Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Under U.S. federal income tax law and Treasury Regulations, certain categories of U.S. Holders must file information returns with respect to their investment in, or involvement in, a foreign corporation. For example, U.S. return disclosure obligations (and related penalties) are imposed on individuals who are U.S. Holders that hold certain specified foreign financial assets in excess of certain threshold amounts. The definition of specified foreign financial assets includes not only financial accounts maintained in foreign financial institutions, but also, unless held in accounts maintained by a financial institution, any stock or security issued by a non-U.S. person, any financial instrument or contract held for investment that has an issuer or counterparty other than a U.S. person and any interest in a foreign entity. U. S. Holders may be subject to these reporting requirements unless their Offered Shares are held in an account at certain financial institutions. Penalties for failure to file certain of these information returns are substantial. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the requirements of filing information returns, including the requirement to file an IRS Form 8938.
Payments made within the U.S. or by a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman, of dividends on, and proceeds arising from the sale or other taxable disposition of, Offered Shares will generally be subject to information reporting and backup withholding tax, currently at the rate of 24%, if a U.S. Holder (a) fails to furnish such U.S. Holder’s correct U.S. taxpayer identification number (generally on Form W-9), (b) furnishes an incorrect U.S. taxpayer identification number, (c) is notified by the IRS that such U.S. Holder has previously failed to properly report items subject to backup withholding tax, or (d) fails to certify, under penalty of perjury, that such U.S. Holder has furnished its correct U.S. taxpayer identification number and that the IRS has not notified such U.S. Holder that it is subject to backup withholding tax. However, certain exempt persons generally are excluded from these information reporting and backup withholding rules. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the U.S. backup withholding tax rules generally will be allowed as a credit against a U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, or will be refunded, if such U.S. Holder furnishes required information to the IRS in a timely manner.
The discussion of reporting requirements set forth above is not intended to constitute a complete description of all reporting requirements that may apply to a U.S. Holder. A failure to satisfy certain reporting requirements may result in an extension of the time period during which the IRS can assess a tax, and under certain circumstances, such an extension may apply to assessments of amounts unrelated to any unsatisfied reporting requirement. Each U.S. Holder should consult its own tax advisor regarding the information reporting and backup withholding rules.
THE ABOVE SUMMARY IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF ALL TAX CONSIDERATIONS APPLICABLE TO U.S. HOLDERS WITH RESPECT TO THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP, AND DISPOSITION OF OFFERED SHARES. U.S. HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS AS TO THE TAX CONSIDERATIONS APPLICABLE TO THEM IN THEIR OWN PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
INTEREST OF EXPERTS
Gonzalo Mercado, P. Geo., David Rowe, CPG, Michael Jarred Deal, RM SME, María Elena Vázquez, P. Geo., David Wanner, PE, Ramon Mendoza-Reyes, P. Eng., Persio P. Rosario, P.Eng., Phillip J. Spurgeon, P. Geo., Brian Boutilier, P.Eng. and Joaquin Merino, P. Geo., prepared technical reports or information with respect to the Company’s mining properties.
To management’s knowledge, Mr. Merino, does not have any registered or beneficial interests, direct or indirect, in any securities or other property of the Company (or of any of its associates or affiliates). Mr. Merino is consulting as a Senior Advisor in Geology for the Company.
Mr. Gonzalo Mercado is the Vice President of Exploration and Technical Services of the Company, Mr. David Rowe is the Director of Mineral Resources of the Company, Ms. Vázquez is the Geological Database Manager of the Company, Mr. Deal is the Vice President of Metallurgy & Innovation of the Company, Mr. Wanner is the Chief Project Engineer for Jerritt Canyon Gold, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company), Mr. Mendoza-Reyes is the former Vice President of Technical Services of the Company, Mr. Rosario is the former Vice President of Processing, Metallurgy and Innovation of the Company, Mr. Spurgeon is the Senior Resource Geologist of the Company, Mr. Boutilier is a Projects Manager of the Company. Each of the foregoing individuals may hold stock options, restricted share units and/or performance share units of the Company which represent less than 1% of the outstanding Common Shares.
24