Avino Silver & Gold Mines - 20-F annual report

 

Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., which we refer to as the "Company", was incorporated by Memorandum of Association under the laws of the Province of British Columbia on May 15, 1969, and on August 22, 1969, by virtue of an amalgamation with Ace Mining Company Ltd., became a public company whose common shares are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and changed its name to Avino Mines & Resources Limited. On April 12, 1995, the Company changed its corporate name to International Avino Mines Ltd. and effected a reverse stock split of one common share for every five common shares outstanding. On August 29, 1997, the Company changed its corporate name to Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. to better reflect the business of the Company of exploring for and mining silver and gold. Our principal executive office is located at Suite 400, 455 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 1T1, Canada.

In this annual report on Form 20-F, which we refer to as the "Annual Report", except as otherwise indicated or as the context otherwise requires, the "Company", "we" or "us" refers to Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd.

You should rely only on the information contained in this Annual Report. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. The information in this Annual Report may only be accurate on the date of this Annual Report or on or as at any other date provided with respect to specific information.

Unless we otherwise indicate in this Annual Report, all references to "Canadian Dollars", "CDN$" or "$" are to the lawful currency of Canada and all references to "U.S. Dollars" or "US $" are to the lawful currency of the United States

The following discussion contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Legislation Reform Act of 1995 concerning the Company's plans for its mineral properties which may affect the future operating results and financial position. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the factors set forth in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" in Item 3.D., and "Operating and Financial Review and Prospects" in Item 5. Statements concerning reserves and resources may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent that such statements reflect the conclusion that deposits may be economically exploitable. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "plans", "estimates", or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements".

We advise U.S. investors that although the terms "measured resources" and "indicated resources" are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, referred to as the "SEC", does not recognize them. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of our mineral resources in these categories will ever be converted into mineral reserves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not applicable

Not applicable

The selected historical financial information presented in the table below for each of the years ended January 31, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, and 1998, is derived from the audited financial statements of the Company. The audited financial statements and notes for each of the years in the three year period ended January 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000 are included in this Annual Report. The selected historical financial information for the years ended January 31, 1999 and 1998, presented in the table below are derived from financial statements of the Company that are not included in this Annual Report. The selected financial information presented below should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements and the notes thereto (Item 17) and the Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (Item 5) included elsewhere in this Annual Report.

The selected financial data has been prepared in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles, which we refer to as "Canadian GAAP". The financial statements included in Item 17 in this filing are also prepared under Canadian GAAP. Included within these financial statements in Note 15 is a reconciliation between Canadian GAAP and United States generally accepted accounting principals, which is referred to as "U.S. GAAP", which differ, among other things, in respect to the recording of the foreign exchange (gains) and losses, deferred exploration expenditures and recognition of compensation expense upon the issuance of stock options.

 

The following table sets forth information as to the period end, average, the high and the low exchange rate for Canadian Dollars and U.S. Dollars for the periods indicated based on the noon buying rate in New York City for cable transfers in Canadian Dollars as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (Canadian dollar = US$1).

The following table sets forth the high and low exchange rate for the past six months. As of August 9, 2005, the exchange rate was CN$1.2140 for each US$1.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

In addition to the other information presented in this Annual Report, the following should be considered carefully in evaluating the Company and its business. This Annual Report contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those discussed below and elsewhere in this Annual Report.

 

The Company was incorporated by Memorandum of Association under the laws of the Province of British Columbia on May 15, 1969, and on August 22, 1969, by virtue of an amalgamation with Ace Mining Company Ltd., became a public company whose Common Shares are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, changing its name to Avino Mines & Resources Limited. On April 12, 1995, the Company changed its corporate name to International Avino Mines Ltd. and effected a reverse stock split of one Common Share for every five Common Shares outstanding. On August 29, 1997, the Company changed its corporate name to Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd., its current name, to better reflect the business of the Company of exploring for and mining silver and gold.

We are a natural resource company, primarily engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of natural resource properties. Our principal business activities have been the exploration of certain mineral properties located in Canada, specifically British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, and in Mexico. Since fiscal 2000 we made aggregate principal capital expenditures of $370,239 on the properties in Canada. These capital expenditures consist of $103,243 which was spent on the Eagle property, $120,815 on the Aumax property, $91,713 on the Olympic-Kelvin property, and $54,468 on the Bralorne property. The Avino Mine in Mexico is owned by Cia Minera of which the Company owns 49% of the issued and outstanding securities and is accounted for using the equity method in the financial statements. Since the suspension of operations at the Avino Mine, $319,864 has been spent on the care and maintenance of the mine. The principal executive office of the Company is located at Suite 400, 455 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 1T1, and its telephone number is 604-682-3701.

The Company is a Canadian-based resource firm focused on silver and gold exploration. The Company has a long prior history of operation, beginning in 1968 with the development of the Avino silver mine in Durango State, Mexico, which we refer to as the "Avino Mine". From 1974 to 2001, the Avino Mine produced silver, gold, copper and lead and provided hundreds of jobs for the Durango region before closing due to depressed metal prices. Beginning in 2002, the Company re-directed its corporate strategy to focus almost entirely on silver and began acquiring silver properties in North America. The Company's most recent acquisitions, consisting of the Eagle property in Canada's Yukon Territory and the Aumax property in British Columbia, have produced positive assays for silver through drilling and sampling. The Avino Mine and surrounding mineral leases continue to hold silver potential. These properties, along with other silver and gold projects, will remain the Company's principal focus for the foreseeable future.

Presently, the Company is an "exploration stage company", as all of the Company's properties are currently in the exploratory stage of development. In order to determine if a commercially viable mineral deposit exists in any of the Company's properties, further geological work will need to be done and a final evaluation based upon the results obtained to conclude economic and legal feasibility.

 

We have no significant acquisitions or dispositions of property, other than as otherwise disclosed in this Annual Report.

 

The mining industry in which the Company is engaged is highly competitive. Competitors include well-capitalized mining companies, independent mining companies and other companies having financial and other resources far greater than those of the Company. The Company competes with other mining companies in connection with the acquisition of gold, silver and other precious metal properties. In general, properties with a higher grade of recoverable mineral and/or which are more readily mined afford the owners a competitive advantage in that the cost of production of the final mineral product is lower. In 2005, demand for silver exceeded supply and worldwide demand is expected to increase through 2006. This, in part, has fueled the increases in silver prices over the same period. Thus, a degree of competition exists between those engaged in the mining industry to acquire the most valuable properties. As a result, the Company may eventually be unable to acquire attractive gold or silver mining properties.

Certain of our operations are conducted in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. The weather during the colder seasons in these areas can be extreme and can cause interruptions or delays in our operations. As a result, the preferable time for activities in these regions is the spring and summer when costs are more reasonable and access to the properties is easier. In the summer months, however, if the weather has been unusually hot and dry, access to the Company's properties may be limited as a result of access restrictions being imposed to monitor the risks of forest fires.

The current and anticipated future operations of the Company, including development activities and commencement of production on its properties, require permits from various federal, territorial and local governmental authorities and such operations are and will be governed by laws and regulations governing prospecting, development, mining, production, exports, taxes, labor standards, occupational health, waste disposal, toxic substances, land use, environmental protection, mine safety and other matters. Companies engaged in the development and operation of mines and related facilities generally experience increased costs and delays in production and other schedules as a result of the need to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permits. Such operations and exploration activities are also subject to substantial regulation under these laws by governmental agencies and may require that the Company obtain permits from various governmental agencies. The Company believes it is in substantial compliance with all material laws and regulations which currently apply to its activities. There can be no assurance, however, that all permits which the Company may require for construction of mining facilities and conduct of mining operations will be obtainable on reasonable terms or that such laws and regulations, or that new legislation or modifications to existing legislation, would not have an adverse effect on any exploration or mining project which the Company might undertake.

Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements may result in enforcement actions thereunder, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities causing operations to cease or be curtailed, and may include corrective measures requiring capital expenditures, installation of additional equipment or remedial actions. Parties engaged in exploration and mining operations may be required to compensate those suffering loss or damage by reason of the mining activities and may have civil or criminal fines or penalties imposed for violation of applicable laws or regulations.

The enactment of new laws or amendments to current laws, regulations and permits governing operations and activities of mining companies, or more stringent implementation thereof, could have a material adverse impact on the Company and cause increases in capital expenditures or production costs or reduction in levels of production at producing properties or require abandonment or delays in the development of new mining properties.

 

The Company has no subsidiaries.

The Company is exploring five silver and gold projects in Canada and Mexico. All of the Company's mineral property interests in Canada are wholly owned by the Company. In Mexico, the Company has a 49% interest in Cia Minera, a Mexican company which is involved in the mining of commercial ores and resource exploration and development, including the operation of the Avino Mine. The Company is in the process of acquiring the remaining 51% interest in Cia Minera, although there can be no assurance that this acquisition will complete. See Item 10 "Additional Information - C. Material Contracts".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A limited exploration program of prospecting, rock and soil sampling and mechanized trenching was carried out in October of 1999. Trenching on the Aumax showing was inconclusive. Many highly anomalous quartz-carbonate boulders, up to 2.2 grams per tonne of gold and 305 grams per tonne of silver, were excavated but bedrock was not reached in critical areas. Chip samples of veins exposed in the trenches were highly anomalous, generally in the hundreds of parts per billion gold, with one sample over one gram per tonne of gold over 0.5 metres. Further prospecting and soil sampling of the southeast (upslope) of the Aumax showing was recommended.

 

Limited soil sampling and prospecting in 1999 on the Upper Zone returned extremely anomalous soil samples to 4,560 parts per billion gold. A grid geochemical sampling and further prospecting in this area was recommended.

 

The Olympic-Kelvin property is easily accessible by the all-weather, publicly maintained, Grey Rock logging road which runs northeast from Goldbridge. Access on the Olympic-Kelvin property is possible on a number of cat trails built by the Company and previous operators.

 

The Olympic-Kelvin property covers rocks of the Pioneer Formation and Bridge River Terrane. These rocks are cut by northwest trending regional scale structures sub-parallel to the Ferguson and Cadwallader Structures. The structures on the Olympic-Kelvin property are roughly the same distance from the Upper Cretaceous-Tertiary granitic Bendor Intrusions as the Bralorne/Pioneer mines. These mines are the largest past producers in the Canadian Cordillera (4.1 million ounces). The Bendor Intrusions are a postulated source for the gold mineralization at Bralorne, which is thought to be localized by a northwest to north flexure in the Cadwallader structure. A similar flexure is present in the northwest trending structures on the Olympic-Kelvin property. These structures on the property are mineralized with gold and silver and have received considerable past work, including at least four adits.

In the Margarita Zone, hole OLY 88-4 returned 24 grams per tonne of gold over 0.85 metres within a much wider intersection of 8.2 grams per tonne of gold over 3.48 metres. The true width of this zone is estimated to be 1.47 metres. A large part of the zone is listwanite, indicating the potential for better grade mineralization immediately below this intersection. Hole OLY 88-6 cut the same zone 75 metres to the northwest and returned 4.26 grams per tonne of gold over 1.34 metres within an eight metre section (5.6 m true width) of mainly listwanite. The area of these intersections is approximately 50 metres off of the Gray Rock Road and could be accessed for mining purposes by an underground ramp from the road.

The Enigma Zone is a colour anomaly on the south shore of Carpenter Lake on Lot 6280, approximately 700 metres east, north-east of the Margarita Zone. Trenching revealed a quartz stock work zone with areas of abundant stibnite. Sampling returned 1.7 grams per ton of gold over 21 metres within a 75 metre mineralized zone. This is a very wide zone for the Bridge River Camp and, if the zone has significant strike length, it could be amenable to open pit mining. Hole 04-0k-04 was drilled 154 metres under the Enigma Zone. This hole returned highly anomalous gold values to 0.38 grams per tonne. Detailed geological mapping and geochemical sampling has been recommended.

Drilling in January of 2002 was unsuccessful in intersecting the Margarita Zone. One hole was drilled from the east to attempt to intersect the zone. This hole was abandoned at 21.3 metres because of bad ground conditions. No values of economic interest were returned from samples taken from the hole. Further trenching and drilling to evaluate targets to the south are planned for the spring and summer of 2005.

 

 

Gold Bridge itself can be reached from Vancouver via Hope and Lillooet, a distance of 445 kilometers, or via Pemberton using the four-wheel-drive Hurley Pass route, a distance of 225 km.

 

The terrain is rugged, typical of the eastern margin of the Coast Range Mountains. The claim group ranges in elevation from 650 meters on Carpenter Lake to a maximum of 1020 meters.

 

The climate of the Bridge River District is transitional between humid coastal belt and more arid interior plateau. Annual precipitation is modest with a significant proportion falling as snow in the winter. Summers tend to be warm to hot depending on the altitude, and winters are moderately cold.

 

 

 

The Avino Mine and mill were historically serviced by a heavy equipment repair shop, a mechanical and electrical shop, an assay office, a metallurgical laboratory, a warehouse and other auxiliary facilities. Electric power can be supplied by the government-owned Federal Electricity Commission, referred to as the "FEC" which presently is capable of supplying up to 2500 HP to the Avino Mine and mill. As the mill is expanded, additional power must be obtained from the FEC. In order to obtain the additional electric power, it has been necessary for the FEC in 1983 to construct a new power line approximately 12 miles in length which is capable of supplying an additional 2750 HP, sufficient for the maximum proposed increase in mill capacity.

Water for use at the mill is primarily obtained from: (i) wells; (ii) old underground workings; and (iii) earth dams. In prior years, the water supply has been insufficient to increase the capacity of the mill. In 1989, Cia Minera constructed a dam in hope of storing water for use in the dry season. The dam has a capacity of 1,000,000 cubic meters. Cia Minera had entered into an agreement with the Federal Government of Mexico for the repair and improvement of a government dam located approximately five and one-half kilometers from the mine. The contract provides that the Government and Cia Minera will each contribute 50% of the cost of repairing the dam and raising the height by six meters and to construct a new spillway. The work was substantially completed during 1989, and Cia Minera installed a pipeline system allowing water to flow from the Government dam to the mill. The contract provides that Cia Minera will share the use of the Government dam with local farmers. The local farmers have priority for the use of a specific volume of the water and the balance is available for use by the mine. The water can be transmitted to the mine by means of five kilometers of pipe which has been installed by Cia Minera. In early 1996, Cia Minera also drilled a well 400 meters in depth on a property owned by Cia Minera, ten kilometers from the mill site. A pipeline has been constructed, and Cia Minera has sufficient water for its own needs. Further, from 1995 to 1998, Mexico experienced a drought. While the drought adversely affected operations in late 1995 until April 1996, Cia Minera believes that the new well will adequately meet its water requirements. In addition, Cia Minera utilizes water conservation practices, such as recirculation of water and capturing rain water in earth dams.

