United States
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
(Mark One)
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD OF _________ TO _________. |
Commission File Number:
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class: |
| Trading Symbol |
| Name of each exchange on which registered: |
| |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:
Large accelerated filer ◻
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ◻
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes
As of July 31, 2020, there were
UR-ENERGY INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION | ||
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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 22 | |
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When we use the terms “Ur-Energy,” “we,” “us,” or “our,” or the “Company” we are referring to Ur-Energy Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires. Throughout this document we make statements that are classified as “forward-looking.” Please refer to the “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” section below for an explanation of these types of assertions.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This report on Form 10-Q contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable United States (“U.S.”) and Canadian securities laws, and these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "may," "potential," "intends," "plans" and other similar expressions or statements that an action, event or result "may," "could" or "should" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative thereof or other similar statements. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to: (i) the ability to maintain safe, reduced-level production operations at Lost Creek; (ii) the outcome of our production projections for 2020; (iii) the impacts of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on our business, operations, and financial liquidity, and the impacts of the pandemic directly and indirectly on the uranium market; (iv) the timing and outcome of permitting and regulatory approvals of the amendment for uranium recovery at the LC East Project; (v) the ability to complete additional favorable uranium sales agreements including spot sales if the market warrants and as may be advantageous to the Company; (vi) the timing and outcome of applications for regulatory approval to build and operate an in situ recovery mine at Shirley Basin; (vii) resolution of the continuing challenges within the uranium market, including supply and demand projections; (viii) the timing and impact of implementation of recommendations made by the United States Nuclear Fuel Working Group for the revival and expansion of domestic nuclear fuel production; (ix) the outcome of ongoing efforts to extend the restrictions imposed by the Russian Suspension Agreement or to otherwise safeguard the U.S. from renewed dumping of Russian uranium products into our markets; (x) whether cost-savings measures which have been and will be implemented will be sufficient to support our operations; (xi) the level of loan forgiveness to be obtained for our loans under the SBA Paycheck Protection Program; and (xii) the ability and timing to ramp up when market conditions warrant, as well as the costs and level of dilution in doing so. Additional factors include, among others, the following: challenges presented by current inventories and largely unrestricted imports of uranium products into the U.S.; future estimates for production; capital expenditures; operating costs; mineral resources, grade estimates and recovery rates; market prices; business strategies and measures to implement such strategies; competitive strengths; estimates of goals for expansion and growth of the business and operations; plans and references to our future successes; our history of operating losses and uncertainty of future profitability; status as an exploration stage company; the lack of mineral reserves; risks associated with obtaining permits and other authorizations in the U.S.; risks associated with current variable economic conditions; our ability to service our debt and maintain compliance with all restrictive covenants related to the debt facility and security documents; the possible impact of future debt or equity financings; the hazards associated with mining production operations; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; wastewater management; uncertainty regarding the pricing and collection of accounts; the possibility for adverse results in potential litigation; uncertainties associated with changes in law, government policy and regulation; uncertainties associated with a Canada Revenue Agency or U.S. Internal Revenue Service audit of any of our cross border transactions; adverse changes in general business conditions in any of the countries in which we do business; changes in size and structure; the effectiveness of management and our strategic relationships; ability to attract and retain key personnel and management; uncertainties regarding the need for additional capital; sufficiency of insurance coverages; uncertainty regarding the fluctuations of quarterly results; foreign currency exchange risks; ability to enforce civil liabilities under U.S. securities laws outside the U.S.; ability to maintain our listing on the NYSE American and Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”); risks associated with the expected classification as a "passive foreign investment company"
1
under the applicable provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; risks associated with our investments and other risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, dated February 28, 2020.
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Concerning Disclosure of Mineral Resources
Unless otherwise indicated, all resource estimates included in this Form 10-Q have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (“CIM Definition Standards”). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects.
Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and resource information contained in this Form 10-Q may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, the term “resource” does not equate to the term “reserves.” Under SEC Industry Guide 7, mineralization may not be classified as a “reserve” unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. SEC Industry Guide 7 does not define and the SEC’s disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning “measured mineral resources,” “indicated mineral resources” or “inferred mineral resources” or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute “reserves” by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors should also understand that “inferred mineral resources” have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an “inferred mineral resource” will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated “inferred mineral resources” may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an “inferred mineral resource” exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of “contained ounces” in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute “reserves” by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable to information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.
NI 43-101 Review of Technical Information: Michael Mellin, Ur-Energy / Lost Creek Mine Geologist, P.Geo. and Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this Form 10-Q.
2
PART I
Item 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Ur-Energy Inc.
Unaudited Interim Consolidated Balance Sheets
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars)
June 30, | December 31, | ||
2020 | 2019 | ||
Assets | |||
Current assets | |||
Cash and cash equivalents (note 4) | | | |
Accounts receivable | | | |
Inventory (note 5) | | - | |
Prepaid expenses | | | |
| | | |
Inventory (note 5) | - | | |
Restricted cash (note 6) | | | |
Mineral properties (note 7) | | | |
Capital assets (note 8) | | | |
| | ||
| | | |
Liabilities and shareholders' equity | |||
Current liabilities | |||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (note 9) | | | |
Current portion of long term debt (note 10) | | - | |
Environmental remediation accrual | | | |
| | ||
Notes payable (note 10) | | | |
Lease liability | | | |
Asset retirement obligations (note 11) | | | |
Other liabilities - warrants (note 12) | | | |
| | ||
| | ||
Shareholders' equity (note 13) | |||
Share Capital | |||
Class A preferred shares, without par value, unlimited shares authorized; | |||
Common shares, without par value, unlimited shares authorized; shares issued and | | | |
Contributed surplus | | | |
Accumulated other comprehensive income | | | |
Deficit | ( | ( | |
| | ||
| | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated financial statements.
Approved by the Board of Directors
/s/ Jeffrey T. Klenda, Chairman of the Board /s/ Thomas Parker, Director
3
Ur-Energy Inc.
Unaudited Interim Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars except for share data)
Three months ended June 30, | Six months ended June 30, | ||||||
2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||
Sales (note 14) | | | | | |||
Cost of sales | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Gross profit (loss) | | | ( | ( | |||
Operating Expenses | |||||||
Exploration and evaluation | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Development | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
General and administrative | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Accretion of asset retirement obligations (note 11) | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Loss from operations | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Net interest expense | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Warrant mark to market adjustment | ( | ( | | ( | |||
Foreign exchange gain (loss) | ( | ( | | ( | |||
Other income | | | | | |||
Net loss for the period | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Loss per common share | |||||||
Basic and diluted | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding | |||||||
Basic and diluted | | | | | |||
COMPREHENSIVE LOSS | |||||||
Net loss for the period | ( | ( | ( | ( | |||
Other Comprehensive loss, net of tax | |||||||
Translation adjustment on foreign operations | | ( | | ( | |||
Comprehensive loss for the period | ( | ( | ( | ( |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated financial statements.
4
Ur-Energy Inc.
Unaudited Interim Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Equity
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars except for share data)
Accumulated | |||||||||||
Other | |||||||||||
Capital Stock | Contributed | Comprehensive | Shareholders' | ||||||||
Shares | Amount | Surplus | Income | Deficit | Equity | ||||||
# | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||
Balance, December 31, 2018 | | | | | ( | | |||||
Redemption of vested RSUs | - | - | ( | - | - | ( | |||||
Non-cash stock compensation | - | - | | - | - | | |||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | | ( | ( | |||||
Balance, March 31, 2019 | | | | | ( | | |||||
Exercise of stock options | | | ( | - | - | | |||||
Redemption of vested RSUs | - | - | ( | - | - | ( | |||||
Non-cash stock compensation | - | - | | | |||||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | ( | ( | ( | |||||
Balance, June 30, 2019 | | | | | ( | | |||||
Balance, December 31, 2019 | | | | | ( | | |||||
Non-cash stock compensation | - | - | | - | - | | |||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | | ( | ( | |||||
Balance, March 31, 2020 | | | | | ( | | |||||
Non-cash stock compensation | - | - | | - | - | | |||||
Net loss and comprehensive loss | - | - | - | | ( | ( | |||||
Balance, June 30, 2020 | | | | | ( | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated financial statements.
5
Ur-Energy Inc.
Unaudited Interim Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars)
Six months ended June 30, | |||
2020 | 2019 | ||
Cash provided by | |||
Operating activities | |||
Net loss for the period | ( | ( | |
Items not affecting cash: | |||
Stock based expense | | | |
Loss from net realizable value adjustments | | | |
Depreciation and amortization | | | |
Accretion of asset retirement obligations and reclamation | | | |
Amortization of deferred loan costs | | | |
Warrants mark to market gain (loss) | ( | | |
Gain on disposition of assets | ( | - | |
Gain on foreign exchange | ( | ( | |
Other loss (gain) | | ( | |
Change in non-cash working capital items: | |||
Accounts receivable | | | |
Inventory | ( | | |
Prepaid expenses | ( | ( | |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | | | |
( | | ||
Investing activities | |||
Mineral property costs | - | ( | |
Increase in other deposits | ( | - | |
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment | | - | |
Purchase of capital assets | ( | ( | |
( | ( | ||
Financing activities | |||
Proceeds from exercise of stock options | - | | |
RSUs redeemed to pay withholding or paid in cash | - | ( | |
Proceeds from debt financing | | - | |
Repayment of debt | - | ( | |
| ( | ||
Effects of foreign exchange rate changes on cash | ( | | |
Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | ( | | |
Beginning cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | | | |
Ending cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (note 15) | | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated financial statements.
