Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)​
 Registration No. 333-249218​
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
To Prospectus Dated October 1, 2020​
[MISSING IMAGE: lg_goldenminerals-pn.jpg]
790,000 Shares of Common Stock
Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase up to 637,587 Shares of Common Stock
Up to 637,587 Shares of Common Stock Underlying Such Pre-Funded Warrants
We are offering directly to selected purchasers 790,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share. The shares of common stock will be sold for a purchase price equal to $1.45 per share. We are also offering pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 637,587 shares of common stock to such purchasers, whose purchase of additional shares of common stock in this offering would otherwise result in such purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding share capital immediately following the consummation of this offering and assuming the exercise of such warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”). The pre-funded warrants will be sold for a purchase price equal to $1.4499 per pre-funded warrant. For a more detailed description of our common stock, see section entitled “Description of Common Stock” beginning on page S-10.
In a concurrent private placement, we are also issuing to such purchasers warrants to purchase up to 1,427,587 shares of our common stock (the “Common Warrants” and, together with the Pre-Funded Warrants, the “Warrants”). Each Common Warrant will be exercisable for one share of our common stock at an exercise price of $1.90 per share, will be exercisable six months from the date of issuance and has a term expiring five years after such initial exercisable date. The Common Warrants and the shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Common Warrants are being offered pursuant to the exemptions provided in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Rule 506(b) promulgated thereunder, and they are not being offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. There is no established public trading market for the Common Warrants and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to list the Common Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrants on the NYSE American LLC (“NYSE American”), any other national securities exchange or any other nationally recognized trading system.
Our common stock is traded on the NYSE American and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) under the symbol “AUMN.” The last sale price for our common stock on June 23, 2023 was $1.86 per share on the NYSE American and Cdn$0.7576 per share on the TSX.
As of June 26, 2023, the aggregate market value of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates was approximately $32.1 million, based on 7,145,665 shares of outstanding common stock, of which 5,591,009 shares were held by non-affiliates, and a per share price of $5.75 based on the closing price of our common stock on May 4, 2023. During the prior twelve-calendar-month period that ends on, and includes, the date of this prospectus supplement, and including this offering we offered securities with an aggregate market value of approximately $2,694,812 pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6. of Form S-3.
We have retained H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, to act as our exclusive placement agent for this offering. We have agreed to pay the placement agent the placement agent fee set forth in the table below, which assumes that we sell all of the securities we are offering. We have also agreed to reimburse the placement agent for certain of its expenses as described under “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus supplement. The placement agent is not purchasing or selling any of the securities we are offering and the placement agent is not required to arrange for the sale of any specific number of securities or dollar amount but will use reasonable best efforts to arrange for the sale of the securities.
​ ​ ​
Per Share
​ ​
Per Pre-Funded
Warrant
​ ​
Total
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Offering Price
​ ​ ​ $ 1.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 1.4499 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 2,069,937.39 ​ ​
Placement agent’s fees(1)
​ ​ ​ $ 0.087 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 0.087 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 124,200.07 ​ ​
Proceeds to us, before expenses and fees(2)
​ ​ ​ $ 1.363 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 1.3629 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 1,945,737.32 ​ ​
​
(1)
Includes a cash fee, equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds raised in this offering, to be paid to the placement agent. We have agreed to reimburse the placement agent for certain of its offering-related expenses. See “Plan of Distribution” for a complete description of the compensation to be received by the placement agent.
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(2)
The amount of the offering proceeds to us presented in this table does not give effect to any exercise of the pre-funded warrants being issued in this offering.
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This prospectus supplement should be read in conjunction with and may not be delivered or utilized without the base prospectus dated October 1, 2020.
Delivery of the securities offered hereby is expected to be made on or about June 29, 2023, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
​
Investing in our common stock involves significant risks. Before buying shares of our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9 of this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
No shares of common stock distributed under this prospectus supplement will be offered or sold in Canada, including through the TSX or any other trading market in Canada. See “Plan of Distribution” on page S-28 of this prospectus supplement and “Restrictions on Resale to Residents of Canada” on page S-29 of this prospectus supplement.
​
H.C. Wainwright & Co.
The date of this prospectus supplement is June 26, 2023.
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus Supplement
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Prospectus
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, provides more general information. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein filed prior to the date of this prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement; provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date — for example, a document incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus — the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference herein were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, or incorporated by reference herein. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. The information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, or incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate only as of the respective dates thereof, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or of any sale of our common stock. It is important for you to read and consider all information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, in making your investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Documents Incorporated by Reference” in this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying prospectus, respectively.
We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, the securities offered by this prospectus supplement only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the offering of the securities offered by this prospectus supplement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the common stock and the distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
Purchasers of shares of common stock are advised that none of the shares of common stock will be qualified for distribution in any jurisdiction of Canada, and may not be traded through the facilities of the TSX or any other Canadian stock exchange, or otherwise in a jurisdiction of Canada. By purchasing shares of common stock hereunder, each purchaser thereof will be deemed to have represented and warranted to the Company that such purchaser (i) is acquiring the securities solely for its own account and beneficial interest for investment purposes, and not for sale or with a view to distribution in Canada, and (ii) has no present intention of selling the securities through the facilities of the TSX or any other Canadian stock exchange, or otherwise in a jurisdiction of Canada, and does not presently have any reason to expect a change in such intention.
 
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As used in this prospectus supplement, the terms “Golden Minerals,” the “Company,” “our,” “we,” or “us” refer to Golden Minerals Company, including its subsidiaries and predecessors, except where it is clear that the term refers only to Golden Minerals Company.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement, and the documents incorporated by reference herein, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable securities laws. We use the words “anticipate,” “continue,” “likely,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “project,” “should,” “believe” and similar expressions (including negative and grammatical variations) to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include comments relating to (i) our financial outlook for 2023, including anticipated expenditures and cash inflows during the year; (ii) the assumptions and projections contained in the Rodeo Technical Report Summary, including estimated mineral resources; (iii) projections regarding the Rodeo mine for 2023, including production, payable extraction, anticipated grades, estimated unit costs and net operating margin; (iv) the anticipated life of the Rodeo mine; (v) the assumptions and projections contained in the Velardeña Technical Report Summary, including estimated mineral resources; (vi) activities planned at Velardeña during 2023, the potential restart of mining activities at Velardeña, and estimates of production during 2023 and beyond; (vii) the assumptions and projections contained in the Yoquivo Technical Report Summary, including estimated mineral resources; (viii) future evaluation and drilling plans, interpretation of exploration results and planned future exploration activities at our exploration properties, including Yoquivo and Sarita Este; (ix) our ability to recover VAT receivable in Mexico and the timing of such recovery; and (x) the potential need for external financing and statements concerning our financial condition, business strategies and business and legal risks. Although we believe the expectations and assumptions reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that these expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct.
Our actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and other factors set forth in this prospectus, including:
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Whether we are able to raise the necessary capital required to continue our business on terms acceptable to us or at all;
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Timing, duration and overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including potential future suspension of activities at the Rodeo Property or at our Velardeña mill as a result of future orders of the Mexican Federal Government;
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Changes in current payable terms for gold-bearing pyrite concentrates that may be produced at Velardeña;
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•
Higher than anticipated care and maintenance costs at the Velardeña properties in Mexico or at El Quevar in Argentina;
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•
Risks related to the El Quevar project in Argentina, including unfavorable results from our evaluation activities and whether the option with respect to the El Quevar project is exercised pursuant to the terms of the Earn-In Agreement;
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•
Decreases in silver and gold prices;
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•
Unfavorable results from exploration at the Yoquivo, Sarita Este, Sand Canyon or other exploration properties and whether we will be able to advance these or other exploration properties;
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•
Risks related to the El Quevar project in Argentina, including unfavorable results from our evaluation activities, the feasibility and economic viability and unexpected costs of maintaining the project, and whether Barrick will continue as our joint venture partner or we will be able to find another joint venture partner or secure adequate financing to further advance the project;
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•
Variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that are or may be located at the Rodeo and Velardeña properties or our exploration properties, changes in interpretations of
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S-2
 
geological information, and unfavorable results of metallurgical and other tests, and the timing and scope of our further evaluation activities at the Rodeo and Velardeña properties;
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Whether we will be able to continue or begin to mine and sell minerals successfully or profitably at any of our current properties at current or future silver and gold prices and achieve our objective of becoming a mid-tier mining company;
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•
Potential delays in our exploration activities or other activities to advance properties towards mining resulting from environmental consents or permitting delays or problems, accidents, problems with contractors, disputes under agreements related to exploration properties, unanticipated costs and other unexpected events;
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Our ability to retain key management and mining personnel necessary to successfully operate and grow our business;
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•
Economic and political events affecting the market prices for silver, gold, zinc, lead and other minerals which may be found on our exploration properties;
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Political and economic instability in Argentina, Mexico and other countries in which we conduct our business, and future actions of any of these governments with respect to nationalization of natural resources or other changes in mining or taxation policies;
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Our ability to acquire additional concessions in Mexico based on the economic and environmental policies of Mexico’s current or future governmental authorities;
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Volatility in the market price of our common stock; and
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The factors set forth in “Risk Factors” on page S-10 of this prospectus supplement.
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These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the general or specific factors that could affect us. We may note additional factors elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in any documents incorporated by reference herein. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such expectations may prove to be materially incorrect due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. You should not unduly rely on any of our forward-looking statements or information. These statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus supplement. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements and information attributable to us and persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this section and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such expectations may prove to be materially incorrect due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties.
All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances.
 
S-3
 
CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION
Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “$” or “dollars” in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus refer to United States dollars. References to “Cdn$” in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus refer to Canadian dollars.
The indicative rate of exchange on June 23, 2023, as reported by the Bank of Canada for the conversion of Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars, was Cdn$1.00 equals $0.7576 and, for the conversion of U.S. dollars to Canadian dollars, was $1.00 equals Cdn$1.3199.
 
S-4
 
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference herein. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our securities and is qualified in its entirety by the information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein. You should carefully read the entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, including our historical financial statements and the notes to these financial statements in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023. You should also carefully consider the matters discussed under “Risk Factors,” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements” in this prospectus supplement before deciding to invest in our securities.
Our Company
We are a mining company holding a 100% interest in the Rodeo property in Durango State, Mexico (the “Rodeo Property”), a 100% interest in the Velardeña and Chicago gold-silver mining properties and associated oxide and sulfide processing plants in the state of Durango, Mexico (the “Velardeña Properties”), a 100% interest in the El Quevar advanced exploration silver property in the province of Salta, Argentina (the “El Quevar Property”) (subject to the terms of the April 9, 2020, earn-in agreement (the “Earn-in Agreement”) pursuant to which Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) has the option to earn a 70% interest in the El Quevar Project), and a diversified portfolio of precious metals and other mineral exploration properties located primarily in or near historical precious metals producing regions of Argentina, Nevada and Mexico. The Rodeo Property, the Velardeña Properties, the El Quevar Property and the Yoquivo Property are the only properties that the Company considers material at this time.
We are primarily focused on the proposed restart of mining activities at our Velardeña Properties. We are also focused on exploration activities at the Yoquivo Property and on advancing our El Quevar exploration property in Argentina through the Earn-in Agreement with Barrick and continuing to evaluate and search for mining opportunities in North America (including Mexico) with near term prospects of mining, and particularly for properties within reasonable haulage distances of our processing plants at the Velardeña Properties. We are also reviewing strategic opportunities, focusing primarily on development or operating properties in North America, including Mexico.
We are considered an exploration stage company under the criteria set forth by the SEC under S-K 1300 since we have not yet demonstrated the existence of mineral reserves at any of our properties. Under S-K 1300, the SEC defines a “mineral reserve” as “an estimate of tonnage and grade or quality of indicated and measured mineral resources that, in the opinion of the qualified person, can be the basis of an economically viable project.” To have mineral resources, there must be reasonable prospects for economic extraction. Per the SEC, “probable mineral reserves” are the economically mineable part of an indicated and, in some cases, a measured mineral resource and “proven mineral reserves” can only result from measured mineral resources. Mineral reserves cannot be considered proven or probable unless and until they are supported by a preliminary feasibility study or feasibility study, indicating that the mineral reserves have had the requisite geologic, technical and economic work performed and are economically and legally extractable.
We have not completed a preliminary feasibility study or feasibility study with regard to any of our properties to date. We expect to remain an exploration stage company for the foreseeable future. We will not exit the exploration stage until such time, if ever, that we demonstrate the existence of proven or probable mineral reserves that meet the guidelines under S-K 1300.
Our management team is comprised of experienced mining professionals with extensive expertise in mineral exploration, mine construction and development, and mine operations. Our principal office is located in Golden, Colorado at 350 Indiana Street, Suite 650, Golden, CO 80401, and our registered office is the Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. We also maintain an office at the Velardeña Properties in Mexico and exploration offices in Argentina and Mexico. We maintain a website at www.goldenminerals.com, which contains information about us. Our website and the information contained in and connected to it are not a part of this prospectus nor are they incorporated by reference herein.
 
S-5
 
Recent Developments
On June 6, 2023, the Company received written notification (the “Notice”) from the NYSE American that the Company is not in compliance with Section 1003(a)(iii) of the NYSE American Company Guide (the “Company Guide”). The Company is required to report a stockholders’ equity of $6.0 million or more if the Company has reported losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in its five most recent fiscal years. The Notice noted that the Company reported a stockholders’ equity of $4.1 million as of March 31, 2023, and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in each of its five most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2022. As a result, the Company has become subject to the procedures and requirements of Section 1009 of the Company Guide and must submit a plan of compliance by July 6, 2023, addressing how the Company intends to regain compliance with Section 1003(a)(iii) of the Company Guide by December 6, 2024.
The Company intends to prepare and timely deliver a plan of compliance to the NYSE American. The Company has also been advised that it will be subject to delisting procedures if it does not regain compliance prior to December 6, 2024, or if the NYSE American determines that the Company is not making progress consistent with its plan of compliance.
The Notice has no immediate effect on the Company’s common stock or its business operations. The Company’s common stock will continue to be listed on the NYSE American under the symbol “AUMN” while it regains compliance with Section 1003(a)(iii) of the Company Guide, subject to the Company’s compliance with other continued listing requirements.
 
S-6
 
SUMMARY OF THE OFFERING
The following is a brief summary of certain terms of this offering and is not intended to be complete. It does not contain all of the information that will be important to investors with regard to our securities. For a more complete description of our common stock, see the section titled “Description of Common Stock” in this prospectus supplement.
Issuer:
Golden Minerals Company
Common Stock Being Offered:
790,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share
Pre-Funded Warrants Being Offered:
We are also offering a total of 637,587 pre-funded warrants to a purchaser whose purchase of our common stock in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, in lieu of common stock that would otherwise result in such purchaser’s beneficial ownership exceeding 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock. The offering price of each pre-funded warrant is $1.4499 (equal to the offering price at which shares of common stock are being sold in this offering, minus $0.0001), and the exercise price of each prefunded warrant is $0.0001 per share. Each pre-funded warrant is exercisable for one share of common stock. The pre-funded warrants will be immediately exercisable and may be exercised at any time until all of the pre-funded warrants are exercised in full. This offering also relates to the common stock issuable upon exercise of any pre-funded warrants sold in this offering
Common Stock outstanding:
As of June 23, 2023, we had 7,145,665 shares of common stock outstanding.
Following the offering, we will have 8,573,252 shares of common stock outstanding, exclusive of the shares of common stock underlying the warrants offered in the Private Placement Transaction (as described below).
Use of proceeds:
We estimate that our net proceeds from this offering and Private Placement Transaction, after deducting the placement agent fee of $124,200 and estimated offering expenses of $150,000, will be approximately $1.8 million.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering and the Private Placement Transaction, if completed, for working capital requirements and general corporate purposes. The Company may use some of the proceeds from this offering and the Private Placement Transaction to settle a lawsuit with Unifin Financiera, S.A.B de C.V., which was previously disclosed in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2023, should such a settlement be reached. See “Use of Proceeds” in this prospectus supplement.
Market for our common stock:
Our common stock is traded on the NYSE American and the TSX under the symbol “AUMN.”
Concurrent Private Placement:
In a concurrent private placement, we are also selling to the same institutional investors of our shares of common stock,
 
S-7
 
unregistered warrants to purchase up to 1,427,587 shares of our common stock. Each warrant will be exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $1.90 commencing on the date of issuance and will expire five and one-half years from the initial exercise date. The warrants and the shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of such securities are not being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), are not being offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and are being offered pursuant to the exemption provided in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) promulgated thereunder. See the section titled “Private Placement Transaction.”
Risk Factors:
Investing in our common stock involves significant risks. Please read the information contained in and incorporated by reference under “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-10 of this prospectus supplement and page 5 of the accompanying prospectus.
Restrictions on Resale to Residents in Canada:
No shares of common stock distributed under this prospectus supplement will be offered or sold in Canada, including through the TSX or any other trading market in Canada. See “Plan of Distribution” on page S-15 of this prospectus supplement and see “Restrictions on Resale to Residents of Canada” on page S-16 of this prospectus supplement for information regarding restrictions on resale to residents of Canada.
The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 7,145,665 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 23, 2023.
The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering excludes, in each case as of June 23, 2023, the following reserved shares:
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232,402 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan in exchange for restricted stock units issued to our non-employee directors under the terms of our Non-Employee Directors Deferred Compensation and Equity Award Plan;
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•
188,000 shares of common stock that can be acquired under outstanding KELTIP units; and
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•
392,155 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of currently outstanding warrants.
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S-8
 
RISK FACTORS
A purchase of our securities involves a high degree of risk, including the risks described below. Before purchasing our common stock, you should carefully consider the risk factors set forth below, as well as all other information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and incorporated by reference, including our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the SEC, and any free-writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering.
Risks Related to Our Financial Circumstances
There is substantial doubt about whether we can continue as a going concern.
At May 31, 2023, our aggregate cash and cash equivalents totaled approximately $2.4 million and we had accrued accounts payable of approximately $3.7 million. In the absence of sufficient asset sales, equity financing or other external funding the Company’s cash balance is expected to be depleted in the third quarter of 2023. Therefore, our continuation as a going concern is dependent upon our achieving a future financing or strategic transaction. However, there is no assurance that we will be successful pursuing a financing or strategic transaction. Accordingly, there is substantial doubt as to whether our existing cash resources and working capital are sufficient to enable us to continue our operations for the next 12 months as a going concern. Ultimately, in the event that we cannot obtain additional financial resources or achieve profitable operations, we may have to liquidate our business interests and investors may lose their investment. The consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K have been prepared assuming that our company will continue as a going concern. Continued operations are dependent on our ability to obtain additional financial resources or generate profitable operations. Such additional financial resources may not be available or may not be available on reasonable terms. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Such adjustments could be material.
We are an exploration stage company and do not have a long-term source of revenue.
We have a history of operating losses. Although our Rodeo Property generated revenue and free cash flow commencing in 2021, that project is short-lived and is not expected to generate significant cash flow beyond 2023. We are currently planning for the restart of mineral extraction at the Velardeña Properties. If we are unable to generate revenue from the Velardeña Properties or another mining property, we will be dependent on future external financing to fund our corporate expenses and exploration activities. There is no assurance that such financing will be available on acceptable terms or at all. See “Risk Factors — We may not have access to sufficient future capital.”
Our results of operations, cash flows and the value of our properties are highly dependent on the market prices of gold and silver and certain base metals, and these prices can be volatile.
The profitability of our mining operations and the value of our mining properties are directly related to the market price of gold, silver, and certain base metals. The price of gold and silver may also have a significant influence on the market price of our common stock. The market prices of these metals historically have fluctuated significantly and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control, including (i) global or regional consumption patterns; (ii) supply of and demand for silver and gold on a worldwide basis; (iii) speculative and hedging activities; (iv) expectations for inflation; (v) political and economic conditions; (vi) supply of, and demand for, consumables required for extraction and processing of metals, and (vii) general economic conditions worldwide.
In the event metal prices decline or remain low for prolonged periods of time, we might be unable to develop our exploration properties, which may adversely affect our results of operations, financial performance, and cash flows. An asset impairment charge may result from the occurrence of unexpected adverse events that impact our estimates of expected cash flows generated from our Rodeo mine or the market value of our non-producing properties, including a material diminution in the price of metals.
 
