OPTION AND ROYALTY AGREEMENT Dated for reference the 4th day of May, 2005
Dated for reference the 4th day of May, 2005
BETWEEN:
GEOCORE EXPLORATION INC., a corporation duly incorporated pursuant to the laws of British Columbia and having an xxxxxx xx Xxx 000 Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0 (the “Optionor”)
AND:
EVOLVING GOLD CORP., a corporation duly incorporated pursuant to the laws of Canada and having an office at Suite 1200, 0000 Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx X0X 0X0 (the "Optionee”)
WHEREAS:
A. | The Optionor is the sole legal and beneficial owner
of the licence listed in Schedule “A” to this Agreement (the
“Licences”), all of which are located in Newfoundland
and Labrador, Canada, as more particularly described in Schedule “A”;
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B. | The Optionor has exclusive possession of and the
right to explore and mine the Licences free and clear of all claims, liens
or encumbrances; and |
C. | The parties now wish to enter into an agreement
whereby the Optionor will grant two options to the Optionee to purchase
in aggregate 80% of the right, title and interest in and to the Licences
on the terms and conditions as hereinafter set forth; |
THE PARTIES AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
1. | INTERPRETATION |
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1.1 | In this Agreement: |
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(a) |
“Additional Licences” has
that meaning set out in Subsection 7.1; |
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(b) |
"Licences" means that licence set out
in Schedule "A" of this Agreement and includes: |
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(i)
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any Additional Licences; and |
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(ii) |
any licences covering any portion of the ground
currently covered by the Licences which may have been re-acquired by the
Optionee or its successors, assigns or associates as a result of any of
the Licences having been previously abandoned; |
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(c) |
“Defaulting Party” has that
meaning set out in Subsection 18.1 of this Agreement; |
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(d) |
"Dollars ($)" means legal currency
of Canada. |
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(e)
|
“First Option” has that meaning
set out in Subsection 3.1 of this Agreement. |
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(f) |
“Intervening Event” has that
meaning set out in Subsection 22.1 of this Agreement; |
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(g) |
"NSR Royalty" means a net smelter returns
royalty, to be paid by the Optionee to the Optionor pursuant to Subsection
11.1 of this Agreement; |
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(h) |
"Net Smelter Returns" means the proceeds
received by the Optionee from any smelter or other purchaser from the
sale of any ores, concentrates or minerals produced from the Licences
after deducting from such proceeds the following charges only to the extent
that they are not deducted by the smelter or other purchaser in computing
the proceeds: |
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(i)
|
the cost of transportation of the ores, concentrates
or minerals from the Licences to such smelter or other purchaser, including
related transport; |
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(ii) |
smelting and refining charges including penalties;
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(iii) |
marketing costs; and |
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(i) |
“Second Option” has that meaning
set out in Subsection 3.2 of this Agreement. |
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2. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
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2.1 | The Optionee represents and warrants to
the Optionor that: |
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(a) |
it is a body corporate duly incorporated,
organized and validly subsisting under the laws of Canada; |
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(b) |
it has full power and authority to carry
on its business and to enter into this Agreement and any agreement or
instrument referred to or contemplated by this Agreement; |
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(c) |
neither the execution and delivery of
this Agreement nor any of the agreements referred to herein or contemplated
hereby, nor the consummation of the transactions hereby contemplated will
conflict with, result in the breach of or accelerate the performance required
by any agreement to which the Optionee is a party or by which it is bound;
and |
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(d) |
the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the agreements contemplated hereby will not violate or result in the
breach of the laws of any jurisdiction applicable or pertaining thereto.
