($)
Dickson
Hall
40,000
—
—
—
—
—
40,000
Mark
Cruise
15,774
—
—
—
—
32,594
48,368
Richard
Williams
372,084
—
—
—
—
—
372,084
Pam
Saxton
36,133
—
—
—
—
40,000
86,129
Cassandra
Joseph
36,133
—
—
—
—
40,000
86,129
(1)
RSUs
granted to Mark Cruise are calculated using a share price of C$0.20 on the applicable grant date.
ITEM
12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
Equity
Compensation Plan
The
following table gives information about the Company’s Equity Compensation Plan as of December 31, 2022:
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants
Weighted
average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuances under equity compensation plans, excluding securities reflected in column
(a)
Plan
category
(a)
(b)
(c)
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders
9,320,636
$ 0.38
13,629,530
Equity
compensation plans not approved by security holders
-
-
-
Total
9,320,636
$ 0.38
13,629,530
75
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding RSUs and DSUs
Weighted
average grant date price of outstanding RSUs and DSUs
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuances under equity compensation plans, excluding securities reflected in column
(a)
Plan
category
(a)
(b)
(c)
RSU
Plan
4,822,741
$ 0.17
9,303,067
DSU
Plan
0 (1)
$ N/A
N/A
Total
4,822,741
$ 0.17
9,303,067
ITEM
13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
There
were no material transactions, or series of similar transactions, during the Company’s last fiscal year, or any currently proposed
transactions, or series of similar transactions, to which the Company was or is to be a party, in which the amount involved exceeded
the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of the small business issuer’s total assets at year-end for the last three
completed fiscal years and in which any director, executive officer or any security holder who is known to the Company to own of record
or beneficially more than five percent of any class of the Company’s common stock, or any member of the immediate family of any
of the foregoing persons, had an interest.
Director
Independence
The
Company’s common stock is currently traded on the CSE, under the symbol BNKR, and as such, is not subject to the rules of any national
securities exchange which requires that a majority of a listed company’s directors and specified committees of its board of directors
meet independence standards prescribed by such rules. For the purpose of preparing the disclosures in this document with respect to director
independence, the Company has used the definition of “independent director” within the meaning of National Instrument 52-110
– Audit Committees adopted by the Canadian Securities Administration and as set forth in the Marketplace Rules of the NASDAQ,
which defines an “independent director” generally as being a person, other than an executive officer or employee of the company
or any other individual having a relationship which, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the
exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.
Pam
Saxton, Cassandra Joseph, Mark Cruise and Dickson Hall are currently the only “independent” directors of the Company.
ITEM
14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Audit
Fees
Effective
September 2, 2014, the Company appointed the firm of MNP, LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the Company’s independent
audit firm.
MNP,
LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, 50 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Mississauga, ON L5B 3C2, served as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and is expected to serve in that capacity for the ensuing
year 2023. Principal accounting fees for professional services rendered for the Company by MNP, LLP for the years ended December 31,
2022 and 2021 are summarized in the following table:
Year Ended
December 31, 2022
Year Ended
December 31, 2021
Audit
$ 92,292
$ 107,129
Audit
related
101,616
36,449
Tax
-
-
All
other
95,387
12,841
Total
$ 289,295
$ 156,419
Audit
Related Fees
The
aggregate fees billed by MNP, LLP for assurance and related services that were related to its review of the Company’s quarterly
financial statements.
Tax
Fees
The
aggregate fees billed by MNP, LLP for tax compliance, advice and planning.
All
Other Fees
The
aggregate fees billed by MNP, LLP for all other professional services, including services associated with financing activities.
Audit
Committee’s Pre-approval Policies and Procedures
At
the Company’s regularly scheduled and special meetings, the Board, or the Board-appointed audit committee, considers and pre-approves
any audit and non-audit services to be performed by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. The audit committee
has the authority to grant pre-approvals of non-audit services.
76
PART
IV
ITEM
15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a)(1)(2)
Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedule.
The
financial statements and financial statement schedules identified in Item 8 are filed as part of this report.
(a)(3)
Exhibits.
The
exhibits required by this item are set forth on the Exhibit Index below.