 

 

On November 26, 1991, the Company acquired a 100% interest in a property consisting of 154 crown granted mineral claims, five reverted Crown granted claims, four located mineral claims and two placer leases. These interests are collectively referred to as the "Bralorne Property". Pursuant to an option and joint venture agreement with Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mines Ltd., referred to as "Bralorne", dated July 21, 1993 and amended on July 12, 1994, referred to as the "JV Agreement", Bralorne acquired the right to acquire a 50% interest in the Bralorne Property. We then entered into a further agreement with Bralorne dated July 21, 1995 under which the original JV Agreement was amended. Under the terms of the amended agreement, Bralorne acquired its 50% interest in the Bralorne Property. The Bralorne Property was then operated as a joint venture between the Company and Bralorne.

Effective June 20, 2002, the Company transferred its interest in the Bralorne Property to Bralorne for a nominal amount of $1 and the assumption by Bralorne of the full amount of the principal and interest payable under the mortgage bonds originally issued for a loan obtained by the Company and Bralorne in 1995, the proceeds of which were to be used for further development of the Bralorne Property. As a result of the disposition of the Bralorne Property, the Company recognized a loss of $40,097 and removed certain assets and liabilities from proportionate consolidation in 2003.

 

This discussion and analysis of the operating results and the financial position of the Company for the years ended January 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000 should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the related notes attached hereto.

The Company’s principal business activities are the exploration and development of mineral properties. The Company is in the process of exploring and developing its mineral properties and has not yet determined whether its mineral properties contain ore reserves that are economically recoverable. The recoverability of amounts shown for mineral properties is dependent upon the discovery of economically recoverable ore reserves in its mineral properties, the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary financing to complete development, confirmation of the Company’s interest in the underlying mineral claims and leases and future profitable production or sufficient proceeds from the disposition of its mineral properties. The Company is continually investigating new exploration opportunities, and mineral exploration is carried out on properties identified by management of the Company as having favorable exploration potential. Interests in such properties are acquired in various ways. In some cases, the Company, through its own efforts, stakes mineral claims or acquires exploration permits. In other cases the Company acquires an interest in mineral properties from third parties. An acquisition from a third party is typically made by way of an option agreement, which requires the Company to make specific option payments and to incur a specified amount of exploration costs on the property. Once the Company has incurred the specified exploration expenditures, the parties will enter into a joint venture requiring each party to contribute towards future exploration and development costs, based on its percentage interest in the property, or suffer dilution of its interest. The Company advances its projects to varying degrees by prospecting, mapping, geophysics and drilling. Once a property is determined to have limited exploration potential, the property is abandoned or sold. In cases where exploration work on the property reaches a stage where the expense and risk of further exploration and development are too high, the Company may seek a third party to earn an interest by furthering development. Optioning a property to a third party allows the Company to retain an interest in further exploration and development while limiting its obligation to commit a large amount of capital to any one project. The mineral exploration business is high risk and most exploration projects will not become mines.

The Company holds mineral claims in the Yukon and in British Columbia, Canada. The Company also holds a 49% equity interest in Cia Minera, a Mexican corporation which owns the Avino Mine, located in Durango, Mexico. The Company’s 49% interest in Cia Minera consists of several mineral claims and leases and includes a silver mine. The Mine operated from 1976 to 2001, producing about 497 tons of silver, three tons of gold, and 11,000 tons of copper. Depressed silver prices during the period 2000-2001 led to the suspension of mine operations at the end of 2001. Since 2001, the mine, plant and equipment have been on care and maintenance. The Company has been in the process of negotiating to acquire the remaining 51% interest in Cia Minera. At present the Company holds a 49% equity interest and several other venders own the other 51%. In addition, four core mineral claims are subject to a lease agreement under which royalties are paid. Management has spent the larger portion of the year negotiating a purchase transaction. In June of 2004, the vendors of the 51% interest entered into a purchase agreement committing to sell their interest to the Company subject to certain terms and conditions. The Company continues to negotiate with the royalty holders.

Under the terms of the purchase agreement dated June 9, 2004 the vendors agreed to sell to the Company their 51% interest in Cia Minera for four million common shares in the Company. The agreement is subject to the Company completing due diligence, including an audit of Cia Minera, and an independent technical report supporting the transaction, which should be completed in 2005. Once the Report is accepted by the TSX Venture Exchange, it will be made available to the public. Preliminary approval of the report was received from the TSX Venture Exchange, subject to the completion of a preliminary feasibility study. Since, to the Company’s knowledge, none of the vendors act jointly or in concert or as a group, there will be no change in the effective control of the Company as a result of this transaction. At the report date, the Company has made application to the TSX Venture Exchange seeking approval of this transaction.

Cia Minera leases four core mineral claims in consideration for royalties. The lessor is currently contesting the underlying royalty agreement and has filed a legal action claiming for royalties owing in the amount of approximately $3,770,000. Cia Minera has accrued $807,000 and has paid an additional $244,000 into trust on account of the royalties owing for past mineral production. The Company has been in discussions with the lessor to settle for 25% of the accrued liability based on the fact that the mine has not operated since shut down in 2001 and it may not re-open if a settlement is not reached.

In the Yukon, the Company holds a 100% interest in 14 quartz leases known as the Eagle property located in the Mayo Mining Division. A quartz lease is for 21 years and the Company’s leases expire on April 29, 2021.

In British Columbia, the Company has three separate mineral properties all of which are located in the Lillooet Mining Division and are wholly owned by the Company. They are as follows: (i) the Aumax property consisting of six unpatented mineral claims; (ii) the Olympic-Kelvin property consisting of 20 reverted Crown granted minerals claims, one located mineral claim and three fractions; and (iii) the Minto property consisting of eight Crown granted mineral claims, eight reverted Crown granted mineral claims and one located mineral claim.

The Company reported a net loss of $3,290,582, or $0.68 per share, for the year ended January 31, 2002, compared to a net loss of $1,118,491 or $0.24 per share, for the year ended January 31, 2001. The Company had no operating revenues in either 2002 or 2001. The Company recorded an equity loss in Cia Minera of $1,259,438 to reduce the carrying value to a nominal $1 given that the production operations are uneconomical at present and have been shut down. The Company also wrote-down its deferred exploration expenditures related to the 100% owned mineral claims in Bralorne and the 50% owned mineral claims in Bralorne for a total of $1,644,905 to $1,600,000, being the book value of limited recourse debt secured by the property net of its share of sundry current assets of the joint venture. Subsequent to the year-end, Avino transferred all of its interest in the Bralorne project to Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mines Ltd., together with the liabilities under the debentures for unpaid principal and accrued interest. The Company wrote-down the investment in Levon Resources Ltd. by $2,824 to quoted market value of $4,236 at January 31, 2002. The Company recorded a loss on foreign exchange of $120,268, and accrued interest on the debentures of $105,294 during the year. The balance of the loss of $139,048 was other administrative expenses.

The Company reported a net loss of $1,118,491 or $0.24 per share, for the year ended January 31, 2001, compared to a net loss of $683,799 for the corresponding period in 2000. The Company had no operating revenues, but recognized interest income for the period of $643. During the year, the Company realized an equity loss in Cia Minera of $770,296, compared to $199,954 in 2000. Taking this into consideration the expenses for 2001 were $341,778 compared to $474,152 in 2000. The significant increase in expenses from 2000 was in foreign exchange of $44,783 compared to 2000 of $19,209. Other expenses such as auditing firms to a smaller, less expensive firm. The figure in 2000 for auditing includes a late accrual from the previous auditor of approximately $10,000.

Finance reduced by $108,534 in the year. This is due to the previous year being the final year of amortization of deferred debenture issue costs. The current year expense of $101,636 comprises solely interest paid and accrued on the debentures payable.

During the year, the Company received 1,591,392 shares of Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mines Ltd., a company with common directors in settlement of $397,848 debt, reducing the related party receivables and increasing the investments.