6
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
1. | Nature of Operations |
Ur-Energy Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated on
Due to the nature of the uranium mining methods used by the Company on the Lost Creek Property, and the definition of “mineral reserves” under National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”), which uses the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) Definition Standards, the Company has not determined whether the property contains mineral reserves. However, the Company’s “Amended Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Lost Creek Property, Sweetwater County, Wyoming,” February 8, 2016 (“Lost Creek PEA”), outlines the potential viability of the Lost Creek Property. The recoverability of amounts recorded for mineral properties is dependent upon the discovery of economic resources, the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary financing to develop the properties and upon attaining future profitable production from the properties or sufficient proceeds from disposition of the properties.
2. | Liquidity Risk |
Our operations are based on a small number of large sales. As a result, our cash flow and therefore our current assets and working capital may vary widely during the year based on the timing of those sales. Virtually all our past sales were under term contracts which specify delivery quantities, sales prices and payment dates. As a result, we performed cash management functions over the course of an entire year and were less reliant on current commodity prices and market conditions. As our remaining term contracts were completed in 2020 Q2, we have become more dependent on current commodity prices until we are able to enter into new term contracts.
As at June 30, 2020, the Company’s financial liabilities consisted of trade accounts payable and accrued trade and payroll liabilities of $
The payment schedule for the $
On April 16, 2020, we received $
7
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
Act (the “CARES Act”). We anticipate the loans will meet the requirements for forgiveness under this program (see note 10).
On July 31, 2020, the Company announced a $
In addition to our cash position and expected registered direct offering net proceeds, our finished, ready-to-sell, conversion facility inventory is immediately realizable, if necessary. While our current cash position should be sufficient to cover our expected expenditures for the remainder of the year, we anticipate selling a significant portion of our existing finished-product inventory in 2021 at market prices in effect at that time, unless market conditions change, or we choose to obtain additional financing.
3. | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
Basis of presentation
These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements do not conform in all respects to the requirements of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“US GAAP”) for annual financial statements. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements reflect all normal adjustments which in the opinion of management are necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited annual consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019. We apply the same accounting policies as in the prior year. The year-end balance sheet data were derived from the audited financial statements and certain information and footnote disclosures required by US GAAP have been condensed or omitted.
4. | Cash and Cash Equivalents |
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents consist of the following:
As at | |||
June 30, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
Cash on deposit at banks | | | |
Money market funds | | | |
| |
8
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
5. Inventory
The Company’s inventory consists of the following:
As at | |||
June 30, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
In-process inventory | - | - | |
Plant inventory | | - | |
Conversion facility inventory | | | |
| | ||
Inventory to be sold within 12 months | | - | |
Total Inventory | - | |
In conjunction with our lower of cost or net realizable value (“NRV”) calculations, the Company reduced the inventory valuation by $
6. Restricted Cash
The Company’s restricted cash consists of money market accounts and short-term government bonds.
The bonding requirements for reclamation obligations on various properties have been agreed to by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (“WDEQ”), the Wyoming Uranium Recovery Program (“URP”) and the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) as applicable. The restricted money market accounts are pledged as collateral against performance surety bonds which are used to secure the potential costs of reclamation related to those properties. Surety bonds providing $
9
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
7. Mineral Properties
The Company’s mineral properties consist of the following:
Lost Creek | Pathfinder | Other U.S. | |||||
Property | Mines | Properties | Total | ||||
$ | $ | $ | $ | ||||
Balance, December 31, 2019 | | | | | |||
Amortization | ( | - | - | ( | |||
Balance, June 30, 2020 | | | | |
Lost Creek Property
The Company acquired certain Wyoming properties in 2005 when Ur-Energy USA Inc. purchased
There is a royalty on each of the State of Wyoming sections under lease at the Lost Creek, LC West and EN Projects, as required by law. Other royalties exist on certain mining claims at the LC South, LC East and EN Projects. Currently, there are no royalties on the mining claims in the Lost Creek, LC North or LC West Projects.
Pathfinder Mines
The Company acquired additional Wyoming properties when Ur-Energy USA Inc. closed a Share Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) with an AREVA Mining affiliate in December 2013. Under the terms of the SPA, the Company purchased Pathfinder Mines Corporation (“Pathfinder”) to acquire additional mineral properties. Assets acquired in this transaction include the Shirley Basin mine, portions of the Lucky Mc mine, machinery and equipment, vehicles, office equipment and development databases. Pathfinder was acquired for aggregate consideration of $
10
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
8. | Capital Assets |
The Company’s capital assets consist of the following:
As of | As of | ||||||||||
June 30, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||||||||||
Accumulated | Net Book | Accumulated | Net Book | ||||||||
Cost | Depreciation | Value | Cost | Depreciation | Value | ||||||
$ | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||
Rolling stock | | | | | | | |||||
Enclosures | | | | | | | |||||
Machinery and equipment | | | | | | | |||||
Furniture, fixtures and leasehold improvements | | | | | | | |||||
Information technology | | | | | | | |||||
ROU Assets | | | | | | | |||||
| | | | | |
9. | Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consist of the following:
As at | |||
June 30, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
Accounts payable | | | |
Payroll and other taxes | | | |
Severance and ad valorem tax payable | | | |
| |
10. | Notes Payable |
On October 15, 2013, the Sweetwater County Commissioners approved the issuance of a $
11
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
On October 1, 2019, the Sweetwater County Commissioners and the State of Wyoming approved a six-quarter deferral of principal payments beginning October 1, 2019. The next principal payment is therefore due April 1, 2021 and the last payment will be due in April 2023.
On April 16, 2020, we obtained
On June 5, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (the “Flexibility Act”) became law. The Flexibility Act changes key provisions of the PPP, including maturity of the loans, deferral of loan payments, and the forgiveness of the PPP loans, with revisions being retroactive to the date of the CARES Act.
Under the program, as modified by the Flexibility Act and SBA and Treasury rulemakings, the repayment of our loans, including interest, may be forgiven based on eligible payroll, payroll-related, and other allowable costs incurred in a twenty-four-week period following the funding of the loans. To have the full amount of the loans forgiven, the following requirements must be met within that period, and be sufficiently documented in the application for forgiveness:
(1) | Spend not less than 60% (previously 75%) of loan proceeds on eligible payroll costs. |
(2) | Spend the remaining loan proceeds on |
(3) | Maintain employee compensation levels (subject to specific program requirements). |
For any portion of the loans that are not forgiven, the program provides for an initial deferral of payments based upon the timing of a borrower’s application for forgiveness and SBA’s action on the application up to a maximum of ten months after the use and forgiveness covered period ends (July 30, 2021). Any remaining amount owing on the loans has a two-year maturity (April 16, 2022), unless renegotiated with the lender for up to a five-year term, with an interest rate of one percent per annum. We anticipate the loans will meet the requirements for forgiveness under this program, but at this time we have not yet applied for or received loan forgiveness and therefore have treated the PPP loans as debt.
Deferred loan fees include legal fees, commissions, commitment fees and other costs associated with obtaining the financing.
12
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
The following table summarizes the Company’s debt instrument.
As at | |||
June 30, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
Current debt | |||
SBA - Payroll Protection Program Loan | | - | |
State Bond Loan | | - | |
Less deferred financing costs | ( | - | |
| - | ||
Long term debt | |||
SBA - Payroll Protection Program Loan | | - | |
State Bond Loan | | | |
Less deferred financing costs | ( | ( | |
| |
The schedule of remaining payments on outstanding debt as of June 30, 2020 is presented below.
Total | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Final payment | ||||||
$ | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||
SBA - Payroll Protection Program Loan | |||||||||||
Principal | | | | | - | ||||||
Interest | | | | - | - | ||||||
State Bond Loan | |||||||||||
Principal | | - | | | | ||||||
Interest | | | | | | ||||||
Total | | | | | |
11. | Asset Retirement and Reclamation Obligations |
Asset retirement obligations ("ARO") relate to the Lost Creek mine and Pathfinder projects and are equal to the present value of all estimated future costs required to remediate any environmental disturbances that exist as of the end of the period discounted using discount rates ranging from
At June 30, 2020, the current closure estimate was $
13
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
reclamation extends through 2033. The present value of the estimated future closure estimate is presented in the following table.
For the period ended | |||
June 30, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
Beginning of period | | | |
Change in estimated liability | - | | |
Accretion expense | | | |
End of period | | |
The restricted cash discussed in note 6 is related to the surety bonds that provide security to the governmental agencies on these obligations.
