ATHENA GOLD CORP - Annual Report: 2013 (Form 10-K)

SILVER PRICES

Our operating results are substantially dependent upon the world market prices of silver. We have no control over silver prices, which can fluctuate widely. The volatility of such prices is illustrated by the following table, which sets forth the high and low London Fix prices of silver (as reported by www.kitco.com) per ounce during the periods indicated:

These historical prices are not indicative of future silver prices. 

MARKETING

All of our mining operations, if successful, will produce silver in doré form or a concentrate that contains silver.

We plan to market our refined metal and doré to credit worthy bullion trading houses, market makers and members of the London Bullion Market Association, industrial companies and sound financial institutions.

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The refined metals will be sold to end users for use in electronic circuitry, jewelry, silverware, and the pharmaceutical and technology industries. Generally, the loss of a single bullion trading counterparty would not adversely affect us due to the liquidity of the markets and the availability of alternative trading counterparties.

We plan to refine and market its precious metals doré and concentrates using a geographically diverse group of third party smelters and refiners. The loss of any one smelting and refining client may have a material adverse effect if alternate smelters and refiners are not available. We believe there is sufficient global capacity available to address the loss of any one smelter.   

GOVERNMENT REGULATION

General

Our activities are and will be subject to extensive federal, state and local laws governing the protection of the environment, prospecting, mine development, production, taxes, labor standards, occupational health, mine safety, toxic substances and other matters. The costs associated with compliance with such regulatory requirements are substantial and possible future legislation and regulations could cause additional expense, capital expenditures, restrictions and delays in the development and continued operation of our properties, the extent of which cannot be predicted. In the context of environmental permitting, including the approval of reclamation plans, we must comply with known standards and regulations which may entail significant costs and delays. Although we are committed to environmental responsibility and believe we are in substantial compliance with applicable laws and regulations, amendments to current laws and regulations, more stringent implementation of these laws and regulations through judicial review or administrative action or the adoption of new laws could have a materially adverse effect upon our results of operations.

Federal Environmental Laws

Certain mining wastes from extraction and beneficiation of ores are currently exempt from the extensive set of Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulations governing hazardous waste, although such wastes may be subject to regulation under state law as a solid or hazardous waste. The EPA has worked on a program to regulate these mining wastes pursuant to its solid waste management authority under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”). Certain ore processing and other wastes are currently regulated as hazardous wastes by the EPA under RCRA. If our future mine wastes, if any, were treated as hazardous waste or such wastes resulted in operations being designated as a “Superfund” site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA” or “Superfund”) for cleanup, material expenditures would be required for the construction of additional waste disposal facilities or for other remediation expenditures. Under CERCLA, any present owner or operator of a Superfund site or an owner or operator at the time of its contamination generally may be held liable and may be forced to undertake remedial cleanup action or to pay for the government’s cleanup efforts. Such owner or operator may also be liable to governmental entities for the cost of damages to natural resources, which may be substantial. Additional regulations or requirements may also be imposed upon our future tailings and waste disposal, if any, in Nevada under the Federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”) and state law counterparts. We have reviewed and considered current federal legislation relating to climate change and we do not believe it to have a material effect on our operations. Additional regulation or requirements under any of these laws and regulations could have a materially adverse effect upon our results of operations.

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EMPLOYEES AND CONSULTANTS

We have only one part-time employee, Mr. Power, who devotes approximately 25% of his time and attention to our business.  We have agreed to pay Mr. Power $2,500 per month for his services.

We rely heavily on the services of consulting engineers and geologists.   

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ITEM 1A – RISK FACTORS.

An investment in our securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk.  Please carefully consider the following risk factors, as well as the possibility of the loss of your entire investment, before deciding to invest in our securities.

Risks Related to our Business

Due to our history of operating losses our auditors are uncertain that we will be able to continue as a going concern.

Our financial statements have been prepared assuming that we will continue as a going concern. Due to our continuing operating losses and negative cash flows from our operations, the reports of our auditors issued in connection with our financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, contain explanatory paragraphs indicating that the foregoing matters raised substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to continue as a going concern

We have no history of or experience in mineral production.

We have no history of or experience in producing silver or other metals. The development of our Langtry Project would require the construction and operation of mines, processing plants, and related infrastructure. As a result, we would be subject to all of the risks associated with establishing a new mining operation and business enterprise. We may never successfully establish mining operations, and any such operations may not achieve profitability.

Our principal shareholders and control persons are also principal shareholders and control persons of Magellan and Silver Saddle, which could result in conflicts with the interests of minority stockholders.

Messrs. Gibbs and Power are control persons and principal shareholders of Athena, Magellan and Silver Saddle.  Athena, Magellan and Silver Saddle are engaged in mineral exploration activities, although in different geographical regions. While the geographical focus of the companies is different, numerous conflicts could arise in the future.  For example, Messrs. Gibbs and Power have provided the majority of working capital for all three companies to date, and in the likely event that these companies require additional capital in the future, their resources may be inadequate to finance the activities of all. In addition, if new prospects become available, a conflict may exist with respect to which company to offer those opportunities. Messrs. Gibbs and Power have not developed a conflict of interest policy to mitigate the potential adverse effects of these conflicts and as a result these conflicts represent a significant risk to the shareholders of the Company. Conflicts for access to limited resources and opportunities cannot be eliminated completely, and investors should be aware of their potential.

Our principal executive officer intends to devote only a limited amount of his time and attention to our business.

Mr. Power is the principal executive officer of both Athena and Magellan.  He anticipates that he will only devote approximately 25% of his time and attention to our business.  This limited focus could result in significant delays in our exploration and development activities and ability to generate revenues and profits, if any, in the future.

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We have no proven or probable reserves.

We are currently in the exploration stage and have no proven or probable reserves, as those terms are defined by the SEC, on any of our properties including the Langtry Project. The mineralized material identified to date in respect of the Langtry Project has not demonstrated economic viability and we cannot provide any assurance that mineral reserves with economic viability will be identified on that property.

In order to demonstrate the existence of proven or probable reserves under SEC guidelines, it would be necessary for us to advance the exploration of our Langtry Project by significant additional delineation drilling to demonstrate the existence of sufficient mineralized material with satisfactory continuity which would provide the basis for a feasibility study which would demonstrate with reasonable certainty that the mineralized material can be economically extracted and produced. We do not have sufficient data to support a feasibility study with regard to the Langtry Project, and in order to perform the drill work to support such feasibility study, we must obtain the necessary permits and funds to continue our exploration efforts. It is possible that, even after we have obtained sufficient geologic data to support a feasibility study on the Langtry Project, such study will conclude that none of the identified mineral deposits can be economically and legally extracted or produced. If we cannot adequately confirm or discover any mineral reserves of precious metals on the Langtry Property, we may not be able to generate any revenues. Even if we discover mineral reserves on the Langtry Property in the future that can be economically developed, the initial capital costs associated with development and production of any reserves found is such that we might not be profitable for a significant time after the initiation of any development or production. The commercial viability of a mineral deposit once discovered is dependent on a number of factors beyond our control, including particular attributes of the deposit such as size, grade and proximity to infrastructure, as well as metal prices. In addition, development of a project as significant as Langtry will likely require significant debt financing, the terms of which could contribute to a delay of profitability.