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We may not have access to sufficient future capital.
Although the Rodeo Property is expected to generate revenue through the second quarter of 2023, we expect to require additional external financing to fund our continuing business activities. We may be required to expend significant funds to determine if mineral reserves exist at any of our other properties, continue exploration, and if warranted, develop our existing properties and identify and acquire additional properties to diversify our property portfolio.
We do not have a credit, off-take or other commercial financing arrangement in place that would finance our general and administrative costs and other working capital needs to fund our continuing business activities in the future, and we believe that securing credit for these purposes would be challenging. In addition, commercial financing arrangements may not be available on favorable terms or on terms that would not further restrict our flexibility and ongoing ability to meet our cash requirements over a reasonable period of time.
We also may not be able to obtain funding by monetizing additional non-core exploration or other assets at an acceptable price. Although we may be able to access public equity markets, significant equity issuances may be dilutive to our existing stockholders.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain financing to fund our general and administrative costs and other working capital needs to fund our continuing business activities in the future on favorable terms or at all. Failure to obtain financing could result in delay or indefinite postponement of further mining operations or exploration and construction and the possible partial or total loss of our interest in our properties.
We may not collect refunds of value added tax (“VAT”) in Mexico on the schedule we anticipate or at all.
As of March 31, 2023, we have recorded approximately $2.3 million in receivables from the Mexican government related to value added tax paid in Mexico. While we expect to recover approximately $1.5 million of that amount during the twelve months ended March 31, 2024, there is no certainty that it will be collected on a timely basis or at all. To the extent that we have forecast the collection of the VAT receivable in our cash forecast for the period, any delay in receiving payment of the VAT receivable will exacerbate our liquidity challenges and require further additional funding in order for us to continue as a going concern.
Risks Related to our Operations
Increased operating and capital costs could adversely affect our results of operations.
Operating costs at are subject to fluctuation due to a number of factors, such as variable ore grade, changing metallurgy and revisions to mine plans in response to the physical shape and location of the ore body, as well as the age and utilization rates for the mining and processing-related facilities and equipment. In addition, costs are affected by the price and availability of input commodities, such as fuel, electricity, labor, chemical reagents, explosives, steel, concrete and mining and processing related equipment and facilities. Commodity costs are, at times, subject to volatile price movements, including increases that could make mineral extraction less profitable. Further, changes in laws and regulations can affect commodity prices, uses and transport. Reported costs may also be affected by changes in accounting standards. A material increase in costs could have a significant effect on our results of operations and operating cash flow.
We could have significant increases in capital and operating costs over the next several years in connection with the development of new projects in challenging jurisdictions and in the sustaining and/or expansion of existing mining and processing operations. Costs associated with capital expenditures may increase in the future as a result of factors beyond our control, such as inflation or due to supply chain constraints or delays. Increased capital expenditures may have an adverse effect on the results of operations and cash flow generated from existing operations, as well as the economic returns anticipated from new projects, or may make the development of future projects uneconomic.
The assumptions behind our estimates of cash flow and profitability are inherently subject to uncertainty.
We have not established mineral reserves as defined under S-K 1300 at the Velardeña Properties. As a result, there is increased uncertainty and risk that may result in economic or technical failure which may
 
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adversely impact our future profitability. In making the decision to commence mining, we made certain assumptions regarding operating and capital costs and project economic returns. These estimates of average cash operating costs are based upon, among other things, (i) anticipated tonnage, grades and metallurgical characteristics of the ore to be mined and processed; (ii) anticipated recovery rates of silver and other metals from the ore; (iii) cash operating costs of comparable facilities and equipment; and (iv) anticipated climatic conditions. Actual cash operating costs, production and economic returns may differ significantly from those anticipated by our studies and estimates.
We are party to a collective bargaining agreement with a union in Mexico that, together with labor and employment regulations, could adversely affect our mining activities and financial condition.
Mine employees in Mexico are typically represented by a union, and our relationship with our employees is, and we expect in the future will be, governed by collective bargaining agreements. Any collective bargaining agreement that we enter into with a union is likely to restrict our mining flexibility in and impose additional costs on our mining activities. In addition, relations between us and our employees in Mexico may be affected by changes in regulations or labor union requirements regarding labor relations that may be introduced by the Mexican authorities or by labor unions. Changes in legislation or in the relationship between us and our employees may have a material adverse effect on our mining activities and financial condition.
Competition in the mining industry is intense, and we have limited financial and personnel resources with which to compete.
Competition in the mining industry for desirable properties, investment capital and human capital is intense. Numerous companies headquartered in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere throughout the world compete for properties and human capital on a global basis. We are a small participant in the mining industry due to our limited financial and human capital resources. We presently operate with a limited number of people and we anticipate operating in the same manner going forward. We compete with other companies in our industry to hire qualified employees and consultants when needed to successfully operate the Rodeo mine, the Velardeña processing facility, and to advance our exploration properties. We may be unable to attract the necessary human capital to fully explore, and if warranted, develop our properties and be unable to acquire other desirable properties. We believe that competition for acquiring mineral properties, as well as the competition to attract and retain qualified human capital, will continue to be intense in the future.
Products processed from the Velardeña Properties could contain higher than expected contaminants, thereby negatively impacting our financial condition.
Treatment charges paid to smelters and refineries include penalties for certain elements, including arsenic and antimony that exceed contract limits. If the material mined from our the Velardeña Properties includes higher than expected contaminants, this would result in higher treatment expenses and penalty charges that could increase our costs and negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. This could occur due to unexpected variations in the occurrence of these elements in the material mined, problems that occur during blending of material from various locations in the mine prior to processing and other unanticipated events.
Conditions of our mining and processing activities are dependent on the availability of sufficient water supplies to support our mining activities.
Water is critical to our business, and the increasing pressure on water resources requires us to consider both current and future conditions in our management approach. Across the globe, water is a shared and regulated resource. Mining operations require significant quantities of water for mining, ore processing and related support facilities. Our properties in Mexico and Argentina are in areas where water is scarce and competition among users for continuing access to water is significant. Continuous production and mine development are dependent on our ability to acquire and maintain water rights and claims and to defeat claims adverse to current water uses in legal proceedings. Although we believe that our operations currently have sufficient water rights and claims to cover operating demands, we cannot predict the potential
 
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outcome of future legal proceedings relating to water rights, claims and uses. Water shortages may also result from weather or environmental and climate impacts out of our control. Shortages in water supply could result in production and processing interruptions. In addition, the scarcity of water in certain regions could result in increased costs to obtain sufficient quantities of water to conduct our operations. The loss of some or all water rights, in whole or in part, or ongoing shortages of water to which we have rights or significantly higher costs to obtain sufficient quantities of water (or the failure to procure sufficient quantities of water) could result in our inability to maintain mineral extraction at current or expected levels, require us to curtail or shut down mining operations and prevent us from pursuing expansion or any development opportunities. Laws and regulations may be introduced in some jurisdictions in which we operate which could also limit access to sufficient water resources, thus adversely affecting our operations.
Processing activities at the Velardeña Properties require significant amounts of water. At the Velardeña Properties, our ability to have sufficient water is dependent on our ability to maintain our water rights and claims. Water is provided for all of the mines comprising our Velardeña Properties by wells located in the valley adjacent to the Velardeña Properties. We hold title to three wells located near the sulfide plant and hold certificates of registration to three wells located near the oxide plant. We are licensed to pump water from all six wells up to a permitted amount. We are currently using water from the three wells associated with the oxide plant and from two of the three wells associated with the sulfide plant. We are required to make annual payments to the Mexican government to maintain our rights to these wells. We are required to pay a fine to the Mexican Government each year if we use too much water from a particular well or alternatively if we do not use a minimum amount of water from a particular well. In addition to these fines, the Mexican Government reserves the right to cancel our title to the wells for abuse of these rules.
We believe we currently have a sufficient amount of water for our expected processing activities at the plant. However, if we began processing material through both the sulfide and oxide plants in the future, we may face shortages in our water supply, and therefore will need to obtain water from outside sources at higher costs. The loss of some or all water rights for any of our wells, in whole or in part, or shortages of water to which we have rights would require us to seek water from outside sources at higher costs and could require us to curtail or shut down mining and processing in the future. Laws and regulations may be introduced in the future which could limit our access to sufficient water resources in mining activities, thus adversely affecting our business.
The nature of mineral exploration, mining, and processing activities involves significant hazards, a high degree of risk, and the possibility of uninsured losses.
Exploration for and the production of minerals is highly speculative and involves greater risk than many other businesses. Many 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. While we are not currently conducting mining operations at the Velardeña Properties, we are evaluating a potential restart of mineral extraction. Because the Velardeña mines are underground, potential mining activities, as well as the conduct of our exploration programs that frequently require rehabilitation of and drilling in underground mine workings, are subject to numerous risks and hazards inherent in underground mines. Our operations are, and any future mining operations or construction we may conduct will be, subject to all of the operating hazards and risks normally incident to exploring for and mining of mineral properties, such as, but not limited to:
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Fluctuation in production costs that make mining uneconomic;
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Social, community or labor disputes resulting in work stoppages or delays, or related loss of social acceptance of community support;
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Changes to legal and regulatory requirements;
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Unanticipated variations in grade and other geologic problems;
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Environmental hazards, noxious fumes and gases;
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Ground and water conditions;
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Difficult surface or underground conditions;
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Industrial accidents;
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Security incidents;
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Failure of unproven or evolving technologies or loss of information integrity or data;
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Metallurgical and other processing problems;
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Mechanical and equipment performance problems;
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Failure of pit walls, dams, declines, drifts and shafts;
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Unusual or unexpected rock formations;
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Personal injury;
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Fire, flooding, cave-ins, seismic activity, landslides or other inclement weather conditions including those impacting operations or the ability to access and supply sites; and
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Decrease in the value of mineralized material due to lower gold, silver and metal prices.
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These occurrences could result in damage to, or destruction of, mineral properties or processing facilities, equipment, personal injury or death, environmental damage, reduced extraction and processing and delays in mining, asset write-downs, monetary losses and possible legal liability. Although we maintain insurance against risks inherent in the conducting of our business in amounts that we consider reasonable, this insurance contains exclusions and limitations on coverage, and will not cover all potential risks associated with mining and exploration activities, and related liabilities might exceed policy limits. As a result of any or all of the forgoing, we could incur significant liabilities and costs that may exceed the limits of our insurance coverage or that we may elect not to insure against because of premium costs or other reasons, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. We may also not be insured against all interruptions to our operations. Losses from these or other events may cause us to incur significant costs which could materially adversely affect our financial condition and our ability to fund activities on our properties. A significant loss could force us to reduce or suspend our operations and development.
Our exploration and development activities, strategic transactions, or any acquisition activities may not be commercially successful and could fail to lead to gold production or fail to add value.
Substantial expenditures are required to acquire gold properties, establish mineral reserves through drilling and analysis, develop metallurgical processes to extract metal from the ore and develop the mining and processing facilities and infrastructure at any site chosen for mining. We cannot be assured that any such activities will be commercially successful, lead to gold production, or add value.
Risks Related to our Exploration Activities
Our exploration properties may not contain mineral reserves.
We have not established that our properties contain any mineral reserve, nor can there be any assurance that we will be able to do so. A mineral reserve is defined by the SEC in S-K 1300 as that part of a mineral deposit which could be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time of the reserve determination. The probability of an individual prospect ever having a “reserve” that meets the requirements of S-K 1300 is extremely remote; in all probability our mineral properties do not contain any “reserves” and any funds that we spend on exploration could be lost. Even if we do eventually discover mineral reserves on our properties, there can be no assurance that they can be developed into producing mines and we can extract those minerals. Both mineral exploration and development involve a high degree of risk and few mineral properties which are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines.
Our mineral resource estimates are inherently imprecise.
We have released estimates of mineral resources at the Rodeo project and the Velardeña Properties. Mineral resource figures based on estimates made by geologists are inherently imprecise and depend on
 
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geological interpretation and statistical inferences drawn from drilling and sampling that may prove to be unreliable or inaccurate. We cannot assure you that these estimates are accurate, and even if the estimates are accurate, the estimates may not accurately reflect the future revenue we receive from mineral extraction.
The exploration of our mineral properties is highly speculative in nature, involves substantial expenditures and is frequently non-productive.
Mineral exploration is highly speculative in nature and frequently results in no or very little return on amounts invested to evaluate a particular property. Substantial expenditures are required to (i) establish the existence of a potential ore body through drilling and metallurgical and other testing techniques; (ii) determine metal content and metallurgical recovery processes to process metal from the ore; (iii) determine the feasibility of mine development and mineral extraction; and (iv) construct, renovate or expand mining and processing facilities. If we discover a deposit or ore at a property, it usually takes several years from the initial phases of exploration until mineral extraction is possible, if at all. During this time, the economic feasibility of a project may change because of increased costs, lower metal prices or other factors. As a result of these uncertainties, our exploration programs may not result in the identification of proven and probable mineral reserves in sufficient quantities to justify developing a particular property.
We may acquire additional mining properties and our business may be negatively impacted if reserves are not located on acquired properties or if we are unable to successfully execute and/or integrate the acquisitions.
We have in the past, and may in the future, acquire additional mining properties. There can be no assurance that reserves will be identified on any properties that we acquire. We may experience negative reactions from the financial markets if we complete acquisitions of additional properties and reserves are not located on acquired properties. There can be no assurance that we will be able to complete any acquisitions successfully, or that any acquisition will achieve anticipated synergies or other positive results. Any material problems that we encounter in connection with such an acquisition could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position. These factors may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock.
We may not mine the Velardeña Properties again.
In mid-November 2015, we shut down the mines and sulfide processing plant at our Velardeña Properties and placed them on care and maintenance. Commencing mining again is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including: whether we are able to create a mine plan or gold recovery improvements that can achieve sustainable cash positive results at current and future metals prices; unexpected events, including difficulties in maintaining the properties on a care and maintenance basis, potential sabotage or damage to the assets related to the suspension of mining, and variations in ore grade and relative amounts, grades and metallurgical characteristics of oxide and sulfide ores; whether gold and silver prices will achieve or remain at sufficiently high levels to permit us to achieve sustainable cash positive results; whether actual holding and care and maintenance costs exceed current estimates or whether unanticipated costs arise; whether we are able to retain sufficient numbers of skilled mining and management personnel and otherwise maintain satisfactory relations with the unionized workforce on site; and our ability to obtain additional funding for general and administrative costs and other working capital needs to fund our continuing business activities. In June 2023, we announced our intention to re-commence mining operations at Velardeña, however, there is no assurance that we will be successful in our efforts to do so.
Regulatory Risks
Our operations are subject to ongoing permitting requirements which could result in the delay, suspension or termination of our operations.
Our operations, including our ongoing exploration drilling programs and mining, require ongoing permits from governmental and local authorities. Future mining and current processing at our Rodeo and Velardeña properties and the continued evaluation of the El Quevar project and other exploration activities will require additional permits from various governmental authorities. We may also be required to obtain certain property rights to access or use our properties. Obtaining or renewing licenses and permits, and
 
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acquiring property rights, can be complex and time-consuming processes. There can be no assurance that we will be able to acquire all required licenses, permits or property rights on reasonable terms or in a timely manner, or at all, and that such terms will not be adversely changed, that required extensions will be granted, or that the issuance of such licenses, permits or property rights will not be challenged by third parties. If we cannot obtain or maintain the necessary permits or if there is a delay in receiving future permits, our timetable and business plan will be adversely affected and may prevent or make future mining and processing at our Rodeo or Velardeña properties and other continued processing activities economically unfeasible.
Our exploration activities are in countries with developing economies and are subject to the risks of political and economic instability associated with these countries.
We currently conduct exploration activities almost exclusively in countries with developing economies, including Argentina and Mexico. These countries and other emerging markets in which we may conduct business have from time to time experienced economic or political instability. We may be materially adversely affected by risks associated with conducting exploration activities in countries with developing economies, including:
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political instability and violence;
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war and civil disturbance;
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expropriation or nationalization;
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changing fiscal, royalty and tax regimes;
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fluctuations in currency exchange rates;
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high rates of inflation;
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uncertain or changing legal requirements respecting the ownership and maintenance of mineral properties, mines and mining activities, and inconsistent or arbitrary application of such legal requirements;
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uncertain or changing economic and environmental policies of governmental authorities in Mexico or Argentina;
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underdeveloped industrial and economic infrastructure;
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corruption; and
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unenforceability of contractual rights.
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Changes in mining or investment policies or shifts in the prevailing political climate in any of the countries in which we conduct exploration activities could adversely affect our business.
Our El Quevar exploration property is located in Argentina and is subject to various levels of political, economic, legal, social and other risks.
Our El Quevar exploration property is located in Argentina and, as such, is exposed to various levels of political, economic, legal, social and other risks and uncertainties, including high interest rates; abrupt changes in currency values; high levels of inflation; stability and competitiveness of the Argentine peso against foreign currencies; wage and price controls; regulations to import equipment and other necessities relevant for operations; changes in governmental economic (including export duties and import regulations) or tax policies; and political and social tensions.
The Argentine economy has experienced significant volatility in recent decades, characterized by periods of low or negative gross domestic product growth, high and variable levels of inflation and currency depreciation and devaluation. Financial and securities markets in Argentina, and the Argentine economy, are influenced by economic and market conditions in other markets worldwide. The Argentine government has often changed monetary, taxation, credit, tariff and other policies to influence the course of Argentina’s economy, and taken other actions which do, or may be perceived to weaken the nation’s economy especially as it relates to foreign investors and the overall investment climate.
 
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The Argentine government has not only historically exercised significant influence over the country’s economy, but the country’s legal and regulatory frameworks have at times suffered radical changes due to political influence and significant political uncertainties as well. Future government policies to preempt, or in response to, social unrest may include expropriation, nationalization, forced renegotiation or modification of existing contracts, suspension of the enforcement of creditors’ rights, new taxation policies including royalty and tax increases and retroactive tax claims, and changes in laws and policies affecting foreign trade and investment. Such policies could destabilize the country and adversely and materially affect the economy, and thereby our business.
Most of our properties are subject to extensive environmental laws and regulations which could materially adversely affect our business.
Our exploration, mining, and processing operations are subject to extensive laws and regulations governing land use and the protection of the environment which control the exploration and mining of mineral properties and their effects on the environment, including air and water quality, mine reclamation, waste generation, handling and disposal, the protection of different species of flora and fauna and the preservation of lands. These laws and regulations require us to acquire permits and other authorizations for conducting certain activities. In many countries, there is relatively new comprehensive environmental legislation, and the permitting and the authorization processes may not be established or predictable. We may not be able to acquire necessary permits or authorizations on a timely basis, if at all. Delays in acquiring any permit or authorization could increase the cost of our projects and could suspend or delay the commencement of extraction and processing of mineralized material.
Our Rodeo and Velardeña properties are subject to regulation by SEMARNAT, the environmental protection agency of Mexico. In order to permit new facilities at or expand existing facilities, regulations require that an environmental impact statement, known in Mexico as a Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental (the “Manifestación”), be prepared by a third-party contractor for submission to SEMARNAT. Studies required to support the Manifestación include a detailed analysis of soil, water, vegetation, wildlife, cultural resources and socio-economic impacts. The Manifestación is then published on SEMARNAT’s web page and in its official gazette in a national and local newspaper. The Manifestación is discussed at various open hearings, including hearings in the local communities, at which third parties may voice their views. We would be required to provide proof of local community support of the Manifestación as a condition to final approval. We may not be able to obtain community support of future projects.
Environmental legislation in Mexico and in many other countries is evolving in a manner which will likely require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects, and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. Future changes in environmental regulation in the jurisdictions where our Rodeo and Velardeña properties are located may adversely affect our business, make our business prohibitively expensive, or prohibit it altogether. We cannot predict what environmental legislation or regulations will be enacted or adopted in the future or how future laws and regulations will be administered or interpreted. Compliance with more stringent laws and regulations, as well as potentially more vigorous enforcement policies or regulatory agencies or stricter interpretation of existing laws, may (i) necessitate significant capital outlays, (ii) cause us to delay, terminate or otherwise change our intended activities with respect to one or more projects, or (iii) materially adversely affect our future exploration activities.
Many of our properties are located in areas of prior mining activity and we may encounter legacy environmental damage.
The Velardeña Properties and many of our exploration properties are located in historic mining districts where prior owners, including ECU in the case of the Velardeña Properties, may have caused environmental damage that may not be known to us or to applicable regulators. At the Velardeña Properties and in most other cases, we have not conducted comprehensive environmental analyses of our mineral properties. Insurance fully covering many environmental risks (including potential liability for pollution or other hazards as a result of disposal of waste products occurring from exploration and mining) is not generally available. To the extent environmental hazards may exist on the properties in which we currently hold
 
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interests, or may hold interests in the future, that are unknown to us at present and that have been caused by us, or by previous owners or operators, or that may have occurred naturally, and to the extent we are subject to environmental requirements or liabilities, the cost of compliance with these requirements and satisfaction of these liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. If we are unable to fully fund the cost of remediation of any environmental condition, we may be required to suspend activities or enter into interim compliance measures pending completion of the required remediation.
Climate change and climate change legislation or regulations could impact our business.
We are subject to physical risks associated with climate change which could seriously harm our results of operations and increase our costs and expenses. The occurrence of severe adverse weather conditions, including increased temperatures and droughts, fires, longer wet or dry seasons, increased precipitation, floods, hail, snow, or more severe storms, may have a potentially devastating impact on our operations. Adverse weather may result in physical damage to our operations, instability of our infrastructure and equipment, washed-out roads to our projects, and alter the supply of water and electricity to our properties, mining sites, and oxide plant. Increased temperatures may also decrease worker productivity at our projects and raise cooling costs. Should the impacts of climate change be material in nature or occur for lengthy periods of time in the areas in which we operate, our financial condition or results of operations would be adversely affected.
Changes in the quantity of water, whether in excess or deficient amounts, may impact exploration and development activities, mining and processing operations, water storage and treatment facilities, tailings storage facilities, closure and reclamation efforts, and may increase levels of dust in dry conditions and land erosion and slope stability in case of prolonged wet conditions. Increased precipitation, extreme rainfall events or increased snowfall may potentially impact tailings storage facilities through flooding of the water management infrastructure, exceeding surface water runoff network capacity, overtopping the facility, or undermining the slope stability of the structure. Increased amounts of water may also result in extended periods of mine pit flooding, maintenance and storage facilities; or may exceed current water treatment facility capacity to store and treat water physical conditions resulting in an unintended overflow either on or off of the mine site property.
U.S. and international legislative and regulatory action intended to ensure the protection of the environment are constantly changing and evolving in a manner expected to result in stricter standards and enforcement, larger fines and liability, and potentially increased capital expenditures and operating costs. Transitioning our business to meet regulatory, societal and investor expectations may cause us to incur lower economic returns than originally estimated for new exploration projects and development plans of existing operations.
Mining companies are increasingly required to consider and provide benefits to the communities, regions, and countries in which they operate, and are subject to extensive environmental, health and safety laws and regulations.
As a result of public concern about the real or perceived detrimental effects of economic globalization, global climate impacts, and other adverse environmental effects resulting from the operation of extractive industries, businesses in general and the mining industry in particular face increasing public scrutiny of their activities. These businesses are under pressure to demonstrate that as they seek to generate satisfactory returns on investment to shareholders, other stakeholders, including employees, governments, communities surrounding operations, adjacent regions, and the countries in which they operate, such constituencies benefit and will continue to benefit from their commercial activities. The potential consequences of these pressures include reputational damage, delays, suspension of activities, legal claims, increased costs, increased social investment obligations, difficulty in acquiring permits, and increased taxes and royalties payable to governments and communities.
Title to the Rodeo project, Velardeña Properties and our other properties and rights may be defective or may be challenged.
Our policy is to seek to confirm the validity of our rights to, title to, or contract rights with respect to, each mineral property in which we have a material interest. However, we cannot guarantee that title to our
 