12. | Other Liabilities |
As a part of the September 2018 public offering, we sold
13. | Shareholders’ Equity and Capital Stock |
Stock options
In 2005, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the adoption of the Company's stock option plan (the “Option Plan”). The Option Plan was most recently approved by the shareholders on May 7, 2020. Eligible participants under the Option Plan include directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company. Under the terms of the Option Plan grants of options will vest over a
14
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
Activity with respect to stock options is summarized as follows:
Weighted- | |||||
average | |||||
Options | exercise price | ||||
# | $ | ||||
Balance, December 31, 2019 | | | |||
Forfeited | ( | | |||
Expired | ( | | |||
Outstanding, June 30, 2020 | | |
The exercise price of a new grant is set at the closing price for the shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on the trading day immediately preceding the grant date so there is
As of June 30, 2020, outstanding stock options are as follows:
Options outstanding | Options exercisable | |||||||||||||
Weighted- | Weighted- | |||||||||||||
average | average | |||||||||||||
remaining | Aggregate | remaining | Aggregate | |||||||||||
Exercise | Number | contractual | intrinsic | Number | contractual | intrinsic | ||||||||
price | of options | life (years) | value | of options | life (years) | value | Expiry | |||||||
$ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||
- | - | 17-Aug-20 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 11-Dec-20 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 16-Dec-21 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 02-Mar-22 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 07-Sep-22 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 15-Dec-22 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 30-Mar-23 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 20-Aug-23 | ||||||||||||
- | - | 14-Dec-23 | ||||||||||||
- | - | - | - | 05-Nov-24 | ||||||||||
- | - |
The aggregate intrinsic value of the options in the preceding table represents the total pre-tax intrinsic value for stock options with an exercise price less than the Company’s TSX closing stock price of Cdn$
15
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
of the last trading day in the period ended June 30, 2020, that would have been received by the option holders had they exercised their options as of that date. There were
We elect to estimate the number of awards expected to vest in lieu of accounting for forfeitures when they occur.
Restricted share units
On June 24, 2010, the Company’s shareholders approved the adoption of the Company’s restricted share unit plan (the “RSU Plan”). The RSU Plan was approved by our shareholders most recently on May 2, 2019.
Eligible participants under the RSU Plan include directors and employees of the Company. RSUs in a grant redeem on the second anniversary of the grant. Upon RSU vesting, the holder of an RSU will receive
Activity with respect to RSUs is summarized as follows:
Number | Weighted | ||||
of | average grant | ||||
RSUs | date fair value | ||||
Balance, December 31, 2019 | | | |||
Forfeited | ( | | |||
Outstanding, June 30, 2020 | | |
As of June 30, 2020, outstanding RSUs are as follows:
Number of | Remaining | Aggregate | ||||
outstanding | life | intrinsic | ||||
Grant date | RSUs | (years) | value | |||
$ | ||||||
August 20, 2018 | | | ||||
December 14, 2018 | | | ||||
November 5, 2019 | | | ||||
| |
As of September 30, 2019, one of our officers retired. Under the terms of our RSU Plan, his
16
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
Warrants
On September 25, 2018, the Company issued
Number | Number of | ||||
of | shares to be issued | Per share | |||
warrants | upon exercise | exercise price | |||
Outstanding, December 31, 2019 | | | | ||
Outstanding, June 30, 2020 | | | |
As of June 30, 2020, outstanding warrants are as follows:
Remaining | Aggregate | |||||||
Exercise | Number | contractual | Intrinsic | |||||
price | of warrants | life (years) | Value | Expiry | ||||
$ | $ | |||||||
- | 25-Sep-21 |
Share-based compensation expense
Share-based compensation expense was $
As of June 30, 2020, there was approximately $
17
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
Fair value calculations
The initial fair value of options and RSUs granted is determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model for options and the intrinsic pricing model for RSUs. There were
The Company estimates expected volatility using daily historical trading data of the Company’s Common Shares, because this is recognized as a valid method used to predict future volatility. The risk-free interest rates are determined by reference to Canadian Treasury Note constant maturities that approximate the expected option term. The Company has never paid dividends and currently has no plans to do so.
Share-based compensation expense is recognized net of estimated pre-vesting forfeitures, which results in recognition of expense on options that are ultimately expected to vest over the expected option term. Forfeitures were estimated using actual historical forfeiture experience.
14. Sales
Sales have been derived from U3O8 being sold to domestic utilities, primarily under term contracts, as well as to a trader through spot sales.
Disaggregation of Revenues
The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by source and type:
Six months ended June 30, | |||||||
2020 | 2019 | ||||||
$ | % | $ | % | ||||
Sale of produced inventory | |||||||
Company A | - | | |||||
Company B | - | | |||||
- | | ||||||
Sales of purchased inventory | |||||||
Company C | | | |||||
Company B | - | | |||||
| | ||||||
Total sales | | | |||||
Disposal fee income | | | |||||
| |
18
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
The names of the individual companies have not been disclosed for reasons of confidentiality.
15. | Supplemental Information for Statement of Cash Flows |
Cash per the Statement of Cash Flows consists of the following:
As at | |||
June 30, 2020 | June 30, 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
Cash and cash equivalents | | | |
Restricted cash | | | |
| |
16. | Financial Instruments |
The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, restricted cash, deposits, accounts payable and accrued liabilities and notes payable. The Company is exposed to risks related to changes in interest rates and management of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments.
Credit risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. These assets include Canadian dollar and U.S. dollar denominated certificates of deposit, money market accounts and demand deposits. These instruments are maintained at financial institutions in Canada and the U.S. Of the amount held on deposit, approximately $
All of the Company’s customers have Moody’s Baa or greater ratings and purchase from the Company under contracts with set prices and payment terms.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Company will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they come due.
As at June 30, 2020, the Company’s financial liabilities consisted of trade accounts payable and accrued trade and payroll liabilities of $
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Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
On May 15, 2020, we filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC in order that we may offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, at prices and terms to be determined, up to $100 million of our Common Shares, warrants to purchase our Common Shares, our senior and subordinated debt securities, and rights to purchase our Common Shares and/or senior and subordinated debt securities. The registration statement became effective May 27, 2020 for a three-year period. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, we utilized the registration statement for a $
On May 29, 2020, we entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with B. Riley FBR, Inc., under which we may, from time to time, issue and sell common shares at market prices on the NYSE American LLC through the Agent for aggregate sales proceeds of up to $
We expect that any major capital projects will be funded by operating cash flow, cash on hand, sales of existing inventories, and/or additional financing as required. If these cash sources are not sufficient, certain capital projects could be delayed, or alternatively we may need to pursue additional debt or equity financing to which there is no assurance that such financing will be available at all or on terms acceptable to us (see note 2).
Sensitivity analysis
The Company has completed a sensitivity analysis to estimate the impact that a change in interest rates would have on the net loss of the Company. This sensitivity analysis shows that a change of +/-
17. | Subsequent Event |
On July 31, 2020, the Company announced a $
20
Ur-Energy Inc.
Condensed Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2020
(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
As the warrants are priced in US$ and the functional currency of Ur-Energy Inc. is Cdn$, this will create a derivative financial liability. The fair value of the liability will be created and adjusted quarterly using the Black-Scholes technique described herein as there is no active market for the warrants. Any income or loss will be reflected in net income for the period. We anticipate that the public offering proceeds will be used to sustain operations, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.
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Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION
Business Overview
The following discussion is designed to provide information that we believe is necessary for an understanding of our financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of our operations, and provides information through July 31, 2020. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the MD&A contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Incorporated on March 22, 2004, Ur-Energy is an exploration stage mining company, as that term is defined in SEC Industry Guide 7. We are engaged in uranium mining, recovery and processing activities, including the acquisition, exploration, development and operation of uranium mineral properties in the U.S. We are operating our first in situ recovery uranium mine at our Lost Creek Project in Wyoming. Ur-Energy is a corporation continued under the Canada Business Corporations Act on August 8, 2006. Our Common Shares are listed on the TSX under the symbol “URE” and on the NYSE American under the symbol “URG.”
Ur-Energy has one wholly-owned subsidiary: Ur-Energy USA Inc., incorporated under the laws of the State of Colorado. Ur-Energy USA Inc. has three wholly-owned subsidiaries: NFU Wyoming, LLC, a limited liability company formed under the laws of the State of Wyoming which acts as our land holding and exploration entity; Lost Creek ISR, LLC, a limited liability company formed under the laws of the State of Wyoming to operate our Lost Creek Project and hold our Lost Creek properties and assets; and Pathfinder Mines Corporation (“Pathfinder”), incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, which holds, among other assets, the Shirley Basin and Lucky Mc properties in Wyoming. Our material U.S. subsidiaries remain unchanged since the filing of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, dated February 28, 2020.
We utilize in situ recovery (“ISR”) of the uranium at our flagship project, Lost Creek, and will do so at other projects where possible. The ISR technique is employed in uranium extraction because it allows for an effective recovery of roll front uranium mineralization at a lower cost. At Lost Creek, we extract and process uranium oxide (“U3O8”) for shipping to a third-party conversion facility to be weighed, assayed and stored until sold.
Our Lost Creek processing facility, which includes all circuits for the production, drying and packaging of uranium for delivery into sales, is designed and anticipated under current licensing to process up to one million pounds of U3O8 annually from the Lost Creek mine. The processing facility has the physical design capacity to process two million pounds of U3O8 annually, which provides additional capacity to process material from other sources. We expect that the Lost Creek processing facility may be utilized to process captured U3O8 from our Shirley Basin Project. However, the Shirley Basin permit application contemplates the construction of a full processing facility, providing greater construction and operating flexibility as may be dictated by market conditions.