The exploration of mineral properties is highly speculative in nature, involves substantial expenditures and is frequently non-productive.

Mineral exploration is highly speculative in nature and is frequently non-productive. Substantial expenditures are required to:

•  establish ore reserves through drilling and metallurgical and other testing techniques;

•  determine metal content and metallurgical recovery processes to extract metal from the ore; and,

•  design mining and processing facilities.

If we discover ore at the Langtry Project, we expect that it would be several additional years from the initial phases of exploration until production is possible. During this time, the economic feasibility of production could change. As a result of these uncertainties, there can be no assurance that our exploration programs will result in proven and probable reserves in sufficient quantities to justify commercial operations at the Langtry Project.

Even if our exploration efforts at Langtry are successful, we may not be able to raise the funds necessary to develop the Langtry Project.

If our exploration efforts at Langtry are successful, our current estimates indicate that we would be required to raise at least $50 million in external financing to develop and construct the Langtry Project. Sources of external financing could include bank borrowings and debt and equity offerings, but financing has become significantly more difficult to obtain in the current market environment. The failure to obtain financing would have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy and our results of operations and financial condition. There can be no assurance that we will commence production at Langtry or generate

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sufficient revenues to meet our obligations as they become due or obtain necessary financing on acceptable terms, if at all, and we may not be able to secure the financing necessary to begin or sustain production at the Langtry Project. In addition, should we incur significant losses in future periods, we may be unable to continue as a going concern, and we may not be able to realize our assets and settle our liabilities in the normal course of business at amounts reflected in our financial statements included or incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K.

We may not be able to obtain permits required for development of the Langtry Project.

In the ordinary course of business, mining companies are required to seek governmental permits for expansion of existing operations or for the commencement of new operations. We will be required to obtain numerous permits for our Langtry Project. Obtaining the necessary governmental permits is a complex and time-consuming process involving numerous jurisdictions and often involving public hearings and costly undertakings.  Our efforts to develop the Property may also be opposed by environmental groups.  In addition, mining projects require the evaluation of environmental impacts for air, water, vegetation, wildlife, cultural, historical, geological, geotechnical, geochemical, soil and socioeconomic conditions. An Environmental Impact Statement would be required before we could commence mine development or mining activities. Baseline environmental conditions are the basis on which direct and indirect impacts of the Langtry Project are evaluated and based on which potential mitigation measures would be proposed. If the Langtry Project were found to significantly adversely impact the baseline conditions, we could incur significant additional costs to avoid or mitigate the adverse impact, and delays in the Langtry Project could result.

Permits would also be required for, among other things, storm-water discharge; air quality; wetland disturbance; dam safety (for water storage and/or tailing storage); septic and sewage; and water rights appropriation. In addition, compliance must be demonstrated with the Endangered Species Act and the National Historical Preservation Act.

The mining industry is intensely competitive.

The mining industry is intensely competitive. We may be at a competitive disadvantage because we must compete with other individuals and companies, many of which have greater financial resources, operational experience and technical capabilities than we do. Increased competition could adversely affect our ability to attract necessary capital funding or acquire suitable producing properties or prospects for mineral exploration in the future. We may also encounter increasing competition from other mining companies in our efforts to locate acquisition targets, hire experienced mining professionals and acquire exploration resources.

Our future success is subject to risks inherent in the mining industry.

Our future mining operations, if any, would be subject to all of the hazards and risks normally incident to developing and operating mining properties. These risks include:

•  insufficient ore reserves;

•  fluctuations in metal prices and increase in production costs that may make mining of reserves uneconomic;

•  significant environmental and other regulatory restrictions;

•  labor disputes; geological problems;

•  failure of underground stopes and/or surface dams;

•  force majeure events; and

•  the risk of injury to persons, property or the environment.

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Our future profitability will be affected by changes in the prices of metals.

If we establish reserves, complete a favorable feasibility study for the Langtry Project, and complete development of a mine, our profitability and long-term viability will depend, in large part, on the market price of silver. The market prices for metals are volatile and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control, including:

• global or regional consumption patterns;

• supply of, and demand for, silver and other metals;

• speculative activities;

• expectations for inflation; and

• political and economic conditions.

The aggregate effect of these factors on metals prices is impossible for us to predict. Decreases in metals prices could adversely affect our ability to finance the exploration and development of our properties, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and cash flows. There can be no assurance that metals prices will not decline. As reported on the website www.kitco.com, during the three-year period ended December 31, 2013, the high and low settlement prices for silver were $48.70 and $18.61 per ounce, respectively.

The market price of silver is volatile. Low silver prices could result in decreased revenues, decreased net income or increased losses and decreased cash flows, and may negatively affect our business.

Silver is a commodity.  Its price fluctuates, and is affected by many factors beyond our control, including interest rates, expectations regarding inflation, speculation, currency values, governmental decisions regarding the disposal of precious metals stockpiles, global and regional demand and production, political and economic conditions and other factors.

 The price of silver may decline in the future. Factors that are generally understood to contribute to a decline in the price of silver include sales by private and government holders, and a general global economic slowdown. If the price of silver is depressed for a sustained period and our net losses continue, we may be forced to suspend operations until the prices increase, and to record asset impairment write-downs. Any continued or increased net losses or asset impairment write-downs would adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations

We might be unable to raise additional financing necessary to complete capital needs, conduct our business and make payments when due.

We will need to raise additional funds in order to meet capital needs and implement our business plan.  Any required additional financing might not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. If we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, holders of our common stock could experience significant dilution of their ownership interest, and these securities could have rights senior to those of the holders of our common stock.

Mineral exploration and development inherently involves significant and irreducible financial risks. We may suffer from the failure to find and develop profitable mines.

The exploration for and development of mineral deposits involves significant financial risks, which even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge may not eliminate. Unprofitable efforts may result from the failure to discover mineral deposits. Even if mineral deposits are found, such deposits may

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be insufficient in quantity and quality to return a profit from production, or it may take a number of years until production is possible, during which time the economic viability of the Project may change. Few properties which are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. Mining companies rely on consultants and others for exploration, development, construction and operating expertise.

Substantial expenditures are required to establish ore reserves, extract metals from ores and, in the case of new properties, to construct mining and processing facilities. The economic feasibility of any development project is based upon, among other things, estimates of the size and grade of ore reserves, proximity to infrastructures and other resources (such as water and power), metallurgical recoveries, production rates and capital and operating costs of such development projects, and metals prices. Development projects are also subject to the completion of favorable feasibility studies, issuance and maintenance of necessary permits and receipt of adequate financing.

Once a mineral deposit is developed, whether it will be commercially viable depends on a number of factors, including: the particular attributes of the deposit, such as size, grade and proximity to infrastructure; government regulations including taxes, royalties and land tenure; land use, importing and exporting of minerals and environmental protection; and mineral prices. Factors that affect adequacy of infrastructure include: reliability of roads, bridges, power sources and water supply; unusual or infrequent weather phenomena; sabotage; and government or other interference in the maintenance or provision of such infrastructure. All of these factors are highly cyclical. The exact effect of these factors cannot be accurately predicted, but the combination may result in not receiving an adequate return on invested capital.

Significant investment risks and operational costs are associated with our exploration, development and mining activities. These risks and costs may result in lower economic returns and may adversely affect our business.