Due to related parties of $318,358, an increase of $276,099 from 2000, includes a payable to the President of the Company, Louis Wolfin, for a cash loan of $105,000 to the Company during the year. The loan was used to pay the Company’s portion of the interest due on the debentures on October 25, 2000.

We are subject to various federal and provincial laws and regulations including environmental laws and regulations. Environmental regulations impose, among other things, restrictions, liabilities and obligations in connection with the generation, handling, use, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous substances and waste and in connection with spills, releases and emissions of various substances to the environment. Environmental regulation also requires that facility sites and other properties associated with our operations be operated, maintained, abandoned and reclaimed to the satisfaction of applicable regulatory authorities. In addition, certain types of operations, including exploration and development projects and changes to certain existing projects, may require the submission and approval of environmental impact assessments or permit applications. Compliance with environmental regulation can require significant expenditures, including expenditures for clean up costs and damages arising out of contaminated properties and failure to comply with environmental regulations may result in the imposition of fines and penalties. We believe that we are in substantial compliance with such laws and regulations. However, such laws and regulations may change in the future in a manner which will increase the burden and cost of compliance.

Certain laws and governmental regulations may impose liability on us for personal injuries, clean-up costs, environmental damages and property damages, as well as administrative, civil and criminal penalties. We maintain limited insurance coverage for sudden and accidental environmental damages, but do not maintain insurance coverage for the full potential liability that could be caused by sudden and accidental environmental damage. Accordingly, we may be subject to liability or may be required to cease production from properties in the event of such damages.

At this time, the Company has no operating revenues and does not anticipate having any operating revenues until the Company is able to find, acquire, place in production and operate a resource property. Historically, the Company has raised funds through equity financing and the exercise of options and warrants to fund its operations. The market price of natural resources is highly speculative and volatile. Instability in prices may affect the interest in resource properties and the development of and production from such properties. This may adversely affect the Company’s ability to raise capital to acquire and explore resource properties. At January 31, 2002 the Company had working capital deficiency of $358,812. The Company will need to refinance in order to maintain operations.

Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP which has several notable differences from US GAAP. Canadian GAAP permits the deferral of acquisition and exploration costs, subject to periodic adjustments for impairment, whereas US GAAP requires that such costs be expensed in the period incurred. Canadian GAAP also requires that investments available for sale be recorded at the lower of cost and market with long-term investments in marketable securities being written down to market when impairment is considered other than temporary, in which case the written down value becomes the new cost base. US GAAP requires investments available for sale to be recorded at market and unrealized holding gains or losses to be charged to comprehensive income or loss. See. Note 14 to the financial statements which sets out a reconciliation between Canadian and US GAAP.

As the Company is a mineral exploration company with no research and development, the information required by this section is inapplicable.

As the Company is a mineral exploration company with no currently producing properties, the information required by this section is not applicable.

The Company does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.

As at January 31, 2002, the Company had the following contractual obligations:

Certain statements in this Annual Report, including those appearing under this Item 5, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Additionally, forward-looking statements may be made orally or in press releases, conferences, reports, on our website or otherwise, in the future, by us or on our behalf. Such statements are generally identifiable by the terminology used such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "budgets", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "indicates", "targets", "objective", "could", "may", or other similar words.

The forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others: market prices for metals; the results of exploration and development drilling and related activities; economic conditions in the countries and provinces in which we carry on business, especially economic slowdown; actions by governmental authorities including increases in taxes, changes in environmental and other regulations, and renegotiations of contracts; political uncertainty, including actions by insurgent groups or other conflict; the negotiation and closing of material contracts; and the other factors discussed in Item 3 Key Information - "Risk Factors", and in other documents that we file with the SEC. The impact of any one factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as such factors are interdependent upon other factors; our course of action would depend upon our assessment of the future considering all information then available. In that regard, any statements as to future production levels; capital expenditures; the allocation of capital expenditures to exploration and development activities; sources of funding of our capital program; drilling; expenditures and allowances relating to environmental matters; dates by which certain areas will be developed or will come on-stream; expected finding and development costs; future production rates; ultimate recoverability of reserves; dates by which transactions are expected to close; cash flows; uses of cash flows; collectability of receivables; availability of trade credit; expected operating costs; expenditures and allowances relating to environmental matters; debt levels; and changes in any of the foregoing are forward-looking statements, and there can be no assurances that the expectations conveyed by such forward-looking statements will, in fact, be realized.

Although we believe that the expectations conveyed by the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available to us on the date such forward-looking statements were made, no assurances can be given as to future results, levels of activity, achievements or financial condition.

Readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement and should recognize that the statements are predictions of future results, which may not occur as anticipated. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and from historical results, due to the risks and uncertainties described above, as well as others not now anticipated. The foregoing statements are not exclusive and further information concerning us, including factors that could materially affect our financial results, may emerge from time to time. We do not intend to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in factors or assumptions affecting such forward-looking statements.

The following is a list of the Company’s directors and senior management as at January 31, 2002. The directors were re-elected by the Company’s shareholders on July 30, 2002 and are elected for a term of one year, which term expires at the election of the directors at the next annual meeting of shareholders.

 

 

The directors of the Company have not been paid fees or other cash compensation in their capacity as directors. The Company has no arrangements, standard or otherwise, pursuant to which its current directors are compensated by the Company for their services in their capacity as directors, or for committee participation, or involvement in special assignments during the most recently completed financial year ended January 31, 2002, except that directors may be reimbursed for actual expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as directors and certain directors may be compensated for services as consultants or experts. Incentive stock options, however, have been granted to directors and executive officers of the Company and are outstanding to purchase an aggregate of 350,000 shares of the Company as at January 31, 2002. See "Options to Purchase Securities of the Company".

The following table sets forth details of the compensation paid during the Company's fiscal year ended January 31, 2002 to senior management:

The board of directors is comprised of seven directors. The size and experience of the board is important for providing the Company with effective governance in the mining industry. The board’s mandate and responsibilities can be effectively and efficiently administered at its current size. The board has functioned, and is of the view that it can continue to function, independently of management as required. At the Annual General Meeting, held on July 30, 2002, the shareholders elected Messrs. Baybak, Calvert, Glasier, Kocken, Scott, Wolfin and Wolfin as directors.

The board has considered the relationship of each director to the Company and considers two of the seven directors to be "unrelated" (Messrs. Baybak and Scott). "Unrelated director" means a director who is independent of management and free from any interest and any business or other relationship which could reasonably be perceived to materially interfere with the director’s ability to act with a view to the best interest of the Company, other than interests and relationships arising solely from shareholdings.

Ernest Calvert, Louis Wolfin, David Wolfin, William Glasier and William Kocken are on the Board of Bralorne, a company with which the Company has a joint venture.

Two of the directors (Messrs. Wolfin and Wolfin) are related family members.

Procedures are in place to allow the board to function independently. At the present time the board has experienced directors that have made a significant contribution to the Company’s success, and are satisfied that it is not constrained in its access to information, in its deliberations or in its ability to satisfy the mandate established by law to supervise the business and affairs of the Company. Committees meet independent of management and other directors.