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2.2 | The Optionor represents and warrants to
the Optionee: |
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(a) |
it is a corporation duly incorporated
pursuant to the laws of British Columbia and is in good standing with
respect to filing annual reports; |
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(b) |
it has full power and authority to carry
on its business and to enter into this Agreement and any agreement or
instrument referred to or contemplated by this Agreement; |
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(c) |
neither the execution and delivery of
this Agreement nor any of the agreements referred to herein or contemplated
hereby, nor the consummation of the transactions hereby |
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contemplated will conflict with, result in the breach
of or accelerate the performance required by any agreement to which the
Optionor is a party or by which it is bound; and |
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(d)
|
the Licences have been duly and validly located,
staked and recorded, are accurately described in Schedule "A", are presently
in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are
located and, except as set forth herein, are free and clear of all liens,
charges and encumbrances; |
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(e) |
the Optionor is the sole beneficial owner of a 100%
interest in and to the Licences and has the exclusive right to enter into
this Agreement and all necessary authority to dispose of a 100% interest
in and to the Licences in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;
|
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(f) |
the Optionor is the sole registered owner of the
Licences; and |
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(g) |
no person, firm or corporation has any proprietary
or possessory interest in the Licences other than the Optionor and no
person is entitled to any royalty or other payment in the nature of rent
or royalty on any diamonds, minerals, ores, metals or concentrates or
any other such products removed from the Licences. |
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2.3 | The representations and warranties hereinbefore
set out are conditions on which the parties have relied in entering into
this Agreement and will survive the acquisition of any interest in the
Licences by the Optionee and each party will indemnify and save the other
party harmless from all loss, damage, costs, actions and suits arising
out of or in connection with any breach or any representation, warranty,
covenant, agreement or condition made by the other party and contained
in this Agreement. |
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3. | GRANT OF OPTION TO PURCHASE |
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3.1 | The Optionor hereby grants to the Optionee
the exclusive and irrevocable option (the “First Option”)
to acquire, free of all liens, charges, encumbrances, claims or rights
of others, an undivided 60% right, title and interest in and to the Licences,
exercisable by the Optionee: |
|
(a) |
paying to lawyer for the Optionor in trust for the
Optionor $35,000 on the execution of this Agreement; |
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(b) |
incurring exploration expense of at least $200,000
on the Licences by October 31, 2006; and |
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(c) |
incurring cumulative exploration expense of at least
$500,000 by October 31, 2007. |
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3.2 | Subject to the exercise of the First Option
and subject to the Optionee advising the Optionor in writing of its intention
to proceed to attempt to exercise the Second Option, the Optionor hereby
grants to the Optionee the exclusive and irrevocable option (the “Second
Option”) to acquire, free of all liens, charges, encumbrances,
claims or rights of others, an additional undivided 20% right, title and
interest in and to the Licences, exercisable by the Optionee: |
|
(a) |
incurring cumulative exploration expense of at least
$1,000,000 on the Licences by October 31, 2008; and |
|
(b) |
delivering to the Optionor by October 31, 2008 a
written notice of intention to exercise the Second Option. |
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4. | EXERCISE OF OPTION – COMMENCEMENT
OF JOINT VENTURE |
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4.1 | Upon the completion of the payments, incurring
the exploration expense and providing the notice of election to exercise
set out in Subsection 3.1 in accordance with the terms of this Agreement
the First Option shall be exercised and the Optionee will, subject to
the right of the Optionor to receive the NSR Royalty, own 60% of the right,
title and interest in and to the Licenses. |
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4.2 | Upon incurring the exploration expense
and providing the notice of election to exercise set out in Subsection
3.2 in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Second Option
shall be exercised and the Optionee will, subject to the right of the
Optionor to receive the NSR Royalty, own 80% of the right, title and interest
in and to the Licenses. |
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4.3 | Upon either: |
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(a)
|
the exercise of the First Option and the failure
by the Optionee to provide the Optionor notice in accordance with Section
3.2 of its intention to attempt to exercise the Second Option; or |
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(b) |
the exercise of the Second Option, |
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all operations shall be conducted as a
joint venture in accordance with a Joint Venture Agreement the salient
provisions of which are set forth in Schedule “B”. The establishment
of the Joint Venture Agreement and the assignment of interests in the
Licenses in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall be effected
in the manner as may be determined by the Optionor and the Optionee to
be the most advantageous having regard to the mining and taxation laws
applicable at that time. |
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5. | TRANSFER OF TITLE |
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5.1 | Upon completion of the exercise of the
First Option, the Optionor will deliver to the Optionee a duly executed
transfer in registrable form of 60% right, title and interest in and to
the Licences in favour of the Optionee which the Optionee will be entitled
to register against title to the Licences. |
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5.2 | Upon completion of the exercise of the
Second Option, the Optionor will deliver to the Optionee a duly executed
transfer in registrable form of a further 20% right, title and interest
in and to the Licences in favour of the Optionee which the Optionee will
be entitled to register against title to the Licences. |
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6. | OPTION ONLY |
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6.1 | This Agreement is for an option only.