 Mineral exploration, particularly for silver, involves many risks and is frequently unproductive. If mineralization is discovered, it may take a number of years until production is possible, during which time the economic viability of the Project may change.

Development projects may have no operating history upon which to base estimates of future operating costs and capital requirements. Development project items such as estimates of reserves, metal recoveries and cash operating costs are to a large extent based upon the interpretation of geologic data, obtained from a limited number of drill holes and other sampling techniques, and feasibility studies. Estimates of cash operating costs are then derived based upon anticipated tonnage and grades of ore to be mined and processed, the configuration of the ore body, expected recovery rates of metals from the ore, comparable facility and equipment costs, anticipated climate conditions and other factors. As a result, actual cash operating costs and economic returns of any and all development projects may materially differ from the costs and returns estimated, and accordingly, our financial condition and results of operations may be negatively affected.

The estimation of ore reserves is imprecise and depends upon subjective factors. Estimated ore reserves may not be realized in actual production. Our operating results may be negatively affected by inaccurate estimates.

If, in the future, we present estimates of ore reserve figures in our public filings, those figures may be estimated by our technical personnel. Reserve estimates are a function of geological and engineering analyses that require us to make assumptions about production costs and silver market prices. Reserve estimation is an imprecise and subjective process. The accuracy of such estimates is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation, judgment and experience.

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Assumptions about silver market prices are subject to great uncertainty as those prices have fluctuated widely in the past. Declines in the market prices of silver may render future potential reserves containing relatively lower grades of ore uneconomic to exploit, and we may be required to reduce reserve estimates, discontinue development or mining at one or more of our properties, or write down assets as impaired. Should we encounter mineralization or geologic formations at any of our projects different from those we predicted, we may adjust our reserve estimates and alter our mining plans. Either of these alternatives may adversely affect our actual future production and operating results.

The estimation of the ultimate recovery of metals contained within a heap leach pad inventory is inherently inaccurate and subjective and requires the use of estimation techniques. Actual recoveries can be expected to vary from estimations.

We expect to use the heap leach process to extract silver from ore. The heap leach process is a process of extracting silver by placing ore on an impermeable pad and applying a diluted cyanide solution that dissolves a portion of the contained silver, which is then recovered in metallurgical processes.

We will use several integrated steps in the process of extracting silver to estimate the metal content of ore placed on the leach pads. Although we will refine our estimates as appropriate at each step in the process, the final amounts are not determined until a third-party smelter converts the doré and determines final ounces of silver available for sale. We will then review this end result and reconcile it to the estimates we developed and used throughout the production process. Based on this review, we may adjust our estimation procedures when appropriate. As a result, actual recoveries can vary from estimates, and the amount of the variation could be significant and could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

Silver mining involves significant production and operational risks. We may suffer from the failure to efficiently operate our mining projects.

Silver mining involves significant degrees of risk, including those related to mineral exploration success, unexpected geological or mining conditions, the development of new deposits, climatic conditions, equipment and/or service failures, compliance with current or new governmental requirements, current availability of or delays in installing and commissioning plant and equipment, import or customs delays and other general operating risks. Problems may also arise due to the quality or failure of locally obtained equipment or interruptions to services (such as power, water, fuel or transport or processing capacity) or technical support, which results in the failure to achieve expected target dates for exploration or production activities and/or result in a requirement for greater expenditure. The right to develop silver reserves may depend on obtaining certain licenses and quotas, the granting of which may be at the discretion of the relevant regulatory authorities. There may be delays in obtaining such licenses and quotas, leading to our results of operations being adversely affected, and it is possible that from time to time mining licenses may be refused.   

There will be significant hazards associated with our mining activities, some of which may not be fully covered by insurance. To the extent we must pay the costs associated with such risks, our business may be negatively affected.

The mining business is subject to risks and hazards, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, the encountering of unusual or unexpected geological formations, cave-ins, flooding, earthquakes and periodic interruptions due to inclement or hazardous weather conditions. These occurrences could result in damage to, or destruction of, mineral properties or production facilities, personal injury or death, environmental damage, reduced production and delays in mining, asset write-downs, monetary losses and possible legal liability. Insurance fully covering many environmental risks (including potential liability for

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pollution or other hazards as a result of disposal of waste products occurring from exploration and production) is not generally available to us or to other companies in the industry. Although we maintain insurance in an amount that we consider to be adequate, liabilities might exceed policy limits, in which event we could incur significant costs that could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operation and liquidity.

We are subject to significant governmental regulations.

Our operations and exploration and development activities are subject to extensive federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing various matters, including:

•  environmental protection;

•  management and use of toxic substances and explosives;

•  management of natural resources;

•  exploration and development of mines, production and post-closure reclamation;

•  taxation;

•  labor standards and occupational health and safety, including mine safety; and

•  historic and cultural preservation.

Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations may result in civil or criminal fines or penalties or enforcement actions, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities enjoining or curtailing operations or requiring corrective measures, installation of additional equipment or remedial actions, any of which could result in us incurring significant expenditures. We may also be required to compensate private parties suffering loss or damage by reason of a breach of such laws, regulations or permitting requirements. It is also possible that future laws and regulations, or a more stringent enforcement of current laws and regulations by governmental authorities, could cause additional expense, capital expenditures, restrictions on or suspensions of any future operations and delays in the exploration of our properties.

Changes in mining or environmental laws could increase costs and impair our ability to develop our properties.

From time to time the U.S. Congress may consider revisions in its mining and environmental laws. It remains unclear to what extent new legislation may affect existing mining claims. The effect of any such revisions on our operations cannot be determined conclusively until such revision is enacted; however, such legislation could materially increase costs on properties located on federal lands, such as ours, and such revision could also impair our ability to develop the Langtry Project and to explore and develop other mineral projects.

Compliance with environmental regulations and litigation based on environmental regulations could require significant expenditures.

Mining exploration and mining are subject to the potential risks and liabilities associated with pollution of the environment and the disposal of waste products occurring as a result of mineral exploration and production. Insurance against environmental risk (including potential liability for pollution or other hazards as a result of the disposal of waste products occurring from exploration and production) is not generally available to us (or to other companies in the minerals industry) at a reasonable price.

Environmental regulations mandate, among other things, the maintenance of air and water quality standards and land reclamation. They also set forth limitations on the generation, transportation, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner which will require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more

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stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects, and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees.

To the extent we are subject to environmental liabilities, the settlement of such liabilities or the costs that we may incur to remedy environmental pollution would reduce funds otherwise available to us and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. If we are unable to fully remedy an environmental problem, it might be required to suspend operations or enter into interim compliance measures pending completion of the required remedy. The environmental standards that may ultimately be imposed at a mine site impact the cost of remediation and may exceed the financial accruals that have been made for such remediation. The potential exposure may be significant and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Moreover, governmental authorities and private parties may bring lawsuits based upon damage to property and injury to persons resulting from the environmental, health and safety impacts of our operations, which could lead to the imposition of substantial fines, remediation costs, penalties and other civil and criminal sanctions. Substantial costs and liabilities, including for restoring the environment after the closure of mines, are inherent in our proposed operations

Some mining wastes are currently exempt to a limited extent from the extensive set of federal Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulations governing hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”). If the EPA designates these wastes as hazardous under RCRA, we may be required to expend additional amounts on the handling of such wastes and to make significant expenditures to construct hazardous waste disposal facilities. In addition, if any of these wastes causes contamination in or damage to the environment at a mining facility, such facility may be designated as a “Superfund” site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). Under CERCLA, any owner or operator of a Superfund site since the time of its contamination may be held liable and may be forced to undertake extensive remedial cleanup action or to pay for the government’s cleanup efforts. Such owner or operator may also be liable to governmental entities for the cost of damages to natural resources, which may be substantial. Additional regulations or requirements are also imposed under the federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”). The Company considers the current proposed federal legislation relating to climate change and its potential enactment may have future impacts to the Company’s operations in the United States.