 

The role of the board is to oversee the conduct of the Company’s business, including the supervision of management, and determining the Company’s strategy. Management is responsible for the Company’s day to day operations, including proposing its strategic direction and presenting budgets and business plans to the board of directors for consideration and approval. The strategic plan takes into account, among other things, the opportunities and risks of the Company’s business. Management provides the board with periodic assessments as to those risks and the implementation of the Company’s systems to manage those risks. The board reviews the personnel needs of the Company from time to time, having particular regard to succession issues relating to senior management. Management is responsible for the training and development of personnel. The board assesses how effectively the Company communicates with shareholders, but has not adopted a formal communications policy. Through the audit committee, and in conjunction with its auditors, the board assesses the adequacy of the Company’s internal control and management information systems. The board looks to management to keep it informed of all significant developments relating to or effecting the Company’s operations. Major financings, acquisitions, dispositions and investments are subject to board approval. A formal mandate for the board of directors and the chief executive officer has not been considered necessary since the relative allocation of responsibility is well understood by both management and the board. The board meets as required. The board and committees may take action at these meetings or at a meeting by conference call or by written consent.

The audit committee assists the board in its oversight of the Company’s financial statements and other related public disclosures, the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements relating to financial reporting, the external auditors, qualifications and independence and the performance of the internal audit function and the external auditors. The committee has direct communications channels with the Company’s auditors. The committee reviews the Company’s financial statements and related management’s discussion and analysis of financial and operating results. The committee can retain legal, accounting or other advisors.

The audit committee consists of three directors (Messrs. William Glasier, David Wolfin and Ernest Calvert) none of whom are unrelated and all of whom are financially literate, and have accounting or related financial expertise. "Financially literate" means the ability to read and understand a balance sheet, an income statement, and a cash flow statement. "Accounting or related financial expertise" means the ability to analyze and interpret a full set of financial statements, including the notes attached thereto, in accordance with Canadian GAAP.

It is intended that this committee eventually will be comprised solely of unrelated directors.

The board has adopted a charter for the audit committee which is reviewed annually and sets out the role and oversight responsibilities of the audit committee with respect to:

The Company did not have any employees as at January 31, 2002.

The following table sets forth the share ownership of the directors and officers of the Company as of January 31, 2002. No person owned more than 10% of the outstanding common shares.

 

As at January 31, 2002, there was an aggregate of 350,000 options outstanding and no options were granted in the year ended January 31, 2002.

As far as it is known to the Company, it is not directly or indirectly owned or controlled by any other corporation or by the Canadian Government, or any foreign government, or by any other natural or legal person.

As of January 31, 2002, the Company knew of no person who owned more than five (5%) percent of the outstanding shares of each class of the Company’s voting securities. The following table sets forth the total shares owned by the officers and directors as a group as of January 31, 2002:

Consulting fees of $30,822 were paid to Frobisher Securities Ltd., a private company owned by a director of the Company, in 2002. In 2001, $34,074 was paid to the same private company.

The Company entered into a cost sharing agreement dated October 1, 1997 to reimburse a company under common control, Oniva International Services Corp., referred to as "Oniva", for 20% of its overhead expenses, to reimburse 100% of its out of pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and to pay a 10% fee based on the total overhead and corporate expenses referred to above. The agreement may be terminated by either party giving to the other party one months notice. During the year, a total of $30,414 was charged to operations in relation to the cost sharing agreement referred to above. In 2001, the amount was $64,280. Included in the accounts payable is an amount of $258,890 due to Oniva for expenses paid on behalf of the Company. In 2001 the amount was $87,789. The Company is negotiating with Oniva to settle this debt by the issuance of common shares.

In fiscal 2002, the Company settled liabilities totaling $276,347 with related parties by the issuance of 727,309 shares at a price of $0.38 per share.

The Company reimbursed Oniva $54,027 (2001: $41,194) for its share of the Bralorne project joint venture mineral property expenditures.

The Company received reimbursement of $29,263 in 2002 (2001: $22,471) form Coral Gold Corporation, a company with common management and common directors, in regard to the Bralorne and Loco property and the Avino/Bralorne-Pioneer joint venture.

Amounts due to related parties consist of $20,422 (2001: $71,058) to Frobisher Securities Ltd.; $258,890 (2001: $87,789) to Oniva; $nil (2001: $54,511) to Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mines Ltd.; and $52,500 (2001: $105,000) to the president of the Company.

Amounts due from related parties consist of $33,010 (2001: $737) from Coral Gold Corporation and $2,049 (2001: $1,320) from Levon Resources Ltd.

 

 

None of the Company's directors, executive or senior officers, proposed nominees for election as directors, or associates or affiliates of any of them, is or has been indebted to the Company at any time since the Company’s last completed financial year.

Not Applicable.

The following financial statements of the Company are attached to this Annual Report:

Auditors Report.

Balance Sheet for years ended January 31, 2002 and 2001.

Statement of Operations and Deficit for the years ended January 31, 2002, 2001, and 2000.

Statement of Cash flows for the years ended January 31, 2002, 2001, and 2000.

Notes to Financial Statements for the years ended January 31, 2002, 2001, and 2000.

The Company has never paid any dividends and does not intend to in the near future.

None.

 

 

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

All issued and outstanding common shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Each holder of record of common shares is entitled to one vote for each common share so held on all matters requiring a vote of shareholders, including the election of directors. The holders of common shares will be entitled to dividends on a pro-rata basis, if and when as declared by the board of directors. There are no preferences, conversion rights, preemptive rights, subscription rights, or restrictions or transfers attached to the common shares. In the event of liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, the holders of common shares are entitled to participate in the assets of the Company available for distribution after satisfaction of the claims of creditors.

The directors shall manage or supervise the management of the affairs and business of the Company and shall have authority to exercise all such powers of the Company as are not, by the Company Act or by the Memorandum or the Articles, required to be exercised by the Company in a general meeting.

Directors will serve as such until the next annual meeting. In general, a director who is, in any way, directly or indirectly interested in an existing or proposed contract or transaction with the Company whereby a duty or interest might be created to conflict with his duty or interest as a director, shall declare the nature and extent of his interest in such contract or transaction or the conflict or potential conflict with his duty and interest as a director. Such director shall not vote in respect of any such contract or transaction with the Company in which he is interested and if he shall do so, his vote shall note be counted, but he shall be counted in the quorum present at the meeting at which such vote is taken. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, directors shall have the right to vote on determining the remuneration of the directors.

The directors may from time to time on behalf of the Company: (a) borrow money in such manner and amount from such sources and upon such terms and conditions as they think fit; (b) issue bonds, debentures and other debt obligations; and (c) mortgage, charge or give other security on the whole or any part of the property and assets of the Company.

An annual general meeting shall be held once in every calendar year at such time and place as may be determined by the directors. A quorum at an annual general meeting and special meeting shall be two shareholders or one or more proxy holders representing two shareholders, or one shareholder and a proxy holder representing another shareholder. There is no limitation imposed by the laws of Canada or by the charter or other constituent documents of the Company on the right of a non-resident to hold or vote the common shares, other than as provided in the Investment Canada Act (the “Investment Act”) discussed below under “Item 10. Additional Information, D. Exchange Controls.”

In accordance with British Columbia law, directors shall be elected by an “ordinary resolution” which means: (a) a resolution passed by the shareholders of the Company at a general meeting by a simple majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy; or (b) a resolution that has been submitted to the shareholders of the Company who would have been entitled to vote on it in person or by proxy at a general meeting of the Company and that has been consented to in writing by such shareholders of the Company holding shares carrying not less than the requisite majority of the votes entitled to be cast on it.

Under British Columbia law certain items such as an amendment to the Company’s articles or entering into a merger requires approval by a special resolution which means: (a) a resolution passed by a majority of not less than the requisite majority of the votes cast by the shareholders of the Company who, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at a general meeting of the company; or (b) a resolution consented to in writing by every shareholder of the Company who would have been entitled to vote in person or by proxy at a general meeting of the Company, and a resolution so consented to is deemed to be a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the Company.