We were contractually committed to sell 200,000 pounds of U3O8 during H1 2020, at an average price of approximately $42 per pound. We entered into purchase agreements for delivery of purchased product into those contractual commitments. The average cost of the purchases was approximately $26 per pound. We delivered a portion of those 2020 contractual commitments (33,000 pounds) in Q1, and delivered the remaining amount (167,000 pounds) early in Q2. The Q2 sale completed our remaining term commitment obligations.
COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
During the quarter, gathering and other restrictions continued at various levels in Wyoming and Colorado. As certain COVID-19 (Coronavirus) restrictions have changed, we have adapted accordingly. We continue to
22
monitor and adhere to State, Federal and public health guidance as it evolves. Our staff continues, thus far, to remain healthy. As previously noted, due to the persistently depressed uranium market, our staff at Lost Creek has been reduced by 67 percent through the reductions in force we have implemented since 2016. This does not include the complete elimination of contract work performed at the site. For our remaining employees at Lost Creek, we have altered certain work and commuting arrangements, implemented physical distancing procedures and other suggested precautions, and continue to assess the developing situation. Similarly, our production at Lost Creek has been intentionally reduced by more than 97 percent since the beginning of 2016. The COVID-19 situation has not yet altered our planned production guidance for 2020 at Lost Creek, which remains at minimal levels, and did not impede our 2020 Q2 sale. Because our existing finished inventory is stored and accounted for at the conversion facility, current COVID-19 restrictions are not expected to impede any future product sales or transfers.
SBA Paycheck Protection Program
In response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, Congress enacted the CARES Act on March 27, 2020. Among other provisions, it created the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) through the SBA. As an eligible borrower under the program, we worked solely with our primary bank in Littleton, BOKF, to apply for two loans (one for each of our subsidiaries with U.S. payroll obligations) to support continuing operations and payroll obligations, and in efforts to avoid further reductions in force or furloughs. Following review of our applications by our lender and the SBA, and having met program requirements, we were approved for both loans by the SBA. The combined loan amount we qualified for under the program was $0.9 million, which we received on April 16, 2020. The Flexibility Act, which became law on June 5, 2020, changes key provisions of the PPP, including maturity of the loans, deferral of loan payments, and forgiveness of PPP loans, with revisions being retroactive to the date of the CARES Act. As well, throughout Q2, the SBA and Department of Treasury (“Treasury”) published additional guidance and rules related to the PPP, which included modifications and clarifications affecting the term of the loans, and the forgiveness process (portion of payroll expenses, allowable non-payroll expenses and application process). Under the current provisions of the program, we anticipate the loans will meet the requirements for forgiveness. See note 10 to the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements and discussion under Liquidity Outlook.
U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working Group and Recent Market Changes
On July 12, 2019, the White House issued a “Memorandum on the Effect of Uranium Imports on the National Security and Establishment of the United States Nuclear Fuel Working Group,” through which it established the United States Nuclear Fuel Working Group (the “Working Group”) to develop recommendations for reviving and expanding domestic uranium production. On April 23, 2020, the Working Group, through the Department of Energy (“DOE”), released its report, “Restoring America’s Competitive Nuclear Energy Advantage – A strategy to assure U.S. national security.” Relevant to uranium miners, the recommendations included, first, that the U.S. government make direct purchases of 17 to 19 million total pounds of U3O8 proposed to commence in 2020 to replenish the American Assured Fuel Supply uranium reserve. Additionally, it is recommended that a new national uranium reserve be established through DOE’s proposed budgeted purchases for 10 years, beginning in FY2021. If budget appropriations are secured and the program implemented, these purchases would provide direct support to the front end of the fuel cycle and help re-establish our nation’s critical capabilities. As included in the President’s FY2021 Budget Request, during the first year, it is expected that the reserve would directly support the operation of at least two U.S. uranium mines and the sole U.S. conversion facility. The 10-year budget item is for $150 million per year. In July, however, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations decided not to fund the budget item without obtaining further information from DOE. The Committee directed DOE to submit a plan for the proposed establishment of a
23
uranium reserve within six months. There are alternative avenues to appropriations, including through the Senate process; it is not known at this time, however, the actions DOE will pursue.
Additionally, the report calls for support of the Department of Commerce (“DOC”) efforts to extend the Russian Suspension Agreement to protect against future uranium dumping. A lower cap on Russian imports should be considered. Consistent with many of the conclusions in the report finding myriad national security concerns, another of the recommendations is that the NRC be permitted to deny imports of nuclear fuel fabricated in Russia or China for national security purposes. In its ground-up approach, the report then recommends a restart of the sole U.S. conversion plant beginning no later than 2022 and produce 6,000 to 7,500 tons of UF6 and thereafter to restart domestic enrichment in or about 2023, with at least 25 percent of material being unobligated. By law, unobligated material must be sourced domestically. At this time, no specific actions as a result of the report have been taken and there can be no certainty of the outcome of the Working Group’s findings and recommendations in terms of how and when the recommendations will be implemented. See additional discussion under Looking Ahead.
In the first half of the year, several announcements had an impact on the global uranium market. In March, Cameco announced a temporary suspension of production at its Cigar Lake uranium mine due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, processing at the related McClean Lake Mill was suspended. The Cigar Lake suspension has meant that there is no uranium production in Canada. On July 29, Cameco announced its intention to restart production operations at Cigar Lake beginning in September, while acknowledging it will not be able to make up the four months of lost production. In April, Kazatomprom announced its plan to reduce onsite staff to minimum numbers and reduce its production plans for 2020 by approximately 10.4 million pounds U3O8. That reduction in operational activities was extended, with a plan subsequently announced to gradually increase mine site staff beginning in August, if safety considerations permit. Also due to the pandemic, Cameco suspended processing at its Port Hope UF6 conversion facility in April and re-opened the facility in May.
Equity Financing
On July 31, 2020, we announced a $4.68 million registered direct offering of 9,000,000 common shares and accompanying one-half common share warrants to purchase up to 4,500,000 common shares, at a combined public offering price of $0.52 per common share and accompanying warrant, with gross proceeds to the Company of $4.68 million. After estimated fees and expenses of approximately $0.4 million, net proceeds to the Company are expected to be $4.3 million, which are expected to be received on or about August 4, 2020.
Mineral Rights and Properties
We have 12 U.S. uranium properties. Ten of our uranium properties are located in the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming, including Lost Creek. Currently, we control nearly 1,900 unpatented mining claims and three State of Wyoming mineral leases for a total of approximately 37,500 acres in the area of the Lost Creek Property, including the Lost Creek permit area (the “Lost Creek Project” or “Project”), and certain adjoining properties referred to as LC East, LC West, LC North, LC South and EN Project areas (collectively, with the Lost Creek Project, the “Lost Creek Property”). In the Shirley Basin, Wyoming, our Shirley Basin Project comprises more than 3,700 Company-controlled acres. Our Lucky Mc Project holds 1,800 acres in Fremont County, Wyoming. Our Excel gold project holds approximately 2,100 acres of mining claims in Nevada.
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Lost Creek Property
For the three months ended June 30, 2020, 4,119 pounds of U3O8 were captured within the Lost Creek plant and 2,892 pounds of U3O8 were packaged in drums. Our inventory at the converter totaled approximately 268,552 at June 30, 2020. The Results of Operations are detailed further below.
Applications for amendment to the Lost Creek licenses and permits were submitted in 2014. The amendments seek to include recovery from the uranium resource in the LC East Project immediately adjacent to the Lost Creek Project. Reviews by WDEQ continue to progress. The BLM has completed its review and granted approval. We anticipate that all permits and authorizations for the modification of the Lost Creek licenses and permits to recover uranium in the LC East Project will be completed in 2020.
Shirley Basin Project
WDEQ continues with its review of our applications for a permit to mine and for a source material license for our Shirley Basin Project. We anticipate the State processes to be complete, with necessary permits and authorizations received, in 2020. The BLM has completed its review and granted approval of the project. Additionally, work is well underway on initial engineering evaluations, designs and studies for the development of Shirley Basin operations.
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Results of Operations
The following tables provide detailed financial information on our sales, cost of sales, gross profit and production and ending inventory as they relate to U3O8 pounds.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP measures with US GAAP financial statement presentation
The U3O8 and cost per pound measures included in the following tables do not have a standardized meaning within US GAAP or a defined basis of calculation. These measures are used by management to assess business performance and determine production and pricing strategies. They may also be used by certain investors to evaluate performance. Where applicable, reconciliation of these measures to US GAAP financial statement presentation are included within the respective table.
