Exploration for, and development of, mineral properties is speculative and involves significant financial risks, which even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge may not eliminate. While the discovery of an ore body may result in substantial rewards, few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. Major expenditures may be required to establish reserves by drilling, to complete a feasibility study and to construct mining and processing facilities at a site for extracting gold or other metals from ore. Fury Gold cannot ensure that its future exploration programs will result in profitable commercial mining operations.
Few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. Unusual or unexpected formations, formation pressures, fires, power outages, labour disruptions, flooding, explosions, cave-ins, landslides and the inability to obtain adequate machinery, equipment and/or labour are some of the risks involved in mineral exploration activities. The Company has relied on and may continue to rely on consultants and others for mineral exploration expertise.
The Company has implemented safety and environmental measures designed to comply with or exceed government regulations and ensure safe, reliable and efficient operations in all phases of its operations. The Company maintains liability and property insurance, where reasonably available, in such amounts as it considers prudent. The Company may become subject to liability for hazards against which it cannot insure or which it may elect not to insure against because of high premium costs or other reasons.
Also, substantial expenses may be incurred on exploration projects that are subsequently abandoned due to poor exploration results or the inability to define reserves that can be mined economically. Development projects have no operating history upon which to base estimates of future cash flow. Estimates of proven and probable mineral reserves and cash operating costs are, to a large extent, based upon detailed geological and engineering analysis. There have been no feasibility studies conducted in order to derive estimates of capital and operating costs including, among others, anticipated tonnage and grades of ore to be mined and processed, the configuration of the ore body, ground and mining conditions, expected recovery rates of the gold or copper from the ore, and anticipated environmental and regulatory compliance costs.
Substantial expenditures are required to establish mineral resources and mineral reserves through drilling and development and for mining and processing facilities and infrastructure. No assurances can be given that mineral will be discovered in sufficient quantities to justify commercial operations or that funds required for development can be obtained on a timely basis. There is also no assurance that even if commercial quantities of ore are discovered that the properties will be brought into commercial production or that the funds required to exploit any mineral reserves and resources discovered by the Company will be obtained on a timely basis or at all. Economic feasibility of a project is based on several other factors including anticipated metallurgical recoveries, environmental considerations and permitting, future metal prices and timely completion of any development plan. Most of the above factors are beyond the control of the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company's mineral exploration activities will be successful. In the event that such commercial viability is never attained, the Company may seek to transfer its property interests or otherwise realize value or may even be required to abandon its business and fail as a "going concern".
Moreover, advancing any of the Company's exploration properties into a revenue generating property, will require the construction and operation of mines, processing plants and related infrastructure, the development of which includes various risks associated with establishing new mining operations, including:
- the ability to obtain a social license from the local communities affected given many communities are opposed to mining operations of any kind;- the timing and costs, which can be considerable, of the construction of mining and processing facilities;- the availability and cost of skilled labour, mining equipment and principal supplies needed for operations;- the availability and cost of appropriate smelting and refining arrangements;- the need to maintain necessary environmental and other governmental approvals and permits;- the availability of funds to finance construction and development activities;- potential opposition from non-governmental organizations, environmental groups, local groups or other stakeholders which may delay or prevent development activities; and - potential increases in construction and operating costs due to changes in the cost of labour, fuel, power, materials and supplies.
It is possible that actual costs and economic returns of future mining operations may differ materially from Fury Gold's best estimates. It is not unusual for new mining operations to experience unexpected problems during the start-up phase and to require more capital than anticipated. These additional costs could have an adverse impact on Fury Gold's future cash flows, earnings, results of operations and financial condition.