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properties will not be challenged. Title insurance is not available for our mineral properties, and our ability to ensure that we have obtained secure rights to individual mineral properties or mining concessions may be severely constrained. Accordingly, the Rodeo project, Velardeña Properties and our other mineral properties may be subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims, and title may be affected by, among other things, undetected defects. In addition, we may be unable to conduct activities on our properties as permitted or to enforce our rights with respect to our properties, and the title to our mineral properties may also be impacted by state action. We have not conducted surveys of all of the exploration properties in which we hold direct or indirect interests and, therefore, the precise area and location of these exploration properties may be in doubt.
In most of the countries in which we operate, failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations relating to mineral right applications and tenure could result in loss, reduction or expropriation of entitlements, or the imposition of additional local or foreign parties as joint venture partners. Any such loss, reduction or imposition of partners could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Under the laws of Mexico, mineral resources belong to the state, and government concessions are required to explore for or exploit mineral reserves. Mineral rights derive from concessions granted, on a discretionary basis, by the Ministry of Economy, pursuant to the Mexican mining law and regulations thereunder. We hold title to the Rodeo project, Velardeña Properties and our other properties in Mexico through these government concessions, but there is no assurance that title to the concessions comprising the Rodeo project, Velardeña Properties and other properties will not be challenged or impaired. The Rodeo project, Velardeña Properties and other properties may be subject to prior unregistered agreements, interests or native land claims, and title may be affected by undetected defects. There could be valid challenges to the title of any of the claims comprising the Rodeo project, Velardeña Properties that, if successful, could impair mining with respect to such properties in the future. A defect could result in our losing all or a portion of our right, title, and interest in and to the properties to which the title defect relates.
Our Rodeo project mining concessions, Velardeña Properties mining concessions and our other mining concessions in Mexico may be terminated if our obligations to maintain the concessions in good standing are not satisfied, including obligations to explore or exploit the relevant concession, to pay any relevant fees, to comply with all environmental and safety standards, to provide information to the Ministry of Economy and to allow inspections by the Ministry of Economy. In addition to termination, failure to make timely concession maintenance payments and otherwise comply strictly with applicable laws, regulations and local practices relating to mineral right applications and tenure could result in reduction or expropriation of entitlements. Additionally, in 2014, new mining concessions became subject to additional review and approval by the Mexico Ministry of Energy, and in recent years the federal government has been reluctant to issue new mining concessions at all.
Mining concessions in Mexico give exclusive exploration and exploitation rights to the minerals located in the concessions but do not include surface rights to the real property, which requires that we negotiate the necessary agreements with surface landowners. Many of our mining properties are subject to the Mexican ejido system requiring us to contract with the local communities surrounding the properties in order to obtain surface rights to land needed in connection with our mining exploration activities. See “Risk Factors — Our ability to develop our Mexican properties is subject to the rights of the Ejido (agrarian cooperatives) who use or own the surface for agricultural purposes.” Our inability to maintain and periodically renew or expand these surface rights on favorable terms or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.
Most of our mining properties, including our Rodeo and Velardeña properties, are located in Mexico and are subject to various levels of political, economic, legal, social and other risks.
Our Rodeo and Velardeña properties are located in Mexico, and, as such, are exposed to various levels of political, economic, legal and other risks and uncertainties, including local acts of violence, such as violence from drug cartels; military repression; extreme fluctuations in currency exchange rates; high rates of inflation; labor unrest; the risks of war or civil unrest; expropriation and nationalization; renegotiation or nullification of existing concessions, licenses, permits and contracts; illegal mining; acts of political corruption; changes in taxation policies; restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation; and changing political
 
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conditions, currency controls and governmental regulations that favor or require the awarding of contracts to local contractors or require foreign contractors to employ citizens of, or purchase supplies from, a particular jurisdiction.
In the past, Mexico has been subject to political instability, changes and uncertainties, which have resulted in changes to existing governmental regulations affecting mineral exploration and mining activities. Mexico’s status as a developing country may make it more difficult for us to obtain any required funding for our Rodeo project, Velardeña Properties or other projects in Mexico in the future.
Our Mexican properties are subject to a variety of governmental regulations governing health and worker safety, employment standards, waste disposal, protection of historic and archaeological sites, mine development, protection of endangered and protected species, purchase, storage and use of explosives and other matters. Specifically, our activities related to the Rodeo and Velardeña properties are subject to regulation by SEMARNAT, the Comisión Nacional del Agua, which regulates water rights, and Mexican mining laws. Mexican regulators have broad authority to shut down and levy fines against facilities that do not comply with regulations or standards.
Our Rodeo and Velardeña properties and mineral exploration activities in Mexico may be adversely affected in varying degrees by changing government regulations relating to the mining industry or shifts in political conditions that increase the costs related to our mining and exploration activities or the maintenance of our properties.
Changes, if any, in mining or investment policies, changes or increases in the legal rights of indigenous populations or in the difficulty or expense of obtaining rights from them that are necessary for our Rodeo or Velardeña properties or shifts in political attitude may adversely affect our business and financial condition. Our mining and exploration activities may be affected in varying degrees by government regulations with respect to restrictions on extraction, price controls, export controls, currency remittance, income and other taxes, expropriation of property, foreign investment, maintenance of claims, environmental legislation, land use, land claims of local people, water use and mine safety. Restart of mining or use of both the oxide and sulfide plant may also require us to assure the availability of adequate supplies of water and power, which could be affected by government policy and competing businesses in the area. The occurrence of these various factors and uncertainties cannot be accurately predicted and could have an adverse effect on our mining and exploration activities and financial condition.
Future changes in applicable laws and regulations or changes in their enforcement or regulatory interpretation could negatively impact current or planned exploration or mining activities at our Rodeo or Velardeña properties or in respect of any of our other projects in Mexico or projects with which we become involved in Mexico. Any failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations, even if inadvertent, could result in the interruption of mining and exploration or material fines, penalties or other liabilities.
Our ability to develop our Mexican properties is subject to the rights of the Ejido (agrarian cooperatives) who use or own the surface for agricultural purposes.
Our ability to mine minerals is subject to maintaining satisfactory arrangements and relationships with the Ejido for access and surface disturbances. Ejidos are groups of local inhabitants who were granted rights to conduct agricultural activities on the property. We must negotiate and maintain a satisfactory arrangement with these residents in order to disturb or discontinue their rights to farm.
In connection with our Velardeña Properties, we have contracts with two ejidos to secure surface rights with a total annual cost of approximately $25,000. The first contract is a ten-year contract with the Velardeña ejido, which provides surface rights to certain roads and other infrastructure at the Velardeña Properties through 2031. The second contract is a 25-year contract with the Vista Hermosa ejido signed in March 2013, which provides exploration access and access rights for roads and utilities for our Velardeña Properties. Similar to our Velardeña Properties, the Rodeo Property is subject to the Mexican ejido system. We also have a separate surface rights agreement in place with a local private landowner that allows us to conduct mining operations on the two concessions that make up the Rodeo Property. Our inability to maintain and periodically renew or expand these surface rights on favorable terms or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.
 
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Most of our costs are subject to exchange control policies, the effects of inflation, and currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the Mexican peso.
Our revenue and external funding are primarily denominated in U.S. dollars. However, certain mining, processing, maintenance and exploration costs at the Rodeo and Velardeña properties and most of our exploration properties are denominated in Mexican pesos. These costs principally include electricity, labor, water, maintenance, local contractors and fuel. The appreciation of the peso against the U.S. dollar increases expenses and the cost of purchasing capital assets in U.S. dollar terms in Mexico, which can adversely impact our operating results and cash flows. Conversely, depreciation of the Mexican peso decreases operating costs and capital asset purchases in U.S. dollar terms. When inflation in Mexico increases without a corresponding devaluation of the Mexican peso, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. The annual average inflation rate in Mexico was approximately 7.9% in 2022, 7.3% in 2021, and 3.2% in 2020. At the same time, the peso has been subject to fluctuation, which may not have been proportionate to the inflation rate and may not be proportionate to the inflation rate in the future. The value of the peso decreased by 4.9% in 2022, decreased by 2.6% in 2021, and decreased by 4.7% in 2020. Current and future inflationary effects may be driven by, among other things, supply chain disruptions and governmental stimulus or fiscal policies, and geopolitical instability, including the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Continuing increases in inflation could increase our costs of labor and other costs related to our business, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
In addition, fluctuations in currency exchange rates may have a significant impact on our financial results. There can be no assurance that the Mexican government will maintain its current policies with regard to the peso or that the peso’s value will not fluctuate significantly in the future. We cannot assure you that currency fluctuations, inflation and exchange control policies will not have an adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations, earnings and cash flows.
Lack of infrastructure could forestall or prevent further exploration and advancement.
Exploration activities, as well as any advancement activities, depend on adequate infrastructure. Reliable roads, bridges, power sources and water supply are important factors that affect capital and operating costs and the feasibility and economic viability of a project. Unanticipated or higher than expected costs and unusual or infrequent weather phenomena, or government or other interference in the maintenance or provision of such infrastructure, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Recent amendments to the Mexican mining law may have an adverse impact on our operations in Mexico.
A significant portion of our properties are located in Mexico, including the Rodeo property and the Velardeña property. In April 2023, the government of Mexico adopted a series of changes to the law governing mining operations in the country. Under the new mining law, among other changes, the maximum length of new mining concessions has been reduced from 50 to 30 years, the ability to obtain water extraction permits has been somewhat constrained, and a new mining profit tax has been established for the benefit of local communities. Government authorities will also be permitted to cancel concessions if no work has been done on them within two years. The full impact of the mining law reform is uncertain and may be subject to legal challenges in Mexico. However, we currently anticipate that the changes to the mining law will make it somewhat more difficult, time-consuming and expensive to conduct exploration activities in Mexico, as it will make it more challenging to obtain, maintain and develop mining concessions. We do not currently expect that the mining law reform will materially impede our current development plans at Velardeña, however, there is no assurance that mining laws in Mexico will not be further modified in the future. Moreover, to the extent that investors perceive Mexico as being less attractive to mining investment, it may be more difficult and expensive for us to satisfy our future capital needs.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
One of our stockholders owns a significant percentage of our common stock and could block decisions or transactions that could be beneficial to other stockholders.
One of our stockholders, The Sentient Group, through the Sentient executive funds (“Sentient”), owns approximately 21% of our outstanding common stock. With this level of ownership, Sentient could exert
 
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significant control over us, including over the election of directors, changes in the size or the composition of the board of directors, and mergers and other business combinations involving us. Through greater control of the board of directors and increased voting power, including the potential to prevent a quorum at stockholders meetings, Sentient could control certain decisions, including decisions regarding qualification and appointment of officers, operations of the business including acquisition or disposition of our assets or purchases and sales of mining or exploration properties, dividend policy, and access to capital (including borrowing from third-party lenders and the issuance of equity or debt securities). Sentient’s large share ownership will also make it difficult, if not impossible, for us to enter into a change of control transaction that may otherwise be beneficial for our other shareholders.
Our stock price may be volatile and as a result shareholders could lose part or all of their investment.
Due to volatility associated with equity securities in general, the value of a shareholder’s investment could decline due to the impact of numerous factors upon the market price of our common stock, including:
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Changes in the worldwide price for the metals we mine;
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Adverse results from our exploration, development, or production efforts;
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Producing at rates lower than those targeted;
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Political and regulatory risks and social unrest, including the conflict between Ukraine and Russia;
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Weather conditions and extreme weather events, including unusually heavy rains;
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Failure to meet our revenue or profit goals or operating budget;
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Decline in demand for our common stock;
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Downward revisions in securities analysts’ estimates or changes in global financial markets and global economies and general market conditions;
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Technological innovations by competitors or in competing technologies;
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Investor perception of our industry or our prospects;
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Lawsuits;
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Economic impact from spread of disease, including from the COVID-19 pandemic;
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Our ability to integrate and operate the companies and the businesses that we acquire;
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Actions by government or central banks; and
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General economic trends.
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Stock markets in general have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations and the market prices of individual securities have been highly volatile. These fluctuations are often unrelated to operating performance and may materially adversely affect the market price of our common stock. As a result, shareholders may be unable to sell their shares at a desired price.
The existence of a significant number of warrants may have a negative effect on the market price of our common stock.
As of March 31, 2023 we had 9.8 million warrants outstanding with a weighted average exercise price per share of $0.34. The existence of securities available for exercise and resale is referred to as an “overhang,” and, particularly if the warrants are “in the money,” the anticipation of potential sales could exert downward pressure on the market price of our common stock.
If our common stock were delisted and determined to be a “penny stock,” a broker-dealer could find it more difficult to trade our common stock and an investor may find it more difficult to acquire or dispose of our common stock in the secondary market.
If our common stock were removed from listing on the NYSE American, it may be subject to the so-called “penny stock” rules. The SEC has adopted regulations that define a “penny stock” to be any equity
 
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security that has a market price per share of less than $5.00, subject to certain exceptions, such as any securities listed on a national securities exchange. For any transaction involving a “penny stock,” unless exempt, the rules impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers, subject to certain exceptions. If our common stock were delisted and determined to be a “penny stock,” a broker-dealer may find it more difficult to trade our common stock and an investor may find it more difficult to acquire or dispose of our common stock on the secondary market. These factors could significantly negatively affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to raise capital.
General Risks
Certain of the impacts to the economy and supply chain resulting from the COVID pandemic and resulting global recovery are likely to continue for much of 2023, and other impacts to the health of our staff remain uncertain.
The COVID pandemic has had a significant negative impact generally on the global economy and commodity and equity markets, and the outlook remains uncertain with variants of the virus evolving and continuing to affect many parts of the world. While many of the direct impacts to our business arising from our employees, regulators and suppliers being unable to conduct routine operations due to illness or exposure to COVID have decreased, direct and indirect effects of the pandemic may continue to be experienced. The ongoing impacts to supply chain and available labor and contractors may continue to pose risk to our operations.
We operate in a highly regulated industry and while the regulators are available to address operational impacts from illness, governmental restrictions and other effects, it remains uncertain whether all impacts can be timely addressed with our operations and with the regulators. We are and will remain fully engaged with our employees in our efforts to protect their health and safety.
To the extent the COVID pandemic may adversely affect our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described throughout this Item 1A, such as timely and economically available labor and supplies, and those relating to our ability to access additional capital, which could negatively affect our business. It continues to be difficult to estimate the continuing or future effects of the pandemic on our business.
We may not be able to operate successfully if we are unable to recruit, hire, retain and develop key personnel and a qualified and diverse workforce. In addition, we are dependent upon our employees being able to safely perform their jobs, including the potential for physical injuries or illness.
We depend upon the services of a number of key executives and management personnel. These individuals include our executive officers and other key employees. If any of these individuals were to die, become disabled or leave our company, we would be forced to identify and retain individuals to replace them. We may be unable to hire a suitable replacement on favorable terms should that become necessary.
Our success is also dependent on the contributions of our highly skilled and experienced workforce. Our ability to achieve our operating goals depends upon our ability to recruit, hire, retain and develop qualified and diverse personnel to execute on our strategy. There continues to be competition over highly skilled personnel in our industry. If we lose key personnel or one or more members of our senior management team, and we fail to develop adequate succession plans, or if we fail to hire, retain and develop qualified and diverse employees, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be harmed. COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 related laws and policies could make hiring and retaining highly skilled key employees more difficult in the future.
Our business is dependent upon our workforce being able to safely perform their jobs, including the potential for physical injuries or illness. If we experience periods where our employees are unable to perform their jobs for any reason, including as a result of illness (such as COVID-19), our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have experienced temporary workforce disruptions and periods where we temporarily placed certain sites in care and maintenance. These events, or if similar events occur in the future, could have a material adverse impact on the business in the future.
 
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U.S.-China Tensions
In light of continuing and increased tension in the relations between U.S. and China, it is difficult to assess and predict the impact that further developments may have, including sanctions, further supply disruption and increased prices of materials, and cyber-security threats. While we do not currently purchase goods and materials directly from China, in connection with our production operations at Rodeo, our suppliers of electronics and instrumentation components may purchase necessary materials from China, and/or our suppliers and we may be indirectly affected if the market for Chinese products is further disrupted by sanctions, countersanctions or other events.
We are dependent on information technology systems, which are subject to certain risks, including cybersecurity risks and data leakage risks.
We are dependent upon information technology systems in the conduct of our business. Any significant breakdown, invasion, virus, cyberattack, security breach, destruction or interruption of these systems by employees, others with authorized access to our systems, or unauthorized persons could negatively impact our business. To the extent any invasion, cyberattack or security breach results in disruption to our business, loss or disclosure of, or damage to, our data or confidential information, our reputation, business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. Our systems and insurance coverage for protecting against cyber security risks may not be sufficient. Although to date we have not experienced any material losses relating to cyberattacks, we may suffer such losses in the future. We may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures. We also may be subject to significant litigation, regulatory investigation and remediation costs associated with any information security vulnerabilities, cyberattacks or security breaches.
The Company could also be adversely affected by system or network disruptions if new or upgraded information technology systems are defective, not installed properly or not properly integrated into operations. Various measures have been implemented to manage the risks related to the system implementation and modification, but system modification failures could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial position, and results of operations.
Risks Related to this Offering
Our stockholders may suffer additional dilution to their equity and voting interests as a result of future financing transactions.
We could require additional funding to support our business, including for general and administrative costs and other working capital needs to fund our continuing business activities as currently conducted. Because debt financing is difficult to obtain for early stage mining companies, it is likely that we will seek such financing in the equity markets. If we were to engage in any type of equity financing the current ownership interest of our stockholders would be diluted.
Management will have broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and we may not use these proceeds effectively.
The Company currently intends to allocate the net proceeds it will receive from the offering as described under “Use of Proceeds” on page S-27 of this prospectus supplement. However, management will have considerable discretion in the actual application of the net proceeds, and the Company may elect to allocate proceeds differently from that described under “Use of Proceeds” on page S-27 of this prospectus supplement if the Company believes it would be in its best interests to do so. Accordingly, you will be relying on the judgment of our management with regard to the use of these net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. Our failure to apply these funds effectively could have an adverse effect on our business and cause the price of our common stock to decline.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly.
The market price of our common stock has fluctuated and could fluctuate substantially in the future. This volatility may subject our stock price to material fluctuations due to the factors in this prospectus
 
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supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference, and other factors including market reaction to the estimated fair value of our portfolio; rumors or dissemination of false information; changes in coverage or earnings estimates by analysts; our ability to meet analysts’ or market expectations; and sales of common stock by existing stockholders.
You may experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value per share of the common stock you purchase in the offering.
The offering price per share in this offering may exceed the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. The aggregate gross proceeds based on the sale of 790,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $1.45 per share and pre-funded warrants exercisable for up to 637,587 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $1.4499 is approximately $2.1 million, and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, you will experience immediate dilution of $0.76 per share, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2023 after giving effect to this offering and the assumed offering price per share. The exercise of outstanding stock options or warrants could result in further dilution of your investment. See the section below entitled “Dilution” for a more detailed illustration of the dilution you may incur if you participate in this offering.
 
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DILUTION
Purchasers of common stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may experience immediate dilution in the net tangible book value of their common stock from the price paid in the offering. The net tangible book value of our common stock as of March 31, 2023, was approximately $4,081,000, or $0.59 per share. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our total tangible assets, less total liabilities, by the number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2023.
Dilution per share represents the difference between the public offering price per share of common stock and the adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock after giving effect to this offering. After reflecting the sale in this offering of 790,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $1.45 per share and pre-funded warrants exercisable for up to 637,587 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $1.4499 (and assuming the exercise of the pre-funded warrants), less commissions and estimated offering expenses, the adjusted net tangible book value of our common stock as of March 31, 2023 would have been approximately $5,876,801, or approximately $0.69 per share. The change represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of common stock of $0.11 per share to existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $0.76 per share to new investors purchasing the common stock in this offering. The following table illustrates this per share dilution:
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Public offering price per common share
​ ​ ​ $ 1.45 ​ ​
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Net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2023
​ ​ ​ $ 0.59 ​ ​
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Increase per share attributable to this offering
​ ​ ​ $ 0.10 ​ ​
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Adjusted net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2023
​ ​ ​ $ 0.69 ​ ​
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Dilution per share attributable to this offering
​ ​ ​ $ 0.76 ​ ​
The foregoing calculations are based on 7,145,665 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2023 and excludes (i) 232,402 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan in exchange for restricted stock units issued to our non-employee directors under the terms of our Non-Employee Directors Deferred Compensation and Equity Award Plan; (ii) 188,000 shares of common stock that can be acquired under outstanding KELTIP units; (iii) 392,155 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of currently outstanding warrants.
 