Sales
Unit |
| 2020 Q2 |
| 2020 Q1 |
| 2019 Q4 |
| 2019 Q3 | YTD 2020 | ||||||||
U3O8 Sales Reconciliation (1) | |||||||||||||||||
Sales per financial statements | $000 | $ | 6,934 | $ | 1,370 | $ | 10,849 | $ | 5,115 | $ | 8,304 | ||||||
Less disposal fees | $000 | $ | (4) | $ | - | $ | (1) | $ | - | $ | (4) | ||||||
U3O8 sales | $000 | $ | 6,930 | $ | 1,370 | $ | 10,848 | $ | 5,115 | $ | 8,300 | ||||||
U3O8 pounds sold | lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
U3O8 price per pound sold | $/lb | $ | 41.50 | $ | 41.52 | $ | 60.26 | $ | 41.76 | $ | 41.50 | ||||||
U3O8 Sales by Product | |||||||||||||||||
U3O8 Sales | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | $000 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $000 | $ | 6,930 | $ | 1,370 | $ | 10,848 | $ | 5,115 | $ | 8,300 | ||||||
$000 | $ | 6,930 | $ | 1,370 | $ | 10,848 | $ | 5,115 | $ | 8,300 | |||||||
U3O8 Pounds Sold | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | lb | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||
Purchased | lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | ||||||||||||
U3O8 Price per Pounds Sold | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | $/lb | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $/lb | $ | 41.50 | $ | 41.52 | $ | 60.26 | $ | 41.76 | $ | 41.50 | ||||||
$/lb | $ | 41.50 | $ | 41.52 | $ | 60.26 | $ | 41.76 | $ | 41.50 |
Note:
1. | Sales per the financial statements include revenues from disposal fees received at Shirley Basin. The disposal fees do not relate to U3O8 pounds sold and are excluded from the U3O8 sales and U3O8 price per pound sold figures. |
The Company delivers U3O8 to a conversion facility and receives credit for a specified quantity measured in pounds once the product is confirmed to meet the required specifications. When a delivery is approved, the Company notifies the conversion facility with instructions for a title transfer to the customer. Revenue is recognized once a title transfer of the U3O8 is confirmed by the conversion facility.
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In 2020 Q2, we sold 167,000 purchased pounds under a term contract at an average price of $41.50 per pound. There were no sales of produced inventory in the first six months and we do not anticipate any sales of produced inventory in 2020.
Cost of Sales
Unit |
| 2020 Q2 |
| 2020 Q1 |
| 2019 Q4 |
| 2019 Q3 | YTD 2020 | ||||||||
U3O8 Cost of Sales Reconciliation (1) | |||||||||||||||||
Cost of sales per financial statements | $000 | $ | 6,517 | $ | 3,105 | $ | 6,451 | $ | 7,515 | $ | 9,622 | ||||||
Lower of cost or NRV adjustment | $000 | $ | (2,174) | $ | (2,282) | $ | (2,074) | $ | (4,087) | $ | (4,456) | ||||||
U3O8 cost of sales | $000 | $ | 4,343 | $ | 823 | $ | 4,377 | $ | 3,428 | $ | 5,166 | ||||||
U3O8 pounds sold | lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
U3O8 cost per pound sold | $/lb | $ | 26.01 | $ | 24.94 | $ | 24.31 | $ | 27.98 | $ | 25.83 | ||||||
U3O8 Cost of Sales by Product | |||||||||||||||||
U3O8 Cost of Sales | |||||||||||||||||
Ad valorem and severance taxes | $000 | $ | 6 | $ | 3 | $ | 22 | $ | (14) | $ | 9 | ||||||
Wellfield cash costs | $000 | $ | 154 | $ | 128 | $ | 158 | $ | 210 | $ | 282 | ||||||
Wellfield non-cash costs | $000 | $ | 557 | $ | 618 | $ | 611 | $ | 611 | $ | 1,175 | ||||||
Plant cash costs | $000 | $ | 1,064 | $ | 910 | $ | 898 | $ | 1,045 | $ | 1,974 | ||||||
Plant non-cash costs | $000 | $ | 490 | $ | 490 | $ | 494 | $ | 490 | $ | 980 | ||||||
Distribution costs | $000 | $ | (3) | $ | - | $ | 26 | $ | 12 | $ | (3) | ||||||
Inventory change | $000 | $ | (2,268) | $ | (2,149) | $ | (2,209) | $ | (2,354) | $ | (4,417) | ||||||
Produced | $000 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $000 | $ | 4,343 | $ | 823 | $ | 4,377 | $ | 3,428 | $ | 5,166 | ||||||
$000 | $ | 4,343 | $ | 823 | $ | 4,377 | $ | 3,428 | $ | 5,166 | |||||||
U3O8 Pounds Sold | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | lb | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||
Purchased | lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | ||||||||||||
U3O8 Cost per Pound Sold | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | $/lb | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $/lb | $ | 26.01 | $ | 24.94 | $ | 24.31 | $ | 27.98 | $ | 25.83 | ||||||
$/lb | $ | 26.01 | $ | 24.94 | $ | 24.31 | $ | 27.98 | $ | 25.83 |
Note:
1. | Cost of sales per the financial statements include lower of cost or net realizable value (“NRV”) adjustments. The NRV adjustments do not relate to U3O8 pounds sold and are excluded from the U3O8 cost of sales and U3O8 cost per pound sold figures. |
Cost of sales per the financial statements includes ad valorem and severance taxes related to the extraction of uranium, all costs of wellfield and plant operations including the related depreciation and amortization of capitalized assets, reclamation and mineral property costs, plus product distribution costs. These costs are also used to value inventory. The resulting inventoried cost per pound is compared to the NRV of the product, which is based on the estimated sales price of the product, net of any necessary costs to finish the product. Any
27
inventory value in excess of the NRV is charged to cost of sales per the financial statements. These NRV adjustments are excluded from the U3O8 cost of sales and U3O8 cost per pound sold figures because they relate to the pounds of U3O8 in ending inventory and do not relate to the pounds of U3O8 sold during the period.
Production costs attributed to inventory increased six percent from the previous quarter. Following another particularly harsh winter limiting access to the site, seasonal field and maintenance projects were undertaken at Lost Creek in Q2. As a result, labor and related costs increased during the quarter. Ad valorem and severance taxes increased due to higher dryer volumes. Wellfield cash costs increased 20 percent from 2020 Q1 due to increases in labor and supply costs while wellfield non-cash costs decreased slightly from 2020 Q1 due to assets becoming fully depreciated. Plant cash costs increased due to the higher labor and road maintenance costs. Plant non-cash costs were unchanged.
In 2020 Q2, we sold 167,000 pounds of purchased inventory. The 167,000 pounds were purchased at a weighted average cost of $26.01 per pound. There were no sales of produced inventory in the first six months, and therefore, no cost of sales from produced inventory. We do not anticipate any sales of produced inventory in 2020, unless it is advantageous or necessary to do so.
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Gross Profit
Unit |
| 2020 Q2 |
| 2020 Q1 |
| 2019 Q4 |
| 2019 Q3 | YTD 2020 | ||||||||
U3O8 Gross Profit by Product | |||||||||||||||||
U3O8 Sales (see Sales Table) | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | $000 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $000 | $ | 6,930 | $ | 1,370 | $ | 10,848 | $ | 5,115 | $ | 8,300 | ||||||
$000 | $ | 6,930 | $ | 1,370 | $ | 10,848 | $ | 5,115 | $ | 8,300 | |||||||
U3O8 Cost of Sales (see Cost of Sales Table) | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | $000 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $000 | $ | 4,343 | $ | 823 | $ | 4,377 | $ | 3,428 | $ | 5,166 | ||||||
$000 | $ | 4,343 | $ | 823 | $ | 4,377 | $ | 3,428 | $ | 5,166 | |||||||
U3O8 Gross Profit | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | $000 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $000 | $ | 2,587 | $ | 547 | $ | 6,471 | $ | 1,687 | $ | 3,134 | ||||||
$000 | $ | 2,587 | $ | 547 | $ | 6,471 | $ | 1,687 | $ | 3,134 | |||||||
U3O8 Pounds Sold | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | lb | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||
Purchased | lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 | ||||||||||||
U3O8 Gross Profit per Pound Sold | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | $/lb | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||
Purchased | $/lb | $ | 15.49 | $ | 16.58 | $ | 35.95 | $ | 13.78 | $ | 15.67 | ||||||
$/lb | $ | 15.49 | $ | 16.58 | $ | 35.95 | $ | 13.78 | $ | 15.67 | |||||||
U3O8 Gross Profit Margin | |||||||||||||||||
Produced | % | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||
Purchased | % | 37.3% | 39.9% | 59.7% | 32.9% | 37.8% | |||||||||||
% | 37.3% | 39.9% | 59.7% | 32.9% | 37.8% |
The last produced inventory was sold in 2019 Q2. Since then, all sales have been from purchased inventory. In 2020 Q2, we sold 167,000 pounds of purchased inventory for $41.50 per pound. The pounds were purchased for a weighted average cost of $26.01 per pound. The resulting gross profit was $15.49 per pound.