On March 29, 2004, the British Columbia legislature enacted the British Columbia Business Corporations Act ("BCBCA") and repealed the British Columbia Company Act (the "Company Act"). The BCBCA removes many of the restrictions contained in the Company Act, including restrictions on the residency of directors, the location of annual general meetings and limits on authorized share capital. As well, the BCBCA uses new forms and terminology and has replaced the Memorandum with a Notice of Articles. At the Company's annual and special general meeting held on June 24, 2005, shareholders were asked to approve:

 

 

 

 

The regulations under the BCBCA effectively added certain provisions, called the "Pre-Existing Company Provisions" or "PCPs", to every company's Notice of Articles. The PCPs provide that the number of votes required to pass a special resolution (formerly also referred to as a special resolution under the Company Act) or a special separate resolution is at least three-quarters of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy at the meeting. This is the majority that was required under the Company Act. The BCBCA allows a special resolution to be passed by at least two-thirds of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy at the meeting. The Company proposes to amend its Notice of Articles to delete the PCPs so that the provisions of the BCBCA permitting a two-thirds majority will apply to the Company.

 

The shareholders have approved the above resolutions and therefore special resolutions will require a two-thirds majority vote, instead of a three-quarters majority vote. The authorized share capital of the Company will also be an unlimited number of common shares without par value. Management believes that this provides the Company with greater flexibility for future corporate activities and is consistent with special resolution requirements for companies in other jurisdictions.

There is no law, governmental decree or regulation in Canada that restricts the export or import of capital or affects the remittance of dividends, interest or other payments to a non-resident holder of common shares other than withholding tax requirements. Any such remittances to United States residents are subject to withholding tax. See "Taxation".

There is no limitation imposed by the laws of Canada or by the charter or other constituent documents of the Company on the right of a non-resident to hold or vote the common shares, other than as provided in the Investment Act. The following discussion summarizes the principal features of the Investment Act for a non-resident who proposes to acquire the common shares.

The Investment Act generally prohibits implementation of a reviewable investment by an individual, government or agency thereof, corporation, partnership, trust or joint venture (each an "entity") that is not a "Canadian" as defined in the Investment Act (a "non-Canadian"), unless after review, the Director of Investments appointed by the minister responsible for the Investment Act is satisfied that the investment is likely to be of net benefit to Canada. An investment in the common shares by a non-Canadian other than a "WTO Investor" (as that term is defined by the Investment Act, and which term includes entities which are nationals of or are controlled by nationals of member states of the World Trade Organization) when the Company was not controlled by a WTO Investor, would be reviewable under the Investment Act if it was an investment to acquire control of the Company and the value of the assets of the Company, as determined in accordance with the regulations promulgated under the Investment Act, equals or exceeds $5 million for direct acquisitions and over $50 million for indirect acquisitions, or if an order for review was made by the federal cabinet on the grounds that the investment related to Canada's cultural heritage or national identity, regardless of the value of the assets of the Company. An investment in the common shares by a WTO Investor, or by a non-Canadian when the Company was controlled by a WTO Investor, would be reviewable under the Investment Act if it was an investment to acquire control of the Company and the value of the assets of the Company, as determined in accordance with the regulations promulgated under the Investment Act, was not less than a specified amount, which for 2004 is any amount in excess of $137 million. A non-Canadian would acquire control of the Company for the purposes of the Investment Act if the non-Canadian acquired a majority of the common shares. The acquisition of one third or more, but less than a majority of the common shares, would be presumed to be an acquisition of control of the Company unless it could be established that, on the acquisition, the Company was not controlled in fact by the acquirer through the ownership of the common shares.

Certain transactions relating to the common shares would be exempt from the Investment Act, including: (i) an acquisition of the common shares by a person in the ordinary course of that person's business as a trader or dealer in securities; (ii) an acquisition of control of the Company in connection with the realization of security granted for a loan or other financial assistance and not for a purpose related to the provisions of the Investment Act; and (iii) an acquisition of control of the Company by reason of an amalgamation, merger, consolidation or corporate reorganization following which the ultimate direct or indirect control in fact of the Company, through the ownership of the common shares, remained unchanged.

The following summarizes the principal Canadian federal income tax consequences applicable to the holding and disposition of common shares in the capital of the Company by a United States resident, and who holds common shares solely as capital property, referred to as a "U.S. Holder". This summary is based on the current provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada), referred to as the "Tax Act", the regulations thereunder, all amendments thereto publicly proposed by the government of Canada, the published administrative practices of Revenue Canada, Customs, Excise and Taxation, and the current provisions of the Canada-United States Income Tax Convention, 1980, as amended, referred to as the "Treaty". Except as otherwise expressly provided, this summary does not take into account any provincial, territorial or foreign (including without limitation, any U.S.) tax law or treaty. It has been assumed that all currently proposed amendments will be enacted substantially as proposed and that there is no other relevant change in any governing law or practice, although no assurance can be given in these respects.

Every U.S. Holder is liable to pay a Canadian withholding tax on every dividend that is or is deemed to be paid or credited to the U.S. Holder on the U.S. Holder’s common shares. The statutory rate of withholding tax is 25% of the gross amount of the dividend paid. The Treaty reduces the statutory rate with respect to dividends paid to a U.S. Holder for the purposes of the Treaty. Where applicable, the general rate of withholding tax under the Treaty is 15% of the gross amount of the dividend, but if the U.S. Holder is a company that owns at least 10% of the voting stock of the Company and beneficially owns the dividend, the rate of withholding tax is 5% for dividends paid or credited after 1996 to such corporate U.S. Holder. The Company is required to withhold the applicable tax from the dividend payable to the U.S. Holder, and to remit the tax to the Receiver General of Canada for the account of the U. S. Holder.

Pursuant to the Tax Act, a U.S. Holder will not be subject to Canadian capital gains tax on any capital gain realized on an actual or deemed disposition of a common share, including a deemed disposition on death, provided that the U.S. Holder did not hold the common share as capital property used in carrying on a business in Canada, and that neither the U.S. Holder nor persons with whom the U.S. Holder did not deal at arms length (alone or together) owned or had the right or an option to acquire 25% or more of the issued shares of any class of the Company at any time in the five years immediately preceding the disposition.

The Company believes that it is a passive foreign investment company, referred to as a "PFIC" for United States federal income tax purposes with respect to a United States Investor. The Company will be a PFIC with respect to a United States Investor if, for any taxable year in which such United States Investor held the Company’s shares, either (i) at least 75 % of the gross income of the Company for the taxable year is passive income, or (ii) at least 50% of the Company’s assets are attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. In each case, the Company must take into account a pro-rata share of the income and the assets of any company in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of the stock by value (the "look-through" rules). Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, royalties, rents (other than rents and royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business and not derived from a related person), annuities and gains from assets that produce passive income. As a publicly traded corporation, the Company would apply the 50% asset test based on the value of the Company’s assets.

Because the Company believes it qualifies as a PFIC, unless a United States Investor who owns shares in the Company (i) elects (a section 1295 election) to have the Company treated as a "qualified electing fund" (a "QEF") (described below), or (ii) marks the stock to market (described below), the following rules apply:

A shareholder that makes a section 1295 election will be currently taxable on his or her pro-rata share of the Company’s ordinary earnings and net capital gain (at ordinary income and capital gain rates, respectively) for each taxable year of the Company, regardless of whether or not distributions were received. The shareholder’s basis in his or her shares will be increased to reflect taxed but undistributed income. Distributions of income that had previously been taxed will result in a corresponding reduction of basis in the shares and will not be taxed again as a distribution to the shareholder.

A shareholder may make a section 1295 election with respect to a PFIC for any taxable year of the shareholder (shareholder’s election year). A section 1295 election is effective for the shareholder’s election year and all subsequent taxable years of the shareholder. Procedures exist for both retroactive elections and filing of protective statements. Once a section 1295 election is made it remains in effect, although not applicable, during those years that the Company is not a PFIC. Therefore, if the Company re-qualifies as a PFIC, the section 1295 election previously made is still valid and the shareholder is required to satisfy the requirements of that election. Once a shareholder makes a section 1295 election, the shareholder may revoke the election only with the consent of the Commissioner.

If the shareholder makes the section 1295 election for the first tax year of the Company as a PFIC that is included in the shareholder’s holding period, the PFIC qualifies as a pedigreed QEF with respect to the shareholder. If a QEF is an unpedigreed QEF with respect to the shareholder, the shareholder is subject to both the non-QEF and QEF regimes. Certain elections are available which enable shareholders to convert an unpedigreed QEF into a pedigreed QEF thereby avoiding such dual application.

A shareholder making the section 1295 election must make the election on or before the due date, as extended, for filing the shareholder’s income tax return for the first taxable year to which the election will apply. A shareholder must make a section 1295 election by completing Form 8621, attaching said Form to its federal income tax return, and reflecting in the Form the information provided in the PFIC Annual Information Statement, or if the shareholder calculated the financial information, a statement to that effect. The PFIC Annual Information Statement must include the shareholder’s pro-rata shares of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the PFIC for the PFIC’s taxable year or information that will enable the shareholder to calculate its pro-rata shares. In addition, the PFIC Annual Information Statement must contain information about distributions to shareholders and a statement that the PFIC will permit the shareholder to inspect and copy its permanent books of account, records, and other documents of the PFIC necessary to determine that the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the PFIC have been calculated according to federal income tax accounting principles. A shareholder may also obtain the books, records and other documents of the foreign corporation necessary for the shareholder to determine the correct earnings and profits and net capital gain of the PFIC according to federal income tax principles and calculate the shareholder’s pro-rata shares of the PFIC’s ordinary earnings and net capital gain. In that case, the PFIC must include a statement in its PFIC Annual Information Statement that it has permitted the shareholder to examine the PFIC’s books of account, records, and other documents necessary for the shareholder to calculate the amounts of ordinary earnings and net capital gain. A shareholder that makes a Section 1295 election with respect to a PFIC held directly or indirectly for each taxable year to which the Section 1295 election applies must comply with the foregoing submissions.

Because the Company’s stock is "marketable" under section 1296(e), a U.S. Investor may elect to mark the stock to market each year. In general, a PFIC shareholder who elects under section 1296 to mark the marketable stock of a PFIC includes in income each year an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock as of the close of the taxable year over the shareholder’s adjusted basis in such stock. A shareholder is also generally allowed a deduction for the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of the PFIC stock over the fair market value as of the close of the taxable year. Deductions under this rule, however, are allowable only to the extent of any net mark to market gains with respect to the stock included by the shareholder for prior taxable years. While the interest charge regime under the PFIC rules generally does not apply to distributions from and dispositions of stock of a PFIC where the U.S. Investor has marked to market, coordination rules for limited application will apply in the case of a U.S. Investor that marks to market PFIC stock later than the beginning of the shareholder's holding period for the PFIC stock.

Special rules apply with respect to the calculation of the amount of the foreign tax credit with respect to excess distributions by a PFIC or inclusions under a QEF.

Sections 951 through 964 and Section 1248 of the Internal Revenue Code, referred to as the "Code", relate to controlled foreign corporations, referred to as "CFCs". A foreign corporation that qualifies as a CFC will not be treated as a PFIC with respect to a shareholder during the portion of the shareholder’s holding period after December 31, 1997, during which the shareholder is a 10% United States shareholder and the corporation is a CFC. The PFIC provisions continue to apply in the case of a PFIC that is also a CFC with respect to shareholders that are less than 10% United States shareholders.

The 10% United States shareholders of a CFC are subject to current U.S. tax on their pro-rata shares of certain income of the CFC and their pro-rata shares of the CFC’s earnings invested in certain U.S. property. The effect is that the CFC provisions may impute some portion of such a corporation’s undistributed income to certain shareholders on a current basis and convert into dividend income some portion of gains on dispositions of stock, which would otherwise qualify for capital gains treatment.

The Company does not believe that it will be a CFC. It is possible that the Company could become a CFC in the future. Even if the Company were classified as a CFC in a future year, however, the CFC rules referred to above would apply only with respect to 10% shareholders.

A corporation will be classified as a personal holding company, or a "PHC", if at any time during the last half of a tax year (i) five or fewer individuals (without regard to their citizenship or residence) directly or indirectly or by attribution own more than 50% in value of the corporation’s stock and (ii) at least 60% of its ordinary gross income, as specially adjusted, consists of personal holding company income (defined generally to include dividends, interest, royalties, rents and certain other types of passive income). A PHC is subject to a United States federal income tax of 39.6% on its undistributed personal holding company income (generally limited, in the case of a foreign corporation, to United States source income).

A corporation will be classified as a foreign personal holding company, or an "FPHC", and not a PHC if at any time during a tax year (i) five or fewer individual United States citizens or residents directly or indirectly or by attribution own more than 50% of the total combined voting power or value of the corporation’s stock and (ii) at least 60% of its gross income consists of foreign personal holding company income (defined generally to include dividends, interest, royalties, rents and certain other types of passive income). Each United States shareholder in a FPHC is required to include in gross income, as a dividend, an allocable share of the FPHC’s undistributed foreign personal holding company income (generally the taxable income of the FPHC, as specially adjusted).

A corporation will be classified as a foreign investment company, or an "FIC", if for any taxable year it: (i) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a management company or share investment trust or is engaged primarily in the business of investing or trading in securities or commodities (or any interest therein); and (ii) 50% or more of the value or the total combined voting power of all the corporation’s stock is owned directly or indirectly (including stock owned through the application of attribution rules) by United States persons. In general, unless an FIC elects to distribute 90% or more of its taxable income (determined under United States tax principles as specially adjusted) to its shareholders, gain on the sale or exchange of FIC stock is treated as ordinary income (rather than capital gain) to the extent of such shareholder’s ratable share of the corporation's earnings and profits for the period during which such stock was held.

The Company believes that it is not and will not be a PHC, FPHC or FIC. However, no assurance can be given as to the Company’s future status.

Dividends are generally subject to the information reporting requirements of the Code. Dividends may be subject to backup withholding at the rate of 31% unless the holder provides a taxpayer identification number on a properly completed Form W-9 or otherwise establishes an exemption.

The amount of any backup withholding will not constitute additional tax and will be allowed as a credit against the United States Investor's federal income tax liability.

Under a number of circumstances, a United States Investor acquiring shares of the Company may be required to file an information return. In particular, any United States Investor who becomes the owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the shares of the Company will be required to file such a return. Other filing requirements may apply and United States Investors should consult their own tax advisors concerning these requirements.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

Copies of the Company’s material contracts are kept in the Company’s administrative headquarters.

None.

As the Company is a small business issuer, this section is inapplicable.

Not Applicable.

None.

None.

The Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's management, including the Company's chief executive officer along with the Company's principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-14. Based upon that evaluation, the Company's chief executive officer along with the Company's principal financial officer concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 20-F are effective in timely alerting them to material information relating to the Company required to be included in this Form 20-F.

The board of directors determined that Mr. Ernest Calvert is qualified as an audit committee Financial Expert. Mr. Ernest Calvert is independent as determined by the NASD listing standards.

The Company has not currently adopted a code of ethics but is evaluating its internal procedures to determine the necessity of same.