In addition, there are numerous legislative and regulatory proposals related to climate change, including legislation pending in the U.S. Congress to require reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The Company has reviewed and considered current federal legislation relating to climate change and does not believe it to have a material effect on its operations, however, additional regulation or requirements under any of these laws and regulations could have a materially adverse effect upon the Company and its results of operations.

Compliance with CERCLA, the CWA and state environmental laws could entail significant costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

In the context of environmental permits, including the approval of reclamation plans, we must comply with standards and regulations which entail significant costs and can entail significant delays. Such costs and delays could have a dramatic impact on our operations. There is no assurance that future changes in environmental regulation, if any, will not adversely affect our operations. We intend to fully comply with all applicable environmental regulations.

  We are required to obtain government permits to begin new operations. The acquisition of such permits can be materially impacted by third party litigation seeking to prevent the issuance of such permits. The

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costs and delays associated with such approvals could affect our operations, reduce our revenues, and negatively affect our business as a whole.

Mining companies are required to seek governmental permits for the commencement of new operations. Obtaining the necessary governmental permits is a complex and time-consuming process involving numerous jurisdictions and often involving public hearings and costly undertakings. The duration and success of permitting efforts are contingent on many factors that are out of our control. The governmental approval process may increase costs and cause delays depending on the nature of the activity to be permitted, and could cause us to not proceed with the development of a mine. Accordingly, this approval process could harm our results of operations.

Any of our future acquisitions may result in significant risks, which may adversely affect our business.

An important element of our business strategy is the opportunistic acquisition of silver mines, properties and businesses or interests therein. While it is our practice to engage independent mining consultants to assist in evaluating and making acquisitions, any mining properties or interests therein we may acquire may not be developed profitably or, if profitable when acquired, that profitability might not be sustained. In connection with any future acquisitions, we may incur indebtedness or issue equity securities, resulting in increased interest expense, or dilution of the percentage ownership of existing shareholders. We cannot predict the impact of future acquisitions on the price of our business or our common stock. Unprofitable acquisitions, or additional indebtedness or issuances of securities in connection with such acquisitions, may impact the price of our common stock and negatively affect our results of operations.

We are continuously considering possible acquisitions of additional mining properties or interests therein that are located in other countries, and could be exposed to significant risks associated with any such acquisitions.

In the ordinary course of our business, we are continuously considering the possible acquisition of additional significant mining properties or interests therein that may be located in countries other than those in which we now have interests. Consequently, in addition to the risks inherent in the valuation and acquisition of such mining properties, as well as the subsequent development, operation or ownership thereof, we could be subject to additional risks in such countries as a result of governmental policies, economic instability, currency value fluctuations and other risks associated with the development, operation or ownership of mining properties or interests therein. Such risks could adversely affect our results of operations.

Our ability to find and acquire new mineral properties is uncertain. Accordingly, our prospects are uncertain for the future growth of our business.

Because mines have limited lives based on proven and probable ore reserves, we expect we will be continually seeking to replace and expand any future ore reserves. Identifying promising mining properties is difficult and speculative. Furthermore, we encounter strong competition from other mining companies in connection with the acquisition of properties producing or capable of producing silver.  Many of these companies have greater financial resources than we do. Consequently, we may be unable to replace and expand future ore reserves through the acquisition of new mining properties or interests therein on terms we consider acceptable. As a result, our future revenues from the sale of silver may decline, resulting in lower income and reduced growth.

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Current economic conditions and in the global economy generally, including ongoing disruptions in the debt and equity capital markets, may adversely affect our business and results of operations, and our ability to obtain financing.

The global economy has undergoing a slowdown, which some observers view as a deepening recession, and the future economic environment may continue to be less favorable than that of recent years. The mining industry has experienced and may continue to experience significant downturns in connection with, or in anticipation of, declines in general economic conditions. We are unable to predict the likely duration and severity of the current disruptions in debt and equity capital markets and adverse economic conditions in the United States and other countries, which may continue to have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

In addition, continued uncertainty in the stock and credit markets may negatively affect our ability to access additional short-term and long-term financing, including future securitization transactions, on reasonable terms or at all, which would negatively impact our liquidity and financial condition. In addition, if one or more of the financial institutions that support our future credit facilities fails, we may not be able to find a replacement, which would negatively impact our ability to borrow under the credit facilities. These disruptions in the financial markets also may adversely affect our credit rating and the market value of our common stock. If the current pressures on credit continue or worsen, we may not be able to refinance, if necessary, our outstanding debt when due, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. While we believe we will have adequate sources of liquidity to meet our anticipated requirements for working capital, debt servicing and capital expenditures for the foreseeable future if our operating results worsen significantly and our cash flow or capital resources prove inadequate, or if interest rates increase significantly, we could face liquidity problems that could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

 If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud. As a result, current and potential shareholders could lose confidence in our financial reporting.  This would harm our business and the trading price of our stock.

Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud. If we cannot provide financial reports or prevent fraud, our business reputation and operating results could be harmed. Inferior internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our stock.

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Risks Related to Our Stock

Future issuances of our common stock could dilute current shareholders and adversely affect the market if it develops.

We have the authority to issue up to 100 million shares of common stock and 5 million shares of preferred stock and to issue options and warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, without shareholder approval. Future share issuances are likely due to our need to raise additional working capital in the future.  Those future issuances will likely result in dilution to our shareholders.  In addition, we could issue large blocks of our common stock to fend off unwanted tender offers or hostile takeovers without further shareholder approval, which would not only result in further dilution to investors in this offering but could also depress the market value of our common stock, if a public trading market develops.

We may issue preferred stock that would have rights that are preferential to the rights of our common stock that could discourage potentially beneficial transactions to our common shareholders.

An issuance of shares of preferred stock could result in a class of outstanding securities that would have preferences with respect to voting rights and dividends and in liquidation over our common stock and could, upon conversion or otherwise, have all of the rights of our common stock.  Our Board of Directors' authority to issue preferred stock could discourage potential takeover attempts or could delay or prevent a change in control through merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise by making these attempts more difficult or costly to achieve.  The issuance of preferred stock could impair the voting, dividend and liquidation rights of common stockholders without their approval.

Outstanding shares that are eligible for future sale could adversely impact a public trading market for our common stock, if a public trading market develops.

In the future, we may offer and sell shares without registration under the Securities Act. All of such shares will be "restricted securities" as defined by Rule 144 ("Rule 144") under the Securities Act and cannot be resold without registration except in reliance on Rule 144 or another applicable exemption from registration.  Under Rule 144, our non-affiliates can sell restricted shares held for at least six months, subject only to the restriction that we made available public information as required by Rule 144.  Our affiliates can sell restricted securities after six months, subject to compliance with the volume limitation, manner of sale, Form 144 filing and current public information requirements.  