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U3O8 Production
Unit |
| 2020 Q2 |
| 2020 Q1 |
| 2019 Q4 |
| 2019 Q3 |
| YTD 2020 | |||||||
U3O8 Production | |||||||||||||||||
Pounds captured | lb | 4,119 | 4,113 | 5,004 | 7,256 | 8,232 | |||||||||||
Pounds drummed | lb | 2,892 | 1,433 | 7,116 | 9,367 | 4,325 | |||||||||||
Pounds shipped | lb | - | - | 20,643 | 37,710 | - | |||||||||||
Pounds purchased | lb | 167,000 | 33,000 | 180,000 | 122,500 | 200,000 |
Production rates were better than guidance for the quarter. However, we continue to restrict our production in light of the persistently weak uranium market. Pounds captured remained consistent with 2020 Q1. To minimize drying costs, we only dry and package when we have captured enough material for a complete load. As a result, pounds drummed may lag longer and vary from pounds captured more than usual. Pounds drummed increased 1,459 pounds from 2020 Q1. There were no shipments in the quarter as we shipped all available product to the conversion facility in December 2019 and have not drummed enough product in 2020 to justify a shipment.
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Ending Inventory
Unit |
| 30-Jun-20 |
| 31-Mar-20 |
| 31-Dec-19 |
| 30-Sep-19 | ||||||
U3O8 Ending Inventory | ||||||||||||||
Pounds | ||||||||||||||
In-process inventory | lb | 9,267 | 8,304 | 5,396 | 8,074 | |||||||||
Plant inventory | lb | 4,326 | 1,433 | - | 13,526 | |||||||||
Conversion inventory - produced | lb | 219,802 | 219,802 | 220,053 | 199,411 | |||||||||
Conversion inventory - purchased | lb | 48,750 | 48,750 | 48,750 | 48,750 | |||||||||
Value | ||||||||||||||
In-process inventory | $000 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | |||||
Plant inventory | $000 | $ | 138 | $ | 42 | $ | - | $ | 384 | |||||
Conversion inventory - produced | $000 | $ | 6,079 | $ | 6,082 | $ | 6,250 | $ | 5,721 | |||||
Conversion inventory - purchased | $000 | $ | 1,268 | $ | 1,209 | $ | 1,176 | $ | 1,252 | |||||
Cost per Pound | ||||||||||||||
In-process inventory | $/lb | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | |||||
Plant inventory | $/lb | $ | 31.90 | $ | 29.31 | $ | - | $ | 28.39 | |||||
Conversion inventory - produced | $/lb | $ | 27.66 | $ | 27.67 | $ | 28.40 | $ | 28.69 | |||||
Conversion inventory - purchased | $/lb | $ | 26.01 | $ | 24.80 | $ | 24.12 | $ | 25.68 | |||||
Produced conversion inventory detail: | ||||||||||||||
Ad valorem and severance tax | $/lb | $ | 0.75 | $ | 0.75 | $ | 0.77 | $ | 0.91 | |||||
Cash cost | $/lb | $ | 17.48 | $ | 17.49 | $ | 17.95 | $ | 18.28 | |||||
Non-cash cost | $/lb | $ | 9.43 | $ | 9.43 | $ | 9.68 | $ | 9.50 | |||||
$/lb | $ | 27.66 | $ | 27.67 | $ | 28.40 | $ | 28.69 |
At the end of the quarter, we had approximately 268,552 pounds of U3O8 at the conversion facility including 219,802 produced pounds at an average cost per pound of $27.66, and 48,750 purchased pounds at an average cost of $26.01 per pound.
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Three and six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the three and six months ended June 30, 2019
The following table summarize the results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands of U.S. dollars):
Three months ended June 30, | |||
2020 | 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
Sales | 6,934 | 11,479 | |
Cost of sales | (6,517) | (11,163) | |
Gross profit | 417 | 316 | |
Exploration and evaluation expense | (554) | (490) | |
Development expense | (343) | (292) | |
General and administrative expense | (1,187) | (1,153) | |
Accretion | (143) | (144) | |
Net loss from operations | (1,810) | (1,763) | |
Interest expense (net) | (195) | (168) | |
Warrant mark to market loss | (231) | (105) | |
Foreign exchange loss | (8) | (10) | |
Other income | 17 | 15 | |
Net loss | (2,227) | (2,031) | |
Loss per share – basic and diluted | (0.01) | (0.01) | |
U3O8 price per pound sold | 41.50 | 43.31 | |
U3O8 cost per pound sold | 26.01 | 34.06 | |
U3O8 gross profit per pound sold | 15.49 | 9.25 |
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Six months ended June 30, | |||
2020 | 2019 | ||
$ | $ | ||
Sales | 8,304 | 16,291 | |
Cost of sales | (9,622) | (16,309) | |
Gross profit (loss) | (1,318) | (18) | |
Exploration and evaluation expense | (945) | (1,264) | |
Development expense | (616) | (458) | |
General and administrative expense | (2,440) | (3,292) | |
Accretion expense | (288) | (286) | |
Net loss from operations | (5,607) | (5,318) | |
Net interest expense | (327) | (364) | |
Warrant mark to market gain (loss) | 42 | (638) | |
Foreign exchange gain (loss) | 7 | (28) | |
Other income | 17 | 15 | |
Net loss | (5,868) | (6,333) | |
Income per share – basic and diluted | (0.04) | (0.04) | |
U3O8 price per pound sold | 41.50 | 44.94 | |
U3O8 cost per pound sold | 25.83 | 33.67 | |
U3O8 gross profit per pound sold | 15.67 | 11.27 |
Sales
We sold 167,000 and 200,000 pounds of U3O8 during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively for an average price of $41.50 per pound. We sold a total of 265,000 and 362,500 pounds of U3O8 during the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 for an average price of $43.31 and $44.94, respectively, per pound. The sales were all from term contracts.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales per the financial statements includes ad valorem and severance taxes related to the extraction of uranium, all costs of wellfield and plant operations including the related depreciation and amortization of capitalized assets, reclamation and mineral property costs, plus product distribution costs. These costs are also used to value inventory. The resulting inventoried cost per pound is compared to the NRV of the product, which is based on the estimated sales price of the product, net of any necessary costs to finish the product. Any inventory value in excess of the NRV is charged to cost of sales per the financial statements. These NRV adjustments are excluded from the U3O8 cost of sales and U3O8 cost per pound sold figures because they relate to the pounds of U3O8 in ending inventory and do not relate to the pounds of U3O8 sold during the period.
All sales in 2020 were from purchased product. The weighted average purchase price was $26.01 and $25.83 for the three and six months, respectively, per pound. In the six months ended June 30, 2019, 41 percent of the product sold was from purchased inventory and 59 percent was from produced inventory. The cost per pound
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of the produced inventory was higher than the purchased inventory, which led to the higher average cost per pound sold in 2019 of $34.06 and $33.67 per pound for the three and six months as compared to 2020.
In the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, cost of sales per the financial statements included $2.2 million and $4.5 million, respectively, in lower of cost or NRV adjustments compared to $2.0 and $4.0 million in the comparable period in 2019.
Gross Profit
The gross profit (loss) per the financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 was a profit of $0.4 million and a loss of $1.3 million, respectively. Excluding the lower of cost or NRV adjustments, the U3O8 gross profit was $2.6 million and $0.5 million for the three and six months, respectively, which represents gross profit margins of approximately 37 percent and 40 percent. Gross profits exclusive of NRV adjustments of $2.1 million and $4.1 million in the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively represents gross profit margins of approximately 21 percent and 25 percent. The primary reason for the lower gross profit margin in 2019 was because it included sales of higher cost produced pounds, which increased the cost per pound sold in that year.
Operating Expenses
Total operating expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 was $2.2 million and $4.3 million, respectively. Operating expenses include exploration and evaluation expense, development expense, G&A expense and accretion. These expenses compare to the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2019, which were $2.1 million and $5.3 million, respectively. The increase for the quarter primarily related to the timing variance of maintenance payments for certain of our federal mining claims, which were paid in the second quarter of this year as compared to being paid in Q3 of last year. Lower labor costs accounted for most of the favorable difference for the six month periods. In Q1, after considering uranium market conditions, and other factors including worldwide economic conditions and market reactions to COVID-19, our Board chose to not pay bonus awards for 2019 performance. Our Board may, in the future, consider the feasibility of making some payout of the bonus amounts.
Exploration and evaluation expense consists of labor and associated costs of the exploration and evaluation departments as well as land holding and costs including drilling and analysis on properties which have not reached the development or operations stage. These expenses were $0.4 million and $0.8 million for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2020, respectively and $0.5 million and $1.3 million for the comparable periods in 2019. All costs associated with the geology, regulatory compliance and evaluation departments, as well as the costs incurred on exploration-stage projects as described above, are reflected in this category. The quarterly increase and year-to-date decrease in 2020 are primarily due to the claim maintenance timing difference and the decision to not pay the bonus awards, respectively, as discussed above.
Development expense includes costs incurred at the Lost Creek Project not directly attributable to production activities, including wellfield construction, drilling and development costs. It also includes costs associated with the Shirley Basin which is in a more advanced stage and Lucky Mc, which is near the end of reclamation at the historic mine site. Development expenses increased by $0.1 million and $0.2 million during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to the same periods in 2019. The increases related to the timing of the claim payments as discussed above and costs associated with completing the licensing of LC East and Shirley Basin.
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G&A expense relates to the administration, finance, investor relations, land and legal functions of the Company and consists principally of personnel, facility and support costs. Total G&A expense decreased $0.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to 2019 but was comparable for the three month periods ended June 30. The year-to-date decrease was mainly attributable to the decision to not pay the bonus awards, and a reduction in legal and related fees associated with the Section 232 trade action incurred in 2019.
Other Income and Expenses
Net interest expense remained consistent during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the prior year. In October 2019, the State granted a six-quarter deferral of principal payments on the State Bond Loan, so the principal balance did not change significantly.
As a part of the September 2018 public offering, we sold 13,062,878 warrants priced at $0.01 per warrant. As the warrants are priced in US$ and the functional currency of the Ur-Energy Inc. is Cdn$, this created a derivative financial liability. The fair value of the liability is adjusted quarterly using the Black-Scholes technique as there is no active market for the warrants. Any income or loss is reflected in net income for the period. The revaluation as of June 30, 2020 resulted in a loss of $0.2 million for the quarter and a gain of less than $0.1 million for the six month period ended June 30, 2020, while the revaluation in 2019 resulted in losses for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2019 of $0.1 million and $0.6 million, respectively.
Earnings (loss) per Common Share
The basic and diluted losses per common share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 were $0.01 and $0.04, respectively, compared to basic and diluted losses of $0.01 and $0.04 per share for the same periods in 2019. The diluted losses per common share were equal to the basic losses per common share as there is no dilution for options, warrants and RSUs when net losses are experienced.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of June 30, 2020, we had cash resources consisting of cash and cash equivalents of $5.6 million, a decrease of $2.2 million from the December 31, 2019 balance of $7.8 million. The cash resources consist of Canadian and U.S. dollar denominated deposit accounts and money market funds. We used $3.0 million for operating activities during the six months ended June 30, 2020. During the same period, we used less than $0.1 million for investing activities, and generated $0.9 million from financing activities.
On October 23, 2013, we closed a $34.0 million Sweetwater County, State of Wyoming, Taxable Industrial Development Revenue Bond financing program (“State Bond Loan”). The State Bond Loan calls for payments of interest at a fixed rate of 5.75% per annum on a quarterly basis which commenced January 1, 2014. The principal was to be payable in 28 quarterly installments which commenced January 1, 2015. The State Bond Loan is secured by all of the assets at the Lost Creek Project. As of June 30, 2020, the balance of the State Bond Loan was $12.4 million. On October 1, 2019, the Sweetwater County Board of Commissioners and the State of Wyoming approved a six-quarter deferral of principal payments beginning October 1, 2019. As at July 31, 2020, quarterly principal payments are scheduled to resume on April 1, 2021, with two payments falling due within the 12 months from the as at date.
On April 16, 2020, we obtained two SBA PPP loans (one for each of our subsidiaries with U.S. payroll obligations) through the BOKF. The program was a part of the CARES Act enacted by Congress on March 27, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. The combined loan amount we qualified for was $0.9 million.
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The Flexibility Act, which became law on June 5, 2020, changes key provisions of the PPP, including maturity of the loans, deferral of loan payments, and the forgiveness of the PPP loans, with revisions being retroactive to the date of the CARES Act.
Under the program, as modified by the Flexibility Act and SBA and Treasury rulemakings, the repayment of our loans, including interest, may be forgiven based on eligible payroll, payroll-related, and other allowable costs incurred in a twenty-four-week period following the funding of the loans. To have the full amount of the loans forgiven, the following requirements must be met within that period, and be sufficiently documented in the application for forgiveness:
For any portion of the loans that is not forgiven, the program provides for an initial deferral of payments based upon the timing of a borrower’s application for forgiveness and SBA’s action on the application up to a maximum of ten months after the use and forgiveness covered period ends (July 30, 2021). Any remaining amount owing on the loan has a two-year maturity (April 16, 2022), unless renegotiated with the lender for up to a five-year term, with an interest rate of one percent per annum. We anticipate the loans will meet the requirements for forgiveness under this program, but at this time we have not yet applied for or received loan forgiveness.
On May 15, 2020, we filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC in order that we may offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, at prices and terms to be determined, up to $100 million of our Common Shares, warrants to purchase our Common Shares, our senior and subordinated debt securities, and rights to purchase our Common Shares and/or senior and subordinated debt securities. The registration statement became effective May 27, 2020 for a three-year period. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, we utilized the registration statement for a $4.68 million registered direct offering. See note 17 to the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements – Subsequent Event, for the details of the offering.
On May 29, 2020, we entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with B. Riley FBR, Inc., under which we may, from time to time, issue and sell Common Shares at market prices on the NYSE American or other U.S. market through the agent for aggregate sales proceeds of up to $10,000,000. The Sales Agreement replaces the prior At Market Issuance Sales Agreement entered into by the Company on May 27, 2016, as amended. We have not used the facility in 2020.
On July 31, 2020, the Company announced a $4.68 million registered direct offering of 9,000,000 common shares and accompanying one-half common share warrants to purchase up to 4,500,000 common shares, at a combined public offering price of $0.52 per common share and accompanying warrant, with gross proceeds to the Company of $4.68 million. After estimated fees and expenses of approximately $0.4 million, net proceeds to the Company are expected to be $4.3 million.
Collections from U3O8 sales for the six months ended June 30, 2020 totaled $8.3 million.
Operating activities used cash of $3.0 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020 as compared to generating $2.7 million during the same period in 2019. The primary reason for the variance is that 2019
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included sales of existing inventory and 2020 did not. In 2019, we sold 213,750 pounds from inventory that we produced and paid for in 2018. As a result, all 2019 sales proceeds related to the produced pounds contributed to cash provided by operating activities for the year. In 2020, all sales were from purchased product and the cost of the purchased pounds reduced the amount of cash provided by operating activities for the year.
Liquidity Outlook
As at July 31, 2020, our unrestricted cash position was $4.1 million.
On July 31, 2020, the Company announced a $4.68 million registered direct offering of 9,000,000 common shares and accompanying one-half common share warrants to purchase up to 4,500,000 common shares, at a combined public offering price of $0.52 per common share and accompanying warrant, with gross proceeds to the Company of $4.68 million. After estimated fees and expenses of approximately $0.4 million, net proceeds to the Company are expected to be $4.3 million, which are expected to be received on or about August 4, 2020.
In addition to our cash position and expected registered direct offering net proceeds, our finished, ready-to-sell, conversion facility inventory is immediately realizable, if necessary. While our current cash position should be sufficient to cover our expected expenditures for the remainder of the year, we anticipate selling a significant portion of our existing finished-product inventory in 2021 at market prices in effect at that time, unless market conditions change, or we choose to obtain additional financing.
We expect that any major capital projects will be funded by operating cash flow, cash on hand, sales of existing inventories, and/or additional financing as required. If these cash sources are not sufficient, certain capital projects could be delayed, or alternatively we may need to pursue additional debt or equity financing to which there is no assurance that such financing will be available at all or on terms acceptable to us. We have no immediate plans to issue additional securities or obtain funding; however, we may issue additional debt or equity securities at any time.
Looking Ahead
Following multiple announcements of industry production suspensions and reductions earlier this year, U3O8 spot prices increased nearly 33 percent to $33 per pound in June. U3O8 spot prices have traded between $32 and $34 per pound since April. The production cuts amount to as much as 46 million pounds of primary production on an annualized basis and are expected to widen the supply deficit as global demand continues to grow.
On April 23, 2020, the Working Group released its Plan to Revitalize the Domestic Uranium Mining Industry, which details the steps required to revitalize the domestic uranium mining and broader nuclear industries. As set forth above, the most relevant recommendation for the uranium mining sector is that the U.S. government should make direct purchases of 17 to 19 million total pounds of U3O8 to replenish the American Assured Fuel Supply uranium reserve. Additionally, the report recommends the establishment of a national uranium reserve, which is included in the President’s Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Request; during the first year, it is expected that the reserve would directly support the operation of at least two U.S. uranium mines. The budget item is for $150 million per year from FY2021 to FY2030. However, in July the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations decided not to fund the budget item without further information from DOE, for which they directed DOE to submit a plan for the proposed establishment of a uranium reserve within six months of the appropriation bill’s enactment.
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Additionally, the report calls for support of the DOC efforts to extend the Russian Suspension Agreement to protect against future uranium dumping through implementation of a lower cap on Russian imports. Consistent with many of the conclusions in the report finding myriad national security concerns, another of the recommendations is that NRC be permitted to deny imports of nuclear fuel fabricated in Russia or China for national security purposes. In its ground-up approach, the report then recommended a restart of the U.S.’s sole conversion plant and thereafter the restart of domestic enrichment, with reserved amounts for unobligated material, which is material used for national defense needs. By law, unobligated material must be sourced domestically.
In July 2020, Energy Secretary Brouillette told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy that DOE is working to end U.S. reliance on Russia for nuclear fuel. DOE wants to process American-sourced uranium into high-grade fuel at the DOE facility in Portsmouth, Ohio next year. Centrifuges have been moved from DOE’s Oak Ridge laboratories to Portsmouth. Additionally, DOE is working with lawmakers to authorize the creation of the uranium reserve.
On July 30, 2020, U.S. Senator Barrasso, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, introduced draft legislation designed to revitalize the country’s nuclear infrastructure. The American Nuclear Infrastructure Act of 2020, as it is known, includes the authorization for a uranium reserve to fuel America’s nuclear reactors with domestic fuel, among other items to preserve America’s uranium industry. Similar legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Cheney and Latta on July 29. The Senate draft legislation is scheduled for a legislative hearing on August 5.