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that our net proceeds from this Offering, after deducting the placement agent fee of $124,200 and estimated offering expenses of $150,000, will be approximately $1.8 million.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, after deducting Wainwright’s commission and our offering expenses, for working capital requirements and general corporate purposes. The Company may use some of the proceeds from this offering and the Private Placement Transaction to settle a lawsuit with Unifin Financiera, S.A.B de C.V., which was previously disclosed in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2023, should such a settlement be reached.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds of this offering.
 
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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
In this Offering, we are offering 790,000 shares of common stock. The material terms and provisions of our common stock are described under the caption “Description of Common Stock” starting on page 27 in the accompanying base prospectus.
We currently have 28,000,000 shares of common stock authorized, of which 7,145,665 shares are issued and outstanding, plus 812,557 shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants, KELTIP units, restricted stock units and options.
DESCRIPTION OF PRE-FUNDED WARRANTS
In this Offering, we are offering 637,587 Pre-Funded Warrants. The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the Pre-Funded Warrants that are being offered hereby is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the Pre-Funded Warrant, the form of which will be filed as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K in connection with this offering and incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part. Prospective investors should carefully review the terms and provisions of the form of Pre-Funded Warrant for a complete description of the terms and conditions of the Pre-Funded Warrants.
Pre-Funded Warrants will be issued in certificated form only.
Duration and Exercise Price
Each Pre-Funded Warrant offered hereby has an initial exercise price per share equal to $0.0001 per share. The Pre-Funded Warrants are exercisable at any time following their date of issuance. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations or similar events affecting our common stock and the exercise price.
Exercisability
The Pre-Funded Warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of our common stock purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below). A holder (together with its affiliates) may not exercise any portion of such holder’s Pre-Funded Warrant to the extent that the holder would own more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of the outstanding shares of common stock immediately after exercise, provided that upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us, the holder may increase this beneficial ownership limit to up to 9.99% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the Warrants. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant. In lieu of fractional shares, we will either pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price or round up to the next whole share.
Cashless Exercise
In lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder may elect instead to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the net number of shares of common stock determined according to a cashless exercise formula set forth in the Pre-Funded Warrants.
Fundamental Transaction
In the event of any fundamental transaction, as described in the Warrants and generally including any merger with or into another entity, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, tender offer or exchange offer, or reclassification of our shares of common stock, then upon any subsequent exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant, the holder will have the right to receive as alternative consideration, for each share of common stock that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such fundamental
 
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transaction, the number of shares of common stock of the successor or acquiring corporation of our company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration receivable upon or as a result of such transaction by a holder of the number of shares of common stock for which the Pre-Funded Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such event.
Transferability
Subject to applicable laws, a Pre-Funded Warrant may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the Pre-Funded Warrant to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer and payment of funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes (if applicable).
Exchange Listing
There is no trading market for the Pre-Funded Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system. We do not intend to list the Pre-Funded Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system.
Right as a Stockholder
Except as otherwise provided in the Pre-Funded Warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of our common stock, the holders of the Pre-Funded Warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our common stock, including any voting rights, until they exercise their Pre-Funded Warrants.
U.S. INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a general summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of our common stock. This summary does not describe all of the potential tax considerations that may be relevant in light of a holder’s particular circumstances. For example, it does not address special classes of holders, such as banks, thrifts, real estate investment trusts, regulated investment companies, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, insurance companies, dealers in securities or currencies, or tax-exempt investors. This summary is limited to holders that acquire our common stock in this offering and hold such common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (generally, property held for investment purposes). Further, it does not include any description of any alternative minimum tax consequences, estate, gift, or generation-skipping tax consequences, or consequences under the tax laws of any state or local jurisdiction or of any foreign jurisdiction that may be applicable to our shares of common stock. This summary is based on the Code, the U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, the United States-Canada income tax treaty as in effect on the date of this offering, and administrative and judicial decisions, all as in effect on the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) will not challenge one or more of the descriptions of the tax consequences described herein, and we have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS with respect to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our shares of common stock.
As used in this prospectus, the term “U.S. Holder” means:
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a citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
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a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in, or under the laws of, the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;
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an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
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a trust, if either (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (ii) such trust has made a valid election under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.
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As used in this prospectus, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of our securities that is not a U.S. Holder.
 
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If an entity or arrangement that is classified as a partnership (or other “pass-through” entity) for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the U.S. federal income tax consequences to such entity and the partners (or other owners) of such entity generally will depend on the activities of the entity and the status of such partners (or owners). This summary does not address the tax consequences to any such partner (or owner). Partners (or other owners) of entities or arrangements that are classified as partnerships or as “pass-through” entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences arising from and relating to the purchase, ownership, and disposition of our common stock.
WE URGE ALL PROSPECTIVE HOLDERS TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-U.S. INCOME, ESTATE AND OTHER TAX CONSIDERATIONS OF ACQUIRING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK.
General
The purchase price paid for a share of common stock must be allocated between the share of common stock and any associated warrants for the purchase of our common stock that are included in the purchase price based on their respective relative fair market values. We will determine this allocation based upon our determination, which we will complete following the closing of this offering, of the relative values of such warrants and of our common stock. This allocation will be reported to any person to which we transfer such common stock and warrants that acts as a custodian of securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business, or that effects sales of securities by others in the ordinary course of its trade or business, and may be reported to the IRS by such persons. This allocation is not binding on purchasers in this offering, the IRS, or the courts. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in our common stock (and associated warrants) and the allocation of the purchase price paid in the offering.
Taxation of U.S. Holders
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders of the ownership and disposition of the shares of common stock purchased in this offering.
Dividends and Other Distributions on Shares of Common Stock
Distributions on shares of our common stock will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current or accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital and will reduce (but not below zero) the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such shares of our common stock, and any remaining excess will be treated as capital gain from a sale or exchange of shares of our common stock, subject to the tax treatment described below in “— Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Shares of our Common Stock.”
Dividends received by a corporate U.S. Holder generally will qualify for the dividends received deduction if the requisite holding period is satisfied. With certain exceptions, and provided certain holding period requirements are met, dividends received by a non-corporate U.S. Holder generally will constitute “qualified dividends” that will be subject to tax at the tax rate accorded to long-term capital gains.
Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Shares of Our Common Stock
Upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares of our common stock, a U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized upon such event and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such shares of common stock. Generally, such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss. Any such capital gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the shares exceeds one year, and will otherwise be short-term capital gain or loss.
Tax Rates Applicable to Ordinary Income and Capital Gains
Ordinary income and short-term capital gains of non-corporate U.S. Holders are generally taxable at rates of up to 37%. Long-term capital gains of non-corporate U.S. Holders are subject to a maximum rate
 
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of 20%. See “— Surtax on Net Investment Income,” below, regarding the applicability of a 3.8% surtax to certain investment income.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of the ownership and disposition of the shares of common stock purchased in this offering.
Distributions
Distributions on shares of our common stock will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital and will reduce (but not below zero) the Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such shares of our common stock, and any remaining excess will be treated as gain realized from the sale or exchange of the shares of our common stock, the treatment of which is described below under the section entitled “— Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Shares of Common Stock.”
Subject to the discussion below under “Foreign Accounts,” dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30%, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. U.S. withholding tax on dividends paid to an individual Non-U.S. Holder who is resident of Canada for purposes of the United States- Canada income tax treaty is generally reduced to 15% pursuant to the United States-Canada income tax treaty. If a dividend is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if an applicable tax treaty requires, is also attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by such Non-U.S. Holder), the dividend will not be subject to any withholding tax, provided certain certification requirements are satisfied (as described below), and subject to the discussion below under “Foreign Accounts.” Instead, such dividends will be subject to U.S. federal income tax imposed on net income on the same basis that applies to U.S. persons generally. A corporate Non-U.S. Holder under certain circumstances also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax equal to 30%, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, on a portion of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year.
To claim the benefit of a tax treaty or to claim exemption from withholding on the ground that income is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, a Non-U.S. Holder must provide a properly executed form, generally on IRS Form W-8BEN for treaty benefits or Form W-8ECI for effectively connected income, or such successor forms as the IRS designates, prior to the payment of dividends.
These forms must be periodically updated. Non-U.S. Holders generally may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.
Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential applicability of any income tax treaty in their particular circumstances.
Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Shares of Common Stock
A Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax and, in certain cases, withholding tax on the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares of our common stock purchased in this offering unless:
•
the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Holder (and, if an applicable tax treaty requires, is also attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by such Non-U.S. Holder),
​
•
in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder who is an individual, such holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 or more days (as calculated for U.S. federal income tax purposes) during the taxable year of the disposition, and certain other conditions are satisfied, or
​
 
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•
we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation,” or “USRPHC,” as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
​
Gain described in the first bullet point above will be subject to tax at generally applicable U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as gain is taxable to U.S. Holders. Any gain described in the first bullet point above of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a foreign corporation may also be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
An individual Non-U.S. Holder described in the second bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a flat rate of 30% (or at a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on any gain recognized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock, which may be offset by certain U.S.-source capital losses (even though such individual is not considered a resident of the United States).
With respect to the third bullet point above, a U.S. corporation is generally a USRPHC if the fair market value of its “United States real property interests” equals or exceeds 50% of the fair market value of its real property and trade or business assets. We believe that we currently are not, and have not been, a USRPHC, although there can be no assurance that we will not become a USRPHC in future years. Even if we are or become a USRPHC, so long as our common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market, under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares of our common stock, unless the Non-U.S. Holder has owned, directly or by attribution, more than 5% of our common stock during the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition or the Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period for the shares of our common stock (a “greater than 5% stockholder”).
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax
Information reporting and backup withholding at a rate of 24% may apply to dividends paid with respect to our common stock and to proceeds from the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock. U.S. Holders will not be subject to backup withholding if they furnish a correct taxpayer identification number and certify under penalties of perjury that they are not subject to backup withholding on Form W-9, or such successor form as the IRS designates, Non-U.S. Holders will not be subject to backup withholding if they certify under penalties of perjury as to their status as Non-U.S. Holders or otherwise establish an exemption and certain other requirements are met. Holders of our common stock should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the information reporting and backup withholding rules to them.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a holder of our common stock generally may be refunded or credited against the holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that certain required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Surtax on Net Investment Income
Individuals, estates and trusts will be required to pay a 3.8% Medicare surtax on “net investment income” ​(in the case of an individual) or “undistributed net investment income” ​(in the case of a trust or estate) in excess of a certain threshold amount. Net investment income includes, among other things, dividends and net gain from disposition of property (other than property held in certain trades or businesses). Net investment income is reduced by deductions that are properly allocable to such income. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application, if any, of this tax on their ownership and disposition of our common stock.
Foreign Accounts
Legislation enacted in 2010, commonly known as “FATCA,” generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on dividends on shares of common stock paid to (i) a foreign financial institutions (as defined in section 1471 of the Code) unless it enters into an agreement to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding direct and indirect U.S. account holders, and (ii) certain other foreign entities unless they certify certain
 
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information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. If the payee is a foreign financial institution, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to account holders whose actions prevent it from complying with these reporting and other requirements. In certain circumstances, an account holder may be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. We will not pay any additional amounts in respect to any amounts withheld. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury regulations, may modify these requirements.
While the withholding obligations described above would also apply to gross proceeds from the sale of assets that could produce U.S.-source dividends and interest, recently proposed Treasury regulations, which state that taxpayers may rely on the proposed regulations until final regulations are issued, eliminate this requirement. The FATCA withholding tax will apply to all withholdable payments without regard to whether the beneficial owner of the payment would otherwise be entitled to an exemption from imposition of withholding tax pursuant to an applicable tax treaty with the United States or U.S. domestic law.
THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX DISCUSSION SET FORTH ABOVE IS INCLUDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE DEPENDING UPON A HOLDER’S PARTICULAR SITUATION. HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO ALL TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE ACQUISITION OF UNITS AND THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK, INCLUDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES UNDER STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS, AND THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF ANY CHANGES THEREIN.
PRIVATE PLACEMENT TRANSACTION
Concurrently with the closing of the sale of common stock in this Offering, for each share of common stock purchased, each purchaser will receive a Common Warrant to purchase one share of common stock in a private placement transaction (the “Private Placement Transaction”).
The investors will receive Common Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,427,587 shares of common stock, at an initial exercise price equal to $1.90. Each Common Warrant will be exercisable six months from the date of issuance and has a term expiring five years after such initial exercisable date. Subject to limited exceptions, a holder of Common Warrants will not have the right to exercise any portion of the Common Warrant if the holder (together with its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or 9.99% at the election of the holder prior to the date of issuance) of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares upon exercise of the Common Warrants, provided that the holder may increase or decrease the beneficial ownership limitation up to 9.99%, provided, further, that any increase in the beneficial ownership limitation shall not be effective until 61 days following notice of such change to the Company.
The Common Warrants provide that in the event of certain enumerated fundamental transactions, each holder of Common Warrants will have the option to require us to purchase its Common Warrants in cash for the Black-Scholes value of the Common Warrants. In addition, if at the time of the exercise of the Common Warrants, there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for, the resale of the shares of common stock underlying the Common Warrants, then the warrant may be exercised by means of a “cashless exercise.”
The Common Warrants will be issued and sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or state securities laws, in reliance on the exemptions provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder and in reliance on similar exemptions under applicable state laws. Accordingly, investors may exercise those Common Warrants and sell the underlying shares of common stock only pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the resale of those shares of common stock, an exemption under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or another applicable exemption under the Securities Act.
 
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (“Wainwright”) has agreed to act as placement agent in connection with this offering subject to the terms and conditions of the letter agreement dated June 22, 2023 (the “Letter Agreement”). The placement agent is not purchasing or selling any shares of common stock offered by this prospectus supplement, nor is it required to arrange the purchase or sale of any specific number or dollar amount of common stock, but has agreed to use its best efforts to arrange for the sale of all of the shares of common stock offered hereby. We have entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) directly with investors in connection with this offering. We may not sell the entire amount of our securities offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement. The placement agent may engage one or more sub-agents or selected dealers to assist with the offering.
Our obligation to issue and sell common stock to the purchasers is subject to the conditions set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement. A purchaser’s obligation to purchase common stock is subject to the conditions set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement as well.
The foregoing does not purport to be a complete statement of the terms and conditions of the Letter Agreement and the Securities Purchase Agreement. A copy of the Letter Agreement and the form of Securities Purchase Agreement with investors are included as exhibits to a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC in connection with this Offering and is incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement is part.
Delivery of the securities offered hereby is expected to take place on or about June 29, 2023, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Fees and Expenses
We have agreed to pay the placement agent a placement agent’s fee equal to six percent (6%) of the aggregate purchase price of the shares of common stock sold in this Offering and pursuant to the Private Placement Transaction described above under the caption “Private Placement Transaction.”
We have also agreed to give the placement agent a right of first refusal to act as our exclusive underwriter or placement agent for any further capital raising transactions undertaken by us until December 31, 2023.
The following table shows, on both a per-share and total basis, the offering price, the placement agent fees and proceeds, before expenses to us.
​ ​ ​
Per Share
​ ​
Per
Pre-Funded
Warrant
​ ​
Total
​
Offering Price
​ ​ ​ $ 1.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 1.4499 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 2,069,937.39 ​ ​
Placement agent’s fees
​ ​ ​ $ 0.087 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 0.087 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 124,200.07 ​ ​
Proceeds to us, before expenses and fees(2)
​ ​ ​ $ 1.363 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 1.3629 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 1,945,737.32 ​ ​
We estimate the total expenses that will be payable by us, excluding the placement agent’s fees, will be approximately $150,000, which include legal, accounting and printing costs, various other fees and reimbursement of the placement agent’s expenses, including up to $75,000 in legal fees and expenses and payment of up to $15,950 for the clearing expenses of the placement agent in connection with this offering.
Lock-up Restrictions
Pursuant to the securities purchase agreement with the purchasers of the shares of common stock, pre-funded warrants and common warrants, we have agreed for a period of 60 days following the closing of this offering not to issue, enter into an agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of shares of our common stock or any other securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of common stock or file any registration statement or amendment or supplement thereto, subject to customary limited exceptions. This agreement does not apply to, in addition to certain customary exceptions, the issuance by us of equity or debt securities pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of our disinterested directors, where not for the purpose of raising capital, provided that, in each
 
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case, such securities are issued as “restricted securities” ​(as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act), and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the 60-day lock-up period.
We have also agreed for a period of one year following the closing date of this offering not to (i) issue or agree to issue equity or debt securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of common stock at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange price which floats with the trading price of our common stock or which may be adjusted after issuance upon the occurrence of certain events or (ii) enter into any agreement, including an equity line of credit, whereby we may issue securities at a future-determined price. This agreement does not apply to the offer, issuance or sale by us of our common stock in an at-the-market offering 60 days after the closing of this offering, subject to certain restrictions.
Regulation M
The placement agent may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, and any commissions received by it and any profit realized on the resale of the common stock sold by it while acting as principal might be deemed to be underwriting discounts or commissions under the Securities Act. As an underwriter, the placement agent would be required to comply with the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Exchange Act, including without limitation, Rule 10b-5 and Regulation M under the Exchange Act. These rules and regulations may limit the timing of purchases and sales of shares of common stock and warrants by the placement agent acting as principal. Under these rules and regulations, the placement agent:
•
may not engage in any stabilization activity in connection with our securities; and
​
•
may not bid for or purchase any of our securities or attempt to induce any person to purchase any of our securities other than as permitted under the Exchange Act, until it has completed its participation in the distribution.
​
Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify the placement agent against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and liabilities arising from breaches of representations and warranties contained in our engagement letter with the placement agent. We have also agreed to contribute to payments the placement agent may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.
In addition, we will indemnify the purchaser of shares of our common stock in this offering against liabilities arising out of or relating to (i) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by us in the securities purchase agreement or related documents or (ii) any action instituted against a purchaser by a third party (other than a third party who is affiliated with such purchaser) with respect to the securities purchase agreement or related documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, subject to certain exceptions.
Other Relationships
From time to time, Wainwright may provide in the future various advisory, investment and commercial banking and other services to us in the ordinary course of business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions. However, except as disclosed in this prospectus supplement and as set forth in the At the Market Offering Agreement dated as of December 20, 2016, as amended, by and between the Company and Wainwright, we have no present arrangements with Wainwright for any further services.
Listing
Our common stock is traded on the NYSE American and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “AUMN.”
 
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RESTRICTIONS ON RESALE TO RESIDENTS OF CANADA
The Company is a “reporting issuer” ​(within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) in each of the provinces of Canada. However, as the offering of shares of common stock under this prospectus supplement is being made solely outside of Canada, the Company is exempt from or otherwise not subject to the requirement under Canadian securities laws to prepare and file a prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada to qualify the distribution of such shares of common stock. Accordingly, each purchaser of the shares of common stock distributed under this prospectus supplement acknowledges that such shares of common stock are subject to “hold period” resale restrictions under applicable Canadian securities laws and that such shares of common stock must not be traded or resold in or to a resident of Canada until four months and a day after the date of the purchase and sale of such shares, and each purchaser of shares of common stock distributed under this prospectus supplement agrees and is deemed to agree to comply with such restrictions. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement serves as notice to each purchaser of shares of common stock distributed under this prospectus supplement of the transfer and resale restrictions applicable to such shares of common stock under Canadian securities laws described in the following legend:
“UNDER CANADIAN SECURITIES LAWS, UNLESS PERMITTED UNDER SECURITIES LEGISLATION, THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY MUST NOT TRADE THE SECURITY IN CANADA BEFORE THE DATE THAT IS 4 MONTHS AND A DAY AFTER THE ORIGINAL DISTRIBUTION DATE OF THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK.”
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the issuance of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. Certain matters with respect to Canadian law will be passed upon by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP on our behalf. The placement agent is being represented in connection with this Offering by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Armanino, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The estimates of our mineral resources with respect to the Velardeña Properties and Rodeo properties incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been included in reliance upon the technical report summary prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc. The estimate of our mineral resources with respect to the Yoquivo Property incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been included in reliance on a technical report summary prepared by Aaron Amoroso and Matthew Booth.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and in accordance therewith, we file periodic reports and proxy statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission, referred to in this prospectus supplement as the SEC. All reports, proxy statements and the other information that we file with the SEC are available to the public from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and our website at www.goldenminerals.com. Information on our website is not part of this prospectus supplement and is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement (of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are a part) on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to our securities. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules thereto, certain parts of which are omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC.
 