No prediction can be made as to the effect, if any, that future sales of restricted shares of common stock, or the availability of such common stock for sale, will have on the market price of the common stock prevailing from time to time. Sales of substantial amounts of such common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the then prevailing market price of the common stock.

If a public trading market for our shares develops, owners of our common stock will be subject to the “penny stock” rules.  

Since our shares are not listed on a national stock exchange or quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market within the United States, if a public trading market develops, of which there can be no assurance, trading in our shares on the OTC market will be subject, to the extent the market price for our shares is less than $5.00 per share, to a number of regulations known as the "penny stock rules".  The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document prepared by the SEC, to provide the customer with additional information including current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the

27

compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction, monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer's account, and to make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the investor and receive the investor’s written agreement to the transaction.  To the extent these requirements may be applicable they will reduce the level of trading activity in the secondary market for our shares and may severely and adversely affect the ability of broker-dealers to sell our shares, if a publicly traded market develops.

We do not expect to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future.  Any return on investment may be limited to the value of our stock.

We have never paid any cash dividends on any shares of our capital stock, and we do not anticipate that we will pay any dividends in the foreseeable future.  Our current business plan is to retain any future earnings to finance the expansion of our business.  Any future determination to pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors, and will be dependent upon our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant at that time.  If we do not pay cash dividends, our stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates.

No broker or dealer has committed to create or maintain a market in our stock.

We have no agreement with any broker or dealer to act as a marketmaker for our securities and there is no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining any marketmakers.  Thus, no broker or dealer will have an incentive to make a market for our stock.  The lack of a marketmaker for our securities could adversely influence the market for and price of our securities, as well as your ability to dispose of, or to obtain accurate information about, and/or quotations as to the price of, our securities.

Delaware law and our by-laws protect our directors from certain types of lawsuits.

Delaware law provides that our directors will not be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for all but certain types of conduct as directors.  Our by-laws require us to indemnify our directors and officers against all damages incurred in connection with our business to the fullest extent provided or allowed by law.  The exculpation provisions may have the effect of preventing stockholders from recovering damages against our directors caused by their negligence, poor judgment or other circumstances.  The indemnification provisions may require us to use our assets to defend our directors and officers against claims, including claims arising out of their negligence, poor judgment, or other circumstances.  

ITEM 1B. – UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

None.

ITEM 2.        PROPERTIES

Descriptions of our mining properties are contained in the Business discussion in this Report.

ITEM 3.        LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

None.

ITEM 4.        REMOVED AND RESERVED

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PART II

ITEM 5.

MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATEDSTOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Market Information

Our outstanding shares of common stock traded over-the-counter and quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board (“OTCBB”) under the symbol “GWBC” from January 1, 2007 to February 5, 2010.  Effective February 5, 2010, our outstanding shares of common stock have traded over-the-counter and quoted on the OTCBB under the symbol “AHNR”.  Our common stock is quoted currently on the OTC.QB of the OTC Markets Group, Inc. under the symbol “AHNR.” The reported high and low closing bid prices for our common stock are shown below for the period from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013. All quoted prices reflect inter-dealer prices without retail markup, mark-down or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.

Registered Holders of our Common Stock

As of March 31, 2014, there were approximately 59 record owners of our common stock. We believe that a number of stockholders hold stock on deposit with their brokers or investment bankers registered in the name of stock depositories.

Dividends

Our Board of Directors may declare and pay dividends on outstanding shares of common stock out of funds legally available therefore in its sole discretion; however, to date, no dividends have been paid on common stock and we do not anticipate the payment of dividends in the foreseeable future.

Trading in our common stock is subject to rules adopted by the SEC regulating broker dealer practices in connection with transactions in "penny stocks."  Those disclosure rules applicable to penny stocks require a broker dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document prepared by the SEC.  That disclosure document advises an investor that investment in penny stocks can be very risky and that the investor's salesperson or broker is not an impartial advisor but rather paid to sell the shares.  The disclosure contains further warnings for the investor to exercise caution in connection with an investment in penny stocks, to independently investigate the security, as well as the salesperson with whom the investor is working and to understand the risky nature of an investment in this security.  The broker dealer must also provide the customer with certain other information and must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser's written agreement to the transaction.  Further, the rules require that, following the proposed transaction, the broker provide the customer with monthly account statements containing market information about the prices of the securities.

29

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None, except as previously reported.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table summarizes our common shares authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2013:

For a description of our equity compensation plans, see the notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Report.

ITEM 6.

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

ITEM 7.  MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

We use the terms “Athena,” “we,” “our,” and “us” to refer to Athena Silver Corporation and its consolidated subsidiary.

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our financial statements, including the notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Report. The discussion of results, causes and trends should not be construed to imply any conclusion that these results or trends will necessarily continue into the future.

Business Overview:

We were incorporated in Delaware on December 23, 2003, and we became an exploration stage company effective January 1, 2010.  

30

On March 15, 2010, we entered into a Mining Lease with Option to Purchase (the “Langtry Lease” or the “Lease”) which granted us a 20 year lease to develop and conduct mining operations on a 413 acre group of 20 patented mining claims located in the Calico Mining District (the “Langtry Property”, or the “Property”), also with an option to purchase the Property. This Property is located at the base of the Calico Mountains northeast of Barstow, in San Bernardino County, California.

During the first quarter of 2011, we completed a 13-hole drilling program on our Langtry Property in an effort to validate the results of an earlier drilling program undertaken by a previous owner of the Property during the 1960’s and 1970’s and to further define silver deposits near historic workings on the Property. During the remainder of 2011 and during the first quarter of 2012, we evaluated the results of our drilling program, performed metallurgical studies and hired an independent firm to estimate our resources.   In May 2012, our independent consultant issued a N I 43-101 report following the guidelines specified by the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists and included a description of the Langtry Property and location, history, geological setting, deposit types, mineralization, exploration, drilling, sampling method and approach, sample preparation, analyses and security, data verification, mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates, as well as other relevant data and information.

Subject to available working capital, our primary focus will be to continue our evaluation of the Langtry Property mineral resources including possible additional exploration drilling, assays, metallurgical testing and analysis, environmental studies and preliminary permitting and re-estimation of our mineral resources. Our N I 43-101 report estimated that these efforts may take approximately one year to complete at a preliminary cost estimate of $625,000.

Our ongoing mineral lease payments, exploration and development efforts and general and administrative expenses will require additional capital.

Results of Operations:

Our analysis presented below is organized to provide the information we believe will be instructive for understanding our historical performance and relevant trends going forward. Operating results applicable to our craft brewing business are excluded from our results of continuing operations for all periods presented. This discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Results of Continuing Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.

A summary of our results from continuing operations is as follows:

During the year ended December 31, 2013, our loss from continuing operations was $(358,108) as compared to $(635,823) during the same period in 2012. The $(277,715) decrease in our loss was mainly attributable to a decrease exploration costs and other income and expense items as discussed further below.