Except for the payment of cash under Subsection 3.1(a) the Optionee is
not obliged to make any payment of money to the Optionor, issue and deliver
any shares in the capital of the Optionee or incur exploration expense
on the Licences. The Optionor hereby agrees that the Optionee may terminate
the Option at any time. The Optionee will pay all taxes and assessments
required to maintain the Licences in good standing during the term of
the First Option and the Second Option and, in the event that the First
Option or Second Option is terminated or expires without being exercised,
then the Optionee will pay all taxes and assessments required to maintain
the Licences in good standing for a period of one year from such termination
or expiration of the such option. |
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7. | OTHER ACQUISITIONS |
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7.1 | The parties agree that a 100% interest
in any and all mineral interests staked, located, granted or acquired
by or on behalf of any party during the currency of this Agreement which
are located wholly or partially within two kilometers of the Licences
(the “Additional Licences”) shall, at the option of
the other party, form part of the Licences and be subject to the terms
of the First Option and Second Option provided that if such mineral interests
are acquired by: |
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(a) |
the Optionor, the Optionee will first
be required to reimburse the Optionee for its acquisition costs; and |
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(b) |
the Optionee: |
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(i)
|
any acquisition costs incurred by the Optionee pursuant
to such mineral interests shall be applied to and reduce any outstanding
exploration expenses required pursuant to section 3.1 and 3.2, as the
case may be; and |
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(ii) |
if there is an existing royalty payable on such
acquisition of 1.5% or greater, then no NSR Royalty shall be paid with
respect to such mineral interests and if there is an existing royalty
payable on such acquisition being less than 1.5%, then the amount of the
NSR Royalty payable with respect to such mineral interests will be that
amount such that the sum of that amount and the existing royalty payable
is 1.5%. |
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8. | RIGHT OF ENTRY |
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8.1 | During the currency of this Agreement,
the Optionee, its employees, agents and independent contractors, will
have the sole and exclusive right to: |
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(a) |
enter upon the Licences; |
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(b) |
have exclusive and quiet possession thereof,
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(c) |
do such prospecting, exploration, development
or other mining work thereon and thereunder as the Optionee in its sole
discretion may consider advisable; and |
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(d) |
bring and erect upon the Licences such
facilities as the Optionee may consider advisable. |
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8.2 | If the Optionee terminates the First Option
or the First Option otherwise expires, the Optionee shall restore the
land pertaining to the Licences to a condition acceptable to the Optionor,
acting reasonably, and all buildings, plant, equipment, machinery, tools,
appliances and supplies which the Optionee may have brought on the land
pertaining to the Licences, may be removed by the Optionee at any time
not later than six months thereafter. Any buildings, plant, equipment,
machinery, tools, appliances and supplies left on the land pertaining
to the Licences during the six-month period shall be at the Optionee’s
sole risk and, if not removed after the six-month period, shall become
the property of the Optionor. If the Optionor chooses to have such property
or any part thereof removed and dispersed of, the Optionee shall reimburse
the Optionor for its costs so incurred. |
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9. | COVENANTS OF THE OPTIONOR |
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9.1 | During the currency of this Agreement
the Optionor will: |
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(a) |
not do any act or thing which would or
might in any way adversely affect the rights of the Optionee hereunder;
|
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(b) |
make available to the Optionee and its
representatives all records and files in the possession of the Optionor
relating to the Licences and permit the Optionee and its representatives
at its own expense to take abstracts therefrom and make copies thereof;
and |
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(c) |
promptly provide the Optionee with any