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We also maintain an Internet website at www.goldenminerals.com, which provides additional information about our company and through which you can also access our SEC filings. Our website and the information contained in and connected to it are not a part of or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.
We also file reports, statements or other information with the Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Ontario Securities Commissions. Copies of these documents that are filed through the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval, or “SEDAR,” of the Canadian Securities Administrators are available on its web site at www.sedar.com.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus incorporate by reference information we have filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you be referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and all documents that we file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus supplement and prior to the termination of this offering (other than information in documents that is deemed not to be filed):
•
​
•
​
•
Our Current Reports on Form 8-K dated February 21, 2023, March 1, 2023, April 4, 2023, April 7, 2023, May 19, 2023, May 30, 2023 and June 9, 2023, to the extent “filed” and not “furnished” pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act; and
​
•
The description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed February 5, 2010 with the SEC under 12(b) of the Exchange Act (File No. 001-13627), including any subsequent amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
​
We also incorporate by reference all documents we subsequently file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement is a part (including prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) and prior to the termination of the offering. Any statement in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or any other subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.
None of the information that we disclose under Items 2.02 or 7.01 or corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 or included as an exhibit of any Current Report on Form 8-K or Form 8-K/A that we may from time to time furnish to the SEC will be incorporated by reference into, or otherwise included in, this prospectus supplement.
We will provide without charge upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Requests should be directed to:
Golden Minerals Company
350 Indiana Street, Suite 650
Golden, Colorado 80401
Attention: Secretary
Telephone: (303) 839-5060
Except as provided above, no other information, including information on our internet site, is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
 
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PROSPECTUS
[MISSING IMAGE: lg_goldenminerals-pn.jpg]
$200,000,000
Senior Debt Securities
Subordinated Debt Securities
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants
Rights
Units
Depositary Shares
Golden Minerals Company (“Golden Minerals,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) may offer and sell from time to time up to $200,000,000 of our senior and subordinated debt securities, common stock, $0.01 par value, preferred stock, $0.01 par value, warrants to purchase any of the other securities that may be sold under this prospectus, rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock and/or senior or subordinated debt securities, depositary shares, units consisting of two or more of these classes or series of securities and securities that may be convertible or exchangeable to other securities covered hereby, in one or more transactions.
We will provide specific terms of any offering in supplements to this prospectus. The securities may be offered separately or together in any combination and as separate series. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.
We may sell securities directly to you, through agents we select, or through underwriters or dealers we select. If we use agents, underwriters or dealers to sell the securities, we will name them and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement. The net proceeds we expect to receive from these sales will be described in the prospectus supplement.
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE American LLC (“NYSE American”) and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) under the symbol “AUMN.” The closing price for our common stock on September 30, 2020, the last reported sales price of our common stock, was $0.42 per share on the NYSE American and Cdn$0.58 per share on the TSX. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on any securities exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement.
As of September 28, 2020, the aggregate market value of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates was $50,598,850. We have previously sold $9,615,000 of securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3 during the prior twelve calendar month period that ends on, and includes, the date of this prospectus.
​
The securities offered in this prospectus involve a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the matters set forth in “Risk Factors” on page 5 of this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein in determining whether to purchase our securities.
​
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities, or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is October 14, 2020.
 
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As used in this prospectus, the terms “Golden Minerals,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” may, depending on the context, refer to Golden Minerals Company, to one or more of Golden Minerals Company’s consolidated subsidiaries or to Golden Minerals Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole. When we refer to “shares” throughout this prospectus, we include all rights attaching to our common stock under any shareholder rights plan then in effect.
 
i
 
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which we refer to as the SEC or the Commission, using a “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf registration, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time that we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” in this prospectus. You should also carefully consider the matters discussed under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. We may use this prospectus to sell securities only if it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of such document.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file and furnish annual, quarterly and current reports and other information, including proxy statements, with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our SEC filings are also available through the “Investor Relations” section of our website at www.goldenminerals.com.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered part of this prospectus, and information filed with the SEC subsequent to this prospectus and prior to the termination of the particular offering referred to in such prospectus supplement will automatically be deemed to update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement the documents listed below (excluding any portions of such documents that have been “furnished” but not “filed” for purposes of the Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)):
(a)
​
(b)
the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2020, as filed with the Commission on May 6, 2020, and June 30, 2020, as filed with the Commission on August 6, 2020;
​
(c)
the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K and Form 8-K/A, as filed with the Commission on March 19, 2020, April 2, 2020, April 13, 2020, April 15, 2020, April 23, 2020, June 12, 2020, June 16, 2020, July 9, 2020, July 20, 2020, July 24, 2020 and August 12, 2020; and
​
(d)
the description of the Company’s common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed February 5, 2010 with the Commission under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act (File No. 001-13627), including any subsequent amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
​
We also incorporate by reference all documents we subsequently file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part (including prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) and prior to the termination of the offering. Any statement in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent a statement contained in this prospectus or any
 
1
 
other subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement.
Unless specifically stated to the contrary, none of the information that we disclose under Items 2.02 or 7.01 or corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 or related exhibits of any Current Report on Form 8-K that we may from time to time furnish to the SEC will be incorporated by reference into, or otherwise included in, this prospectus.
We will provide without charge upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Requests should be directed to:
Golden Minerals Company
350 Indiana Street, Suite 650
Golden, Colorado 80401
Attention: Secretary
Telephone: (303) 839-5060
Except as provided above, no other information, including information on our internet site, is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference herein, contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements include comments relating to our plans, expectations and assumptions concerning the Velardeña oxide plant lease, including the expected term, anticipated revenues, care and maintenance costs, and potential future tailings expansion; expectations regarding the updated Velardeña PEA; the El Quevar project, including assumptions and projections contained in the El Quevar PEA (including life of mine, grade and production expectations), the timing of results from the current drilling program and our plans regarding further advancement of the project; the Santa Maria property, including the assumptions and projections contained in the updated Santa Maria PEA (including life of mine, grade and production expectations) and other expectations regarding the project; the Yoquivo project, including future drilling plans and exploration activities; the Rodeo project, including anticipated timing and impact of future mining activities; our financial outlook in 2020, including anticipated income from the use of our ATM Program and LPC Program (each defined herein) and expenditures during the year; expected need for external financing and statements concerning our financial condition, business strategies and business and legal risks.
We use the words “anticipate,” “continue,” “likely,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “project,” “should,” “believe” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Statements that contain these words discuss our future expectations, contain projections or state other forward-looking information. Although we believe the expectations and assumptions reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that these expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct. Our actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and other factors set forth in this prospectus, including:
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Timing duration and overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including potential suspension of mining activities at the Velardeña Properties (including operations at the oxide plant lease) in the event of future orders of the Mexican Federal Government;
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Lower revenue than anticipated from the oxide lease, which could result from delays or problems at the third party’s mine or at the oxide plant (including but not limited to the temporary shutdown of mining activities in Mexico), permitting problems at the third party’s mine or the oxide plant, delays in constructing additional tailings capacity at the oxide plant, earlier than expected termination of the lease or other causes;
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Higher than anticipated care and maintenance costs at El Quevar in Argentina or the Velardeña Properties in Mexico;
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Risks related to the El Quevar project in Argentina, including unfavorable results from our evaluation activities and whether the option with respect to the El Quevar project is exercised pursuant to the terms of the Earn-In Agreement;
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Decreases or insufficient increases in silver and gold prices;
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Whether we are able to raise the necessary capital required to continue our business on terms acceptable to us or at all, and the likely negative effect of continued low silver and gold prices or unfavorable exploration results;
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Unfavorable results from exploration at the Rodeo, Santa Maria, Yoquivo, Sand Canyon or other exploration properties and whether we will be able to advance these or other exploration properties;
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The Rodeo project, including assumptions and projections contained in the Rodeo PEA (including life of mine and production expectations), and our plans regarding further advancement of the project;
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Variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that are or may be located at the Velardeña Properties or our exploration properties, changes in interpretations of geological information, and unfavorable results of metallurgical and other tests;
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Whether we will be able to mine and sell minerals successfully or profitably at any of our current properties at current or future silver and gold prices and achieve our objective of becoming a mid-tier mining company;
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Potential delays in our exploration activities or other activities to advance properties towards mining resulting from environmental consents or permitting delays or problems, accidents, problems with contractors, disputes under agreements related to exploration properties, unanticipated costs and other unexpected events;
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Our ability to retain key management and mining personnel necessary to successfully operate and grow our business;
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Economic and political events affecting the market prices for gold, silver, zinc, lead and other minerals that may be found on our exploration properties;
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Political and economic instability in Mexico, Argentina, and other countries in which we conduct our business and future actions of any of these governments with respect to nationalization of natural resources or other changes in mining or taxation policies;
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Volatility in the market price of our common stock; and
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The factors set forth under “Risk Factors” on page 5 of this prospectus.
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These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the general or specific factors that could affect us. We may note additional factors elsewhere in this prospectus and in any documents incorporated by reference herein. Many of those factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. You should not unduly rely on any of our forward-looking statements or information. These statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements and information attributable to us and persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this section and elsewhere in this prospectus.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such expectations may prove to be materially incorrect due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties.
 
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All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING MINERALIZED MATERIAL
“Mineralized material” as used in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, although permissible under the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Industry Guide 7, does not indicate “reserves” by SEC standards. We cannot be certain that any deposits at the Velardeña Properties, the El Quevar, Santa Maria or Rodeo properties or any deposits at our other exploration properties, will ever be confirmed or converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant “reserves”. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the disclosed mineralized material estimates will ever be confirmed or converted into reserves or that mineralized material can be economically or legally extracted.
THE COMPANY
We are a mining company holding a 100% interest in the Velardeña and Chicago precious metals mining properties and associated oxide and sulfide processing plants in the State of Durango, Mexico (the “Velardeña Properties”), a 100% interest in the El Quevar advanced exploration silver property in the province of Salta, Argentina (subject to the terms of the April 9, 2020, earn-in agreement (“Earn-In Agreement”) pursuant to which Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) has the option to earn a 70% interest in the El Quevar Project, and a diversified portfolio of precious metals and other mineral exploration properties located primarily in or near historical precious metals producing regions of Argentina, Nevada, and Mexico, including the 100%-owned Rodeo property in Durango State, Mexico. The Velardeña Properties and the El Quevar advanced exploration property are our only material properties.
We remain focused on commencing mining operations at the Rodeo property as well as evaluating and searching for other mining opportunities in North America (including Mexico) with near term prospects of mining, and particularly for properties within reasonable haulage distances of our processing plants at the Velardeña Properties. The Company is also focused on advancing our El Quevar exploration property in Argentina through the Earn-in Agreement with Barrick and on advancing selected properties in our portfolio of approximately 12 properties, located in Mexico, Nevada and Argentina. The Company is also reviewing strategic opportunities, focusing primarily on development or operating properties in North America, including Mexico. Our principal office is located in Golden, Colorado at 350 Indiana Street, Suite 650, Golden, CO 80401, and our registered office is the Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. We also maintain an office at the Velardeña Properties in Mexico and exploration offices in Argentina and Mexico.
We are considered an exploration stage company under SEC criteria since we have not yet demonstrated the existence of proven or probable mineral reserves, as defined by SEC Industry Guide 7, at any of our properties. Until such time, if ever, that we demonstrate the existence of proven or probable reserves pursuant to SEC Industry Guide 7 we expect to remain as an exploration stage company.
 
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in the securities offered in this prospectus involves a high degree of risk.
We have historically incurred operating losses and operating cash flow deficits and we expect to incur operating losses and operating cash flow deficits through 2020; our potential profitability in the foreseeable future would depend on our ability to identify, acquire and mine properties to generate sufficient revenues to fund our continuing activities.
We have a history of operating losses and we expect that we will continue to incur operating losses unless and until such time as our Velardeña Properties, the Rodeo project, our El Quevar project, or another of our exploration properties, generates sufficient revenue to fund our continuing business activities. Although we have leased the oxide plant at the Velardeña Properties to a subsidiary of Hecla Mining Company, the cash that we expect will be generated from that lease will not be sufficient to fund all of our continuing business activities as currently conducted. In addition, the oxide plant lease may terminate sooner or produce less revenue than we anticipate. There is no assurance that we will develop additional sources of revenue.
In addition, the potential profitability of mining and processing at any of our properties would be based on a number of assumptions. For example, profitability would depend on metal prices, costs of materials and supplies, costs at the mines and processing plants and the amounts and timing of expenditures, including expenditures to maintain our Velardeña Properties, our El Quevar project and to continue exploration at other exploration properties, and potential strategic acquisitions or other transactions, in addition to other factors, many of which are and will be beyond our control. We cannot be certain we will be able to generate sufficient revenue from any source to achieve profitability and eliminate operating cash flow deficits, or to cease to require additional funding.
We will require additional external financing to fund our continuing business activities in the future.
We do not have a credit, off-take or other commercial financing arrangement in place that would finance our general and administrative costs and other working capital needs to fund our continuing business activities in the future, and we believe that securing credit for these purposes may be difficult given our limited history and the continuing volatility in global credit and commodity markets. In addition, commercial financing arrangements may not be available on favorable terms or on terms that would not further restrict our flexibility and ongoing ability to meet our cash requirements over a reasonable period of time. Access to public financing has been negatively impacted by the volatility in the credit markets and metals prices, which may affect our ability to obtain equity or debt financing in the future and, if obtained, to do so on favorable terms. We also may not be able to obtain funding by monetizing additional non-core exploration or other assets at an acceptable price. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain financing to fund our general and administrative costs and other working capital needs to fund our continuing business activities in the future on favorable terms or at all.
Although we may be able to access public equity markets, including through issuances under our At-the-Market program we entered into in December 2016 (the “ATM Program”) or the committed equity program with Lincoln Park Capital that we entered into in May 2018 (the “LPC Program”), significant issuances under those programs may be heavily dilutive to existing shareholders.
One of our stockholders owns a significant percentage of our common stock and could block decisions or transactions that could be beneficial to other stockholders.
One of our stockholders, The Sentient Group, through the Sentient executive funds (“Sentient”), owns approximately 28% of our outstanding common stock. With this level of ownership, Sentient could exert significant control over us, including over the election of directors, changes in the size or the composition of the board of directors, and mergers and other business combinations involving us. Through greater control of the board of directors and increased voting power, including the potential to prevent a quorum at stockholders meetings, Sentient could control certain decisions, including decisions regarding qualification and appointment of officers, operations of the business including acquisition or disposition of our assets or purchases and sales of mining or exploration properties, dividend policy, and access to capital (including
 
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borrowing from third-party lenders and the issuance of equity or debt securities). Sentient’s large share ownership will also make it difficult, if not impossible, for us to enter into a change of control transaction that may otherwise be beneficial for our other shareholders.
Our operations may be further disrupted, and our financial results may be adversely affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The December 2019 novel strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, poses a risk to our business and operations. If a significant portion of our workforce becomes unable to work or travel to our operations due to illness or state or federal government restrictions (including travel restrictions and “shelter-in-place” and similar orders restricting certain activities that may be issued or extended by authorities), we may be forced to reduce or suspend exploration activities and/or development projects which may impact liquidity and financial results. In compliance with a directive of the Mexican Federal Government to suspend all non-essential activities, including mining, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we suspended mining activities at the Velardeña Properties in the State of Durango, Mexico during portions of April and May 2020. Per the terms of the existing lease agreement for our oxide plant, during the period of suspension, we did not receive the variable component of revenue that is tied to tonnes of ore milled per month. If a further suspension is ordered, we may receive significantly lower revenue than previously anticipated from the oxide plant lease.
To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business and financial results as discussed above, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section and those set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, such as those relating to our operation and indebtedness and financing. Because of the highly uncertain and dynamic nature of events relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not currently possible to estimate the impact of the pandemic on our business. However, these effects could have a material impact on our operations, and we will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely.
If we commence mining in Mexico, we will likely enter into a collective bargaining agreement with a union that, together with labor and employment regulations, could adversely affect our mining activities and financial condition.
As is the case at our Velardeña Properties, mine employees in Mexico are typically represented by a union, and our relationship with our employees is, and we expect in the future will be, governed by collective bargaining agreements. Any collective bargaining agreement that we enter into with a union is likely to restrict our mining flexibility in and impose additional costs on our mining activities. In addition, relations between us and our employees in Mexico may be affected by changes in regulations or labor union requirements regarding labor relations that may be introduced by the Mexican authorities or by labor unions. Changes in legislation or in the relationship between us and our employees may have a material adverse effect on our mining activities and financial condition.
We may not mine the Velardeña Properties again.
In mid-November 2015, we shut down the mines and sulfide processing plant at our Velardeña Properties and placed them on care and maintenance. Commencing mining again is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including:
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whether we are able to create mine plans or gold recovery improvements that can achieve sustainable cash positive results at current and future metals prices;
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unexpected events, including difficulties in maintaining the properties on a care and maintenance basis, potential sabotage or damage to the assets related to the suspension of mining, and variations in ore grade and relative amounts, grades and metallurgical characteristics of oxide and sulfide ores;
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continued decreases or insufficient increases in gold and silver prices to permit us to achieve sustainable cash positive results;
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actual holding and care and maintenance costs resulting from the shutdown exceeding current estimates or including unanticipated costs;
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loss of and inability to adequately replace skilled mining and management personnel;
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strikes or other labor problems; and
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our ability to obtain additional funding for general and administrative costs and other working capital needs to fund our continuing business activities as currently conducted and possibly for a potential restart of our Velardeña Properties.
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Based on these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that we will restart mining activities at the Velardeña Properties.
Our ability to successfully conduct mining and processing activities resulting in long-term cash flow and profitability will be affected by changes in prices of silver, gold and other metals.
Our ability to successfully conduct mining and processing activities in Mexico, Argentina or other countries, to establish reserves and advance our exploration properties, and to become profitable in the future, as well as our long-term viability, depend, in large part, on the market prices of silver, gold, zinc, copper and other metals. The market prices for these metals are volatile and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control, including:
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global or regional consumption patterns;
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supply of, and demand for, silver, gold, zinc, lead, copper and other metals;
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speculative activities and hedging activities;
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political and economic conditions; and
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supply of, and demand for, consumables required for extraction and processing of metals.
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The declines in silver and gold prices in recent years have had a significant impact on our mining activities, resulting in a shutdown of mining at our Velardeña Properties in 2015, and negatively affect mining opportunities at our other properties. Additionally, future weakness in the global economy could increase volatility in metals prices or depress metals prices, which could also affect our mining and processing plans at our Velardeña Properties or make it uneconomic for us to engage in mining or exploration activities. Volatility or sustained price declines may also adversely affect our ability to build or continue our business.
If products are processed from our Velardeña Properties or other mines in the future, they could contain higher than expected contaminants, thereby negatively impacting our financial condition.
In 2015 we processed mined material to make gold and silver bearing lead, zinc and pyrite concentrates. Concentrate treatment charges paid to smelters and refineries include penalties for certain elements, including arsenic and antimony that exceed contract limits. In the future, if we process material from our Velardeña Properties or other mines, any such concentrates could include higher than expected contaminants, which would result in higher treatment expenses and penalty charges that could increase our costs and negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. This could occur due to unexpected variations in the occurrence of these elements in the material mined, problems that occur during blending of material from various locations in the mine prior to processing and other unanticipated events.
The El Quevar project, the Velardeña Properties, and our other properties may not contain mineral reserves.
We are considered an exploration stage company under SEC Industry Guide 7, and none of the properties at the Velardeña Properties, the El Quevar project, or any of our other properties have been shown to contain proven or probable mineral reserves. Expenditures made in mining at the Velardeña Properties or the exploration and advancement of our El Quevar project or other properties may not result in positive cash flow or in discoveries of commercially recoverable quantities of ore. Most exploration projects do not result in the discovery of commercially mineable ore deposits, and we cannot assure you that any mineral deposit we identify will qualify as an orebody that can be legally and economically exploited or that any particular level of recovery from discovered mineralization will in fact be realized.
During 2012, we released an estimate of mineralized material at our El Quevar project and in 2018 Wood Group completed an analysis and re-modeling of the data utilized in the prior mineralized material
 
