RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Summary
Our consolidated net loss for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $10.6 million and $35.7 million or $5.31 and $38.47 per share, respectively. The principal components of these year-over-year changes are as follows:
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For the year ended December 31,
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2019
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2018
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(thousands of dollars)
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Mineral property expenses
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$
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(2,852)
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$
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(3,538)
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General and administrative
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(6,086)
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(7,009)
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Arbitration costs
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(1,378)
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(348)
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Acquisition related costs
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—
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(333)
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Impairment of uranium properties
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(143)
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(23,712)
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Other operating expenses
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(463)
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(1,109)
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Non-operating income
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357
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365
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Total
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$
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(10,565)
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$
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(35,684)
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Mineral property expenses
Mineral property expenses for the year ended December 31, 2019 were $2.9 million, as compared with $3.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.
The following table details our mineral property expenses for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.
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For the years ended December 31,
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2019
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2018
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(thousands of dollars)
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Restoration/Recovery expenses
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Rosita project
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$
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(8)
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$
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315
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Vasquez project
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35
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220
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Total restoration/recovery expenses
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27
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535
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Standby care and maintenance expenses
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Kingsville Dome project
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559
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639
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Rosita project
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378
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376
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Vasquez project
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367
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319
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Temrezli project
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—
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116
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Total standby care and maintenance expenses
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1,304
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1,450
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Exploration and evaluation costs
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Coosa Project
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168
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108
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Other Projects
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—
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4
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Land maintenance and holding costs
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1,353
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1,441
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Total mineral property expenses
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$
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2,852
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$
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3,538
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For the year ended December 31, 2019, mineral property expenses decreased by approximately $0.7 million as compared with the corresponding period in 2018. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in reclamation activities at the Vasquez and Rosita Projects due to adverse weather conditions in the first half of 2019 and a reduction in operating activities at the Temrezli Project due to the revocation of the mining licenses by the government of Turkey in June 2018.
General and administrative expenses
Significant expenditures for general and administrative expenses for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were:
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For the year ended December 31,
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2019
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2018
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(thousands of dollars)
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Stock compensation expense
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$
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98
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$
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332
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Salaries and payroll burden
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2,389
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2,775
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Legal, accounting, public company expenses
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2,460
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2,346
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Insurance and bank fees
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495
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522
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Consulting and professional services
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96
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227
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Office expenses
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373
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397
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Sales and marketing
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44
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254
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Other expenses
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131
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156
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Total
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$
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6,086
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$
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7,009
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General and administrative expenses decreased by approximately $0.9 million as compared with the corresponding period in 2018. The decrease was primarily due to the reversal of executive bonus accruals of $0.4 million, a decrease in stock compensation expense of $0.2 million, a decrease in consulting expenses of $0.1 million and sales and marketing expenses of $0.2 million, primarily related to the Alabama Graphite activities in 2018.
Arbitration Costs
During 2019, we incurred arbitration related legal and expert consulting costs of $1.38 million associated with the Request for Arbitration against the Republic of Turkey filed with ICSID in December 2018. For further reference, see discussion above at Part I, Item 3 and in the Recent Developments section of this Part II, Item 7. The increase of $1.03 million over the $0.35 million cost incurred in 2018 was due to the increased activity preparing the Company’s Memorial which was filed with ICSID on January 27, 2020.
Impairment of uranium properties
During 2019 and 2018, we recorded impairments of $0.1 million and $23.7 million, respectively, to reduce the carrying value of certain uranium properties. 2019 impairments were made solely to plant and equipment at the Kingsville Dome facility in South Texas.
The significant impairment charges in 2018 were comprised of an $18.0 million impairment charge related to the Company’s Temrezli Project in Turkey and a $5.7 million impairment charge against certain of its uranium plant and equipment located in South Texas that had been designated to be utilized in the Temrezli Project. With the taking of the Temrezli licenses by the Republic of Turkey and with no immediate alternative operating plan for these assets, the estimated sales value of such plant and equipment is the best determinate of fair value. Accordingly, the impairment charge adjusts the carrying value of the plant and equipment to its estimated net realizable sales value.
Non-operating income and expenses
The Company netted $0.3 million in non-operating income for both twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. Significant activity during 2019 included the $0.7 million gain on sale of uranium assets to URC in August 2019, a $0.7 million loss recorded from sale of marketable securities and a decrease in interest income of $0.4 million due to a lower principal balance outstanding on the promissory note in 2019.
FINANCIAL POSITION
Operating Activities
Net cash used in operating activities was $10.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, as compared with $11.6 million for the same period in 2018. The $1.6 million decrease in cash used was primarily due to the following:
a decrease of $0.7 million of mineral property expenses;
a decrease of $0.9 million in general and administrative expenses;
an increase of $1.0 million in arbitration related costs in 2019; and
an increase in cash from working capital items of $1.3 million.
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