3.1
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Liberty Silver Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibits 3.8 and 3.9 to the Form S-1 filed on October 27, 2020)
3.2
Certificate of Change dated May 1, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.10 to the Form S-1 filed on October 27, 2020)
3.3
Certificate of Amendment dated September 11, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.11 to the Form S-1 filed on October 27, 2020)
3.4
Certificate of Amendment dated November 17, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-1 filed on December 23, 2022)
3.5
Certificate of Correction dated December 6, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-1 filed on December 23, 2022)
3.6
Amended and Restated Bylaws of Liberty Silver Corp., dated December 21, 2012. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to the Form 8-K filed on December 28, 2012)
4.1
Warrant Indenture dated as of August 14, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Form S-1 filed on October 27, 2020)
4.2
Form of Warrant Certificate dated February 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Amendment No. 3 to the Form S-1 filed on January 25, 2023)
4.3
Underlying Warrant Indenture between the Company and Capital Transfer Agency dated April 1, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Form S-1 filed on May 2, 2022)
10.1
Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Response Action by Bunker Hill Mining Corp., effective May 15, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 8-K filed on May 21, 2018)
10.2
First Amendment to the Settlement Agreement with EPA (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 8-K filed on January 3, 2022)
10.3
Purchase Agreement with respect to the Bunker Hill Mine (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 8-K filed on January 3, 2022)
10.4
Form of Secured Convertible Note (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 8-K filed on February 4, 2022)
10.5
Secured Royalty Convertible Debenture (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 8-K filed on February 4, 2022)
10.6
Asset sale purchase agreement for the Pend Oreille process plant between Silver Valley Metals Corp. (a subsidiary of the Company) and Teck Washington Incorporated (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 8-K filed on March 14, 2022)
10.7
Series 2 Convertible Debenture (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-1 filed on December 23, 2022)
10.8
Sprott Loan Facility (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-1 filed on December 23, 2022)
10.9
Second Omnibus Amendment (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to Amendment No. 1 to the Form S-1 filed on December 23, 2022)
10.10
Agency Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2023, by and among Bunker Hill Mining Corp., Echelon Wealth Partners Inc., Roth Capital Partners, LLC and Laurentian Bank Securities Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.1 to the Form 8-K filed on March 31, 2023)
10.11
Form of Subscription Agreement for Special Warrant Financing between Bunker Hill Mining Corp. and each Purchaser (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Form 8-K filed on March 31, 2023)
10.12
Special Warrant Indenture, dated as of March 27, 2023, between Bunker Hill Mining Corp. and Capital Transfer Agency ULC, as warrant agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 8-K filed on March 31, 2023)
10.13
Warrant Indenture, dated as of March 27, 2023, between Bunker Hill Mining Corp. and Capital Transfer Agency ULC, as warrant agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Form 8-K filed on March 31, 2023)
21.1
List of Subsidiaries (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 to the Form 10-KT filed on April 1, 2021)
23.1
Consent of Resource Development Associates Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 23.1 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
23.2
Consent of Robert H. Todd (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 23.2 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
23.3
Consent of Peter Kondos (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 23.3 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
31.1
Certifications pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 31.1 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
31.2
Certifications pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 31.2 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
31.3*
Certifications pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.4*
Certifications pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1
Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 32.1 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
32.2
Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 32.2 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
32.3**
Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.4**
Certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
95.1
Mine Safety Disclosure pursuant to Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection
Act (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 95.1 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
96.1
S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary, Bunker Hill Mine Pre-Feasibility Study, Coeur d’Alene Mining District,
Shoshone County, Idaho, USA (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 96.1 to the Form 10-K filed on April 17, 2023)
101.INS
Inline XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
* Filed herewith
** Furnished
herewith
77
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
By:
/s/
Sam Ash
Sam
Ash, Chief Executive Officer, Principal Executive Officer
By:
/s/
Gerbrand Van Heerden
Gerbrand Van Heerden, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer
Date:
December 22, 2023
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Sam Ash
Name:
Sam
Ash
Title:
Chief
Executive Officer, Principal Executive Officer
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Gerbrand Van Heerden
Name:
Gerbrand Van Heerden
Title:
Chief
Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Richard Williams
Name:
Richard
Williams
Title:
Executive
Chairman and Director
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Dickson Hall
Name:
Dickson
Hall
Title:
Director
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Mark Cruise
Name:
Mark Cruise
Title:
Director
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Cassandra Joseph
Name:
Cassandra
Joseph
Title:
Director
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Pamela Saxton
Name:
Pamela
Saxton
Title:
Director
Date:
December
22, 2023
By:
/s/
Paul Smith
Name:
Paul
Smith
Title:
Director
78
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.