U.S. and Canadian Sanctions

The U.S. and Canadian governments have imposed various sanctions which, in aggregate, essentially prevent any dealings with Venezuelan government entities and prohibit the Company and its directors, management and employees from dealing with certain Venezuelan individuals or entering into certain transactions (the “Sanctions”). The cumulative impact of the Sanctions continues to restrict the Company from working with those Venezuelan government officials responsible for the payment and transfer of funds associated with the Settlement Agreement and those responsible for the operation of Siembra Minera and the development of the Siembra Minera Project.

The Sanctions implemented by the U.S. government generally block all property of the Venezuelan government and state-owned/controlled entities such as Siembra Minera. In addition, U.S. Sanctions prohibit U.S. persons (as defined by U.S. Sanctions statutes) from dealing with Specially Designated Nationals (“SDNs”) and targets corruption in, among other identified sectors, the gold sector of the Venezuelan economy.

The Sanctions implemented by the Canadian government generally include asset freezes and impose prohibitions on dealings, by Canadian entities and/or individuals as well as other individuals located in Canada, with certain named Venezuelan officials under the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations of the Special Economic Measures Act and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Regulations of the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law).

On June 4, 2020, the Board created the Special Committee, for the purposes of making all decisions and taking all actions for and on behalf of the Board and the Company, and so binding the Company with respect to all matters related to or arising from the business of the Company, that are not permitted to be done by “U.S. Persons” (as defined in 31 C.F.R. § 591.312) pursuant primarily to U.S. Sanctions. This is part of the Company’s efforts to ensure compliance with applicable laws, including, without limitation, U.S. Sanctions, the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations enacted pursuant to the Special Economic Measures Act and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Regulations of the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law). The Special Committee will also ensure that the Company’s actions that it directs are in compliance with applicable laws. The Special Committee is currently comprised of three individuals: two of whom are directors, Mr. Coleman and Mr. Gagnon, along with a former director, Mr. J.C. Potvin who serves as an advisor to the Special Committee. None of these three members of the Special Committee are considered U.S. Persons.

The cumulative impact of the Sanctions restricts the Company from working with those Venezuelan government officials responsible for the payment and transfer of funds associated with the Settlement Agreement and those responsible for the operation of Siembra Minera and the development of the Siembra Minera Project which adversely impacts our ability to collect the remaining amount due pursuant to the Settlement Agreement and/or the Award from Venezuela and, until Sanctions are lifted, obstructs our ability to develop the Siembra Minera Project as originally planned.