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estimate. Tetra Tech completed technical reports on our Velardeña Properties and our Santa Maria and Rodeo properties, which indicated the presence of mineralized material. Mineralized material figures based on estimates made by geologists are inherently imprecise and depend on geological interpretation and statistical inferences drawn from drilling and sampling that may prove to be unreliable or inaccurate. We cannot assure you that these estimates are accurate or that proven and probable mineral reserves will be identified at the El Quevar project, the Velardeña Properties, the Santa Maria and Rodeo properties, or any of our other properties. Even if the presence of reserves is established at a project, the economic viability of the project may not justify exploitation. We have spent significant amounts on the evaluation of El Quevar prior to establishing the economic viability of that project.
Estimates of reserves, mineral deposits and mining costs also can be affected by factors such as governmental regulations and requirements, fluctuations in metals prices or costs of essential materials or supplies, environmental factors, unforeseen technical difficulties and unusual or unexpected geological formations. In addition, the grades of ore or material ultimately mined may differ from that indicated by drilling results, sampling, feasibility studies or technical reports. Short-term factors relating to reserves, such as the need for orderly development of ore bodies or the processing of new or different grades, may also have an adverse effect on mining and on the results of operations. Silver, gold or other minerals recovered in small-scale laboratory tests may not be duplicated in large-scale tests under on-site processing conditions.
The Velardeña Properties, the El Quevar project and our other properties are subject to foreign environmental laws and regulations which could materially adversely affect our business.
We have conducted mining activities in Mexico and conduct mineral exploration activities primarily in Mexico. Mexico and Argentina, where the El Quevar project is located, have laws and regulations that control the exploration and mining of mineral properties and their effects on the environment, including air and water quality, mine reclamation, waste generation, handling and disposal, the protection of different species of flora and fauna and the preservation of lands. These laws and regulations require us to acquire permits and other authorizations for conducting certain activities. In many countries, there is relatively new comprehensive environmental legislation, and the permitting and authorization process may not be established or predictable. We may not be able to acquire necessary permits or authorizations on a timely basis, if at all. Delays in acquiring any permit or authorization could increase the cost of our projects and could suspend or delay the commencement of extraction and processing of mineralized material.
Our Velardeña Properties are subject to regulation by SEMARNAT, the environmental protection agency of Mexico. In order to permit new facilities at or expand existing facilities, regulations require that an environmental impact statement, known in Mexico as a Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental (the “Manifestación”), be prepared by a third-party contractor for submission to SEMARNAT. Studies required to support the Manifestación include a detailed analysis of soil, water, vegetation, wildlife, cultural resources and socio-economic impacts. The Manifestación is then published on SEMARNAT’s web page and in its official gazette in a national and local newspaper. The Manifestación is discussed at various open hearings, including hearings in the local communities, at which third parties may voice their views. We would be required to provide proof of local community support of the Manifestación as a condition to final approval. We may not be able to obtain community support of future projects.
Environmental legislation in Mexico is evolving in a manner which will require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects, and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. For example, in January 2011, Article 180 of the Mexican Federal General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection was amended. Among other things, this amendment extended the term during which an individual or entity having a legitimate interest may contest administrative acts, including environmental authorizations, permits or concessions granted, without the need to demonstrate the actual existence of harm to the environment, natural resources, flora, fauna or human health, making it sufficient to argue that harm may be caused. Further, the amendment permits the contesting party to challenge a Manifestación through a variety of administrative or court procedures. As a result of the amendment, more legal actions supported or sponsored by non-governmental groups interested in halting projects may be filed against companies operating in all industrial sectors, including the mining sector. Mexican operations are also subject to the environmental agreements entered into by Mexico, the United States and Canada in
 
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connection with the North American Free Trade Agreement. Further, in August 2011, certain amendments to the Civil Federal Procedures Code of Mexico (“CFPC”) were published in the Official Daily of the Federation. The amendments establish three categories of collective actions by which 30 or more people claiming injury resulting from, among other things, environmental harm, will be deemed to have a sufficient and legitimate interest in seeking, through a civil procedure, restitution, economic compensation or suspension of the activities from which the alleged injury derived. These amendments to the CFPC may result in more litigation by plaintiffs seeking remedies for alleged environmental harms, including suspension of the activities alleged to cause harm. Future changes in environmental regulation in the jurisdictions where the Velardeña Properties are located may adversely affect our business, make our business prohibitively expensive, or prohibit it altogether.
Environmental legislation in many other countries, in addition to Mexico, is evolving in a manner that will likely require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. We cannot predict what environmental legislation or regulations will be enacted or adopted in the future or how future laws and regulations will be administered or interpreted. For example, in September 2010, the Argentine National Congress passed legislation which prohibits mining activity in glacial and surrounding areas. Although we do not currently anticipate that this legislation will impact the El Quevar project, the legislation provides an example of the evolving environmental legislation in the areas in which we operate. Compliance with more stringent laws and regulations, as well as potentially more vigorous enforcement policies or regulatory agencies or stricter interpretation of existing laws, may (i) necessitate significant capital outlays, (ii) cause us to delay, terminate or otherwise change our intended activities with respect to one or more projects, or (iii) materially adversely affect our future exploration activities.
The Velardeña Properties and many of our exploration properties are located in historic mining districts where prior owners, including ECU in the case of the Velardeña Properties, may have caused environmental damage that may not be known to us or to the regulators. At the Velardeña Properties and in most other cases, we have not sought complete environmental analyses of our mineral properties. We have not conducted comprehensive reviews of the environmental laws and regulations in every jurisdiction in which we own or control mineral properties. Insurance fully covering many environmental risks (including potential liability for pollution or other hazards as a result of disposal of waste products occurring from exploration and mining) is not generally available. To the extent environmental hazards may exist on the properties in which we currently hold interests, or may hold interests in the future, that are unknown to us at present and that have been caused by us, or previous owners or operators, or that may have occurred naturally, and to the extent we are subject to environmental requirements or liabilities, the cost of compliance with these requirements and satisfaction of these liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. If we are unable to fully fund the cost of remediation of any environmental condition, we may be required to suspend activities or enter into interim compliance measures pending completion of the required remediation.
In addition, U.S. or international legislative or regulatory action to address concerns about climate change and greenhouse gas emissions could negatively impact our business.
Title to the Velardeña Properties and our other properties and rights may be defective or may be challenged.
Our policy is to seek to confirm the validity of our rights to, title to, or contract rights with respect to, each mineral property in which we have a material interest. However, we cannot guarantee that title to our properties will not be challenged. Title insurance is not available for our mineral properties, and our ability to ensure that we have obtained secure rights to individual mineral properties or mining concessions may be severely constrained. Accordingly, the Velardeña Properties and our other mineral properties may be subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims, and title may be affected by, among other things, undetected defects. In addition, we may be unable to conduct activities on our properties as permitted or to enforce our rights with respect to our properties, and the title to our mineral properties may also be impacted by state action. We have not conducted surveys of all of the exploration properties in which we hold direct or indirect interests and, therefore, the precise area and location of these exploration properties may be in doubt.
 
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In most of the countries in which we operate, failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations relating to mineral right applications and tenure could result in loss, reduction or expropriation of entitlements, or the imposition of additional local or foreign parties as joint venture partners. Any such loss, reduction or imposition of partners could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Under the laws of Mexico, mineral resources belong to the state, and government concessions are required to explore for or exploit mineral reserves. Mineral rights derive from concessions granted, on a discretionary basis, by the Ministry of Economy, pursuant to the Mexican mining law and regulations thereunder. We hold title to the Velardeña Properties and our other properties in Mexico through these government concessions, but there is no assurance that title to the concessions comprising the Velardeña Properties and other properties will not be challenged or impaired. The Velardeña Properties and other properties may be subject to prior unregistered agreements, interests or native land claims, and title may be affected by undetected defects. There could be valid challenges to the title of any of the claims comprising the Velardeña Properties that, if successful, could impair mining with respect to such properties in the future. A defect could result in our losing all or a portion of our right, title, and interest in and to the properties to which the title defect relates.
Our Velardeña Properties mining concessions and our other mining concessions in Mexico may be terminated if our obligations to maintain the concessions in good standing are not satisfied, including obligations to explore or exploit the relevant concession, to pay any relevant fees, to comply with all environmental and safety standards, to provide information to the Ministry of Economy and to allow inspections by the Ministry of Economy. In addition to termination, failure to make timely concession maintenance payments and otherwise comply strictly with applicable laws, regulations and local practices relating to mineral right applications and tenure could result in reduction or expropriation of entitlements. Additionally, in 2014, new mining concessions became subject to additional review and approval by the Mexico Ministry of Energy, and in recent years the federal government has been reluctant to issue new mining concessions at all.
Mining concessions in Mexico give exclusive exploration and exploitation rights to the minerals located in the concessions but do not include surface rights to the real property, which requires that we negotiate the necessary agreements with surface landowners. Many of our mining properties are subject to the Mexican ejido system requiring us to contract with the local communities surrounding the properties in order to obtain surface rights to land needed in connection with our mining exploration activities. In connection with our Velardeña Properties, we have contracts with two ejidos to secure surface rights with a total annual cost of approximately $25,000. The first contract is a ten-year contract with the Velardeña ejido, which provides surface rights to certain roads and other infrastructure at the Velardeña Properties through 2021. The second contract is a 25-year contract with the Vista Hermosa ejido signed in March 2013, which provides exploration access and access rights for roads and utilities for our Velardeña Properties. Our inability to maintain and periodically renew or expand these surface rights on favorable terms or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.
Mining and processing activities are dependent on the availability of sufficient water supplies to support our mining activities.
Mining and processing at the Velardeña Properties, as at most mines, requires significant amounts of water. At the Velardeña Properties, our ability to have sufficient water is dependent on our ability to maintain our water rights and claims. Water is provided for all of the mines comprising our Velardeña Properties by wells located in the valley adjacent to the Velardeña Properties. We hold title to three wells located near the sulfide plant and hold certificates of registration to three wells located near the oxide plant. We are licensed to pump water from all six wells up to a permitted amount. We are currently using water from the three wells associated with the oxide plant and from two of the three wells associated with the sulfide plant. We are required to make annual payments to the Mexican government to maintain our rights to these wells. We are required to pay a fine to the Mexican Government each year if we use too much water from a particular well or alternatively if we do not use a minimum amount of water from a particular well. In addition to these fines, the Mexican Government reserves the right to cancel our title to the wells for abuse of these rules.
 
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We currently have a sufficient amount of water for the third-party processing activities at the oxide plant. However, if we began processing material from both the sulfide and oxide plants in the future, we may face shortages in our water supply, and therefore will need to obtain water from outside sources at higher costs. The loss of some or all water rights for any of our wells, in whole or in part, or shortages of water to which we have rights would require us to seek water from outside sources at higher costs and could require us to curtail or shut down mining and processing in the future. Laws and regulations may be introduced in the future which could limit our access to sufficient water resources in mining activities, thus adversely affecting our business.
There are significant hazards involved in underground mining and processing activities at our Velardeña Properties, not all of which are fully covered by insurance. To the extent we must pay the costs associated with such risks, our business may be negatively affected.
The mining and processing of the underground mines at our Velardeña Properties, as well as the conduct of our exploration programs that frequently require rehabilitation of and drilling in underground mine workings, are subject to numerous risks and hazards, including, but not limited to, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, encountering unusual or unexpected geological formations, formation pressures, cave-ins, underground fires or floods, power outages, labor disruptions, seismic activity, rock bursts, accidents relating to historical workings, landslides and periodic interruptions due to inclement or hazardous weather conditions. These occurrences could result in damage to, or destruction of, mineral properties or processing facilities, personal injury or death, environmental damage, reduced extraction and processing and delays in mining, asset write-downs, monetary losses and possible legal liability. Although we maintain insurance against risks inherent in the conduct of our business in amounts that we consider reasonable, this insurance contains, as in the case of our Velardeña Properties, exclusions and limitations on coverage, and will not cover all potential risks associated with mining and exploration activities, and related liabilities might exceed policy limits. As a result of any or all of the forgoing, particularly if the facilities are older, we could incur significant liabilities and costs that could adversely affect our results of operation and financial condition.
Our Velardeña Properties and most of our exploration properties are located in Mexico and are subject to various levels of political, economic, legal, social and other risks.
Our Velardeña Properties are located in Mexico, and, as such, are exposed to various levels of political, economic, legal and other risks and uncertainties, including local acts of violence, such as violence from drug cartels; military repression; extreme fluctuations in currency exchange rates; high rates of inflation; labor unrest; the risks of war or civil unrest; expropriation and nationalization; renegotiation or nullification of existing concessions, licenses, permits and contracts; illegal mining; acts of political corruption; changes in taxation policies; restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation; and changing political conditions, currency controls and governmental regulations that favor or require the awarding of contracts to local contractors or require foreign contractors to employ citizens of, or purchase supplies from, a particular jurisdiction. Furthermore, given the uncertainties surrounding the policies of the current US Administration, the political relationship between the United States and Mexico may deteriorate, creating further political risk of doing business in Mexico.
In the past, Mexico has been subject to political instability, changes and uncertainties, which have resulted in changes to existing governmental regulations affecting mineral exploration and mining activities. Mexico’s status as a developing country may make it more difficult for us to obtain any required funding for our Velardeña Properties or other projects in Mexico in the future.
Our Mexican properties are subject to a variety of governmental regulations governing health and worker safety, employment standards, waste disposal, protection of historic and archaeological sites, mine development, protection of endangered and protected species, purchase, storage and use of explosives and other matters. Specifically, our activities related to the Velardeña Properties are subject to regulation by SEMARNAT, the Comisión Nacional del Agua, which regulates water rights, and Mexican mining laws. Mexican regulators have broad authority to shut down and levy fines against facilities that do not comply with regulations or standards.
 
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Our Velardeña Properties and mineral exploration activities in Mexico may be adversely affected in varying degrees by changing government regulations relating to the mining industry or shifts in political conditions that increase the costs related to our mining and exploration activities or the maintenance of our properties. For example, in January 2014, amendments to the Mexico federal corporate income tax law require titleholders of mining concessions to pay annually a 7.5% duty of their mining related profits and a 0.5% duty on revenues obtained from the sale of gold, silver and platinum that were effective March 2015. These additional duties applicable to Mexico mining concession titleholders will have a significant impact on the annual costs applicable to the Velardeña Properties if we have mining-related profits or significant revenues in the future.
Changes, if any, in mining or investment policies, changes or increases in the legal rights of indigenous populations or in the difficulty or expense of obtaining rights from them that are necessary for our Velardeña Properties or shifts in political attitude may adversely affect our business and financial condition. Our mining and exploration activities may be affected in varying degrees by government regulations with respect to restrictions on extraction, price controls, export controls, currency remittance, income and other taxes, expropriation of property, foreign investment, maintenance of claims, environmental legislation, land use, land claims of local people, water use and mine safety. Restart of mining or use of both the oxide and sulfide plant may also require us to assure the availability of adequate supplies of water and power, which could be affected by government policy and competing businesses in the area. The occurrence of these various factors and uncertainties cannot be accurately predicted and could have an adverse effect on our mining and exploration activities and financial condition.
Future changes in applicable laws and regulations or changes in their enforcement or regulatory interpretation could negatively impact current or planned exploration or mining activities at our Velardeña Properties or in respect of any of our other projects in Mexico or projects with which we become involved in Mexico. Any failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations, even if inadvertent, could result in the interruption of mining and exploration or material fines, penalties or other liabilities.
Our El Quevar exploration property is located in Argentina and is subject to various levels of political, economic, legal, social and other risks.
Our El Quevar exploration property is located in Argentina and, as such, is exposed to various levels of political, economic, legal, social and other risks and uncertainties, including high interest rates; abrupt changes in currency values; high levels of inflation; stability and competitiveness of the Argentine peso against foreign currencies; wage and price controls; regulations to import equipment and other necessities relevant for operations; changes in governmental economic (including export duties and import regulations) or tax policies; and political and social tensions.
The Argentine economy has experienced significant volatility in recent decades, characterized by periods of low or negative gross domestic product growth, high and variable levels of inflation and currency depreciation and devaluation. Financial and securities markets in Argentina, and the Argentine economy, are influenced by economic and market conditions in other markets worldwide. The Argentine government has often changed monetary, taxation, credit, tariff and other policies to influence the course of Argentina’s economy, and taken other actions which do, or may be perceived to weaken the nation’s economy especially as it relates to foreign investors and the overall investment climate.
The Argentine government has not only historically exercised significant influence over the country’s economy, but the country’s legal and regulatory frameworks have at times suffered radical changes due to political influence and significant political uncertainties as well. For example, in April 2014, there were nationwide strikes that paralyzed the Argentine economy, shutting down air, train and bus traffic, closing businesses and ports, emptying classrooms, shutting down non-emergency hospital attention and leaving trash uncollected. This is consistent with past periods of significant economic unrest and social and political turmoil. Future government policies to preempt, or in response to, social unrest may include expropriation, nationalization, forced renegotiation or modification of existing contracts, suspension of the enforcement of creditors’ rights, new taxation policies, including royalty and tax increases and retroactive tax claims, and changes in laws and policies affecting foreign trade and investment. Such policies could destabilize the country and adversely and materially affect the economy, and thereby our business.
 
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Most of our costs are subject to exchange control policies, the effects of inflation and currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the Mexican peso.
Our revenue and external funding are primarily denominated in U.S. dollars. However, mining, processing, maintenance and exploration costs at the Velardeña Properties and most of our exploration properties are denominated principally in Mexican pesos. These costs principally include electricity, labor, water, maintenance, local contractors and fuel. When inflation in Mexico increases without a corresponding devaluation of the Mexican peso, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. The annual average inflation rate in Mexico was 3.6% in 2019, 4.9% in 2018 and 6.0 % in 2017. At the same time, the peso has been subject to fluctuation, which may not have been proportionate to the inflation rate and may not be proportionate to the inflation rate in the future. The value of the peso increased by 3.6% in 2019, increased by 0.5% in 2018, and increased by 4.8% in 2017. In addition, fluctuations in currency exchange rates may have a significant impact on our financial results. There can be no assurance that the Mexican government will maintain its current policies with regard to the peso or that the peso’s value will not fluctuate significantly in the future. We cannot assure you that currency fluctuations, inflation and exchange control policies will not have an adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations, earnings and cash flows.
If we are unable to obtain all of our required governmental permits or obtain property rights on favorable terms or at all, our business could be negatively impacted.
Future mining and current processing at our Velardeña Properties, the continued evaluation of the El Quevar project and other exploration activities will require additional permits from various governmental authorities. Our business is and will continue to be governed by laws and regulations governing mining, exploration, prospecting, exports, taxes, labor standards, occupational health, waste disposal, toxic substances, land use, environmental protection, mine safety, mining royalties and other matters. We may also be required to obtain certain property rights to access or use our properties. Obtaining or renewing licenses and permits, and acquiring property rights, can be complex and time-consuming processes. There can be no assurance that we will be able to acquire all required licenses, permits or property rights on reasonable terms or in a timely manner, or at all, and that such terms will not be adversely changed, that required extensions will be granted, or that the issuance of such licenses, permits or property rights will not be challenged by third parties. Delays in obtaining or a failure to obtain any licenses, permits or property rights or any required extensions; challenges to the issuance of licenses, permits or property rights, whether successful or unsuccessful; changes to the terms of licenses, permits or property rights; or a failure to comply with the terms of any licenses, permits or property rights that have been obtained could have a material adverse effect on our business by delaying, preventing or making future mining and processing at our Velardeña Properties and other continued processing activities economically unfeasible. U.S. or international legislative or regulatory action to address concerns about climate change and greenhouse gas emissions could also negatively impact our business. While we will continue to monitor and assess any new policies, legislation or regulations regarding such matters, we currently believe that the impact of such legislation on our business will not be significant.
We depend on the services of key executives.
Our business strategy is based on leveraging the experience and skill of our management team. We are dependent on the services of key executives, including Warren Rehn and Robert Vogels. Due to our relatively small size, the loss of any of these persons or our inability to attract and retain additional highly skilled employees may have a material adverse effect on our business and our ability to manage and succeed in our mining and exploration activities.
The exploration of our mineral properties is highly speculative in nature, involves substantial expenditures and is frequently non-productive.
Mineral exploration is highly speculative in nature and is frequently non-productive. Substantial expenditures are required to:
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establish mineral reserves through drilling and metallurgical and other testing techniques;
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determine metal content and metallurgical recovery processes to process metal from the ore;
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determine the feasibility of mine development and production; and
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construct, renovate or expand mining and processing facilities.
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If we discover a deposit or ore at a property, it usually takes several years from the initial phases of exploration until production is possible. During this time, the economic feasibility of a project may change because of increased costs, lower metal prices or other factors. As a result of these uncertainties, we may not successfully acquire additional mineral rights, or our exploration programs may not result in proven and probable reserves at all or in sufficient quantities to justify developing the El Quevar project or any of our exploration properties.
The decisions about future advancement of exploration projects may be based on feasibility studies, which derive estimates of mineral reserves, operating costs and project economic returns. Estimates of economic returns are based, in part, on assumptions about future metal prices and estimates of average cash operating costs based upon, among other things:
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anticipated tonnage, grades and metallurgical characteristics of ore to be mined and processed;
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anticipated recovery rates of silver and other metals from the ore;
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cash operating costs of comparable facilities and equipment; and
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anticipated climatic conditions.
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Actual cash operating costs, production and economic returns may differ significantly from those anticipated by our studies and estimates.
Lack of infrastructure could forestall or prevent further exploration and advancement.
Exploration activities, as well as any advancement activities, depend on adequate infrastructure. Reliable roads, bridges, power sources and water supply are important factors that affect capital and operating costs and the feasibility and economic viability of a project. Unanticipated or higher than expected costs and unusual or infrequent weather phenomena, or government or other interference in the maintenance or provision of such infrastructure, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our exploration activities are in countries with developing economies and are subject to the risks of political and economic instability associated with these countries.
We currently conduct exploration activities almost exclusively in countries with developing economies, including Argentina and Mexico. These countries and other emerging markets in which we may conduct business have from time to time experienced economic or political instability. We may be materially adversely affected by risks associated with conducting exploration activities in countries with developing economies, including:
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political instability and violence;
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war and civil disturbance;
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expropriation or nationalization;
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changing fiscal, royalty and tax regimes;
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fluctuations in currency exchange rates;
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high rates of inflation;
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uncertain or changing legal requirements respecting the ownership and maintenance of mineral properties, mines and mining activities, and inconsistent or arbitrary application of such legal requirements;
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uncertain or changing economic and environmental policies of governmental authorities in Mexico or Argentina;
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underdeveloped industrial and economic infrastructure;
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corruption; and
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unenforceability of contractual rights.
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Changes in mining or investment policies or shifts in the prevailing political climate in any of the countries in which we conduct exploration activities could adversely affect our business.
We conduct our business in countries that may be adversely affected by changes in the local government’s policies toward or laws governing the mining industry.
We have exploration activities primarily in Mexico and Argentina. In these regions there exist uncertainties regarding future changes in applicable law related to mining and exploration. For instance, in January 2014, amendments to the Mexico federal corporate income tax law required titleholders of mining concessions to pay annually a 7.5% duty of their mining related profits and a 0.5% duty on revenues obtained from the sale of gold, silver and platinum that were effective March 2015. These additional duties applicable to Mexico mining concession titleholders will have a significant impact on the annual costs applicable to the Velardeña Properties if we have mining related profits or significant revenues in the future.
Additionally, effective January 2015, the Argentina National Mining Code was amended, increasing the annual canon payment by approximately four times. In 2018 and 2019, our annual canon fees payable to the Argentine government was $57,000 and $36,000 respectively, and we expect to pay approximately $30,000 in 2020.
In addition to the risk of increased transaction costs, we do not maintain political risk insurance to cover losses that we may incur as a result of nationalization, expropriation or similar events in Mexico or Argentina where we explore or have mining and processing activities.
We compete against larger and more experienced companies.
The mining industry is intensely competitive. Many large mining companies are primarily makers of precious or base metals and may become interested in the types of deposits on which we are focused, which include silver, gold and other precious metals deposits or polymetallic deposits containing significant quantities of base metals, including zinc, lead and copper. Many of these companies have greater financial resources, experience and technical capabilities than we do. We may encounter increasing competition from other mining companies in our efforts to acquire mineral properties and hire experienced mining professionals. Increased competition in our business could adversely affect our ability to attract necessary capital funding or acquire suitable mining properties or prospects for mineral exploration in the future.
We are dependent on information technology systems, which are subject to certain risks, including cybersecurity risks and data leakage risks.
We are dependent upon information technology systems in the conduct of our business. Any significant breakdown, invasion, virus, cyber attack, security breach, destruction or interruption of these systems by employees, others with authorized access to our systems, or unauthorized persons could negatively impact our business. To the extent any invasion, cyber attack or security breach results in disruption to our business, loss or disclosure of, or damage to, our data or confidential information, our reputation, business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. Our systems and insurance coverage for protecting against cyber security risks may not be sufficient. Although to date we have not experienced any material losses relating to cyber attacks, we may suffer such losses in the future. We may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures. We also may be subject to significant litigation, regulatory investigation and remediation costs associated with any information security vulnerabilities, cyber attacks or security breaches.
The existence of a significant number of warrants may have a negative effect on the market price of our common stock.
As of June 30, 2020, we had 25,903,846 warrants outstanding with a weighted average exercise price per share of $0.35. The existence of securities available for exercise and resale is referred to as an “overhang,”
 