and all notices and correspondence received by the Optionor from government
agencies in respect of the Licences. |
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10. | COVENANTS OF THE OPTIONEE |
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10.1 | During the currency of this Agreement,
the Optionee will: |
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(a) |
keep the Licences free and clear of all
liens, charges and encumbrances arising from its operations hereunder;
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(b) |
keep the Licences in good standing during
the term of the First Option and Second Option by the doing and filing
of all necessary work and assessments and by the doing of all other acts
and things and paying all taxes and making all other payments which may
be necessary in that regard; |
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(c) |
ensure that reports on all work performed
before each anniversary date of the Licences are filed within 60 days
of that anniversary date of any of the Licences; |
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(d) |
permit the Optionor, or its representatives
duly authorized by it in writing, at its own risk and expense, access
to the Licences at all reasonable times and to all records prepared by
the Optionee in connection with work done on or with respect to the Licences;
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(d) |
provide the Optionor with copies of all
geological reports or other like reports prepared by the Optionee or prepared
for the Optionee within 90 days of either: |
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(i)
|
the abandonment of the First Option, or |
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(ii) |
the date of the abandonment of the Second Option
or the exercise of the Second Option, the Optionee will have prepared
and delivered to the Optionor a geological report prepared in accordance
with National Instrument 43-101; and |
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(f) |
conduct all work on or with respect to
the Licences in a careful and minerlike manner and in compliance with
all applicable Federal, provincial and local laws, rules, orders and regulations,
and indemnify and save the Optionor harmless from any and all claims,
suits, actions made or brought against it as a result of work done by
the Optionee on or with respect to the Licences. |
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11. | NSR ROYALTY |
11.1 | Subject to Subsection 7.1(b)(ii), the Optionee will
pay to the Optionor a royalty equal to a one and one-half percent (1.5%)
in aggregate net smelter returns royalty (as defined in Subsection 1.1),
subject to Subsection 11.4 of this Agreement. |
11.2 | Payment of the NSR Royalty will be made quarterly
within 30 days after the end of each yearly quarter based upon a year
commencing on the 1st day of January and expiring on the 31st day of December
in any year in which ores, concentrates or minerals are removed from the
Licences. Within 60 days after the end of each year for which the NSR
Royalty is payable, the records relating to the calculation of the NSR
Royalty for such year will be audited by the Optionee and any adjustments
in the payment of the NSR Royalty will be made forthwith after completion
of the audit. All payments of the NSR Royalty for a year will be deemed
final and in full satisfaction of all obligations of the Optionee in respect
thereof if such payments or calculations thereof are not disputed by the
Optionor within 60 days after receipt by The Optionor of the said audit
statement. The Optionee will maintain accurate records relevant to the
determination of the NSR Royalty and the Optionor, or its authorized agent,
shall be permitted the right to examine such records at all reasonable
times. |
11.3 | The determination of the NSR Royalty hereunder is
based on the premise that production will be developed solely on the Licences
except that the Optionee will have the right to commingle ore mined from
the Licences with ore mined and produced from other properties provided
the Optionee will adopt and employ reasonable practices and procedures
for weighing, sampling and assaying, in order to determine the amounts
of products derived from, or attributable to ore mined and produced from
the Licences. The Optionee will maintain accurate records of the results
of such sampling, weighing and analysis with respect to any ore mined
and produced from the Licences. The Optionor or its authorized agents
will be permitted the right to examine at all reasonable times such records
pertaining to commingling of ore or to the calculation of Net Smelter
Returns. |
11.4 | The Optionee shall have the right at any time to
purchase up to 50% of the NSR Royalty (0.75%) by paying to the Optionor
$250,000 for each 0.25% of the NSR Royalty, such that the Optionee
will have to pay an aggregate sum of $750,000 for 50% of the NSR Royalty.
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12. | REGISTRATION OF AGREEMENT |
12.1 | Notwithstanding any term of this Agreement, the
Optionee will have the right at any time to register this Agreement or
a Memorandum thereof against title to the Licences. |
14. | CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF INFORMATION |
14.1 | The parties agree to hold in confidence all information
obtained in confidence in respect of the Licences or otherwise in connection
with this Agreement other than in circumstances where a party has an obligation
to disclose such information in accordance with applicable securities
legislation. |
15. | FURTHER ASSURANCES |
15.1 | The parties hereto agree that they and each of them
will execute all documents and do all acts and things within their respective
powers to carry out and implement the provisions or intent of this Agreement.
|
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16. | NOTICE |
16.1 | Any notice, direction or other instrument required
or permitted to be given under this Agreement will be in writing and will
be given by the delivery or the same or by mailing the same by prepaid
registered or certified mail in each case addressed as provided in page
1 of this Agreement. |
16.2 | Any notice, direction or other instrument aforesaid
will, if delivered, be deemed to have been given and received on the day
it was delivered, and if mailed, be deemed to have been given and received
on the tenth business day following the day of mailing, except in the
event of disruption of the postal services in which event notice will
be deemed to be received only when actually received. |
16.3 | Any party may at any time give to the other notice
in writing of any change of address of the party giving such notice and
from and after the giving of such notice, the address or addresses therein
specified will be deemed to be the address of such party for the purpose
of giving notice hereunder. |
17. | HEADINGS |
17.1 | The headings to the respective sections herein will
not be deemed part of this Agreement but will be regarded as having been
used for convenience only. |
18. | DEFAULT |
18.1 | If any party (a "Defaulting Party") is in
default of any requirement herein set forth (including any provision of
Subsection 3.1 of this Agreement), the party affected by such default
will give written notice to the Defaulting Party specifying the default
and the Defaulting Party will not lose any rights under this Agreement,
unless within 30 days after the giving of notice of default by the affected
party the Defaulting Party has not cured the default by the appropriate
performance and if the Defaulting Party fails within such period to cure
any such default, the affected party will be entitled to seek any remedy
it may have on account of such default. |
19. | PAYMENT |
19.1 | All references to monies hereunder will be in Canadian
funds except where otherwise designated. All payments to be made to any
party hereunder will be either wired to the bank account of the intended
party or mailed or delivered to such party at its address for notice purposes
as provided herein, or for the account of such party at such bank or banks
as such party may designate from time to time by written notice. Said
bank or banks will be deemed the agent of the designating party for the
purpose of receiving, collecting and receiving such payment. |
20. | ENUREMENT |
20.1 | This Agreement will enure to the benefit of and
be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and
permitted assigns. |
21. | TERMS |
21.1 | The terms and provisions of this Agreement shall
be interpreted in accordance with the laws of British Columbia. |
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22. | FORCE MAJEURE |
22.1 | No party will be liable for its failure to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement due to a cause beyond its
control (except those caused by its own lack of funds) including, but
not limited to acts of God, fire, flood, explosion, strikes, lockouts
or other industrial disturbances, laws, rules and regulations or orders
of any duly constituted governmental authority or non- availability of
materials or transportation (each an "Intervening Event"). |
22.2 | All time limits imposed by this Agreement will be
extended by a period equivalent to the period of delay resulting from
an Intervening Event described in Subsection 22.1 of this Agreement. |
22.3 | A party relying on the provisions of Subsection
22.1 of this Agreement will take all reasonable steps to eliminate an
Intervening Event and, if possible, will perform its obligations under
this Agreement as far as practical, but nothing herein will require such
party to settle or adjust any labour dispute or to question or to test
the validity of any law, rule, regulation or order of any duly constituted
governmental authority or to complete its obligations under this Agreement
if an Intervening Event renders completion impossible. |
23. | ENTIRE AGREEMENT |
23.1 | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties and replaces and supersedes all prior agreements,
memoranda, correspondence, communications, negotiations and representations.
|
24. | TIME OF ESSENCE |
24.1 | Time will be of the essence in this Agreement. |
25. | EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT |
25.1 | This Agreement may be signed in counterpart and
by fax. |
GEOCORE EXPLORATION INC. | ) | ||
) | |||
) | |||
Per: | “Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx” | ) | |
Name of Authorized Signatory | ) | ||
EVOLVING GOLD CORP. | ) | ||
) | |||
) | |||
Per: | “Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx” | ) | |
Name of Authorized Signatory | ) |
Schedule “A”
This is Schedule "A" to the Option Agreement dated May 4, 2005 between Geocore
Exploration Inc., as optionor and Evolving Gold Corp., as optionee
The Licences:
Licence Number |
Registered Owner |
Status | Location | Original No. Of Claims |
Renewal Date |
9710M | Geocore Exploration Inc. |
Issued (Extended 2004/12/22) |
Ikadlivik Brook |
192 | December 22, 2009 |
Schedule “B”
This is Schedule "B" to the Option and Royalty Agreement dated May 4, 2005 between
Geocore Exploration Inc., as optionor and Evolving Gold Corp., as optionee
MINIMUM TERMS OF JOINT VENTURE
The Joint Venture Agreement that will result from the terms of the Option and Royalty Agreement dated May 4, 2005 (the “Option and Royalty Agreement”) between Geocore Exploration Inc. and Evolving Gold Corp. will contain the following minimum terms together with such other terms and conditions as the respective counsel for the parties may reasonably request in order that the affairs of the Optionor and the Optionee (together the "Participants") in respect of the Licenses may be reasonably carried out as a joint venture operation (the “Joint Venture”):
1. | On the date that the Optionee has exercised the
First Option in full and acquired its 60% interest in the Licenses, the
Optionor will hold a 40% participating interest and the Optionee will
hold a 60% participating interest in the Joint Venture (the "Proportionate
Interests"). |
2. | Subject to Subsection 4.3(a) of the Option and Royalty
Agreement, each Participant will have deemed to incur exploration expenditures
under the Option and Royalty Agreement in the amount set out in the below
table (also called the “Participant’s Initial Contribution”):
|
Participant | Participant’s Initial Contribution |
The Optionee | $500,000 (deemed) |
The Optionor | $333,333 (deemed) |
3. | Subject to Subsection 4.3(b) of the Option and Royalty
Agreement, each Participant will have deemed to incur exploration expenditures
under the Option and Royalty Agreement in the amount set out in the below
table (also called the “Participant’s Initial Contribution”):
|
Participant | Participant’s Initial Contribution |
The Optionee | $1,333,332 (deemed) |
The Optionor | $333,333 (deemed) |
4. | The objectives of the Joint Venture will be to further
explore and, if feasible, to place the Licenses or some part thereof into
commercial production. |
5. | The affairs of the Joint Venture will be governed
by the direction and control of a management committee (the "Management
Committee") to be composed of one representative and one alternate
from each of the Participants, with decisions of the Management Committee
to be determined by a majority of the percentage interests in the Licenses
as voted by the representatives, except that if there is a deadlock, the
deciding vote will be cast by the Operator, as defined below. |
6. | Any decision to place the Licenses into commercial
production is to be based on a feasibility study approved by the Management
Committee; |
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7. | The Optionee will act as the initial operator
(the “Operator”) of the Joint Venture, subject the budget
and programmes which when duly approved by the parties under the Joint
Venture shall be “Approved Programme and Budget” as
determined by the Management Committee and the Management Committee will
have such other powers and duties as required to carry out that function.
If the Optionee's interest falls below 50%, then the Optionor may request
a change of Operator. The Operator will be paid a fee as follows: |
|
(a)
|
following formation of a Joint Venture between the
Participants but prior to the commencement of commercial production, 4%
of all exploration expenditures except in the case of exploration expenditures
under a single contract in excess of $100,000 in which case the fee
will be 2% of those expenditures; and |
|
(b) |
after the commencement of Commercial Production,
3% of all development and production expenditures except in the case of
development and production expenditures under a single contract in excess
of $100,000 in which case the fee will be 2% of such development and
production expenditures. |
|
8. | The joint operations under the Joint Venture
will commence automatically on the date as set out in Section 4.3 of the
Option and Royalty Agreement, whether or not a formal joint venture agreement
has been entered into. The Management Committee will hold its first joint
venture meeting within 60 days of the relevant option exercise in Section
.4.3 of the Option and Royalty Agreement and the parties agree to have
a formal joint venture agreement finalized within 190 days of such exercise.
|
|
9. | Each Participant is entitled to elect
to participate, in proportion to its interest (“Proportionate
Share”), in the exploration, development, and mining operation
of the Licenses subject to the following: |
|
(a) |
If a Participant elects not to contribute its share
of costs and the other Participant elects to contribute to the shortfall
which has been created thereby, the interests of the Participants shall
be adjusted so that each Participant holds an interest which is proportionate
to its contribution to the total exploration, development and mining operation
costs. If a Participant permits its interest to be reduced to 5% or less,
then that Participant shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Joint
Venture and its interest will be converted to a 0.5% Net Smelter Returns
Royalty (“NSR Royalty”); |
|
(b) |
If a Participant elects not to contribute its share
of costs, or elects to contribute less than its agreed upon share of costs,
and the other Participant is unwilling or unable to contribute to the
shortfall which has been created thereby, that Participant may elect to
continue with the programme based on its proportionate share of costs,
and the interests of the Participants shall be adjusted so that each Participant
holds an interest which is proportionate to its contribution to the total
exploration costs. If a Participant permits its interest to be reduced
to 5% or less, then that Participant shall be deemed to have withdrawn
from the Joint Venture and its interest will be converted to a 0.5% NSR
Royalty; and |
|
(c) |
In the event that a Participant’s interest
is converted to a 0.5% NSR Royalty as a result of Sections 9(a) or (b)
of this joint venture agreement, such Participant shall have the right
at any time to purchase up to 50% of such NSR Royalty (0.25%) by paying
to the other Participant the sum of $250,000. |
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10. | A Participant contributing its Proportionate
Share of mine costs is entitled to receive, in kind, its Proportionate
Share of any minerals produced from a mine on the property and to separately
dispose of the same. |
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11. | Each Participant will have a right of
first refusal for thirty days in respect of the other Participant wishing
to dispose all or a part of its Proportionate Share in the Joint Venture.
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12. | If a Participant defaults in paying its
share of expenditures related to an Approved Programme and Budget in which
it elected to participate, the non-defaulting Participant shall apprise
the defaulting Participant of the default whereupon the defaulting Participant
shall have 30 days to pay the moneys owed. If, after receiving the notice
and opportunity to cure the default of the monies remaining unpaid, the
defaulting Participant's interest will be reduced according to the following
formula: |
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Divide the sum of: |
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(i)
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the agreed value of the Participant's Initial Contribution;
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(ii) |
the total of all of the Participant's Contribution
under the Joint Venture; and |
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(iii) |
the amount, if any, the Participant elects to contribute
and does contribute (including such amount paid on account of default
of another Participant) to the adopted Approved Programme and Budget;
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by the sum of (i), (ii), and (iii) for
all Participants; and Multiply the result by 100. |