The independent auditor for the last two fiscal years was Vellmer & Chang, Chartered Accountants (formerly Hoogendoorn Vellmer, formerly Hoogendoorn & Company).

The aggregate fees billed by Vellmer & Chang for professional services rendered for the audit of the Company's annual financial statements for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2002 was $17,700 and January 31, 2001 was $13,000.

There were no aggregate fees billed for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that were reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company's financial statements for the years ended January 31, 2002 and 2001.

The aggregate fees billed for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning rendered by our independent auditors for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2002 was $1,325 and January 31, 2001 was $1,325. The services comprising these fees include the preparation of corporate tax returns.

Other than referred to above, there were no aggregate fees billed for any other professional services rendered by the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2002 and 2001.

The audit committee approved 100% of the fees paid to the principal accountant for audit-related, tax and other fees in the fiscal year 2004. The audit committee pre-approves all non-audit services to be performed by the auditor in accordance with the audit committee Charter. There were no hours expended on the principal accountant's engagement to audit the Company's financial statements for the most recent fiscal year that were attributed to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant's full-time, permanent employees.

Not applicable.

None.

The following Financial Statements pertaining to the Company are filed as part of this annual report:

See Item 17.

___________________________

* Previously filed.

SIGNATURE

The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.

      (Chief Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have audited the consolidated balance sheets of Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. as at January 31, 2002 and 2001 and the consolidated statements of operations and deficit and cash flows for the years ended January 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards in Canada and the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform an audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.

In our opinion, these consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as at January 31, 2002 and 2001 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended January 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000 in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in Canada.

In the United States of America reporting standards for auditors require the addition of an explanatory paragraph (following the opinion paragraph) when the financial statements are affected by conditions that cast substantial doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, such as those described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements. Our report to the shareholders dated June 20, 2002 is expressed in accordance with Canadian reporting standards which do not permit a reference to such conditions in the auditors’ report when these are adequately disclosed in the financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (“Avino”) was incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia. Its principal business activities include the exploration for and development of mineral properties.

At January 31, 2002 the carrying value of the Bralorne project and the joint venture assets has been reduced to the book value of limited recourse debt secured by the property. Avino subsequently transferred its interest in the project and joint venture assets and liabilities to its joint venture partner in a non-cash transaction. Generally, the underlying carrying value of the mineral property interests and related deferred exploration and development expenditures is dependent upon the existence of economically recoverable reserves, the ability of Avino to obtain necessary financing to complete the exploration and development, and the attainment of future profitable production.

The Company's ability to meet its obligations as they fall due is dependent on its ability to secure sufficient new equity financing. At January 31, 2002, Avino has a working capital deficiency of $358,812. These consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which assumes Avino will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company does not give effect to the adjustments, if any, that would be necessary should it be unable to continue as a going concern and therefore be required to realize its assets and liquidate its liabilities in other than the normal course of business and at amounts which may differ from those shown in the consolidated financial statements.

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in Canada. Differences between Canadian and United States generally accepted accounting principles are disclosed in note 15. All amounts shown in these consolidated financial statements are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.

Avino’s interest in the joint venture with Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mines Ltd. (“Bralorne-Pioneer”) is accounted for by the proportionate consolidation method. Accordingly, the accompanying consolidated financial statements include Avino’s proportionate share of the assets, liabilities, expenses and cash flows relating to the joint venture.

Investments in the shares of companies over which Avino has the ability to exercise significant influence are accounted for using the equity method. Investments in the shares of other companies are accounted for at cost. Investments are written down when there is a decline in value that is other than temporary.

Foreign currency accounts are translated into Canadian dollars by the temporal method, as follows:

Monetary assets and liabilities - at the rate of exchange in effect at the balance sheet date.

Non monetary assets - at the rate of exchange in effect on acquisition, unless such assets are carried at market or nominal value, in which case they are translated at the rate of exchange in effect at the balance sheet date.

 

 

Revenue and expense items - at the average exchange rate for the year.

The investment in the Company’s Mexican affiliate Cia Minera Mexicana de Avino, S.A. de C.V. has also been translated using the temporal method; in previous years as it was considered a self-sustaining entity in a highly inflationary environment, and in the current year as the investment has been written down to nominal value.

Foreign exchange gains and losses are included in operations, except for foreign exchange gains or losses relating to the debentures payable, which are deferred and amortized over the remaining lives of the debentures.

Avino capitalizes the acquisition costs and related exploration and development expenditures until such time as the property to which they relate is brought into production, abandoned, or deemed not to contain economic reserves. The costs will be amortized on a unit-of-production basis following commencement of production or written off to operations if the property is sold, abandoned or deemed not to contain economic reserves. Proceeds received from option payments are netted against capital costs and related exploration and development expenditures of the optioned property. The amounts shown for mineral properties interests and deferred exploration and development represent written down costs incurred to date and do not necessarily reflect present or future values.

At January 31, 2002 the mineral property interest was written down to the book value of the limited recourse debt secured by the property.

The costs associated with the issue of debentures payable are amortized to operations on a straight line basis over the period to maturity on issue.

Upon issuance, the convertible debentures are classified into equity and financial liability components at their present value. The financial liability is accreted by way of a charge to earnings over the conversion term of the debt.

The Company’s financial instruments include cash, accounts receivable and prepaid expenses, amounts due from related parties, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, amounts due to related parties, and debentures payable. The carrying value of these financial instruments approximates their fair values.

Loss per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted loss per share is not presented since it is anti-dilutive.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions which affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and revenues and expenses for the periods reported. These estimates are reviewed periodically, and as adjustments become necessary, they are reported in operations in the period in which they become known.

 

 

Future income tax assets and liabilities are recorded where the accounting net book values of assets and liabilities differ from the corresponding tax bases. The benefit of future income tax assets is only recognized when their realization is considered more likely than not.

No compensation expense is recognized when stock options are issued to employees and directors. Any consideration received by the Company on the exercise of stock options is credited to share capital.

Certain prior year figures have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.

The Company holds the following interests in mineral properties in the Lillooet Mining Division of British Columbia:

Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mines Ltd., a public company with common Directors, earned a 50% joint venture interest in the properties detailed above by making payments totaling $491,392, issuing 200,000 common shares to the Company, and incurring expenditures totaling $808,608 in the years 1993 to 1995.

By an option agreement dated November 23, 1998 Coral Gold Corporation (“Coral”), a public company with common Directors, was granted the option to acquire a 25% interest in the joint venture from the Company’s 50% share. Coral made option payments totaling $700,000 in the 1999 and 2000 fiscal years and shared a 25% interest in all costs until it abandoned its option in the current fiscal year.

At January 31, 1999, the Company reviewed the carrying value of its investment in the Bralorne project and recorded a charge to operations of $1,000,000 to write down the carrying value of the project. The joint venture completed an underground exploration tunneling and sampling program in the current year. At January 31, 2002 the Company has written down the carrying value of the Bralorne project to $1,600,000 being the book value of limited recourse debt secured by the property net of its share of sundry current assets of the joint venture. Subsequent to the year end, Avino transferred all of its interest in the Bralorne project to Bralorne-Pioneer Gold Mines Ltd. together with the liabilities under the debentures for unpaid principal and accrued interest.

 

The carrying value of the Bralorne project is as follows:

Summarized financial information regarding Avino’s proportionate share of the assets, liabilities, expenses and cash flows relating to the Avino-Bralorne joint venture is as follows:

Avino owns 49% of the issued common shares of Cia Minera, a company incorporated in Mexico and involved in the mining of commercial ores and resource exploration and development.

Summarized financial information of Cia Minera in Canadian dollars is as follows: