7. Mineral Properties

 

The Company’s mineral properties consist of the following:

 

 

 

United States

 

Lost Creek Property

 

The Company acquired certain Wyoming properties when Ur-Energy USA Inc. entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (“MIPA”) with New Frontiers Uranium, LLC in 2005. Under the terms of the MIPA, the Company purchased 100% of NFU Wyoming, LLC. Assets acquired in this transaction include the Lost Creek Project, other Wyoming properties and development databases. NFU Wyoming, LLC was acquired for aggregate consideration of $20 million plus interest. Since 2005, the Company has increased its holdings adjacent to the initial Lost Creek acquisition through staking additional claims and additional property purchases and leases.

 

In April 2013, the Company executed a royalty purchase agreement with the royalty holder who owned the only private royalty reserved on the Lost Creek Project. The 1.67% royalty had existed with respect to production of uranium on 20 mining claims at the Lost Creek Project. The Company issued one million common shares of the Company with a fair value of $763 in full consideration of the conveyance and termination of the royalty interest. 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. There are no royalties on the mining claims in the LC North or LC West Projects.

 

In September 2013, after the Company commenced mineral extraction and production at the Lost Creek Project, it began amortizing the related mineral properties on a straight-line basis.

 

Pathfinder Mines Corporation

 

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 $6.7 million, a 5% production royalty under certain circumstances and the assumption of $5.7 million in estimated asset reclamation obligations. The purchase price allocation attributed $5.7 million to asset retirement obligations, $3.3 million to deferred tax liabilities, $15.3 million to mineral properties and the balance to the remaining assets and liabilities.

 

Other U.S. properties

 

The other US properties includes the acquisition cost of several potential mineralized properties including the Lost Soldier Project.  The Company continues to maintain those properties through claim payments, lease payments, insurance and other holding costs in anticipation of future exploration efforts.

 

In January 2014, the Company decided to abandon the Mustang project in Nebraska. During 2014, the Company notified the leaseholders of the terminations when the lease renewals become due. The cost of that project of $1,168 was written off in 2013 as there was no value to the Company as of December 31, 2013.

 

Canada

 

The claims at Screech Lake and Bugs reached a point during 2014 where the Company needed to take the properties to lease (or make related notices) under the mining regulations and invest in additional exploration or release the claims.  The Company elected not to pursue further exploration at these sites.  As a result of those decisions, the Company also decided to permit the claims at Gravel Hill, which had been on regulatory suspension relief, to lapse.  As a result, the claims were abandoned and the cost of the assets was written off.

 

The holder of the Mountain Lake and Dismal Lake claims also abandoned their claims on those properties.  As a result, the royalties the Company held on those properties also became worthless and were written off in 2014.