The preparation of the Financial Statements requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, and contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates and assumptions are continuously evaluated and are based on management’s experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable in the circumstances. Uncertainty about these judgments, estimates and assumptions could result in outcomes that require a material adjustment to the carrying amount of the asset or liability affected in future periods.

Information about significant areas of judgement, estimation uncertainty and assumptions considered by management in preparing the Financial Statements are as follows:

At the end of each financial reporting period, the carrying amounts of the Company’s non-financial assets are reviewed to determine whether there is any indication that an impairment loss or reversal of previous impairment should be recorded. Where such an indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated to determine the extent of the impairment or reversal of previous impairment, if any. With respect to exploration and evaluation assets and property and equipment, the Company is required to make estimates and judgments about future events and circumstances and whether the carrying amount of exploration assets exceeds its recoverable amount. Recoverability depends on various factors, including the discovery of economically recoverable reserves, the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary financing to complete the development and upon future profitable production or proceeds from the disposition of the exploration and evaluation assets themselves. Additionally, there are numerous geological, economic, environmental and regulatory factors and uncertainties that could impact management’s assessment as to the overall viability of its properties or its ability to generate future cash flows necessary to cover or exceed the carrying value of the Company’s exploration and evaluation assets and property and equipment.

The Company uses a model based on a system of two coupled Black-Scholes equations to determine the fair value of its debentures. The model involves five key inputs to determine the fair value of the convertible debentures: risk-free interest rate, credit spread, market price at valuation date, expected dividend yield and expected volatility. Certain of the inputs are estimates that involve considerable judgment and are or could be affected by significant factors that are out of the Company’s control. This model is not applied if the current market share price of the Company’s common shares exceeds the exercise price of the convertible securities by a significant margin. When management makes this determination, the debentures are assumed to be converted immediately and sold at the fair market value of the Company’s common shares and are fair valued based on its intrinsic value of the Company’s current fair market value. The determination of this method of valuation involves judgment. Refer to Note 11 for further details.

The figures for mineral resources are determined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, “Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects” (“National Instrument 43-101”), issued by the Canadian Securities Administrators. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating mineral reserves and mineral resources, including many factors beyond the Company’s control. Such estimation is a subjective process, and the accuracy of any mineral reserve or mineral resource estimate is a function of the quantity and quality of available data and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation. Differences between management’s assumptions including economic assumptions such as metal prices and market conditions could have a material effect in the future on the Company’s financial position and results of operations.

Decommissioning, restoration and similar liabilities are estimated based on the Company’s interpretation of current regulatory requirements, constructive obligations and are measured at fair value. Fair value is determined based on the net present value of estimated future cash expenditures for the settlement of decommissioning, restoration or similar liabilities that may occur upon decommissioning. Such estimates are subject to change based on changes in laws and regulations and negotiations with regulatory authorities. Cost estimates are updated annually to reflect known developments and are subject to review at regular intervals.

In assessing when to recognize deferred income tax assets, management makes estimates related to expectations of future taxable income, applicable tax planning opportunities, expected timing of reversals of existing temporary differences and the likelihood that tax positions taken will be sustained upon examination by applicable tax authorities. In making its assessments, management gives additional weight to positive and negative evidence that can be objectively verified. Estimates of future taxable income are based on forecasted cash flows from operations and the application of existing tax laws in each jurisdiction. The Company considers whether relevant tax planning opportunities are within the Company’s control, are feasible, and are within management’s ability to implement. Examination by applicable tax authorities is supported based on individual facts and circumstances of the relevant tax position examined in light of all available evidence. Where applicable tax laws and regulations are either unclear or subject to ongoing varying interpretations, it is reasonably possible that changes in these estimates can occur that materially affect the amounts of income tax assets recognized. Also, future changes in tax laws could limit the Company from realizing the tax benefits from the deferred tax assets. The Company reassesses unrecognized income tax assets at each reporting period.

Functional currency is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the Company and its subsidiaries operate. If indicators of the primary economic environment are mixed, then management uses its judgment to determine the functional currency that most faithfully represents the economic effect of underlying transactions, events and conditions.

Where the fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities recorded on the consolidated statement of financial position cannot be derived from active markets, they are determined using a variety of valuation techniques. The inputs to these models are derived from observable market data where possible, but where observable market data is not available, judgment is required to establish fair values.