Still, no specific action or remedies have resulted from the Working Group’s plan at this time and, while the report is strong in its recommendations, there can be no certainty of the final outcome of the Working Group’s findings and recommendations, or the timing and impact of any actions taken in response to those findings and recommendations. This includes both the Congressional budget appropriations process and recently proposed legislation related to the national uranium reserves. The outcome of these continuing processes and its effects on the U.S. uranium market, therefore, remains uncertain.
We continue to maintain operational readiness at our fully permitted Lost Creek Mine with experienced technical and operational staff and a well-maintained plant. After nearly seven years of production at Lost Creek, we are still producing in the first mine unit and the initial three header houses of the second mine unit. Ur-Energy is prepared to rapidly expand uranium production at Lost Creek, to an annualized run rate of one million pounds.
The Lost Creek facility has the constructed and licensed capacity to process up to two million pounds of U3O8 per year and the previously reported mineral resources to feed the processing plant for many years to come. A ramp-up of production at Lost Creek will continue with further development in the first two mine units, followed by the ten additional mining areas as defined in the Lost Creek Property Preliminary Economic Assessment, as amended. With future development and construction in mind, our current staff members were retained as having the greatest level of experience and adaptability allowing for an easier transition back to full operations. Lost Creek operations can increase to full production rates in as little as six months following a go decision, simply by developing additional header houses within the fully permitted MU2. Development expenses during this six-month ramp up period are estimated to be approximately $14 million and are almost entirely related to MU2 drilling and header house construction costs.
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We will continue to closely monitor the uranium market and any actions or remedies resulting from the Working Group’s report, DOE’s and DOC’s efforts, or legislative actions which will positively impact the uranium production industry. Until such time, we will continue to minimize costs and maximize ‘runway’ to maintain current operations and avoid unnecessary dilution while maintaining the operational readiness needed to ramp-up production when called upon.
Transactions with Related Parties
There were no transactions with related parties during the quarter.
Proposed Transactions
As is typical of the mineral exploration, development and mining industry, we will consider and review potential merger, acquisition, investment and venture transactions and opportunities that could enhance shareholder value. Timely disclosure of such transactions is made as soon as reportable events arise.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
We have established the existence of uranium resources at the Lost Creek Property, but because of the unique nature of in situ recovery mines, we have not established, and have no plans to establish, the existence of proven and probable reserves at this project. Accordingly, we have adopted an accounting policy with respect to the nature of items that qualify for capitalization for in situ U3O8 mining operations to align our policy to the accounting treatment that has been established as best practice for these types of mining operations.
The development of the wellfield includes injection, production and monitor well drilling and completion, piping within the wellfield and to the processing facility, header houses used to monitor production and disposal wells associated with the operation of the mine. These costs are expensed when incurred.
Mineral Properties
Acquisition costs of mineral properties are capitalized. When production is attained at a property, these costs will be amortized over a period of estimated benefit.
As of June 30, 2020, the average current spot and long-term prices of U3O8 were $35.50 and $32.80 respectively. This compares to prices of $24.93 and $32.50 as of December 31, 2019. The prices have declined slightly since May primarily based on a lack of volume. The long-term prices have not yet responded to the trend as there have been virtually no transactions in this category.
Development costs including, but not limited to, production wells, header houses, piping and power will be expensed as incurred as we have no proven and probable reserves.
Inventory and Cost of Sales
Our inventories are valued at the lower of cost and net realizable value based on projected revenues from the sale of that product. We are allocating all costs of operations of the Lost Creek facility to the inventory valuation at various stages of production with the exception of wellfield and disposal well costs which are treated as development expenses when incurred. Depreciation of facility enclosures, equipment and asset retirement obligations as well as amortization of the acquisition cost of the related property is also included in the inventory valuation. We do not allocate any administrative or other overhead to the cost of the product.
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Share-Based Expense
We are required to initially record all equity instruments including warrants, restricted share units and stock options at fair value in the financial statements.
Management utilizes the Black-Scholes model to calculate the fair value of the warrants and stock options at the time they are issued. In addition, the fair value of derivative warrants is recalculated quarterly using the Black-Scholes model with any gain or loss being reflected in the net income for the period. Use of the Black-Scholes model requires management to make estimates regarding the expected volatility of the Company’s stock over the future life of the equity instrument, the estimate of the expected life of the equity instrument and the number of options that are expected to be forfeited. Determination of these estimates requires significant judgment and requires management to formulate estimates of future events based on a limited history of actual results.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have not entered into any material off balance sheet arrangements such as guaranteed contracts, contingent interests in assets transferred to unconsolidated entities, derivative instrument obligations, or with respect to any obligations under a variable interest entity arrangement.
Outstanding Share Data
As of July 31, 2020, we had outstanding 160,478,059 Common Shares and 10,824,785 options to acquire Common Shares.
Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Market risk
Market risk is the risk to the Company of adverse financial impact due to changes in the fair value or future cash flows of financial instruments as a result of fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates.
Interest rate risk
Financial instruments that expose the Company to interest rate risk are its cash equivalents, deposits, restricted cash and debt financing. Our objectives for managing our cash and cash equivalents are to maintain sufficient funds on hand at all times to meet day-to-day requirements and to place any amounts which are considered in excess of day-to-day requirements on short-term deposit with the Company's financial institutions so that they earn interest.
Currency risk
At June 30, 2020, we maintained a balance of approximately $0.3 million in foreign currency resulting in a low currency risk which is our typical balance.
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Commodity Price Risk
The Company is subject to market risk related to the market price of U3O8. We have U3O8 supply contracts with pricing fixed or based on inflation factors applied to a fixed base. Additional future sales would be impacted by both spot and long-term U3O8 price fluctuations. Historically, U3O8 prices have been subject to fluctuation, and the price of U3O8 has been and will continue to be affected by numerous factors beyond our control, including the demand for nuclear power, political and economic conditions, and governmental legislation in U3O8 producing and consuming countries and production levels and costs of production of other producing companies. The spot market price for U3O8 has demonstrated a large range since January 2001. Prices have risen from $7.10 per pound at January 2001 to a high of $136.00 per pound as of September 2007. The spot market price was $32.45 per pound as of July 31, 2020 as reported by TradeTech, LLC and UxC, LLC.
Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As of the end of the period covered by this MD&A, under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, the Company evaluated the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information the Company is required to disclose in reports that are filed or submitted under the Exchange Act: (1) is recorded, processed and summarized effectively and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms, and (2) is accumulated and communicated to Company management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company’s disclosure controls and procedures include components of internal control over financial reporting. No matter how well designed and operated, internal controls over financial reporting can provide only reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that the control system's objectives will be met.
(b) Changes in Internal Controls over Financial Reporting
No changes in our internal control over financial reporting occurred during the six months ended June 30, 2020 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II
Item 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
No new legal proceedings or material developments in pending proceedings.
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to our previously stated risk factors, set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, we add the following with respect to COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
COVID-19 (Coronavirus), declared a pandemic in March 2020, has had a significant negative impact on the global economy and commodity and equity markets, and the outlook remains uncertain. Although none of our staff has yet been directly affected, falling ill, the pandemic situation poses risk to our business and operations,
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and could adversely impact our operations, business and financial condition if our employees, regulators, suppliers or other business partners are prevented from conducting routine operations for periods of time. While we are monitoring these conditions including government restrictions on movement and operations, it is impossible to predict the extent of any such impact or the levels of success of responsive actions to impacts, as the circumstances continue to evolve, including in unforeseeable ways. We are a highly-regulated industry and while the regulators are standing by 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-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic may adversely affect our business and financial results as discussed above, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described 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 ability to access additional capital, which could negatively affect our business. 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.
Item 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
None
Item 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES
None
Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Our operations and exploration activities at Lost Creek are not subject to regulation by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
Item 5. OTHER INFORMATION
None
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Item 6. EXHIBITS
Incorporated by Reference | ||||||||||
Exhibit | Exhibit Description | Form | Date of | Exhibit | Filed | |||||
31.1 | X | |||||||||
31.2 | X | |||||||||
32.1 | X | |||||||||
32.2 | X | |||||||||
101.INS | Inline XBRL Instance Document | X | ||||||||
101.SCH | Inline XBRL Schema Document | X | ||||||||
101.CAL | Inline XBRL Calculation Linkbase Document | X | ||||||||
101.DEF | Inline XBRL Definition Linkbase Document | X | ||||||||
101.LAB | Inline XBRL Labels Linkbase Document | X | ||||||||
101.PRE | Inline XBRL Presentation Linkbase Document | X | ||||||||
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101) | X |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
UR -ENERGY INC. | ||
Date: August 5, 2020 | By: | /s/ Jeffrey T. Klenda |
Jeffrey T. Klenda | ||
Chief Executive Officer | ||
(Principal Executive Officer) | ||
Date: August 5, 2020 | By: | /s/ Roger L. Smith |
Roger L. Smith | ||
Chief Financial Officer | ||
(Principal Financial Officer and | ||
Principal Accounting Officer) |
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