Operating expenses:

During the year ended December 31, 2013, our total operating expenses decreased $(202,306), or (37)%, from $551,727 to $349,421 for the year ended December 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, we incurred $49,517 of exploration costs as compared to $231,751 during the same period in 2012, a decrease of $(182,234).  For the year ended December 31, 2013 exploration costs consisted primarily of metallurgical analysis of bulk samples from the Langtry project and certain legal expenses associated with our assessments regarding the validity of certain royalty agreements, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2012, which were mainly applicable to metallurgical studies and the preparation of our NI 43-101 Technical Report.

Our other operating costs, consisting of environmental permitting expenses, were $1,490 and $340 for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Our general and administrative expenses decreased $(21,222), or (7)%, from $319,636 to $298,414 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively, and is primarily due to a $(141,343) decrease in professional fees which generally consist of accounting, audit, legal and investor relations fees.  In addition, we realized a $(16,017) decrease in executive travel.

On April 8, 2013, we granted 200,000 common stock purchase options with a grant date fair value of $0.26 per share to each of our three directors, which were 100% vested on the grant date. These options expire on April 8, 2018, and have an exercise price of $0.26 per share.  The options granted on April 8, 2013 were determined to have a fair value of $154,000, which was charged as share-based

32

compensation to general and administrative expenses on the grant date.  For the year ended December 31, 2012, our share-based compensation totaled $16,012 and represented the vesting of certain common stock purchase options granted to a director on July 14, 2011.

Other income (expense):

Our other expenses, net, were $8,687 during the year ended December 31, 2013, as compared to other expenses, net, of $84,096 during the year ended December 31, 2012.  For the year ended December 31, 2013 we incurred $43,011 in interest expense primarily associated with our related party convertible notes payable.  Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2012 was $11,439.

Our periodic evaluation and mark-to-market of our derivative warrant liability at December 31, 2013 resulted in a $(34,323) decrease in the liability as compared to a $15,930 increase in the liability for the year ended December 31, 2012.  

Finally, for the year ended December 31, 2012, we recorded a one-time $57,366 loss on extinguishment of notes payable to related parties, which was completed in May 2012.

Liquidity and Capital Resources:

Liquidity 

 During the year ended December 31, 2013, we required capital principally for funding of our operating activities and required periodic mineral rights payments.  To date, we have financed our capital requirements through the sale of unregistered equity securities and borrowings primarily from related parties. We expect to meet our future financing needs and working capital and capital expenditure requirements through additional borrowings and offerings of debt or equity securities, although there can be no assurance that our future financing efforts will be successful. The terms of future financings could be highly dilutive to existing shareholders.

On December 31, 2013, we had $16,934 of cash and cash equivalents and negative working capital of $(1,182,746).  This compares to cash on hand of $12,229 and negative working capital of $(759,503) at December 31, 2012.

Effective July 18, 2012, we entered into a Credit Agreement with Mr. Gibbs, a significant shareholder, providing us with an unsecured credit facility in the maximum amount of $1,000,000. The aggregate principal amount borrowed, together with interest at the rate of 5% per annum, was due in full on July 31, 2014, and is convertible, at the option of the lender, into common shares at a conversion price of $0.50 per share.  All outstanding amounts due Mr. Gibbs under notes payable were transferred into the credit agreement effective July 18, 2012.

On December 31, 2013 we amended the credit agreement to increase the borrowing limit under the line of credit to $1,250,000 and extend the maturity date to December 31, 2014.  All other provisions under the agreement remain unchanged.  The credit facility also contains customary representations and warranties (including those relating to organization and authorization, compliance with laws, payment of taxes and other obligations, absence of defaults, material agreements and litigation) and customary events of default (including those relating to monetary defaults, covenant defaults, cross defaults and bankruptcy events).  As of December 31, 2013 total borrowings under the Credit

33

Agreement were $990,000.  We do not expect the remaining credit of $260,000 will provide sufficient working capital for the next twelve months.

Additionally, on December 17, 2013 the Langtry Lease was amended to change certain provisions of the original agreement and subsequent amendment, including modification the due dates for certain cash payments to the lessor.  This modification resulted in the deferral of a $250,000 payment originally due January 15, 2014, to January 15, 2015.

Cash Flows

A summary of our cash provided by and used in operating, investing and financing activities is as follows:

Net cash used in operating activities:

Net cash used in operating activities was $(224,295) and $(418,890) during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.  

Cash used in operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2013 mainly related to our $(358,108) net loss as adjusted for non-cash items and changes in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash adjustments were comprised of a $154,000 share-based compensation charge representing the fair value of common stock purchase options granted to our three directors on April 8, 2013, and a $(34,323) mark-to-market gain relating to the change in fair value of our derivative warrants liability.  Our changes in operating assets and liabilities were comprised of a $37,000 decrease in prepaid expenses, and a net $(22,864) decrease in current liabilities applicable to operations consisting of accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

Cash used in operating activities during 2012 mainly related to our $(635,823) net loss as adjusted for non-cash items and changes in operating assets and liabilities. These non-cash adjustments were comprised of $16,012 in share-based compensation expense to a director, a $57,366 loss on extinguishment of debt - related parties, $35,893 in investor relations expense attributable to derivative warrants issued for services, a $15,930 mark-to-market loss relating to the change in fair value of our derivative warrant liability, offset by a $625 gain on extinguishment of accounts payable.  Our changes in operating assets and liabilities were comprised of an $88,777 increase in current liabilities applicable to operations consisting of accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and a $3,580 decrease in prepaid expenses during the period.

34

Net cash used in investing activities:

Cash used in investing activities was $(205,000) during the year ended December 31, 2013 as compared to $(338,803) during the year ended December 31, 2012.  

Our cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2013 represents annual lease rental payments under our Langtry Lease of $80,000, and $125,000 representing payment on the lease amendment to buy down certain possible future royalty obligations.

Our cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2012 was comprised of a $135,684 expenditure for our Section 13 mineral property, $194,999 in annual lease rental payments under our Langtry Lease and the payment for $8,120 of other mineral rights acquisition costs.

Net cash provided by financing activities:

Cash provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2013 was $434,000 compared to cash provided by financing activities of $765,250 during the same period in 2012.  

During the year ended December 31, 2013 we borrowed $435,000 from Mr. Gibbs under the Credit Agreement, and incurred net payments toward advances payable to related parties of $1,000.

During the year ended December 31, 2012 we borrowed $705,000 from Mr. Gibbs, sold 240,000 common shares to Mr. Gibbs for $60,000 cash and incurred net borrowings from advances payable to related parties of $250.

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements:

We do not have and never had any off-balance sheet arrangements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently issued Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification guidance has either been implemented or is not significant to us.

Critical Accounting Policies

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates, assumptions and judgments that affect the amounts reported in our financial statements. Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our consolidated financial statements describes our significant accounting policies used in the preparation of our financial statements. The accounting positions described below are significantly affected by critical accounting estimates.

We believe that the significant estimates, assumptions and judgments used when accounting for items and matters such as capitalized mineral rights, asset valuations, recoverability of assets, asset impairments, taxes, and other provisions were reasonable, based upon information available at the

35

time they were made. Actual results could differ from these estimates, making it possible that a change in these estimates could occur in the near term.

Mineral Rights

We have determined that our mining rights meet the definition of mineral rights, as defined by accounting standards, and are tangible assets. As a result, our direct costs to acquire or lease mineral rights are initially capitalized as tangible assets. Mineral rights include costs associated with: leasing or acquiring patented and unpatented mining claims; leasing mining rights including lease signature bonuses, lease rental payments and advance minimum royalty payments; and options to purchase or lease mineral properties.