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and, particularly if the warrants are “in the money,” the anticipation of potential sales could exert downward pressure on the market price of our common stock.
Failure to meet the maintenance criteria of the NYSE American may result in the delisting of our common stock, which could result in lower trading volumes and liquidity, lower prices of our common shares and make it more difficult for us to raise capital.
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE American LLC (the “NYSE American”), and we are subject to its continued listing requirements, including maintaining certain share prices and a minimum amount of stockholders’ equity. On August 19, 2019, we received written notification (the “Notice”) from the NYSE American that we are not in compliance with Section 1003(a)(iii) of the NYSE American Company Guide (the “Company Guide”). We are required to report a stockholders’ equity of $6.0 million or more if we have reported losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in its five most recent fiscal years. The Notice noted that we reported a stockholders’ equity of $4,380,000 as of June 30, 2019 and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in each of its five most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2018. As a result, we have become subject to the procedures and requirements of Section 1009 of the Company Guide and were required to submit a plan of compliance by September 18, 2019 to the NYSE American addressing how we intend to regain compliance with Section 1003(a)(iii) of the Company Guide by February 19, 2021.
In order to maintain our listing, we timely submitted a plan of compliance to the NYSE American addressing how we intend to regain compliance with Section 1003(a)(iii) of the Company Guide by February 21, 2021. On November 1, 2019, we received notice from the NYSE American that it had accepted our plan of compliance and granted a plan period through February 19, 2021, subject to periodic review by the NYSE American, including quarterly monitoring for compliance with the initiatives outlined in the plan of compliance. If we are not in compliance with the continued listing standards by February 19, 2021, or if we do not make progress consistent with the plan of compliance during the plan period, the NYSE American staff may initiate delisting proceedings as appropriate. If we are delisted from the NYSE American, it may have an adverse impact on our share price and may make it more difficult for us to raise capital in the future. In particular, if we are delisted from the NYSE American, we will be unable to sell our common stock pursuant to the ATM Program.
If our common stock were delisted and determined to be a “penny stock,” a broker-dealer could find it more difficult to trade our common stock and an investor may find it more difficult to acquire or dispose of our common stock in the secondary market.
If our common stock were removed from listing on the NYSE American, it may be subject to the so-called “penny stock” rules. The SEC has adopted regulations that define a “penny stock” to be any equity security that has a market price per share of less than $5.00, subject to certain exceptions, such as any securities listed on a national securities exchange. For any transaction involving a “penny stock,” unless exempt, the rules impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers, subject to certain exceptions. If our common stock were delisted and determined to be a “penny stock,” a broker-dealer may find it more difficult to trade our common stock and an investor may find it more difficult to acquire or dispose of our common stock on the secondary market. These factors could significantly negatively affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to raise capital.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities hereunder for general corporate purposes and working capital. Each prospectus supplement will contain specific information concerning the use of proceeds from that sale of securities.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell securities under this prospectus and any relevant prospectus supplement to or through underwriters or dealers, directly to other purchasers or through agents. In addition, we may from time to time sell securities through a bidding or auction process, block trades, ordinary brokerage transactions or transactions in which a broker solicits purchasers. We may also use a combination of any of the foregoing
 
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methods of sale. We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices (which may be changed from time to time), at market prices prevailing at the times of sale, at prices related to these prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. We may offer securities in the same offering or in separate offerings.
From time to time, we may exchange securities for indebtedness or other securities that we may have outstanding. In some cases, dealers acting for us may also purchase securities and re-offer them to the public by one or more of the methods described above.
Any person participating in the distribution of common stock registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and applicable SEC rules and regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of our common stock by any such person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our common stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to our common stock. These restrictions may affect the marketability of our common stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market- making activities with respect to our common stock.
Certain persons participating in an offering may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the offered securities. If any such activities may occur, they will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement or a document incorporated by reference to the extent required.
With respect to the sale of any securities under this prospectus, the maximum commission or discount to be received by any member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. or independent broker or dealer will not be greater than eight percent (8%).
We will provide required disclosure concerning the terms of the offering of the securities in a prospectus supplement or information incorporated by reference, including, to the extent applicable:
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the name or names of underwriters, dealers or agents;
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the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds the issuer will receive from the sale;
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any underwriting discounts, commissions, and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;
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any commissions paid to agents;
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any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and
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any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed.
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The distribution of securities may be effected, from time to time, in one or more transactions, including:
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underwritten offerings;
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block transactions (which may involve crosses) and transactions on the NYSE American or any other organized market where the securities may be traded;
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purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker- dealer for its own account;
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a broker- dealer solicits purchasers;
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sales “at the market” to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise;
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sales in other ways not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales to purchasers; and
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any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future debt securities we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. Because the terms of a specific series of debt securities may vary from the general information that we have provided below, you should rely on information in the applicable prospectus supplement that varies from any information below.
We may issue senior notes under a senior indenture to be entered into among us and a trustee to be named in the senior indenture. We may issue subordinated notes under a subordinated indenture to be entered into among us and a trustee to be named in the subordinated indenture. We have filed forms of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement which includes this prospectus. We use the term “indentures” to refer to both the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture. The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”). We use the term “trustee” to refer to either the senior trustee or the subordinated trustee, as applicable. We urge you to read the indenture applicable to your investment because the indenture, and not this section, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities.
The following summaries of material provisions of senior notes, subordinated notes and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical in all material respects.
General
The senior debt securities will have the same ranking as all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will be subordinated and junior to all senior indebtedness.
The debt securities may be issued in one or more separate series of senior debt securities and/or subordinated debt securities. The prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities being offered will specify the particular amounts, prices and terms of those debt securities. These terms may include:
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the title of the debt securities;
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any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;
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the date or dates, or the method of determining the dates, on which the debt securities will mature;
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the interest rate or rates of the debt securities, or the method of determining those rates, the interest payment dates and, for registered debt securities, the regular record dates;
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if a debt security is issued with original issue discount, the yield to maturity;
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the places where payments may be made on the debt securities;
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any mandatory or optional redemption provisions applicable to the debt securities;
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any sinking fund or analogous provisions applicable to the debt securities;
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whether and on what terms we will pay additional amounts to holders of the debt securities that are not U.S. persons in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if so, whether and on what terms we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than pay the additional amounts;
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any terms for the attachment to the debt securities of warrants, options or other rights to purchase or sell our securities;
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the portion of the principal amount of the debt security payable upon the acceleration of maturity if other than the entire principal amount of the debt securities;
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any deletions of, or changes or additions to, the events of default or covenants applicable to the debt securities;
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if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies in which payments of principal, premium and/or interest on the debt securities will be payable and whether the holder may elect payment to be made in a different currency;
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the method of determining the amount of any payments on the debt securities which are linked to an index;
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whether the debt securities will be issued in fully registered form without coupons or in bearer form, with or without coupons;
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or any combination of these, and whether they will be issued in the form of one or more global securities in temporary or definitive form;
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whether the debt securities will be convertible or exchangeable into or for common stock, preferred stock or other debt securities and the conversion price or exchange ratio, the conversion or exchange period and any other conversion or exchange provisions;
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any terms relating to the delivery of the debt securities if they are to be issued upon the exercise of warrants; and
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any other specific terms of the debt securities.
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Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, (1) the debt securities will be registered debt securities and (2) debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars will be issued, in the case of registered debt securities, in denominations of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 and, in the case of bearer debt securities, in denominations of $5,000. Debt securities may bear legends required by United States federal tax law and regulations.
If any of the debt securities are sold for any foreign currency or currency unit or if any payments on the debt securities are payable in any foreign currency or currency unit, the prospectus supplement will contain any restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to the debt securities and the foreign currency or currency unit.
Some of the debt securities may be issued as original issue discount debt securities. Original issue discount securities bear no interest during all or a part of the time that these debt securities are outstanding or bear interest at below-market rates and will be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount at maturity. The prospectus supplement will also contain special tax, accounting or other information relating to original issue discount securities or relating to other kinds of debt securities that may be offered, including debt securities linked to an index or payable in currencies other than U.S. dollars.
Exchange, Registration and Transfer
Debt securities may be transferred or exchanged at the corporate trust office of the security registrar or at any other office or agency maintained by our company for these purposes, without the payment of any service charge, except for any tax or governmental charges. The senior trustee initially will be the designated security registrar in the United States for the senior debt securities. The subordinated trustee initially will be the designated security registrar in the United States for the subordinated debt securities.
If debt securities are issuable as both registered debt securities and bearer debt securities, the bearer debt securities will be exchangeable for registered debt securities. Except as provided below, bearer debt securities will have outstanding coupons. If a bearer debt security with related coupons is surrendered in exchange for a registered debt security between a record date and the date set for the payment of interest, the bearer debt security will be surrendered without the coupon relating to that interest payment and that payment will be made only to the holder of the coupon when due.
 
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In the event of any redemption in part of any class or series of debt securities, we will not be required to:
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issue, register the transfer of, or exchange, debt securities of any series between the opening of business 15 days before any selection of debt securities of that series to be redeemed and the close of business on:
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if debt securities of the series are issuable only as registered debt securities, the day of mailing of the relevant notice of redemption, and
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if debt securities of the series are issuable as bearer debt securities, the day of the first publication of the relevant notice of redemption or, if debt securities of the series are also issuable as registered debt securities and there is no publication, the day of mailing of the relevant notice of redemption;
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register the transfer of, or exchange, any registered debt security selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any registered debt security being redeemed in part; or
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exchange any bearer debt security selected for redemption, except to exchange it for a registered debt security which is simultaneously surrendered for redemption.
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Payment and Paying Agent
We will pay principal, interest and any premium on fully registered securities in the designated currency or currency unit at the office of a designated paying agent. Payment of interest on fully registered securities may be made at our option by check mailed to the persons in whose names the debt securities are registered on days specified in the indentures or any prospectus supplement.
We will pay principal, interest and any premium on bearer securities in the designated currency or currency unit at the office of a designated paying agent or agents outside of the United States. Payments will be made at the offices of the paying agent in the United States only if the designated currency is U.S. dollars and payment outside of the United States is illegal or effectively precluded. If any amount payable on any debt security or coupon remains unclaimed at the end of two years after that amount became due and payable, the paying agent will release any unclaimed amounts to our company, and the holder of the debt security or coupon will look only to our company for payment.
Global Securities
A global security represents one or any other number of individual debt securities. Generally all debt securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms. Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all debt securities that are issued in book-entry form.
A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered holder of all debt securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account either with the depositary or with another institution that has an account with the depositary. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be registered holder of the debt security, but an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.
Temporary Global Securities
All or any portion of the debt securities of a series that are issuable as bearer debt securities initially may be represented by one or more temporary global debt securities, without interest coupons, to be deposited with the depositary for credit to the accounts of the beneficial owners of the debt securities or to other
 
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accounts as they may direct. On and after an exchange date provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, each temporary global debt security will be exchangeable for definitive debt securities in bearer form, registered form, definitive global bearer form or any combination of these forms, as specified in the prospectus supplement. No bearer debt security delivered in exchange for a portion of a temporary global debt security will be mailed or delivered to any location in the United States.
Interest on a temporary global debt security will be paid to the depositary with respect to the portion held for its account only after they deliver to the trustee a certificate which states that the portion:
•
is not beneficially owned by a United States person;
​
•
has not been acquired by or on behalf of a United States person or for offer to resell or for resale to a United States person or any person inside the United States; or
​
•
if a beneficial interest has been acquired by a United States person, that the person is a financial institution, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, purchasing for its own account or has acquired the debt security through a financial institution and that the debt securities are held by a financial institution that has agreed in writing to comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations to the Internal Revenue Code and that it did not purchase for resale inside the United States.
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The certificate must be based on statements provided by the beneficial owners of interests in the temporary global debt security. The depositary will credit the interest received by it to the accounts of the beneficial owners of the debt security or to other accounts as they may direct.
“United States person” means a citizen or resident of the United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or an estate or trust with income subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source.
Definitive Global Securities
Bearer Securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the exchange provisions, if any, of debt securities issuable in definitive global bearer form. We will not deliver any bearer debt securities delivered in exchange for a portion of a definitive global debt security to any location in the United States.
U.S. Book-Entry Securities. Debt securities of a series represented by a definitive global registered debt security and deposited with or on behalf of a depositary in the United States will be represented by a definitive global debt security registered in the name of the depositary or its nominee. Upon the issuance of a global debt security and the deposit of the global debt security with the depositary, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts represented by that global debt security to the accounts of participating institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee. The accounts to be credited shall be designated by the underwriters or agents for the sale of U.S. book-entry debt securities or by us, if these debt securities are offered and sold directly by us.
Ownership of U.S. book-entry debt securities will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests through participants. In addition, ownership of U.S. book-entry debt securities will be evidenced only by, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary or its nominee for the definitive global debt security or by participants or persons that hold through participants.
So long as the depositary or its nominee is the registered owner of a global debt security, that depositary or nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the U.S. book-entry debt securities represented by that global debt security for all purposes under the indenture. Payment of principal of, and premium and interest, if any, on, U.S. book-entry debt securities will be made to the depositary or its nominee as the registered owner or the holder of the global debt security representing the U.S. book-entry debt securities. Owners of U.S. book-entry debt securities:
•
will not be entitled to have the debt securities registered in their names;
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•
will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of the debt securities in definitive form; and
​
 
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•
will not be considered the owners or holders of the debt securities under the indenture.
​
The laws of some jurisdictions require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These laws impair the ability to purchase or transfer U.S. book-entry debt securities.
We expect that the depositary for U.S. book-entry debt securities of a series, upon receipt of any payment of principal of, or premium or interest, if any, on, the related definitive global debt security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of the global debt security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a global debt security held through those participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.
Consolidation, Merger, Sale or Conveyance
We may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities, merge into or consolidate with any other person, or convey or transfer all or substantially all of our company’s properties and assets to another person provided that:
•
the successor assumes on the same terms and conditions all the obligations under the debt securities and the indentures; and
​
•
immediately after giving effect to the transaction, there is no default under the applicable indenture.
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The remaining or acquiring person will be substituted for our company in the indentures with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture. A prospectus supplement will describe any other limitations on the ability of our company to merge into, consolidate with, or convey or transfer all or substantially all or our properties and assets to, another person.
Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance
We may be discharged from our obligations on the debt securities of any class or series that have matured or will mature or be redeemed within one year if we deposit with the trustee enough cash and/or U.S. government obligations or foreign government securities, as the case may be, to pay all the principal, interest and any premium due to the stated maturity or redemption date of the debt securities and comply with the other conditions set forth in the applicable indenture. The principal conditions that we must satisfy to discharge our obligations on any debt securities are (1) pay all other sums payable with respect to the applicable series of debt securities and (2) deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel which state that the required conditions have been satisfied.
Each indenture contains a provision that permits us to elect to be discharged from all of our obligations with respect to any class or series of debt securities then outstanding. However, even if we effect a legal defeasance, some of our obligations will continue, including obligations to:
•
maintain and apply money in the defeasance trust,
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•
register the transfer or exchange of the debt securities,
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•
replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities, and
​
•
maintain a registrar and paying agent in respect of the debt securities.
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Each indenture also permits us to elect to be released from our obligations under specified covenants and from the consequences of an event of default resulting from a breach of those covenants. To make either of the above elections, we must deposit in trust with the trustee cash and/or U.S. government obligations, if the debt securities are denominated in U.S. dollars, and/or foreign government securities if the debt securities are denominated in a foreign currency, which through the payment of principal and interest under their terms will provide sufficient amounts, without reinvestment, to repay in full those debt securities. As a condition to legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the holders of the debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax
 
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purposes as a result of the deposit and defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the same amount and in the same manner and times as would have been the case if the deposit and defeasance had not occurred. In the case of a legal defeasance only, the opinion of counsel must be based on a ruling of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable U.S. federal income tax law.
The indentures specify the types of U.S. government obligations and foreign government securities that we may deposit.
Events of Default, Notice and Waiver
Each indenture defines an event of default with respect to any class or series of debt securities as one or more of the following events:
•
failure to pay interest on any debt security of the class or series for 30 days when due;
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•
failure to pay the principal or any premium on any debt securities of the class or series when due;
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•
failure to make any sinking fund payment for 30 days when due;
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•
failure to perform any other covenant in the debt securities of the series or in the applicable indenture with respect to debt securities of the series for 90 days after being given notice; and
​
•
occurrence of an event of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization set forth in the indenture.
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An event of default for a particular class or series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an event of default for any other class or series of debt securities issued under an indenture.
In the case of an event of default arising from events of bankruptcy or insolvency set forth in the indenture, all outstanding debt securities will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. If any other event of default as to a series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series may declare all the debt securities to be due and payable immediately.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities then outstanding by notice to the trustee may on behalf of the holders of all of the debt securities of that series waive any existing default or event of default and its consequences under the applicable indenture except a continuing default or event of default in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, the debt securities of that series.
Each indenture requires the trustee to, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default known to it with respect to any outstanding series of debt securities, give the holders of that class or series notice of the default if uncured or not waived. However, the trustee may withhold this notice if it determines in good faith that the withholding of this notice is in the interest of those holders, except that the trustee may not withhold this notice in the case of a payment default. The term “default” for the purpose of this provision means any event that is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an event of default with respect to debt securities of that series.
Other than the duty to act with the required standard of care during an event of default, a trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of debt securities, unless the holders have offered to the trustee reasonable security and indemnity. Each indenture provides that the holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or other power conferred on the trustee if the direction would not conflict with any rule of law or with the indenture. However, the trustee may take any other action that it deems proper which is not inconsistent with any direction and may decline to follow any direction if it in good faith determines that the directed action would involve it in personal liability.
Each indenture includes a covenant that we will file annually with the trustee a certificate of no default, or specifying any default that exists.
 
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Modification of the Indentures
We and the applicable trustee may modify an indenture without the consent of the holders for limited purposes, including adding to our covenants or events of default, establishing forms or terms of debt securities, curing ambiguities and other purposes which do not adversely affect the holders in any material respect.
We and the applicable trustee may make modifications and amendments to an indenture with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all affected series. However, without the consent of each affected holder, no modification may:
•
change the stated maturity of any debt security;
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•
reduce the principal, premium, if any, or rate of interest on any debt security;
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•
change any place of payment or the currency in which any debt security is payable;
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•
impair the right to enforce any payment after the stated maturity or redemption date;
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•
adversely affect the terms of any conversion right;
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•
reduce the percentage of holders of outstanding debt securities of any series required to consent to any modification, amendment or waiver under the indenture;
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•
change any of our obligations, with respect to outstanding debt securities of a series, to maintain an office or agency in the places and for the purposes specified in the indenture for the series; or
​
•
change the provisions in the indenture that relate to its modification or amendment other than to increase the percentage of outstanding debt securities of any series required to consent to any modification or waiver under the indenture.
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Meetings
The indentures will contain provisions for convening meetings of the holders of debt securities of a series. A meeting may be called at any time by the trustee and also, upon request, by our company or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series, in any case upon notice given in accordance with “Notices” below. Persons holding a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series will constitute a quorum at a meeting. A meeting called by our company or the trustee that does not have a quorum may be adjourned for not less than 10 days. If there is not a quorum at the adjourned meeting, the meeting may be further adjourned for not less than 10 days. Any resolution presented at a meeting at which a quorum is present may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, except for any consent which must be given by the holders of each debt security affected by the modifications or amendments of an indenture described above under “Modification of the Indentures.” However, a resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action which may be made, given, or taken by the holders of a specified percentage, which is equal to or less than a majority, in principal amount of outstanding debt securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting at which a quorum is present by the affirmative vote of the holders of the specified percentage in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series. Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of holders of debt securities of any series duly held in accordance with an indenture will be binding on all holders of debt securities of that series and the related coupons. The indentures will provide that specified consents, waivers and other actions may be given by the holders of a specified percentage of outstanding debt securities of all series affected by the modification or amendment, acting as one class. For purposes of these consents, waivers and actions, only the principal amount of outstanding debt securities of any series represented at a meeting at which a quorum is present and voting in favor of the action will be counted for purposes of calculating the aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of all series affected by the modification or amendment favoring the action.
Notices
In most instances, notices to holders of bearer debt securities will be given by publication at least once in a daily newspaper in New York, New York and in London, England and in other cities as may be specified
 
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in the bearer debt securities and will be mailed to those persons whose names and addresses were previously filed with the applicable trustee, within the time prescribed for the giving of the notice. Notice to holders of registered debt securities will be given by mail to the addresses of those holders as they appear in the security register.
Title
Title to any bearer debt securities and any related coupons will pass by delivery. We, the trustee, and any agent of ours or the trustee may treat the holder of any bearer debt security or related coupon and, prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the registered owner of any registered debt security as the absolute owner of that debt security for the purpose of making payment and for all other purposes, regardless of whether or not that debt security or coupon shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.
Replacement of Securities Coupons
Debt securities or coupons that have been mutilated will be replaced by us at the expense of the holder upon surrender of the mutilated debt security or coupon to the security registrar. Debt securities or coupons that become destroyed, stolen, or lost will be replaced by us at the expense of the holder upon delivery to the security registrar of evidence of its destruction, loss, or theft satisfactory to our company and the security registrar. In the case of a destroyed, lost, or stolen debt security or coupon, the holder of the debt security or coupon may be required to provide reasonable security or indemnity to the trustee and our company before a replacement debt security will be issued.
Governing Law
The indentures, the debt securities and the coupons will be governed by, and construed under, the laws of the State of New York.
Concerning the Trustees
We may from time to time maintain lines of credit, and have other customary banking relationships, with any of the trustees.
Senior Debt Securities
The senior debt securities will rank equally with all of our company’s other unsecured and non-subordinated debt.
Certain Covenants in the Senior Indenture
The prospectus supplement relating to a series of senior debt securities will describe any material covenants in respect of that series of senior debt securities.
Subordinated Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate in right of payment to all senior indebtedness. In addition, claims of creditors generally will have priority with respect to the assets and earnings of our subsidiaries over the claims of our creditors, including holders of the subordinated debt securities, even though those obligations may not constitute senior indebtedness. The subordinated debt securities, therefore, will be effectively subordinated to creditors, including trade creditors with regard to the assets of our subsidiaries. Creditors of our subsidiaries include trade creditors, secured creditors and creditors holding guarantees issued by our subsidiaries.
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, senior indebtedness shall mean the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, all indebtedness for money borrowed by our company and any deferrals, renewals, or extensions of any senior indebtedness. Indebtedness for money borrowed by our company includes all indebtedness of another person for money borrowed that we guarantee, other than the subordinated debt securities, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or created,
 
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assumed or incurred after the date of the subordinated indenture. However, senior indebtedness will not include any indebtedness that expressly states to have the same rank as the subordinated debt securities or to rank junior to the subordinated debt securities. Senior indebtedness will also not include:
•
any of our obligations to our subsidiaries; and
​
•
any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes owed or owing by our company.
​
The senior debt securities constitute senior indebtedness under the subordinated indenture. A prospectus supplement will describe the relative ranking among different series of subordinated debt securities.
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, we may not make any payment on the subordinated debt securities and may not purchase, redeem, or retire any subordinated debt securities if any senior indebtedness is not paid when due or the maturity of any senior indebtedness is accelerated as a result of a default, unless the default has been cured or waived and the acceleration has been rescinded or the senior indebtedness has been paid in full. We may, however, pay the subordinated debt securities without regard to these limitations if the subordinated trustee and our company receive written notice approving the payment from the representatives of the holders of senior indebtedness with respect to which either of the events set forth above has occurred and is continuing. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, during the continuance of any default with respect to any designated senior indebtedness under which its maturity may be accelerated immediately without further notice or the expiration of any applicable grace periods, we may not pay the subordinated debt securities for 90 days after the receipt by the subordinated trustee of written notice of a default from the representatives of the holders of designated senior indebtedness. If the holders of designated senior indebtedness or the representatives of those holders have not accelerated the maturity of the designated senior indebtedness at the end of the 90 day period, we may resume payments on the subordinated debt securities. Only one notice may be given in any consecutive 360-day period, irrespective of the number of defaults with respect to designated senior indebtedness during that period.
In the event that we pay or distribute our company’s assets to creditors upon a total or partial liquidation, dissolution or reorganization of our company or our company’s property, the holders of senior indebtedness will be entitled to receive payment in full of the senior indebtedness before the holders of subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment. Until the senior indebtedness is paid in full, any payment or distribution to which holders of subordinated debt securities would be entitled but for the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture will be made to holders of the senior indebtedness as their interests may appear. However, holders of subordinated debt securities will be permitted to receive distributions of shares and debt securities subordinated to the senior indebtedness. If a distribution is made to holders of subordinated debt securities that, due to the subordination provisions, should not have been made to them, the holders of subordinated debt securities are required to hold it in trust for the holders of senior indebtedness, and pay it over to them as their interests may appear.
If payment of the subordinated debt securities is accelerated because of an event of default, either we or the subordinated trustee will promptly notify the holders of senior indebtedness or the representatives of the holders of the acceleration. We may not pay the subordinated debt securities until five business days after the holders or the representatives of the senior indebtedness receive notice of the acceleration. Afterwards, we may pay the subordinated debt securities only if the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture otherwise permit payment at that time.
As a result of the subordination provisions contained in the subordinated indenture, in the event of insolvency, our creditors who are holders of senior indebtedness may recover more, ratably, than the holders of subordinated debt securities. In addition, our creditors who are not holders of senior indebtedness may recover less, ratably, than holders of senior indebtedness and may recover more, ratably, than the holders of subordinated indebtedness.
The prospectus supplement relating to a series of subordinated debt securities will describe any material covenants in respect of any series of subordinated debt securities.
Conversion or Exchange
We may issue debt securities that we may convert or exchange into common stock or other securities, property or assets. If so, we will describe the specific terms on which the debt securities may be converted or
 
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exchanged in the applicable prospectus supplement. The conversion or exchange may be mandatory, at your option, or at our option. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the manner in which the shares of common stock or other securities, property or assets you would receive would be issued or delivered.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
We are authorized to issue 200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of September 28, 2020 we had 149,012,652 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.
Dividend Rights
Holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by our board, out of funds legally available for their payment, subject to the rights of holders of any preferred stock that we may issue.
Voting Rights
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share in all matters as to which holders of common stock are entitled to vote. Holders of not less than a majority of all of the shares of the stock entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders constitute a quorum unless otherwise required by law.
Election of Directors
Our directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the holders of our common stock in a meeting at which a quorum is present. “Plurality” means that the individuals who receive the largest number of votes cast are elected as directors, up to the maximum number of directors to be chosen at the meeting. Our stockholders may vote to remove any director for cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of outstanding common stock.
Liquidation
In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Golden Minerals, holders of our common stock have the right to receive ratably and equally all of the assets remaining after payment of liabilities and liquidation preferences of any preferred stock then outstanding.
Redemption
Golden Minerals’ common stock is not redeemable or convertible.
Other Provisions
All our outstanding common stock is, and the common stock offered by this prospectus or obtainable upon exercise or conversion of other securities offered hereby, if issued in the manner described in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, will be, fully paid and non-assessable.
You should read the prospectus supplement relating to any offering of common stock, or of securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for common stock, for the terms of the offering, including the number of shares of common stock offered, any initial offering price and market prices relating to the common stock.
This section is a summary and may not describe every aspect of our common stock that may be important to you. We urge you to read applicable Delaware law, our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws, because they, and not this description, define your rights as a holder of our common stock. See “Where You Can Find More Information” on Page 1 of this prospectus for information on how to obtain copies of these documents.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
We are authorized to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of the date of this prospectus, there are no shares of preferred stock outstanding. Shares of preferred stock are
 
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issuable in such series as determined by the board of directors, who have the authority to determine the relative rights and preferences of each such series without further action by stockholders.
The issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock, and the likelihood that preferred holders will receive dividend and liquidation preferences may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of Golden Minerals, which could depress the market price of our common stock. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, all shares of preferred stock to be issued from time to time under this prospectus will be fully paid and nonassessable.
The prospectus supplement relating to the preferred stock offered will contain a description of the specific terms of that series as fixed by our board of directors, including, as applicable:
•
the number of shares of preferred stock offered and the offering price of the preferred stock;
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•
the title and stated value of the preferred stock;
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•
the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation of such rates, periods or dates applicable to the preferred stock;
​
•
the date from which dividends on the preferred stock will accumulate, if applicable;
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•
the liquidation rights of the preferred stock;
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•
the procedures for auction and remarketing, if any, of the preferred stock;
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•
the sinking fund provisions, if applicable, for the preferred stock;
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•
the redemption provisions, if applicable, for the preferred stock;
​
•
whether the preferred stock will be convertible into or exchangeable for other securities and, if so, the terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange, including the conversion price or exchange ratio and the conversion or exchange period (or the method of determining the same);
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•
whether the preferred stock will have voting rights and the terms of any voting rights, if any;
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•
whether the preferred stock will be listed on any securities exchange;
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•
whether the preferred stock will be issued with any other securities and, if so, the amount and terms of these securities; and
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•
any other specific terms, preferences or rights of, or limitations or restrictions on, the preferred stock.
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from any such offered securities. Series of warrants may be issued under a separate warrant agreement entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants. The warrant agent would act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and would not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants.
You should refer to the provisions of the warrant agreement that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of warrants for the complete terms of the warrant agreement.
Prior to the exercise of any warrants, holders of such warrants will not have any rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive payments of dividends, or the right to vote such underlying securities.
DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS
We may issue rights to purchase debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares. These rights may be issued independently or together with any other security offered hereby and may or
 
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may not be transferable by the stockholder receiving the rights in such offering. In connection with any offering of such rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.
Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agreement which we will enter into with a bank or trust company, as rights agent, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. We will file the rights agreement and the rights certificates relating to each series of rights with the SEC, and incorporate them by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part on or before the time we issue a series of rights.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any offering of rights for which this prospectus is being delivered, including the following:
•
the date of determining the stockholders entitled to the rights distribution;
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•
the number of rights issued or to be issued to each stockholder;
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•
the exercise price payable for each share of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities upon the exercise of the rights;
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•
the number and terms of the shares of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities which may be purchased per each right;
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•
the extent to which the rights are transferable;
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•
the date on which the holder’s ability to exercise the rights shall commence, and the date on which the rights shall expire;
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•
the extent to which the rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities;
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•
if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement entered into by us in connection with the offering of such rights; and
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•
any other terms of the rights, including the terms, procedures, conditions and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the rights.
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The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any rights that we may offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable rights certificate, which will be filed with the SEC.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more debt securities, shares of common stock or preferred stock, warrants or any combination of such securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement relating to units will describe the terms of any units we issue, including as applicable:
•
the designation and terms of the units and the securities included in the units;
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•
any provision for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units;
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•
the date, if any, on and after which the units may be transferable separately;
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•
whether we will apply to have the units traded on a securities exchange or securities quotation system;
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•
any material United States federal income tax consequences; and
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•
how, for United States federal income tax purposes, the purchase price paid for the units is to be allocated among the component securities.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
The following summarizes some of the general provisions of the deposit agreement and of the depositary shares and depositary receipts, other than pricing and related terms disclosed in a prospectus supplement. You should read the particular terms of any depositary shares and any depositary receipts that are offered by us and any deposit agreement relating to a particular series of preferred stock which will be described in more detail in a prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also state whether any of the generalized provisions summarized below do not apply to the depositary shares or depositary receipts being offered. A form of deposit agreement, including the form of depositary receipt, will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
General
We may, at our option, elect to offer fractional shares or multiple shares of preferred stock, rather than whole individual shares of preferred stock. If we decide to do so, we will issue the preferred stock in the form of depositary shares. Each depository share will represent a fraction or multiple of a share of a particular series of preferred stock and will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional or multiple shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the prospectus supplement or other offering materials.
The shares of any series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company selected by us having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, as preferred stock depositary. Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the underlying preferred stock, including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by the depositary share.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The preferred stock depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received in respect of the deposited preferred stock to the record holders of depositary shares relating to the underlying preferred stock in proportion to the number of the depositary shares owned by the holders.
The preferred stock depositary will distribute any property received by it other than cash to the record holders of depositary shares entitled to these distributions. If the preferred stock depositary determines that it is not feasible to make a distribution, it may, with our approval, sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders of the depositary shares.
Conversion or Exchange of Preferred Stock
If a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares is subject to conversion or exchange, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the rights or obligations of each record holder of depositary receipts to convert or exchange the depositary shares.
Redemption of Preferred Stock
If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the depositary shares will be redeemed from the proceeds received by the preferred stock depositary resulting from the redemption, in whole or in part, of the applicable series of preferred stock. The depositary shares will be redeemed by the preferred stock depositary at a price per depositary share equal to the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share payable in respect of the shares of preferred stock so redeemed.
Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock held by the preferred stock depositary, the preferred stock depositary will redeem as of the same date the number of depositary shares representing shares of preferred stock so redeemed. If fewer than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by the preferred stock depositary by lot or ratably or by any other equitable method as the preferred stock depositary decides.
 
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Withdrawal of Preferred Stock
Unless the related depositary shares have previously been called for redemption, any holder of depositary shares may receive the number of whole shares of the related series of preferred stock and any money or other property represented by those depositary shares after surrendering the related depositary receipts at the corporate trust office of the preferred stock depositary. Holders of depositary shares making these withdrawals will be entitled to receive whole shares of preferred stock on the basis set forth in the prospectus supplement or other offering materials for that series of preferred stock.
However, holders of whole shares of preferred stock will not be entitled to deposit that preferred stock under the deposit agreement or to receive depositary shares for that preferred stock after withdrawal. If the depositary shares surrendered by the holder in connection with withdrawal exceed the number of depositary shares that represent the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the preferred stock depositary will deliver to that holder at the same time new depositary receipts evidencing the excess number of depositary shares.
Voting Deposited Preferred Stock
When the preferred stock depositary receives notice of any meeting at which the holders of any series of deposited preferred stock are entitled to vote, the preferred stock depositary will mail the information contained in the notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to the applicable series of preferred stock. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record date will be entitled to instruct the preferred stock depositary to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by the holder’s depositary shares. To the extent possible, the preferred stock depositary will vote the amount of the series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares in accordance with the instructions it receives.
We will agree to take all reasonable actions that the preferred stock depositary determines are necessary to enable the preferred stock depositary to vote as instructed. The preferred stock depositary will vote all shares of any series of preferred stock held by it proportionately with instructions received if it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing that series of preferred stock.
Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between us and the preferred stock depositary. However, any amendment that imposes additional charges or materially and adversely alters the existing rights of the holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless the amendment has been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the affected depositary shares then outstanding. Holders who retain their depositary shares after the amendment becomes effective will be deemed to agree to the amendment and will be bound by the amended deposit agreement. The deposit agreement automatically terminates if:
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all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed;
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each share of preferred stock has been converted into or exchanged for common stock; or
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a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock has been made to the holders of depositary shares in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Golden Minerals.
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We may terminate the deposit agreement at any time and the preferred stock depositary will give notice of that termination to the record holders of all outstanding depositary receipts not less than 30 days prior to the termination date. In that event, the preferred stock depositary will deliver or make available for delivery to holders of depositary shares, upon surrender of the related depositary receipts, the number of whole or fractional shares of the related series of preferred stock as are represented by those depositary shares.
Charges of Preferred Stock Depositary; Taxes and Other Governmental Charges
No fees, charges and expenses of the preferred stock depositary or any agent of the preferred stock depositary or of any registrar will be payable by any person other than us, except for any taxes and other governmental charges and except as provided in the deposit agreement. If the preferred stock depositary
 
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incurs fees, charges or expenses for which it is not otherwise liable at the election of a holder of depositary shares or other person, that holder or other person will be liable for those fees, charges and expenses.
Resignation and Removal of Depositary
The preferred stock depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its intent to do so, and we may at any time remove the preferred stock depositary. Any resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor preferred stock depositary and its acceptance of the appointment. A successor preferred stock depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.
Miscellaneous
The preferred stock depositary will forward all reports and communications from Golden Minerals which are delivered to the preferred stock depositary and which we are required to furnish to the holders of the deposited preferred stock.
Neither the preferred stock depositary nor Golden Minerals will be liable if it is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstances beyond its control in performing its obligations under the deposit agreement. The obligations of Golden Minerals and the preferred stock depositary under the deposit agreement will be limited to performance with honest intentions of their duties under the agreement and they will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares, depositary receipts or shares of preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. Golden Minerals and the preferred stock depositary may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by holders of depositary shares or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.
ANTI-TAKEOVER EFFECTS OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND THE BYLAWS
Some provisions of Delaware law and our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws could make it more difficult for us to be acquired by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise or the removal of our incumbent directors and officers. These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage and prevent coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of our company to first negotiate with our board of directors. They are also intended to provide our management with the flexibility to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability if our board of directors determines that a takeover is not in the best interests of our stockholders. These provisions, however, could have the effect of discouraging attempts to acquire us, which could deprive our stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Section 203 is an anti-takeover law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date that the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder is approved in a prescribed manner. Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or another transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Generally, an interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions that are not approved in advance by our board of directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
 
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Special Stockholder Meetings
Under our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, special meetings of stockholders may be called only by our board of directors, other than special meetings called solely for the purpose of removing directors, which may be called by requests of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock.
Election and Removal of Directors
Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws contain provisions that establish specific procedures for appointing and removing members of the board of directors. In addition, our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that vacancies and newly created directorships on the board of directors may be filled only by a majority of the directors then serving on the board (except as otherwise required by law or by resolution of the board). Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that directors may be removed only for cause.
Undesignated Preferred Stock
The authorization of undesignated, or “blank check,” preferred stock will make it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change control of our company.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals
Our Bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. See “Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations” below.
No Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not permit stockholders to act by written consent.
No Cumulative Voting
Under Delaware law, cumulative voting for the election of directors is not permitted unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation authorizes cumulative voting. Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors. Cumulative voting allows a minority stockholder to vote a portion or all of its shares for one or more candidates for seats on the board of directors. Without cumulative voting, a minority stockholder will not be able to gain as many seats on our board of directors based on the number of shares of our stock the stockholder holds as the stockholder would be able to gain if cumulative voting were permitted. The absence of cumulative voting makes it more difficult for a minority stockholder to gain a seat on our board of directors to influence our board’s decision regarding a takeover.
Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations
Our Bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, must provide timely notice thereof in writing. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to the company secretary between the 120th day and the 90th day before the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting. If, however, the date of the meeting is advanced more than 30 days before, or delayed more than 60 days after, the anniversary of the annual meeting, notice must be delivered between the 120th day before the meeting and the later of the 90th day before the meeting or the 10th day after we publicly announce the date of the meeting. Our Bylaws also specify certain requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before an annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at an annual meeting of stockholders.
 
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Amendments to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
The affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of our issued and outstanding common stock, voting as a single class, is generally required to amend or repeal our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The affirmative vote of holders of not less than 66 2/3% of our outstanding common stock is required to approve amendments to provisions in our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation dealing with the exculpation of our directors and indemnification of our directors and officers. Subject to our Bylaws, our board of directors may from time to time make, amend, supplement or repeal our Bylaws by vote of a majority of our board of directors.
LEGAL MATTERS
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP of Denver, Colorado has provided its opinion on the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Plante & Moran, PLLC (formerly, EKS&H LLLP), an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The estimates of our mineralized material with respect to the Velardeña Properties and Santa Maria and Rodeo properties incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been included in reliance upon the technical report prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc. The estimates of our mineralized material with respect to the El Quevar project incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been included in reliance upon the technical report prepared by Wood Group USA, Inc. (formerly known as Amec Foster Wheeler E&C Services, Inc.).
 
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