If we establish proven and probable reserves for a mineral property and establish that the mineral property can be economically developed, mineral rights will be amortized over the estimated useful life of the property following the commencement of commercial production or expensed if it is determined that the mineral property has no future economic value or if the property is sold or abandoned. For mineral rights in which proven and probable reserves have not yet been established, we assess the carrying values for impairment at the end of each reporting period and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

The net carrying value of our mineral rights represents the fair value at the time the mineral rights were acquired less accumulated depletion and any impairment losses. Proven and probable reserves have not been established for mineral rights as of December 31, 2013. No impairment loss was recognized during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, and mineral rights are net of $0 of impairment losses as of December 31, 2013.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

We continually monitor events and changes in circumstances that could indicate that our carrying amounts of long-lived assets, including mineral rights, may not be recoverable. When such events or changes in circumstances occur, we assess the recoverability of long-lived assets by determining whether the carrying value of such assets will be recovered through their undiscounted expected future cash flows. If the future undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount of these assets, we recognize an impairment loss based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the assets.

Exploration Costs    

Mineral exploration costs are expensed as incurred. When it has been determined that it is economically feasible to extract minerals and the permitting process has been initiated, exploration costs incurred to further delineate and develop the property are considered pre-commercial production costs and will be capitalized and included as mine development costs in our consolidated balance sheets.

Share-based Payments

We measure and recognize compensation expense or professional services expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees, directors and non-employee consultants based on estimated fair values. We estimate the fair value of stock options on the date of grant using the

36

Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model, which includes assumptions for expected dividends, expected share price volatility, risk-free interest rate, and expected life of the options. Our expected volatility assumption is based on our historical weekly closing price of our stock over a period equivalent to the expected life of the options.

We expense share-based compensation, adjusted for estimated forfeitures, using the straight-line method over the vesting term of the award for our employees and directors and over the expected service term for our non-employee consultants. We estimate forfeitures at the time of grant and revise those estimates in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from our estimates. Our excess tax benefits, if any, cannot be credited to stockholders’ equity until the deduction reduces cash taxes payable; accordingly, we realized no excess tax benefits during any of the periods presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes through the use of the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis, and for income tax carry-forwards. A valuation allowance is recorded to the extent that we cannot conclude that realization of deferred tax assets is more likely than not. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in operations in the period that includes the enactment date.

We follow a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring tax benefits associated with uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The first step is to determine if, based on the technical merits, it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination by a taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority. We recognize interest and penalties, if any, related to uncertain tax positions in our provision for income taxes in the consolidated statements of operations. To date, we have not recognized any tax benefits from uncertain tax positions.

ITEM 7A.

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES

ABOUT MARKET RISK

Not applicable.

ITEM 8.       

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

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ITEM 9.

CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None, except as previously disclosed.

ITEM 9A.

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time period specified in the SEC's rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the CEO and CFO, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures. Our management necessarily applied its judgment in assessing the costs and benefits of such controls and procedures, which, by their nature, can provide only reasonable assurance regarding management's control objectives.

Our management, with the participation of our CEO, evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Report. Based upon this evaluation, our CEO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective because of the identification of a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting which is described below.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Rule 13a-15(f). Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance to our management and board of directors regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of the financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with  U.S. GAAP and our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention of overriding controls. Accordingly, even effective internal control over financial reporting can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013. In making this assessment, it used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring

38

Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2013. Our CEO concluded we have a material weakness due to lack of segregation of duties and a limited corporate governance structure. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

Our size has prevented us from being able to employ sufficient resources to enable us to have an adequate level of supervision and segregation of duties within our system of internal control. Therefore while there are some compensating controls in place, it is difficult to ensure effective segregation of accounting and financial reporting duties. Management reported a material weakness resulting from the combination of the following significant deficiencies:

·

Lack of segregation of duties in certain accounting and financial reporting processes including the initiation, processing, recording and approval of disbursements;

·

Our corporate governance responsibilities are performed by the Board of Directors; we do not have an audit committee or compensation committee. Because our Board of Directors only meets periodically throughout the year, several of our corporate governance functions are not performed concurrent (or timely) with the underlying transactions including evaluation of the application of accounting principles and disclosures relating to those transactions; and

·

Certain reports that we prepare and accounting and reporting conclusions reached in connection with the financial statement preparation process are not submitted timely to the Board of Directors for review or approval.

While we strive to segregate duties as much as practicable, there is an insufficient volume of transactions at this point in time to justify additional full time staff. We believe that this is typical in many exploration stage companies. We may not be able to fully remediate the material weakness until we commence mining operations at which time we would expect to hire more staff. We will continue to monitor and assess the costs and benefits of additional staffing.

This Annual Report does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management's report was not subject to attestation by our registered public accounting firm pursuant to the SEC rules that permit us to provide only management's report in this Annual Report.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2013, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B.

OTHER INFORMATION

None.

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PART III

ITEM 10.

DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Directors and Executive Officers

 Our current executive officers and directors are:

⁽¹⁾   John C. Power and Brian Power are brothers.

John C. Power has served as President, Secretary and director since our inception in September 2010.

Mr. Power has also served as a director of Athena Silver Corporation since its inception in December 2003 and has served as Athena’s President from December 2005 to December 2007 and from January 2009 to the present and has served as Athena’s Secretary since January 2007.

Mr. Power is also a co-managing member since 2011 of Silver Saddle Resources, LLC that owns mining claims in Nevada.

From March 2010 to present, Mr. Power has severed as co-Managing Member of Ryan Air Exposition, LLC, a private California holding company that invests in antique airplanes. Mr. Power has served as President and director of Alta California Broadcasting, Inc., which operated radio stations, from December 1993 to March 2007; and President and director of Four Rivers Broadcasting, Inc., also a radio broadcaster, from May 1997 to March 2005 and Vice President from March 2005 to the present. Mr. Power has served as Co-Managing Member of Wyoming Resorts, LLC, which owns and operates an historic hotel in Thermopolis, Wyoming, since June 1997; and Mr. Power has served as President of Power Curve, Inc., a private investment company, since 1986.   Mr. Power has also been the managing member of Best of Sea Ranch, LLC since December 2004 which operated through a joint venture a vacation home rental business in The Sea Ranch California until August 2013.   Mr. Power has been a general partner of Power Vacaville, LP a real estate investment firm since January 2008.   Mr. Power also serves as the vice-president and director of The Tide Community Broadcasting, Inc. since July 2012.

From September 2008 to March 2012, Mr. Power served as an officer and director of Hungry Hunter, Inc., a private California-based restaurant enterprise.  From March 2008 until February 2010, Mr. Power served as a director of Reserve Energy Corporation, a small private oil and gas exploration and production company; and was Managing Member of Montana Resorts, LLC, which is a holding company for Yellowstone Gateway Resorts, LLC,(from May 2002 until May 2008; and was Managing Member of Yellowstone Gateway Resorts, LLC, which owned and operated the Gallatin Gateway Inn, from May 2002 until May 2008. On November 16, 2004, Yellowstone Gateway Resorts, LLC filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in response to an adverse

40

arbitration award in favor of a former employee.  Yellowstone Gateway Resorts, LLC was successfully reorganized under Chapter 11.

Mr. Power attended, but did not receive a degree from, Occidental College and University of California at Davis.  

Brian Power has served as a director since our inception in December 2003. He was our CEO and President from December 2003 until he resigned as President and CEO in December 2005. He has been President and director from February 1997 to the present of Lone Oak Vineyards, Inc., a California real estate investment company.  From October 1998 to present, he has been founder and managing member of Spirit of Adventure, LLC, formed to develop deep ocean exploration technologies and design and build high technology-based manned submersibles.  From February 2002 to present, he has been founder and Managing Member of West Indies Investments, LLC, a company that sponsors tourist excursions in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the British West Indies.  He has been director of Snuba, Inc. from 1996 to present, a licensor of and manufacturer of patented dive apparatus. Mr. Power attended Solano Community College and the University of California at Davis.

LeRoy Wilkes has served as a director since August 2011. Mr. Wilkes has vast experience as a professional mining engineer.  He is formerly the President of Washington Group International, Inc.’s Mining Business Unit, from which he retired in 2007. In that capacity, he oversaw mining development operations throughout the world. Washington Group International merged with URS Corporation in 2007. From 1988 to 1995, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation and was involved in the expansion of their Nevada operations. Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation merged with Newmont Mining Corporation in 1997. From 1980 to 1986, Mr. Wilkes was Director of Business Development for Anaconda Minerals Company, where he was involved in such projects as Greens Creek, Alaska, Stillwater, Montana and Las Pelambres in Chile.

Mr. Wilkes is retired, and also serves as a Director of Quaterra Resources, Inc. and Sabina Gold and Silver Corp. He holds a B.A. degree from the Montana School of Mines.

Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

During the last 10 years, except as disclosed above, none of our directors or officers has:

a.

had any bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of which such person was a general partner or executive officer either at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that time;

b.

been convicted in a criminal proceeding or subject to a pending criminal proceeding;

c.

been subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any type of business, securities or banking activities; or

d.

been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action, the Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated.

On June 1, 1998, the SEC issued an Order instituting proceedings alleging, among other things, that Mr. Power violated Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10(b)(5) promulgated thereunder by

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participating in a manipulation through his personal account of the public trading market for the stock of Premier Concepts, Inc., from approximately June 1994 through December 1994.  On November 15, 2005, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an Opinion and Order dismissing the matter.

Our executive officers are elected at the annual meeting of our Board of Directors held after each annual meeting of our shareholders.  Our directors are elected at the annual meeting of our shareholders.  Each director and executive officer holds office until his successor is duly elected and qualified, until his resignation or until he is removed in the manner provided by our by-laws.

Family Relationships

John C. Power and Brian Power are brothers. Additionally, there do not exist any arrangements or understandings between any director and any other person pursuant to which any director was elected as such.

Director Independence

Our common stock is listed on the OTC Market Inc.’s OTCQB and OTC Pinksheets inter-dealer quotation systems, which does not have director independence requirements. Nevertheless, for purposes of determining director independence, we have applied the definition set forth in NASDAQ Rule 4200(a)(15). The following directors are considered “independent” as defined under Rule 4200(a)(15): LeRoy Wilkes. John C. Power and Brian Power would not be considered “independent” under the NASDAQ rule due to the fact that John C. Power is an officer and Brian Power is John C. Power’s brother.

Board Meetings

During the year ended December 31, 2013, we had three directors. During the year ended December 31, 2013, our Board held no meetings but has taken numerous actions by unanimous written consent.

Committees of the Board of Directors

We currently do not have standing audit, compensation or nominating committees of the Board of Directors.  We plan to form audit, compensation and nominating committees when it is necessary to do so to comply with federal securities laws or to meet listing requirements of a stock exchange or the Nasdaq Capital Market.

Compliance with Section 16(a), Beneficial Ownership

Under the Securities Laws of the United States, our directors, executive (and certain other) officers, and any persons holding more than ten percent (10%) of our common stock during any part of our most recent fiscal year are required to report their ownership of common stock and any changes in that ownership to the SEC.  Specific due dates for these reports have been established and we are required to report in this Report any failure to file by these dates.  During the year ended December 31, 2013, all of these filing requirements were satisfied by our officers, directors, and ten- percent holders except (i)  Mr. Gibbs failed to file reports covering 84 transactions in a timely fashion, and (ii)  Messrs. John Power, Brian Power and Roy Wilkes each failed to file one report covering one transaction in a timely fashion. In making these statements, we have relied on the written representation of our directors and officers or copies of the reports that they have filed with the Commission.

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Code of Ethics

We have adopted a Code of Ethics that apples to, among other persons, our company’s principal executive officer, as well as persons performing similar functions. As adopted, our Code of Ethics sets forth written guidelines to promote:

·

honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships;

·

full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in all reports and documents that we file with, or submit to, the SEC and in other public communications made by us that are within the executive officer’s area of responsibility;

·

compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations;

·

the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code; and

·

accountability for adherence to the Code.

ITEM 11.        EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Director Compensation

The following table summarizes all director compensation in the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2013. There are no standard compensation arrangements in place for our directors.

¹ Mr. Wilkes earns a retainer fee of $12,000 per year, payable quarterly and earned an additional $750 in consulting fees during the year ended December 31, 2012. Mr. Wilkes has 350,000 options outstanding at December 31, 2013.

²Merssrs. Wilkes and Power were each granted options exercisable to purchase 200,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.26 per share.  We determined that the fair value of each 200,000 option grant was $51,333.

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Executive Compensation

The executive officers for the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 are as follows:

John C. Power, CEO, President, CFO, Secretary and director.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth all compensation recorded by us to Mr. Power during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012:

ITEM 13.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Except as disclosed herein, there have been no transactions or proposed transactions in which the amount involved exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years in which any of our directors, executive officers or beneficial holders of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, or any of their respective relatives, spouses, associates or affiliates, has had or will have any direct or material indirect interest.

The information required by this item is located in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 15 beginning on page F-1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

Director Independence

Our common stock is listed on the OTC Market Inc.’s OTQB and OTC Pinksheets inter-dealer quotation systems, which does not have director independence requirements. Nevertheless, for purposes of determining director independence, we have applied the definition set forth in NASDAQ Rule 4200(a)(15). The following directors are considered “independent” as defined under Rule 4200(a)(15): Leroy Wilkes. John C. Power and Brian Power would not be considered “independent” under the NASDAQ rule due to the fact that John C. Power is an officer and Brian Power is John C. Power’s brother.

ITEM 14.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES

We understand the need for our principal accountants to maintain objectivity and independence in their audit of our financial statements. To minimize relationships that could appear to impair the objectivity of our principal accountants, our Board of Directors has restricted the non-audit services that our principal accountants may provide to us primarily to tax services and audit-related services. We are only to obtain non-audit services from our principal accountants when the services offered by our principal accountants are more effective or economical than services available from other service providers, and, to the extent possible, only after competitive bidding. These determinations are among the key practices adopted by the Board of Directors. Our Board has adopted policies and procedures for pre-approving work performed by our principal accountants.

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The aggregate fees billed for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, for professional services rendered by our principal accountants for the audit of our annual financial statements and review of the financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and services that are normally provided by our accountants in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for these fiscal periods were as follows: