Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. - Annual Report: 2021 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ______________to ______________

Commission File Number 000-55626

WESTERN URANIUM & VANADIUM CORP.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Note – Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act from their obligations under those Sections.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

As of June 30, 2021, the aggregate market value of the common shares held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $57,503,108.

As of April 13, 2022, 42,921,644 of the registrant’s no par value common shares were outstanding.

WESTERN URANIUM & VANADIUM CORP.

FORM 10-K

TABLE OF CONTENTS

USE OF NAMES

As used in this Form 10-K annual report, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “Western” and “WUC”, or the “Company” refer to Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp., an Ontario Canadian corporation, and its subsidiaries.

CURRENCY

The accounts of the Company are reported in U.S. dollars. Unless otherwise specified, all dollar amounts referenced in this Form 10-K annual report and the consolidated financial statements are stated in U.S. dollars.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INTRODUCTION

The statements contained in this document that are not purely historical are “forward-looking statements.” Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements, including those regarding future operations, are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.  Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and they involve various risks and uncertainties.  Forward-looking statements contained in this document include statements regarding our proposed services, market opportunities and acceptance, expectations for revenues, cash flows and financial performance, and intentions for the future.  Such forward-looking statements are included under Item 1. “Business” and Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”. All forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date hereof, based on information available to us as of such date, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement. It is important to note that such statements may not prove to be accurate and that our actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations are those described under Item 1. “Business,” Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this section and other factors included elsewhere in this document.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO INVESTORS CONCERNING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL RESOURCES & RESERVES

We are deemed to be a U.S. domestic issuer for United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) purposes, most of our shareholders are U.S. residents, and we are required to report our financial results under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”). However, because we are incorporated in Ontario, Canada and are also listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, this Annual Report may also contain or incorporate by reference certain disclosure that satisfies the additional requirements of Canadian securities laws that differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws.

On October 31, 2018, the SEC adopted the Modernization of Property Disclosures for Mining Registrants (the “New Rule”), introducing significant changes to the existing mining disclosure framework to better align it with international industry and regulatory practice, including Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”), a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators (the “CSA”) that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. The New Rule was codified as 17 CFR Subpart 220.1300 and 229.601(b)(96) (collectively, “S-K 1300”) and replaced SEC Industry Guide 7. Pursuant to the New Rule, issuers are required to comply with S-K 1300 as of their annual reports for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021.

Unless otherwise indicated, the following terms, when used in this Form 10-K annual report, have the meanings given them in S-K 1300. The applicable S-K 1300 definitions are copied below.

S-K 1300 Terms and Definitions:

(1) A feasibility study is more comprehensive, and with a higher degree of accuracy, than a pre-feasibility study, as defined in S-K 1300. It must contain mining, infrastructure, and process designs completed with sufficient rigor to serve as the basis for an investment decision or to support project financing.

(2) The confidence level in the results of a feasibility study is higher than the confidence level in the results of a pre-feasibility study. Terms such as full, final, comprehensive, bankable, or definitive feasibility study are equivalent to a feasibility study.

GLOSSARY

The following defined technical terms are used in this Annual Report:

GLOSSARY OF REGULATORY AGENCIES AND EXCHANGES

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

CORPORATE HISTORY

Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. (formerly known as Western Uranium Corporation) was incorporated in December 2006 under the Ontario Business Corporations Act and was formerly a non-listed reporting issuer subject to the rules and regulations of the Ontario Securities Commission. On November 20, 2014, the Company completed a listing process on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”). As part of that process, the Company acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Pinon Ridge Mining LLC (“PRM”), a Delaware limited liability company. The transaction constituted a reverse takeover of Western by PRM. After obtaining appropriate shareholder approvals, the Company subsequently reconstituted its board of directors and senior management team.

On August 18, 2014, the Company closed on the purchase of certain mining properties in Colorado and Utah from Energy Fuels Holding Corp. Assets purchased included both owned and leased lands in Utah and Colorado and all represent properties that have been previously mined for uranium to varying degrees in the past. The acquisition included the purchase of the Sunday Mine Complex. The Sunday Mine Complex is located in western San Miguel County, Colorado. The complex consists of the following five individual mines: the Sunday mine, the Carnation mine, the Saint Jude mine, the West Sunday mine and the Topaz mine. The operation of each of these mines requires a separate permit and all such permits have been obtained by Western and are currently valid. In addition, each of the mines has good access to a paved highway, electric power to existing mine workings, office/storage/shop and change buildings, and extensive underground haulage development with multiple vent shafts complete with exhaust fans. After the completion of the 2019/2020 project, the Sunday Mine Complex was advanced such that it is operationally ready to re-start mining operations.

On September 16, 2015, Western completed its acquisition of Black Range, an Australian company that was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange until the acquisition was completed. The acquisition terms were pursuant to a definitive Merger Implementation Agreement entered into between Western and Black Range. Pursuant to the agreement, Western acquired all of the issued shares of Black Range by way of Scheme of Arrangement (“the Scheme”) under the Australian Corporation Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Black Range Transaction”), with Black Range shareholders being issued common shares of Western on a 1 for 750 basis. On August 25, 2015, the Scheme was approved by the shareholders of Black Range and on September 4, 2015, Black Range received approval by the Federal Court of Australia. In addition, Western issued to certain employees, directors and consultants options to purchase Western common shares. Such stock options were intended to replace Black Range stock options outstanding prior to the Black Range Transaction on the same 1 for 750 basis.

In connection with the Black Range Transaction, Western acquired the net assets of Black Range. These net assets consist principally of interests in a large uranium resource located in Colorado (the “Hansen-Taylor Complex”) and a 100% interest in a 25 year license for Kinetic Separation (“Kinetic Separation”, formerly known as “Ablation”) and related patents from Ablation Technologies, LLC. The Hansen-Taylor Complex is principally a sandstone-hosted deposit that was discovered in 1977.

Furthermore, related to Kinetic Separation in connection with the acquisition of Black Range Minerals Ltd. (“Black Range”), the Company assumed a call option agreement between Black Range and Mr. George Glasier. Prior to the Black Range Transaction, George Glasier, the Company’s CEO, who is also a director of the Company (“Seller”), transferred his interest in a former joint venture with Ablation Technologies, LLC to Black Range. In connection with the transfer, Black Range issued 25 million shares of Black Range common stock to Seller and committed to pay $500,000 AUD ($362,794 USD as of December 31, 2021) to Seller within 60 days of the first commercial application of the Kinetic Separation. Western assumed this contingent payment obligation in connection with the Black Range Transaction.

The Kinetic Separation process is dramatically different from conventional mining techniques. Subject to regulatory approvals for the use of Kinetic Separation, the benefits of Kinetic Separation are as follows:

Kinetic Separation can be used on legacy uranium stockpiles in the western United States. WUC would kinetically separate these stockpiles, removing 85-90% of the uranium. This is an application through which Kinetic Separation could positively contribute to the “greening of the environment”. According to a study there are approximately 4,225 legacy uranium mines from the 1940-1970 period throughout the Western United States, most of which have waste stockpiles.

In the estimation of management, Kinetic Separation mining allows the cost of production of uranium to be reduced by 44-53%.

Our common shares are listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, also known as the “CSE,” under the symbol “WUC”, and are also quoted in the United States on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol “WSTRF.” We are headquartered in Ontario, Canada with mining operations in the two U.S. states of Utah and Colorado. The mailing address of our headquarters is 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, M5H2S8, Canada, and the telephone number is (970) 864-2125. Our corporate website is located at http://www.western-uranium.com/.

We are an “emerging growth company” as that term is defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”). The JOBS Act defines an “emerging growth company” as one that had total annual gross revenues of less than $1,000,000,000 during the last fiscal year. Section 102(b) (1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standard. The JOBS Act also provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period provided by Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable.

Our wholly-owned subsidiaries are Western Uranium Corp., Pinon Ridge Mining LLC, Black Range Minerals Limited, Black Range Copper Inc., Ranger Resources Inc., Black Range Minerals Inc., Black Range Minerals Colorado LLC, Black Range Minerals Wyoming LLC, Haggerty Resources LLC, Ranger Alaska LLC, Black Range Minerals Utah LLC, Black Range Minerals Ablation Holdings Inc. and Black Range Development Utah LLC.

OUR COMPANY

Western is in the business of exploring, developing, mining and production of its uranium and vanadium resource properties.

Western is an exploration stage issuer for purposes of S-K 1300. Under S-K 1300, a mining company like ours can be classified as either an exploration stage issuer, a development stage issuer or a production stage issuer. Exploration stage issuers are companies that are engaged in the search for mineral deposits, which are not in either the development stage or the production stage. In order to be classified as a development stage issuer or a production stage issuer, the Company must have already established mineral reserves. The Company has not established mineral reserves for purposes of S-K 1300.

Our mineral properties are located in western Colorado and eastern Utah and adjacent areas of the western United States. Our primary focus is bringing the fully permitted Sunday Mine Complex into production, permitting the San Rafael Project and the commercialization of Kinetic Separation.

The Sunday Mine Complex is located in western San Miguel County, Colorado. The complex consists of the following five individual mines: the Sunday mine, the Carnation mine, the Saint Jude mine, the West Sunday mine and the Topaz mine. The operation of each of these mines requires a separate permit and all such permits have been obtained by Western and are currently valid. In addition, each of the mines has good access to a paved highway, electric power to existing mine workings, office/storage/shop and change buildings, and extensive underground haulage development with multiple vent shafts complete with exhaust fans.

We have acquired a license for Kinetic Separation, which provides a low cost, purely physical, method of separating uranium and vanadium mineralization from waste. No chemicals are added in the process, yet very high mineral recoveries can be achieved with considerable mass reduction; facilitating the separation of a high-value, high-grade ore product from a coarse-grained barren “clean sand” product.

Application of Kinetic Separation is expected to have a very positive effect on the development of not only our Sunday Mine Complex, but also most of our and others’ deposits, because it significantly reduces both capital and operating costs. Extensive test work has shown that from amenable sandstone-hosted ore types, typically more than 90% of the mineralization can be separated into 10-20% of the initial sample mass.

OUR STRATEGY

Our vision is to become a leading uranium and vanadium developer and producer. Our strategy is to build value for shareholders by advancing our projects towards scaled-up production. The increase in vanadium price levels during 2017/2018 increased the relative importance of this resource to the Company. Hence, Western is increasingly able to baseload mine production with vanadium as a co-product. As a result, during 2019 Western implemented a mine re-opening project at the Sunday Mine Complex to identify high-grade vanadium ore, followed by bulk sampling and development drilling. Active mining was conducted and the extracted ore was stockpiled underground in the mines. The project was continued in 2020 as multiple surface infrastructure projects were completed to meet DRMS requirements. Completion of the DRMS prerequisites has enabled the newly mined and stockpiled underground ore to be brought to the surface. Ore pad construction, the last of the surface projects, was completed; however, its final inspection approvals were delayed until May 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Company holds an exclusive 25-year license to use Kinetic Separation, a proven technology that we anticipate will improve the efficiency of the mining from Western’s sandstone-hosted ore. The license agreement was entered into on March 17, 2015 and expires on March 16, 2040. There are no remaining license fee obligations and there are no future royalties due under the agreement. The Company has the right to sub-license the technology to third parties. The Company may not sell or assign the Kinetic Separation license; however, it could be transferred in the sale of Western or the subsidiary holding the license.

At any time we may have acquisition or partnering opportunities in various stages of active review, including, for example, our engagement of consultants and advisors to analyze particular opportunities, analysis of technical, financial and other confidential information, submission of indications of interest, participation in preliminary discussions and negotiations, and involvement as a bidder in competitive processes.

Capital Raising

On February 16, 2021, the Company closed on a non-brokered private placement of 3,250,000 units at a price of CAD $0.80 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amount to CAD $2,600,000.

Each unit consists of one common share of Western plus one common share purchase warrant of Western. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CAD $1.20 per share for a period of three years following the closing date of the private placement. A total of 3,250,000 common shares and 3,250,000 warrants were issued in the private placement.

On March 1, 2021, the Company closed on a non-brokered private placement of 3,125,000 units at a price of CAD $0.80 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in this private placement amount to CAD $2,500,000.

Each unit consists of one common share plus one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CAD $1.20 per share for a period of three years following the closing date of the private placement. A total of 3,125,000 common shares and 3,125,000 warrants were issued in the private placement.

On December 17, 2021, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement of 372,966 units at a price of CAD $1.60 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $596,746.

Each unit consists of one common share plus one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CAD $2.50 per share for a period of three years following the closing date of the private placement. A total of 372,966 common shares and 372,966 warrants were issued in the private placement.

On January 20, 2022, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement of 2,495,575 units at a price of CAD $1.60 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $3,992,920.

Each unit consists of one common share plus one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CAD $2.50 per share for a period of three years following the closing date of the private placement. A total of 2,495,575 common shares and 2,495,575 warrants were issued in the private placement.

Uranium/Vanadium Production

Western historically positioned itself for operational flexibility with the goal of beginning production as expeditiously as possible once market conditions for uranium and/or vanadium were favorable. The 2018 vanadium price rally catalyzed the Sunday Mine Complex project. Western reinitiated active mining operations at the Sunday Mine Complex project with its infrastructure and exploratory projects, which culminated in the commencement of production with the mining and stockpiling of the extracted uranium/vanadium ore. The well maintained existing infrastructure from years of previous production allowed the Company to quickly advance the mine to a production ready status. The mining team refocused on surface infrastructure projects required by the DRMS. The impact of COVID-19 delayed a re-start beyond 180 days, thus in October 2020 the Sunday Mine Complex was put back into Temporary Cessation.

During 2020, COVID-19 induced mine closures began a rally in uranium prices. In 2021, catalysts continued to provide positive signals for uranium miners and investors. This catalyzed the ongoing Sunday Mine Complex project which commenced in July 2021. After completion of infrastructure work in this new area of the mine, exploration and development of the GMG ore body was the first project phase. Drifting, continuous high-grade ore was intersected, which led to the mining and underground stockpiling of over 3,000 tons of uranium/vanadium ore during the December 2021 to March 2022 period. At the end of March, the mining contractor engaged by Western decided to retire from contract mining operations. As a result of this decision, Western will take over the mining operations and has acquired a full complement of mining equipment. The equipment is being prepared for operations and upgrades to mine ventilation, support buildings and infrastructure are underway. Further mine development and ore production is expected to resume in early summer after upgrades are completed. Western’s mining team will be expanded to facilitate mine development and full ore production.

Western believes that its mineral resources have a reasonable prospect for economic extraction. However, the Company has not yet completed a preliminary economic assessment under NI 43-101 or a feasibility study or preliminary feasibility study under S-K 1300 that would be needed to establish the existence of proven or probable reserves and has instead allocated that capital to the aforementioned mining operations at the Sunday Mine Complex.

URANIUM MARKET OUTLOOK

World demand for clean, reliable, and affordable electricity is growing. Given the expected construction of nuclear reactors and the expected growth of nuclear energy, we believe that the future for uranium is positive. Further, 2020 production cuts in response to COVID-19 at peak sidelined approximately 50% of annual global uranium production. In the United States implementation of the U.S. Uranium Reserve program and the Biden administration’s emphasis on climate change have the potential to increase U.S. domestic uranium production and create economic pricing levels for U.S. domestic producers. We believe these factors will provide the price levels needed to support the additional production and supply that will be required. Currently, excess (secondary) inventory supplies are being drawn down, and additional primary production is forecast to be needed to fulfill the nuclear fuel requirements of the growing global nuclear reactor fleet.

Once prices rise, it may be difficult for most suppliers to respond in a timely manner, as it requires many years of permitting and development to bring new mines into production. These lead times will put further upward pressure on prices. Thus, Western has a competitive advantage, as our mining properties are permitted and ready to scale-up production on short notice.

As uranium prices have been depressed for about a decade due to overproduction and reactor shutdowns subsequent to the impact of the 2011 Fukushima earthquake, investors are positioning in response to early signs of a market recovery; the spot uranium price began 2020 at ~$24 and finished the year at ~$30, but had rebounded to a short-term ~$34 high in response to COVID-19 production cuts. Japanese utilities have nuclear reactors in the process of restarting (according to the World Nuclear Association (“WNA”)). According to data from the WNA, Chinese utilities continue to aggressively build new reactors and buy uranium, with the goal of becoming the world leader in nuclear electricity generation. In total, according to the WNA, there are about 50 new reactors under construction in 13 countries and in all there are about 160 reactors on order or being planned, and over 300 more are proposed. It is projected that ~15 new nuclear reactors will be placed into service in 2021.

During the Trump Administration, the U.S. government focused on market distortions caused by foreign state-owned enterprises and the economic and geopolitical influence lost by allowing Russia and China to take the lead in nuclear power. In support of the world’s largest nuclear reactor fleet, the U.S. has begun implementing the recommendations of the Nuclear Fuel Working Group (“NFWG”). The NFWG followed the uranium Section 232 investigation. The national strategic uranium reserve was signed into law to stabilize the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle by supporting front-end domestic uranium mining. The U.S. Department of Energy (“DoE”) is establishing program guidelines to initiate purchases of US$75 million of domestic uranium. During August 2021, DOE moved this initiative forward through the dissemination of a Request for Information. On October 13, 2021, Western submitted a response to the Request for Information: Establishment of the Uranium Reserve Program to the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration. In January 2022, a summary of comments and responses was released, including next steps which involve following Congressional direction and implementing the program. The Russia/Ukraine war, as discussed later, has highlighted the nuclear fuel supply chain risks and the geopolitical risks of dependence on the direct and indirect sourcing of nuclear fuel from state owned enterprises in Russia and former Soviet republics. This has emphasized the need and triggered increasing calls for the implementation of the Uranium Reserve Program.

Upon taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration team immediately rejoined the Paris Climate Accord and continued its pursuit of climate change solutions. President Biden has reversed a number of pro-fossil fuel energy policies, an approach which is expected to continue as the new administration has given all agencies climate change initiatives and has already started a climate change working group. The Biden-Harris Administration continues to advance a national clean energy standard that includes nuclear across multiple initiatives. U.S. utilities are expected to be required to produce an increasing proportion of electricity generation from clean energy power sources. The administration has introduced the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which contains provisions that are supportive of nuclear power. President Biden attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. His administration simultaneously released a proposed plan targeting the reduction of methane emissions. Many of the proposed initiatives from the Climate Summit target reduced utilization of fossil fuels and, if implemented, expand future opportunities for nuclear power generation, given its ability to provide baseload and carbon-free energy. The Biden-Harris Administration is continuing its efforts to move forward a number of stalled spending programs that contain support for the U.S. nuclear industry.

In response to the elimination of price controls implemented at the beginning of 2022, anti-government protests erupted in Kazakhstan in early January. The President’s Cabinet resigned and was replaced, after many arrests and deaths, curfews, and other emergency measures. After a swift crackdown on the unrest, order has largely been restored, and changes have been implemented at multiple government controlled enterprises, including Kazatomprom, the world’s largest uranium miner who is responsible for ~40% of global annual uranium production. At local uranium mines it has been reported that production has not been affected, and the impacts to uranium and uranium equity prices which trended up in early January, reversed in the second half of January. In February, Russia invaded Ukraine commencing a war between the two countries. Russia is a major global energy supplier and both countries are top ten uranium producers and Russia is a global leader in nuclear fuel services. Thus, these actions caused a surge in energy prices initially in oil and gas. On the day prior to the invasion, the spot price of uranium was $43.63/lbs and at the end of March it had increased to $58.25/lbs. Russia has been the target of unprecedented economic sanctions which have created bottlenecks of Russian exports, including nuclear fuel. In spite of a large global dependence, nuclear fuel purchasers are continuing to diversify away from Russian nuclear fuel. There remains a very real possibility of a sanction or counter-sanction terminating the flow of nuclear fuel from Russia to North America.

Uranium inventories have declined significantly during the last two years. During 2020, this was caused by COVID-19 induced mine suspensions. During 2021, financial buyers further depleted uranium inventories. Existing and new nuclear technologies are receiving unprecedented support on a global basis, as a baseload electricity source with zero carbon emissions, thus expanding future nuclear fuel demand.

The Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (U.UN) (the “Trust”) took over the former Uranium Participation Corp. (U.TO) and launched an at-the-market program (ATM) on August 17, 2021 to raise capital for the closed-ended trust. Since the inception of the ATM program, the Trust has bought significant quantities of uranium contributing to the increase in spot prices. It is anticipated that a Sprott U.S. vehicle will receive New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) approval and be made available for investment during 2022. It is also likely that a comparable physical uranium holding vehicle will be launched in affiliation with Kazatomprom, the world’s largest uranium miner.

A uranium global supply/demand imbalance had been projected by analysts to impact uranium prices in coming years. In 2020 COVID-19 induced mine closures and in 2021 Sprott Physical Uranium Trust began purchasing uranium, underscoring the imbalance. Both of these catalysts have depleted excess inventories and accelerated the timing of the supply/demand impact. The nuclear industry is benefiting from many market and governmental catalysts raising investor expectations. Investors have become well aware of constrained global uranium supplies, improved uranium demand fundamentals, the increasing pace of nuclear technology innovations, and the global push for climate change solutions. However, in 2022 the Russian invasion of Ukraine has quickly driven the uranium market strongly upward due to Russia’s dominant market position in the nuclear fuel cycle. Sanctions, phase-outs, and embargoes are being considered by many countries, while the Russian Federation has considered export bans. Any of these actions would fundamentally alter the dynamics of the nuclear fuel market as utilities shift buying away from Russia.

OVERVIEW OF THE URANIUM INDUSTRY

The only significant commercial use for uranium is as a fuel for nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity. The global nuclear and uranium mining industries continue to benefit from the convergence of multiple trends and increased public, political and government support due to coming new technologies, climate change initiatives, and energy crisis shortages. These are resulting in extensions to operating lives, a large number of nuclear reactors under construction, new builds, investments in next generation nuclear technology, and in Japan, increased urgency to re-start the nuclear reactor fleet.

The uranium market has historically been highly cyclical. In the prior bull market, spot prices rose from $21 per pound in January 2005 to a high of $136 per pound in June 2007 in anticipation of sharply higher projected demand as a result of a resurgence in nuclear power and the depletion of secondary supplies. Secondary supplies are inventories of uranium not publicly available for sale, which are primarily held by utility companies and governments. The sharp price increase was driven in part by high levels of buying by utility companies, which resulted in most utilities covering their requirements through 2009. A decrease in near-term utility demand coupled with rising levels of supplies from producers and traders led to downward pressure on uranium prices beginning in the third quarter of 2007. A rebound in uranium prices in conjunction with a recovery in commodities in 2010 was curtailed by the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

Since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, uranium spot prices entered a steady decline until June 2014, when they rebounded slightly and peaked again in March 2015 at $39 per pound. After that peak, prices again began to fall steadily, reaching their lowest point of $18 per pound in November 2016. Prior to COVID-19, annual uranium production was at its lowest in over a decade, creating a global supply deficit where production was only about two-thirds of consumption. In May 2020, after COVID-19 related production shutdowns, spot prices hit a $34 per pound price before declining to close the year at $30 per pound. During 2021, market participation by the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust and other secondary market uranium buyers caused prices to rise to $42.05 per pound at December 31, 2021. Uranium prices held these levels until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused uranium markets to surge. Prior to the invasion on February 24, 2022, uranium spot prices were in the $43 per pound range and recently closed at over $63 per pound; an increase of ~$20 per pound and an 11-year high.

Based upon these pricing factors specific to the uranium industry, we foresee a uranium pricing environment which in the coming years will allow Western to initiate full-scale production in its best properties.  

Vanadium

With the exception of the Hansen/Taylor Deposit, most of the Company’s mining assets, including the Sunday Mine Complex, contain vanadium either as a stand-alone product or a co-product to uranium.

Conventional and new vanadium applications include steelmaking, aerospace, stationary energy storage, batteries, and chemicals.

When a very small amount of vanadium is added to steel, the hardening effect greatly increases its strength. And while steelmaking accounts for roughly 90% of all vanadium currently consumed, it’s estimated that vanadium is only used in about 9% of all steels today. After steelmaking, the second largest market for vanadium is that of catalysts and chemical applications. A significant new source of demand for vanadium is from vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) as their adaptation grows with the stationary storage market.

In 2018 there was structural change in the vanadium markets that caused prices to spike. China, the largest vanadium producer in the world, had supply disrupted by environmental monitoring and rules while domestic demand was increasing. China, which had been a net vanadium exporter, flipped and became a net vanadium importer. On the demand side, China announced a new high strength rebar standard to increase earthquake resistance in February 2018 that became effective on November 1, 2018. On the supply side, in its efforts to fight pollution, Chinese environmental inspections resulted in the closing of dirty processes in which vanadium was recovered as a byproduct. These policy changes caused a shortage and led to a surge in vanadium prices to all-time highs during the fourth quarter of 2018. Vanadium closed on December 31, 2018 at $23.15, but owing to a Chinese extension in the implementation of the new rebar standard, prices plunged to close on December 31, 2019 at $5.25. Notably, the substantial price appreciation in vanadium delayed the adaptation of VRFB applications as these batteries were no longer considered to be cost competitive.

A Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Vanadium was undertaken by the U.S. Department of Commerce (“DoC”) during 2020 and submitted to President Biden on February 22, 2021. The President had 90 days to decide if he concurred with the findings and recommendations and determine whether to take an action to mitigate the impairment of national security. No action was taken.

The vanadium market price was $8.70 per pound as of December 31, 2021, which was an increase from the December 31, 2020 price of $7.10 per pound. In the first quarter of 2022, vanadium prices rallied with commodities closing at $12.10 on March 31, 2022.

COMPETITION

There is global competition for uranium/vanadium properties, ore processing mills, capital, customers and the employment and retention of qualified personnel. We compete with multiple exploration companies for all of these things. In the production and marketing of uranium and vanadium, there are a number of producing entities globally, some of which are government controlled and several of which are significantly larger and better capitalized than we are. Several of these organizations also have substantially greater financial, technical, manufacturing and distribution resources than we have.

Our future uranium production may also compete with uranium from secondary supplies, including the sale of uranium inventory held by the DoE. At the current time, DoE uranium sales have been suspended. In addition, there are numerous entities in the market that compete with us for properties and operate in-situ recovery (“ISR”) facilities.

In the event that there is not a buying program in place for uranium/vanadium ore, the Company would need to arrange with a third party for conventional milling services. Because the number of mills permitted for processing of uranium and vanadium is very limited, it may be difficult for us to gain access to a mill on favorable terms, or at all. This could result in increased costs and/or significant delays in, interruption of, or cessation of the Company’s business activities. The practice of selling uranium/vanadium ore without first processing into yellowcake (U3O8) or Vanadium Pentoxide (V2O5) would likely generate lower revenues.

If we are unable to successfully compete for properties, mills, capital, customers or employees or with alternative uranium sources, it could delay or prevent us from achieving our business objectives and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

With respect to sales of uranium, the Company competes primarily based on price. We will market uranium to utilities and commodity brokers. We are in direct competition with supplies available from various sources worldwide. We believe we compete with multiple operating uranium companies.

With respect to sales of vanadium, the Company will compete primarily based upon availability and secondarily on price. There will be direct competition with primary production, secondary production, and co-production from various companies and processors worldwide as individual entities come online or increase production to address the supply deficit.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PERMITTING

United States

Uranium extraction is regulated by the federal government, states and, in some cases, by Native American tribes. Compliance with such regulation has a material effect on the economics of our operations and the timing of project development. Our primary regulatory costs have been related to obtaining licenses and permits from federal and state agencies before the commencement of production activities. The environmental regulatory requirements for the ISR industry are well established. Many ISR projects have gone a full life cycle without any significant environmental impact. However, the process can make environmental permitting difficult and timing unpredictable. Western does not plan to utilize an ISR mining process on its properties.

Mining Permits are disclosed on a per mine basis in the “Properties” section, below.

Reclamation and Restoration Costs and Bonding Requirements

At the conclusion of conventional mining, a site is decommissioned and reclaimed. Reclamation involves removing evidence of surface disturbance. The reclamation liabilities of the U.S. mines are subject to legal and regulatory requirements. Estimates of the costs of reclamation are reviewed periodically by the applicable regulatory authorities. The reclamation liability represents the Company’s best estimate of the present value of future reclamation costs in connection with the mineral properties. The Company determined the gross reclamation liabilities at December 31, 2021 of the mineral properties to be approximately $740,446.

The Company is required by State regulatory agencies to obtain financial surety relating to certain of its future restoration and reclamation obligations. The Company has provided performance bonds issued for the benefit of the Company in the amount of $740,446 to satisfy such regulatory requirements.

EMPLOYEES

As of December 31, 2021, we had six full-time employees and one part-time employee.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Risks Related to Our Business

Our business activities are subject to significant risks, including those described below. Every investor or potential investor in our securities should carefully consider these risks. If any of the described risks actually occurs, our business, financial position and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. Such risks are not the only ones we face and additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business.

Our ability to become a successful operating mining company is contingent on whether we can continue to access adequate operating capital and can ultimately mine our properties at a profit sufficient to finance further mining activities and to acquire and finance additional reserves, all in spite of potentially significant fluctuations in the market prices of uranium and vanadium.

The Company has incurred continuing losses from its operations and negative operating cash flows from operations, and as of December 31, 2021, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $13,161,496 and working capital of $4,492,169.

The Company’s ability to continue its planned operations and to pay its obligations when they become due is contingent upon the Company obtaining additional financing. Management’s plans include seeking to procure additional funds through debt and equity financings, to secure regulatory approval to fully utilize its Kinetic Separation technology and to initiate the processing of ore to generate operating cash flows.

If we cannot access additional sources of private or public capital, partner with another company that has cash resources and/or find other means of generating revenue other than uranium or vanadium sales, we may not be able to fully realize our planned operations.

Until we can produce and sell sufficient amounts of uranium and/or vanadium, we will have no way to generate adequate cash inflows except by monetizing certain of our assets, partnering with third parties that are better financed or obtaining additional financing of our own. We can provide no assurance that our properties will produce saleable production or that we will be able to continue to find, develop, acquire and finance additional mineral resources. If we cannot monetize certain existing assets, partner with another company that has cash resources, find other means of generating revenue other than uranium or vanadium production and/or access additional sources of private or public capital, we may not be able to remain in business and our shareholders may lose their entire investment.

Our ability to function as an operating mining company will be dependent on our ability to mine our properties at a profit sufficient to finance further mining activities and for the acquisition and development of additional properties. The volatility of uranium prices makes long-range planning uncertain and raising capital difficult.

Our ability to operate on a positive cash flow basis will be dependent on mining sufficient quantities of uranium or vanadium at a profit sufficient to finance our operations and for the acquisition and development of additional mining properties. Any profit will necessarily be dependent upon, and affected by, the long and short term market prices of uranium and vanadium, which are subject to significant fluctuation. Uranium prices have been and will continue to be affected by numerous factors beyond our control. These factors include the demand for nuclear power, political and economic conditions in uranium producing and consuming countries, uranium supply from secondary sources and uranium production levels and costs of production. A significant, sustained drop in uranium prices may make it impossible to operate our business at a level that will permit us to cover our fixed costs or to remain in operation.

Evaluating our future performance may be difficult since we have a limited financial and operating history, with significant negative cash flow and an accumulated deficit to date. Furthermore, there is no assurance that we will be successful in securing additional sources of capital sufficient to support our planned operations. As such, substantial doubt exists as to whether our cash resources and working capital will be sufficient to fund our planned operations over the next twelve months. Our long-term success will depend ultimately on our ability to raise additional capital, to achieve and maintain operational profitability and to develop positive cash flows from our mining activities.

As more fully described within this annual report, we acquired our first mineral properties in November of 2014. To date, we have been acquiring additional mineral properties and raising capital. We hold uranium projects in various stages of exploration in the states of Colorado and Utah.

As more fully described under “Liquidity and Capital Resources” of Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Result of Operations”, we have a history of significant negative cash flows and net losses, with an accumulated deficit balance of $13.2 million and $11.1 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. We have been reliant on royalty revenues and equity financings from the sale of our common shares in order to fund our operations. We do not expect to achieve profitability or develop positive cash flows from operations in the near term. As a result of our limited financial and operating history, including our significant negative cash flows and net losses to date, it may be difficult to evaluate our future performance. 

At December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had working capital of $4,492,169 and $162,375, respectively. The continuation of the Company as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to obtain adequate additional financing. However, there is no assurance that we will be successful in securing any form of additional financing in the future; therefore, substantial doubt exists as to whether our cash resources and working capital will be sufficient to enable the Company to continue its operations over the next twelve months. The consolidated financial statements for the two years ended December 31, 2021were prepared assuming that the Company would continue as a going concern. These consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Our reliance on equity and debt financings is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The availability of such funds whenever such additional financing is required, will be dependent on many factors beyond our control, including, but not limited to, the market price of uranium, the continuing public support of nuclear power as a viable source of electricity generation, the volatility in the global financial markets affecting our stock price and the status of the worldwide economy, any one of which may cause significant challenges in our ability to access additional financing, including access to the equity and credit markets. We may also be required to seek other forms of financing, such as asset divestitures or joint venture arrangements to continue advancing our uranium projects, which would depend entirely on finding a suitable third party willing to enter into such an arrangement, typically involving an assignment of a percentage interest in the mineral project.

Our long-term success, including the recoverability of the carrying values of our assets and our ability to acquire additional uranium projects and continue with exploration and pre-extraction activities and mining activities on our existing uranium projects, will depend ultimately on our ability to achieve and maintain profitability and positive cash flow from our operations by establishing ore bodies that contain commercially recoverable uranium and to develop these into profitable mining activities. The economic viability of our mining activities has many risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant, prolonged decrease in the market price of uranium; (ii) difficulty in marketing and/or selling uranium concentrates; (iii) significantly higher than expected capital costs to construct the mine and/or processing plant; (iv) significantly higher than expected extraction costs; (v) significantly lower than expected uranium extraction; (vi) significant delays, reductions or stoppages of uranium extraction activities; and (vi) the introduction of significantly more stringent regulatory laws and regulations. Our mining activities may change as a result of any one or more of these risks and uncertainties and there is no assurance that any ore body that we extract mineralized materials from will result in achieving and maintaining profitability and developing positive cash flow.

Our operations are capital intensive, and we will require significant additional financing to continue production at the Sunday Mine Complex, continue exploration and begin pre-extraction activities on our other existing uranium/vanadium projects, and acquire additional uranium/vanadium projects.

Our operations are capital intensive and future capital expenditures are expected to be substantial. We will require significant additional financing to fund our operations, including continuing production at the Sunday Mine Complex, continuing exploration on our other existing projects and beginning pre-extraction activities on those projects, which include assaying, drilling, geological and geochemical analysis and mine construction costs, and acquiring additional uranium/vanadium projects. In the absence of such additional financing, we would not be able to fund our operations, which may result in delays, curtailment or abandonment of any one or all of our uranium projects.

Uranium/vanadium exploration and pre-extraction programs and mining activities are inherently subject to numerous significant risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ significantly from expectations or anticipated amounts. Furthermore, exploration programs conducted on our uranium/vanadium projects may not result in the establishment of ore bodies that contain commercially recoverable uranium/vanadium.

Uranium/vanadium exploration and pre-extraction programs and mining activities are inherently subject to numerous significant risks and uncertainties, many beyond our control, including, but not limited to: (i) unanticipated ground and water conditions and adverse claims to water rights; (ii) unusual or unexpected geological formations; (iii) metallurgical and other processing problems; (iv) the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions and other force majeure events; (v) lower than expected ore grades; (vi) industrial accidents; (vii) delays in the receipt of or failure to receive necessary government permits; (viii) delays in transportation; (ix) availability of contractors and labor; (x) government permit restrictions and regulation restrictions; (xi) unavailability of materials, equipment and milling facilities; and (xii) the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations. These risks and uncertainties could result in delays, reductions or stoppages in our mining activities; increased capital and/or extraction costs; damage to, or destruction of, our mineral projects, extraction facilities or other properties; personal injuries; environmental damage; monetary losses; and legal claims.

Success in uranium/vanadium exploration is dependent on many factors, including, without limitation, the experience and capabilities of a company’s management, the availability of geological expertise and the availability of sufficient funds to conduct the exploration program. Even if an exploration program is successful and commercially recoverable uranium/vanadium is established, it may take a number of years from the initial phases of drilling and identification of the mineralization until extraction is possible, during which time the economic feasibility of extraction may change such that the uranium ceases to be economically recoverable. Uranium/vanadium exploration is frequently non-productive due, for example, to poor exploration results or the inability to establish ore bodies that contain commercially recoverable uranium, in which case the uranium project may be abandoned and written-off. Furthermore, we will not be able to benefit from our exploration efforts and recover the expenditures that we incur on our exploration programs if we do not establish ore bodies that contain commercially recoverable uranium/vanadium and develop these uranium/vanadium projects into profitable mining activities, and there is no assurance that we will be successful in doing so for any of our uranium/vanadium projects.

Whether an ore body contains commercially recoverable uranium/vanadium depends on many factors including, without limitation: (i) the particular attributes, including material changes to those attributes, of the ore body such as size, grade, recovery rates and proximity to infrastructure; (ii) the market price of uranium, which may be volatile; and (iii) government regulations and regulatory requirements including, without limitation, those relating to environmental protection, permitting and land use, taxes, land tenure and transportation.

We have established the existence of mineralized materials on our uranium properties. However, we have not established any measured, indicated or inferred mineral resources or any proven or probable reserves through the completion of a feasibility study for any of our uranium properties and we have no current plans to seek to do so, as it would not serve a business purpose at the present time. Furthermore, we have no current plans to establish proven or probable reserves for any of our uranium properties as it doesn’t serve a business purpose at the present time.

Because the number of mills permitted for processing of uranium and vanadium is very limited, it may be difficult for us to gain access to a mill on favorable terms, or at all, and this could negatively affect our ability to do business.

In the event that there is not a buying program in place for uranium/vanadium ore, the Company would need to arrange with a third party for conventional milling services. Because the number of mills permitted for processing of uranium and vanadium is very limited, it may be difficult for us to gain access to a mill on favorable terms, or at all. This could result in increased costs and/or significant delays in, interruption of, or cessation of the Company’s business activities. The practice of selling uranium/vanadium ore without first processing into yellowcake (U3O8) or Vanadium Pentoxide (V2O5) would likely generate lower revenues.

Our ability to realize anticipated benefits of the Kinetic Separation process is subject to uncertainties associated with that process. 

In order to utilize Kinetic Separation to process uranium/vanadium bearing ore, there are uncertainties that must be addressed. Currently, to utilize Kinetic Separation the Company would need to either apply for its own milling license for a processing facility or arrange to utilize a third party’s mill, either of which would entail delays and associated costs. The Company and its regulatory counsel are continuing to seek an alternative path forward that would allow the Company to use Kinetic Separation either inside a uranium mine or on the surface outside of the underground workings to further reduce transportation costs. There is no assurance that such an alternative approach will be approved.

In addition, although the Company has conducted initial tests of its Kinetic Separation technology with what appear to be positive results, those results have not been validated by a qualified person.

We do not insure against all of the risks we face in our operations.

In general, where coverage is available and not prohibitively expensive relative to the perceived risk, we will maintain insurance against such risk, subject to exclusions and limitations. We currently maintain insurance against certain risks including securities and general commercial liability claims and certain physical assets used in our operations, subject to exclusions and limitations; however, we do not maintain insurance to cover all of the potential risks and hazards associated with our operations. We may be subject to liability for environmental, pollution or other hazards associated with our exploration, pre-extraction and extraction activities, which we may not be insured against, which may exceed the limits of our insurance coverage or which we may elect not to insure against because of high premiums or other reasons. Furthermore, we cannot provide assurance that any insurance coverage we currently have will continue to be available at reasonable premiums or that such insurance will adequately cover any resulting liability.

Our inability to obtain financial surety would threaten our ability to continue in business.

Future financial surety requirements to comply with federal and state environmental and remediation requirements and to secure necessary licenses and approvals may increase significantly as future development and production occurs at certain of our sites in the United States. The amount of the financial surety for each producing property is subject to annual review and revision by regulators. We expect that the issuer of the financial surety instruments will require us to provide cash collateral for a significant amount of the face amount of the bond to secure the obligation. In the event we are not able to raise, secure or generate sufficient funds necessary to satisfy these requirements, we will be unable to develop our sites and bring them into production, which inability will have a material adverse impact on our business and may negatively affect our ability to continue to operate.

Acquisitions that we may make from time to time could have an adverse impact on us.

From time to time, we examine opportunities to acquire additional mining assets and businesses. Any acquisition that we may choose to complete may be of a significant size, may change the scale of our business and operations, and may expose us to new geographic, political, operating, financial and geological risks. Our success in our acquisition activities depends on our ability to identify suitable acquisition candidates, negotiate acceptable terms for any such acquisition, and integrate the acquired operations successfully with those of our Company. Any acquisitions would be accompanied by risks which could have a material adverse effect on our business. For example, there may be a significant change in commodity prices after we have committed to complete the transaction and established the purchase price or exchange ratio; a material ore body may prove to be below expectations; we may have difficulty integrating and assimilating the operations and personnel of any acquired companies, realizing anticipated synergies and maximizing the financial and strategic position of the combined enterprise, and maintaining uniform standards, policies and controls across the organization; the integration of the acquired business or assets may disrupt our ongoing business and our relationships with employees, customers, suppliers and contractors; and the acquired business or assets may have unknown liabilities which may be significant. In the event that we choose to raise debt capital to finance any such acquisition, our leverage will be increased. If we choose to use equity as consideration for such acquisition, existing shareholders may suffer dilution. Alternatively, we may choose to finance any such acquisition with our existing resources. There can be no assurance that we would be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered in connection with such acquisitions.

The uranium industry is subject to numerous stringent laws, regulations and standards, including environmental protection laws and regulations. If any changes occur that would make these laws, regulations and standards more stringent, it may require capital outlays in excess of those anticipated or cause substantial delays, which would have a material adverse effect on our operations.

Uranium exploration and pre-extraction programs and mining activities are subject to numerous stringent laws, regulations and standards at the federal, state, and local levels governing permitting, pre-extraction, extraction, exports, taxes, labor standards, occupational health, waste disposal, protection and reclamation of the environment, protection of endangered and protected species, mine safety, hazardous substances and other matters. Our compliance with these requirements requires significant financial and personnel resources.

The laws, regulations, policies or current administrative practices of any government body, organization or regulatory agency in the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction, may change or be applied or interpreted in a manner which may also have a material adverse effect on our operations. The actions, policies or regulations, or changes thereto, of any government body or regulatory agency or special interest group, may also have a material adverse effect on our operations.

Uranium exploration and pre-extraction programs and mining activities are subject to stringent environmental protection laws and regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. These laws and regulations, which include permitting and reclamation requirements, regulate emissions, water storage and discharges and disposal of hazardous wastes. Uranium mining activities are also subject to laws and regulations which seek to maintain health and safety standards by regulating the design and use of mining methods. Various permits from governmental and regulatory bodies are required for mining to commence or continue, and no assurance can be provided that required permits will be received in a timely manner.

Our compliance costs including the posting of surety bonds associated with environmental protection laws and regulations and health and safety standards have been significant to date, and are expected to increase in scale and scope as we expand our operations in the future. Furthermore, environmental protection laws and regulations may become more stringent in the future, and compliance with such changes may require capital outlays in excess of those anticipated or cause substantial delays, which would have a material adverse effect on our operations.

To the best of our knowledge, our operations are in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable laws, regulations and standards. We may not be able or may elect not to insure against the risk of liability for violations of such laws, regulations and standards, due to high insurance premiums or other reasons. Where coverage is available and not prohibitively expensive relative to the perceived risk, we will maintain insurance against such risk, subject to exclusions and limitations. However, we cannot provide any assurance that such insurance will continue to be available at reasonable premiums or that such insurance will be adequate to cover any resulting liability.

We may not be able to obtain, maintain or amend rights, authorizations, licenses, permits or consents required for our operations.

Our exploration and mining activities are dependent upon the grant of appropriate rights, authorizations, licenses, permits and consents, as well as continuation and amendment of these rights, authorizations, licenses, permits and consents already granted, which may be granted for a defined period of time, or may not be granted or may be withdrawn or made subject to limitations. There can be no assurance that all necessary rights, authorizations, licenses, permits and consents will be granted to us, or that authorizations, licenses, permits and consents already granted will not be withdrawn or made subject to limitations.

Closure and remediation costs for environmental liabilities may exceed the provisions we have made.

Natural resource companies are required to close their operations and rehabilitate the lands in accordance with a variety of environmental laws and regulations. Estimates of the total ultimate closure and rehabilitation costs for uranium operations are significant and based principally on current legal and regulatory requirements and closure plans that may change materially. Any underestimated or unanticipated rehabilitation costs could materially affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Environmental liabilities are accrued when they become known, are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Whenever a previously unrecognized remediation liability becomes known, or a previously estimated reclamation cost is increased, the amount of that liability and additional cost will be recorded at that time and could materially reduce our consolidated net income in the related period.

The laws and regulations governing closure and remediation in a particular jurisdiction are subject to review at any time and may be amended to impose additional requirements and conditions which may cause our provisions for environmental liabilities to be underestimated and could materially affect our financial position or results of operations.

Major nuclear incidents may have adverse effects on the nuclear and uranium industries.

The nuclear incident that occurred in Japan in March 2011 had significant and adverse effects on both the nuclear and uranium industries. If another nuclear incident were to occur, it may have further adverse effects for both industries. Public opinion of nuclear power as a source of electricity generation may be adversely affected, which may cause governments of certain countries to further increase regulation for the nuclear industry, reduce or abandon current reliance on nuclear power or reduce or abandon existing plans for nuclear power expansion. Any one of these occurrences has the potential to reduce current and/or future demand for nuclear power, resulting in lower demand for uranium and lower market prices for uranium, adversely affecting the Company’s operations and prospects. Furthermore, the growth of the nuclear and uranium industries is dependent on continuing and growing public support of nuclear power as a viable source of electricity generation.

The marketability of uranium concentrates will be affected by numerous factors beyond our control which may result in our inability to receive an adequate return on our invested capital.

The marketability of uranium concentrates extracted by us will be affected by numerous factors beyond our control. These factors include macroeconomic factors, fluctuations in the market price of uranium, governmental regulations, land tenure and use, regulations concerning the importing and exporting of uranium and environmental protection regulations. The future effects of these factors cannot be accurately predicted, but any one or a combination of these factors may result in our inability to receive an adequate return on our invested capital.

The only significant market for uranium is nuclear power plants world-wide, and there are a limited number of customers.

We are dependent on a limited number of electric utilities that buy uranium for nuclear power plants. Because of the limited market for uranium, a reduction in purchases of newly produced uranium by electric utilities for any reason (such as plant closings) would adversely affect the viability of our business.

The price of alternative energy sources affects the demand for and price of uranium.

The attractiveness of uranium as an alternative fuel to generate electricity may be dependent on the relative prices of oil, gas, wind, solar, coal and hydro-electricity and the possibility of developing other low-cost sources of energy. If the prices of alternative energy sources decrease or new low-cost alternative energy sources are developed, the demand for uranium could decrease, which may result in a decrease in the price of uranium.

The title to our mineral property interests may be challenged.

Although we have taken reasonable measures to ensure proper title to our interests in mineral properties and other assets, there is no guarantee that the title to any of such interests will not be challenged. No assurance can be given that we will be able to secure the grant or the renewal of existing mineral rights and tenures on terms satisfactory to us, or that governments in the jurisdictions in which we operate will not revoke or significantly alter such rights or tenures or that such rights or tenures will not be challenged or impugned by third parties, including local governments, aboriginal peoples or other claimants. Our mineral properties may be subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims, and title may be affected by, among other things, undetected defects. A successful challenge to the precise area and location of our claims could result in us being unable to operate on our properties as permitted or being unable to enforce our rights with respect to our properties.

Due to the nature of our business, we may be subject to legal proceedings which may divert management’s time and attention from our business and result in substantial damage awards.

Due to the nature of our business, we may be subject to numerous regulatory investigations, securities claims, civil claims, lawsuits and other proceedings in the ordinary course of our business. The outcome of these lawsuits is uncertain and subject to inherent uncertainties, and the actual costs to be incurred will depend upon many unknown factors. We may be forced to expend significant resources in the defense of these suits, and we may not prevail. Defending against these and other lawsuits in the future may not only require us to incur significant legal fees and expenses, but may become time-consuming for us and detract from our ability to fully focus our internal resources on our business activities. The results of any legal proceeding cannot be predicted with certainty due to the uncertainty inherent in litigation, the difficulty of predicting decisions of regulators, judges and juries and the possibility that decisions may be reversed on appeal. There can be no assurances that these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position or operating results.

Competition from better-capitalized companies affects prices and our ability to acquire both properties and personnel.

There is global competition for uranium/vanadium properties, ore processing mills, capital, customers and the employment and retention of qualified personnel. In the production and marketing of uranium and vanadium, there are a number of producing entities, some of which are government controlled and all of which are significantly larger and better capitalized than we are. Many of these organizations also have substantially greater financial, technical, manufacturing and distribution resources than we have.

Our uranium production also competes with uranium recovered from the de-enrichment of highly enriched uranium obtained from the dismantling of United States and Russian nuclear weapons and imports to the United States of uranium from the former Soviet Union and from the sale of uranium inventory held by the DoE. In addition, there are numerous entities in the market that compete with us for properties and mills and are attempting to become licensed to operate ISR and/or underground mining facilities. If we are unable to successfully compete for properties, mills, capital, customers or employees or with alternative uranium sources, it could have a materially adverse effect on our results of operations.

Because we have limited capital, inherent mining risks pose a significant threat to us compared with our larger competitors.

Because we have limited capital, we may be unable to withstand significant losses that can result from inherent risks associated with mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, flooding, earthquake, interruptions due to weather conditions and other acts of nature which larger competitors could withstand. Such risks could result in damage to or destruction of our infrastructure and production facilities, as well as to adjacent properties, personal injury, environmental damage and processing and production delays, causing monetary losses and possible legal liability. Our business could be harmed if we lose the services of our key personnel.

Our business and mineral exploration programs depend upon our ability to employ the services of geologists, engineers and other experts. In operating our business and in order to continue our programs, we compete for the services of professionals with other mineral exploration companies and businesses. Our ability to maintain and expand our business and continue our exploration programs may be impaired if we are unable to continue to employ or engage those parties currently providing services and expertise to us or identify and engage other qualified personnel to do so in their place. To retain key personnel, we may face increased compensation costs, including potential new stock incentive grants and there can be no assurance that the incentive measures we implement will be successful in helping us retain our key personnel.

If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal controls, our ability to produce accurate and timely consolidated financial statements could be impaired, which could harm our operating results, our ability to operate our business and investors’ views of us.

Ensuring that we have adequate internal financial and accounting controls and procedures in place so that we can produce accurate consolidated financial statements on a timely basis is a costly and time-consuming effort that will need to be evaluated frequently. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires public companies to conduct an annual review and evaluation of their internal controls. The Company is in the process of reviewing its internal control over financial reporting in the interest of complying with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Our failure to maintain the effectiveness of our internal controls in accordance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on our business. We could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could have an adverse effect on the price of our common shares.

The Company may be subject to certain tax consequences in its business, which may increase the cost of doing business.

The Company may not be able to structure its acquisitions to result in tax-free treatment for the companies or their stockholders, which could deter third parties from entering into certain business combinations with the Company or result in being taxed on consideration received in a transaction.

Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be negatively affected by economic and other consequences from Russia’s military action against Ukraine and the international sanctions imposed in response to that action.

In late February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale military attack on Ukraine. The invasion significantly amplified already existing geopolitical tensions among Russia, Ukraine, Europe, NATO and the West, including the United States. In response to the military action by Russia, various countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and European Union issued broad-ranging economic sanctions against Russia. Such sanctions included, among other things, a prohibition on doing business with certain Russian companies, large financial institutions, officials and oligarchs; a commitment by certain countries and the European Union to remove selected Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, or SWIFT, the electronic banking network that connects banks globally; a ban of oil imports from Russia to the United States; and restrictive measures to prevent the Russian Central Bank from undermining the impact of the sanctions. Additional sanctions have been and may be imposed in the future. Such sanctions (and any future sanctions) and other actions against Russia may adversely impact, among other things, the Russian economy and various sectors of the economy, including but not limited to, financial, energy, metals and mining, engineering and defense and defense-related materials sectors; result in a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities; result in boycotts, tariffs, and purchasing and financing restrictions on Russia’s government, companies and certain individuals; weaken the value of the ruble; downgrade the country’s credit rating; freeze Russian securities and/or funds invested in prohibited assets and impair the ability to trade in Russian securities and/or other assets; and have other adverse consequences on the Russian government, economy, companies and region. Further, several large corporations and U.S. states have announced plans to divest interests or otherwise curtail business dealings with certain Russian businesses.

The ramifications of the hostilities and sanctions may not be limited to Russia, Ukraine and Russian and Ukrainian companies and may spill over to and negatively impact other regional and global economic markets (including Europe and the United States), companies in other countries (particularly those that have done business with Russia and Ukraine) and on various sectors, industries and markets for securities and commodities globally, such as oil and natural gas. Accordingly, the actions discussed above and the potential for a wider conflict could increase financial market volatility and cause severe negative effects on regional and global economic markets, industries, and companies. In addition, Russia may take retaliatory actions and other countermeasures, including cyberattacks and espionage against other countries and companies around the world, which may negatively impact such countries and companies.

The extent and duration of the military action or future escalation of such hostilities, the extent and impact of existing and future sanctions, market disruptions and volatility, and the result of any diplomatic negotiations cannot be predicted.

While we expect any direct impacts to our business to be limited, the indirect impacts on the economy and on the mining industry and other industries in general could negatively affect our business and may make it more difficult for us to raise equity or debt financing.

In addition, the impact of other current macro-economic factors on our business, which may be exacerbated by the war in Ukraine – including inflation, supply chain constraints and geopolitical events – is uncertain.

The COVID-19 coronavirus could adversely impact our business, including our mine development plans.

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China. Since then, the COVID-19 coronavirus has spread to multiple countries, including the United States. As the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread in the United States, we may experience disruptions that could severely impact our business, including:

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to evolve. The extent to which the COVID-19 coronavirus and its subvariants may impact our business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such as the ultimate geographic spread of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, travel restrictions and social distancing in the United States and other countries, business closures or business disruptions and the effectiveness of actions taken in the United States and other countries to contain and treat the disease.

Risks Related to Our Stock

If we are unable to raise additional capital, our business may fail and shareholders may lose their entire investment.

We had $880,821 and $565,250 in cash at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional capital after we exhaust our current cash. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of such securities would likely result in substantial dilution to existing shareholders. If we borrow money, we will have to pay interest and may also have to agree to restrictions that limit our operating flexibility.

If additional capital is not available in sufficient amounts or on a timely basis, we will experience liquidity problems, and we could face the need to significantly curtail current operations, change our planned business strategies and pursue other remedial measures. Any curtailment of business operations would have a material negative effect on operating results, the value of our outstanding stock is likely to fall, and our business may fail, causing our shareholders to lose their entire investment.

Shareholders could be diluted if we were to use common shares to raise capital.

We may need to seek additional capital to carry our business plan. This financing could involve one or more types of securities including common shares, convertible debt or warrants to acquire common shares. These securities could be issued at or below the then prevailing market price for our common shares. Any issuance of additional common shares could be dilutive to existing shareholders and could adversely affect the market price of our common shares.

The Company’s common shares may at times be traded in low volumes, which may negatively affect your ability to sell shares.

The Company’s common shares may trade at times in low volumes on both the CSE and OTCQX, meaning that the number of persons interested in purchasing our common shares at or near bid prices at any given time may be relatively small. This situation may be attributable to a number of factors, including the fact that we are a small company that is relatively unknown to stock analysts, stock brokers, institutional investors and others in the investment community who can generate or influence sales volume, and that even if we came to the attention of such institutionally oriented persons, they tend to be risk-averse in this environment and would be reluctant to follow an early stage company such as ours or purchase or recommend the purchase of our shares until such time as we became more advanced and viable. As a consequence, there may be periods of several days or more when trading activity in the Company’s shares is minimal, as compared to a seasoned issuer which has a large and steady volume of trading activity that will generally support continuous sales without an adverse effect on share price. The Company cannot give you any assurance that a broader or more active public trading market for our common shares will develop or be sustained.  Due to these conditions, we can give you no assurance that you will be able to sell your shares at or near bid prices or at all if you need money or otherwise desire to liquidate your shares.  Further, certain institutional and other investors may have investment guidelines that restrict or prohibit investing in securities traded in the over-the-counter market.  These factors may have an adverse impact on the trading and price of our securities and could result in the loss by investors of all or part of their investment.

The Company’s common share price may be volatile.

The future trading price of the Company’s common shares may be volatile and may fluctuate substantially. The price of the common shares may be higher or lower than the price you pay for your shares, depending on many factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control and may not be directly related to its operating performance. These factors include the following:

Due to the continued potential volatility of its stock price, the Company may be the target of securities litigation in the future. Securities litigation could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources from the business.

The sale of shares by our directors and officers may adversely affect the market price for our shares.

Sales of significant amounts of common shares held by our officers and directors, or the prospect of these sales, could adversely affect the market price of our common shares. Management’s stock ownership may discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could reduce our stock price or prevent our shareholders from realizing a premium over our stock price.

We have never paid or declared any dividends on our common shares.

We have never paid or declared any dividends on our common shares or preferred stock. Likewise, we do not anticipate paying dividends or distributions on our common shares. Any future dividends on common shares will be declared, if at all, at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend, among other things, on our earnings, our financial requirements for future operations and growth, and other facts as we may then deem appropriate.

Our Chief Executive Officer is our largest shareholder, and as a result he may be able to exert control over us and may have actual or potential interests that may diverge from yours.

George Glasier, our CEO, beneficially owns, in the aggregate, about 12.1% of our common shares. As a result, Mr. Glasier might be able to influence many matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of mergers and other significant corporate transactions. This concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control, and could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their common shares as part of a sale of our company and may affect the market price of our stock.

Furthermore, Mr. Glasier may have interests that diverge from those of other holders of our common shares. As a result, Mr. Glasier may vote the shares he owns or controls or otherwise cause us to take actions that may conflict with your best interests as a shareholder, which could adversely affect our results of operations and the trading price of our common shares. Through this control, Mr. Glasier can exert influence over our management, affairs and all matters requiring shareholder approval, including the approval of significant corporate transactions, a sale of our company, decisions about our capital structure and the composition of our board of directors.

Risks Related to Our Regulatory Environment

The SEC’s adoption of the “Modernization of Property Disclosures for Mining Registrants,” as codified in S-K 1300, has created new disclosure requirements for mineral reserves and mineral resources that create some ambiguity for issuers required to comply with both the requirements of S-K 1300 and NI 43-101 and may result in increased compliance costs.

SEC Industry Guide 7 has been rescinded and replaced by S-K 1300, which requires that we disclose specific information related to our material mining operations, including with particularity any mineral resources and mineral reserves. Although we have established the existence of mineralized materials on our uranium properties, we have not established any measured mineral resources or any proven or probable reserves through the completion of a feasibility study for any of our uranium properties and we have no current plans to seek to do so, as it would not serve a business purpose at the present time. Nevertheless, if in the future we were to seek to identify any measured mineral resources or to establish any proven or probable reserves, we would be required to provide disclosure in that regard under both S-K 1300 and NI 43-101. While S-K 1300 is substantively similar to NI 43-101 (with the primary difference being NI 43-101’s required format, a matter on which S-K 1300 is silent), S-K 1300 is potentially subject to unknown interpretations, which could require the Company to incur substantial costs associated with compliance. We cannot predict the nature of any future enforcement, interpretation, or application of S-K 1300. Any further revisions to, or interpretations of, S-K 1300 or NI 43-101 could result our company incurring unforeseen costs associated with compliance with both of those disclosure regimes.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

Company headquarters is maintained through a lease at 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2S8.

An operations facility is rented at 31617 Hwy 90 Road, Nucla, Colorado, USA 81424 which houses the Kinetic Separation units and an office.

The diagram below illustrates the location of the Company’s properties:

Overview

Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp is engaged in the business of exploring, developing, mining and production from its uranium and vanadium resource properties.

On September 16, 2015, in connection with the Black Range Transaction, the Company acquired additional mineral properties. The mining assets acquired through Black Range included assets in the states of Colorado, Wyoming, and Alaska. None of these mining assets are operational at this time. As these properties have not formally established proven or probable reserves, there may be greater inherent uncertainty as to whether or not any mineralized material can be economically extracted as originally planned and anticipated.

The Company’s mining properties acquired on August 18, 2014 that the Company retains as of December 31, 2021, include:

The Company’s mining properties acquired on September 16, 2015 that the Company retains as of December 31, 2021, include:

The Company has a 100% interest in all of these properties except for the Hansen/Taylor Ranch, of which the company owns 49%.

Although we have established the existence of mineralized materials on our uranium properties, we have not established any measured, indicated or inferred mineral resources or any proven or probable reserves through the completion of a feasibility study for any of our uranium properties and we have no current plans to seek to do so, as it would not serve a business purpose at the present time.

The near term plan for the Company’s resources is to initially mine at the Sunday Complex. The Sunday Mine Complex is an advanced stage property with a significant drilling and production history. Mining and drilling occurred contemporaneously from the 1950’s through the mid 1980’s. From the 1980’s to the present, mining and drilling occurred only sporadically, typically when uranium or vanadium prices were high. The last previous mining interval was from 2006 to 2009. Based on the available records, only in 2009 did any surface drilling take place since mid-1980. Past operators have generated abundant geologic and mining data, and there are open faces underground that show mineralized zones. Near term exploration is not needed because the underground infrastructure has been already developed.

Mining Properties

Set forth below are details regarding our mining properties operated by us, which have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of S-K 1300.

1. Sunday Mines Complex

The Property

The Sunday Mine Complex is located in western San Miguel County and is part of the Uravan Mineral Belt. The property is situated 25 miles north of Dove Creek, Colorado, on the north flank of Disappointment Valley and portions of Big Gypsum Valley. Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. (“EFR”) acquired the property in June 2012 from Denison Mines Corp. The complex consists of five individual mines with mine workings located along a two mile stretch of the southern side of Big Gypsum Valley, with underground workings extending generally south, with associated vents and surface facilities. The mines are, from east to west: Sunday, Carnation, Saint Jude, West Sunday, and Topaz. The mines were previously actively mined from 2007 to 2009, by a prior owner. In 2017, the mines were re-opening for a project involving exploration, development, and mining.

The property consists of 221 unpatented claims on public land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) Tres Rios Field Office, covering approximately 3,800 acres. The area covers parts of sections 10, 13, 14, 15, 23, 24, and 26 T44N R18W, and sections 18, 19, 20, and 30 T44N R17W. Total annual BLM claim maintenance fees are approximately $34,255 due September 1st each year. The property has access to grid power and has a natural underground source of water due to an aquifer. As a mine that has produced in the recent past, the Sunday Mine Complex has a robust infrastructure. The roads are all-weather, electric power is grid-tied, surface facility structures that meet Colorado State standards exist, and water is present. During 2019, a mine re-opening project was implemented at the Sunday Mine Complex to identify high-grade vanadium ore, followed by bulk sampling and development drilling. Active mining was conducted and the extracted ore was stock piled underground in the mine. Each of the five associated mining permits are in Temporary Cessation status.

GMG, Sunshine, and Patsun claims (totaling twenty claims in the northeast portion of the property) carry a 12.5% royalty on all ore produced.

Accessibility

The property is best accessed from Colorado. Access from Colorado is via State Highway 141 east out of Naturita, CO for about 3.7 mi (6 km) until the 141/145 Highway junction, then about 22.4 mi (36 km) south on Hwy 141, then about 6.2 mi (10 km) northwest on County Road 20R (Gypsum Valley Road). The State Highway 141 is a paved all-weather road and the County Road 20R is a gravel road passable in all but the worst weather.

History

The Sunday Mine Complex consists of six different mines. These are the Topaz, West Sunday, Sunday, St. Jude, Carnation, and the GMG. The mines have had a number of owners and operators. Maps and documents made available to the author show that the following companies have been involved in the all or parts of the property prior to WUC acquisition of the SMC in April 2014: Matterhorn Mining (1950’s-1960’s, Climax Uranium 1960’s, Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) 1970’s-1980’s, Atlas Minerals (1980’s), Energy Fuels Nuclear (early 1990’s), International Uranium Corp. (1990’s-2000’s), Denison Mines (USA) (2000’s), and Energy Fuels (2010’s). The documents are incomplete as so this list may be as well. Since UCC days, the ownership has been clear. In 1983 Union Carbide transferred its mineral interests to UMETCO, a wholly-owned subsidiary. For the sake of consistency, the name Union Carbide will be used even if technically the ownership was UMETCO at the time.

Records made available by the Company and a search of public documents on-line indicates exploration drilling starting on the property in the early 1950’s. Two Defense Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA) reports, one on the Sunday area and the other on the Topaz area, indicated some drilling and minor surface extraction had occurred by the mid 1950’s (DMEA, 1953 & 1956). Additionally, historic maps of the area show the Sunday mines in operation in the 1950’s (Denison Mines, 2008).

The records & anecdotal evidence indicate that from the mid-1960’s until the early 1980’s, the SMC produced material from relatively steady ongoing mining operations. These ceased in 1984 when Union Carbide closed their Uravan mill. Since then, the property has been idle, with the exception of brief periods in the late 1980’s when UCC mined for a short time during a spike in vanadium prices, in the mid-1990’s with International Uranium Corporation and another one in 2006-2009 when Denison Mines extracted ore from the mine. During all three periods, the ore was processed at the White Mesa Mill located just south of Blanding, UT.

Exploration and development drilling on the property was contemporaneous with the mining. The available database records show that at least 1,419 holes have been drilled on the property. This is an incomplete list, as an examination of the available maps and cross-sections show a number of holes that are not in the database. A best estimate for total distance drilled is about 850,100 ft (259,175 m). Anecdotal evidence and some maps also give evidence that underground long holes (test holes drilled from the mine workings anywhere from 50 ft (15 m) to 300 ft (91 m) long) were used extensively throughout the mined areas.

The 2-D digitized mine workings, done by Denison Mines show extensive stopping and drifting within parts of the SMC. Generational mine maps indicate that more mine workings exist than are shown in the digital database. A very conservative rough estimate of the linear mine workings based on the digital database is in excess of 50,000 ft (15,244 m) with many stopes. Figure 6.2.1 shows the known drill hole and mine working locations.

Based on the records and on field inspection, it is evident that the Property has a significant history of drill exploration and mine development.

Anthony R. Adkins, P. Geol., LLC was commissioned by the Company to prepare a technical report compliant with NI 43-101 on the Sunday Mine Complex Uranium (SMC) Project (the “Sunday Mine Report”). The Sunday Mine Report was finalized on July 7, 2015 and filed on sedar.com on July 16, 2015. 

The Sunday Mine Report is an historic estimate of measured and indicated resources (not reserves) under NI 43-101. However, the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources, and S-K 1300 does not permit such historic estimates to be disclosed in Form 10-K annual reports.

There is no more recent data available on the Sunday Mine Complex project resource than that of the Sunday Mine Report. In order to disclose a resource estimate as current, the Company would need to engage a qualified person (as defined under 43-101 and S-K 1300) to, among other things, take account of any exploration or other work on the Sunday Mine Complex since the date of the historical estimate and produce a technical report compliant with NI 43-101 and a feasibility study compliant with S-K 1300. The Company currently does not intend to commission such a technical report or feasibility study.

Project Geology

Geologically, the main hosts for uranium-vanadium mineralization in the Sunday Mine Complex are fluvial sandstone beds assigned to the upper part of the Salt Wash Member of the Jurassic Morrison Formation, with minor production coming from conglomeratic sandstones assigned to the lower portion of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation. Mineralization from both members is present at the property, with the mine production coming from the Salt Wash Member. Beds generally strike NW-SE and dip SW, with some exceptions within fault bounded blocks adjacent to Big Gypsum Valley.

Restoration and Reclamation

Each of the mines are permitted separately with the DRMS and are considered to be in temporary cessation status. The mines and their permitted acres and financial warranties are, from east to west, the Sunday (60 acres, $330,242), Carnation (9.8 acres, $40,245), Saint Jude (9.8 acres, $69,828), West Sunday (12.1 acres, $85,036), and Topaz (30 acres, $99,893).

Permitting Status

The air permits for the site are currently being renewed with APCD. A Stormwater permit is in place with the WQCD and a Stormwater Management Plan is in effect. However, a mine water treatment plant will need to be permitted for treating mine water, as there is currently 55 million gallons of water in the lower portion of the mine where most of the remaining resource is located. This will require a discharge permit with the WQCD and revisions to the Plan of Operations, EPP, and one of the DRMS mine permits. Special Use Permits are also in place with San Miguel County, which mainly address road maintenance and transportation issues with some limitations in effect on when and how many trucks may be used for ore haulage to the mill. On February 4, 2020, the Colorado DRMS sent a Notice of Hearing to Declare Termination of Mining Operations to Western for the Sunday Mine Complex. At issue is the application of an unchallenged Colorado Court of Appeals Opinion for a separate mine, with very different facts that is retroactively modifying DRMS rules and regulations. The Company maintains that it was timely in meeting existing rules and regulations. A permit hearing was scheduled for October 21, 2020 to determine temporary cessation status. In a unanimous vote, the MLRB approved temporary cessation status for each of the five Sunday Mine Complex permits (Sunday, West Sunday, St. Jude, Carnation, and Topaz). On October 9, 2020, the MLRB issued a board order which finalized the findings of the July 22, 2020 permit hearing. On November 10, 2020, the MLRB issued a board order which finalized the findings of the October 21, 2020 permit hearing. On November 6, 2020, the MLRB signed an order placing the five Sunday Mine Complex mine permits into Temporary Cessation. On November 12, 2020, a coalition of environmental groups (the “Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint against the MLRB seeking a partial appeal of the July 22, 2020 decision by requesting termination of the Topaz Mine permit. On December 15, 2020, the same coalition of environmental groups amended their complaint against the MLRB seeking a partial appeal of the October 21, 2020 decision requesting termination of the Topaz Mine permit. The Company has joined with the MLRB in defense of their July 22, 2020 and October 21, 2020 decisions. On May 5, 2021, the Plaintiff in the Topaz Appeal filed an opening brief with the Denver District Court seeking to overturn the July 22, 2020 and October 21, 2020 MLRB permit hearing decisions on the Topaz Mine permit. The MLRB and the Company were to respond with an answer brief within 35 days on or before June 9, 2021, but instead sought a settlement. The judicial review process was delayed as extensions were put in place until August 20, 2021. A settlement was not reached and the MLRB and the Company submitted answer briefs on August 20, 2021. The Plaintiff submitted a reply brief on September 10, 2021. On March 1, 2022, the Denver District Court reversed the MLRB’s orders regarding the Topaz Mine and remanded the case back to MLRB for further proceedings consistent with its order. The decision by the District Court has an appeal window of 49 days. The Company is also working toward the completion of an updated Topaz mine Plan of Operations which is a separate federal requirement of the BLM for the conduct of mining activities on federal land.

Major permits currently in place at the Sunday Complex include:

2. San Rafael

The Property

The San Rafael Uranium Project land position is comprised of a contiguous claim block covered by 136 BM unpatented federal lode mining claims and 10 Hollie unpatented federal lode mining claims.

The San Rafael Project is located in the historic Tidwell District about 10 miles west of Green River, Utah. Most of the property is north of Interstate Highway 70 at the Hanksville exit.  

Energy Fuels became operator of the San Rafael Project when it acquired Magnum Minerals in June 2009. It consisted of two core uranium deposits, the Deep Gold and the Down Yonder. In January 2011, EFR acquired the 10 Hollie claims from Titan Uranium. These claims covered the eastern portion of the Deep Gold deposit, greatly increasing resources. WUC acquired the property from Energy Fuels and currently holds the 146 claims in the project area.

The San Rafael Uranium Project is currently being held as a property that is exploratory in nature with no identified reserves. Exploration and mining plans have not been prepared for the project. The Company has not yet undertaken any development work at the property. Power and water sources have not yet been formally assessed.  

Magnum’s acquisition of the claims and some of the data Magnum purchased encumbers the claims. This includes a 2% Net Smelter Return royalty to Uranium One, successor to Energy Metals for claims acquired by Magnum as earn-in to a JV, and a 2% net sales price royalty to Kelly Dearth on the BM claims. There is no royalty on the Hollie claims.

The unpatented claims are located on approximately 2,900 acres of land administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in sections 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 35, T21S, R14E, SLPM, Emery County, Utah. Holding cost $22,630 due to BLM for claim maintenance fees prior to September 1 each year.  

Accessibility  

The property is located on the eastern side of the San Rafael Swell in east-central Utah, approximately 140 air miles southeast of Salt Lake City. The little desert community of Green River, Utah is located about ten miles to the east. In a general sense the San Rafael Uranium Project property position lies within a wedge shaped area, roughly bound along its northeast edge by US Highway 6-50 and along its southeast edge by Interstate 70.    

Concerning additional local access features, U.S. Highway 6-50 crosses just north of the greater San Rafael Uranium Project area in a northwesterly direction and is roughly paralleled by the regional railroad line. Access to the property is generally good year around, except for periods of heavy snowstorms during December through February and increased monsoon rains and summer cloudburst storms during August through October. Access for drilling and other exploration activity is excellent, except during occasional heavy rainy periods which can create heavy flash flooding and roads mudding-up and becoming impassable.  

History  

The Deep Gold deposit was originally discovered by Continental Oil Company (Conoco) and Pioneer Uravan geologists in the late 1960s and 1970s to early 1980s, respectively. Exploration drilling was conducted just east of the core of the Tidwell Mineral Belt and north-northeast of the Acerson Mineral Belt. The area containing the deposits was considered to contain highly prospective paleo trunk stream channel trends. Some of the larger historic producing mines in the area were Atlas Minerals’ Snow, Probe, and Lucky Mines. The deposit in the San Rafael Project is an open concordant, channel-controlled, sandstone-hosted, trend type, with mineralization hosted in the upper sandstone sequence of the Salt Wash Member of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. 

In addition to Conoco, Pioneer Uravan, and Atlas Minerals, the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and other companies (Union Carbide, Energy Fuels Nuclear, and others) conducted exploration drilling and mining in the area. Some of these companies performed historic resource estimates on the Deep Gold deposits, but they are not considered compliant with NI 43-101 standards. 

Depth to mineralization at the Deep Gold deposit in Section 23 averages 800 feet, with hole depths averaging approximately 1,000 feet. Magnum purchased and otherwise acquired most of the available historic exploration data produced by the previous operators. A 100 hole, 100,000 foot drilling program is warranted to discover and define additional uranium resources. Total cost for this work would be $US 1.3 million to $US 1.5 million, based on an all-inclusive cost of $US 15/foot. 

The Tidwell Mineral Belt and the San Rafael Uranium District have been the sites of considerable historic exploration drilling and production, with over 4 million pounds of uranium and 5.4 million pounds of vanadium produced. Production from the Snow, immediately up dip of the Deep Gold deposit, which produced for nine years, starting in March 1973 and ending in January, 1982 consisted of 650,292 pounds of U₃O₈contained in 173,330 tons of material at an average grade of 0.188% U₃O₈(Wilbanks, 1982).  

O. Jay Gatten, P. Geol., LLC was commissioned by the Company to prepare an independent technical report compliant with NI 43-101 on the San Rafael Uranium Project (including the: Deep Gold Uranium Deposit and the Down Yonder Uranium Deposit) (the “San Rafael Report”). The San Rafael Report was finalized on November 19, 2014 and filed on sedar.com on November 20, 2015.  

The San Rafael Report is an historic estimate of indicated and inferred uranium resources (not measured resources or reserves) under NI 43-101. However, the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources, and S-K 1300 does not permit such historic estimates to be disclosed in Form 10-K annual reports.

There is no more recent data available on the San Rafael Uranium Project property than that of the San Rafael Report. In order to disclose a resource estimate as current, the Company would need to engage a qualified person (as defined under 43-101 and S-K 1300) to produce a technical report compliant with NI 43-101 and a feasibility study compliant with S-K 1300. The Company currently does not intend to commission such a technical report or feasibility study.

Project Geology  

Geologically, the main hosts for uranium-vanadium mineralization in the San Rafael Project are the fluvial sandstone beds assigned to the upper part of the Salt Wash Member of the Jurassic Morrison Formation.

Restoration and Reclamation  

All exploration permits have been terminated and all bonds released. An EA was completed by BLM in 2008 for drilling up to 150 holes. A large area has been surveyed for cultural and paleontological resources which would expedite future exploration permits. No mine permitting activities have yet occurred.  

Permitting Status  

All exploration permits have been terminated and all bonds released. An EA was completed by BLM in 2008 for drilling up to 150 holes. A large area has been surveyed for cultural and paleontological resources which would expedite future exploration permits. No mine permitting activities have yet occurred.

3. Sage

The Property

On July 1, 2014 PRM concluded a deal with EFR to acquire 44 contiguous unpatented mining claims on the Utah side of the Colorado-Utah state line at the head of Summit Canyon at the south end of the Uravan Mineral Belt. 

The 94 unpatented claims are located on approximately 1,942 acres land administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in sections 34 and 35, T32S, R26E, SLPM, San Juan County, Utah and sections 25 and 26, T43N, R20W, NMPM, and sections 19, 29, 30, 31, and 32, T43N, R19W, NMPM San Miguel County, Colorado.  Holding cost is $14,370 due to BLM for claim maintenance fees prior to September 1 each year. The property has access to grid power, however, no source of industrial water has yet been identified. The Sage Mine Project is currently being held as a property that is exploratory in nature with no identified reserves. Exploration and mining plans have not been prepared for the project. Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. has not yet undertaken any development work at the property.

Accessibility

The Sage Plain Project property can be accessed from the north, south, and east on paved, all-weather county roads. The nearest towns with stores, restaurants, lodging, and small industrial supply retailers are Monticello, Utah, 26 road miles to the west, and Dove Creek, Colorado, 20 road miles to the southeast. Larger population centers with more supplies and services are available farther away at Moab, Utah (61 road miles to the north) and Cortez, Colorado (54 road miles to the southeast).

U.S. Highway 491 connects Monticello, Utah to Dove Creek and Cortez, Colorado. There are two routes north from this highway to the project. At one mile west of the Colorado/Utah state line (16 miles east of Monticello or 10 miles west of Dove Creek), San Juan County Road 370 goes north for 10 miles to the Calliham Mine portal site drive way. The mine portal is one-half mile east of Road 370, on a private road. An alternate route is to turn north on Colorado Highway 141(2 miles west of Dove Creek) for 9.5 miles to Egnar, Colorado, then turn west on San Miguel County. Road H1 for 1.2 miles before intersecting San Juan County Road 370. Road 370 would be taken north for 4 miles to the Calliham Mine portal site driveway. Road H1 from Egnar would also be used if one was traveling to the project on Highway 141 from farther north in Colorado, such as Naturita, Colorado (a total of 62 miles away).

History

The property includes the historic producing Sage Mine and boarders the famous Deremo Mine and the Calliham Mine (combined historic production of over 8 million lbs. U₃O₈and 70 million lbs. V₂O₅). The uranium-vanadium deposits occur in the upper and middle sandstones of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation.

WUC is in possession of historic mine and drill maps. About 200 historic holes were drilled on the claims at the Sage Mine. A considerable, but unknown amount of drilling occurred historically on the eastern (Colorado) part of the claims along the benches of Summit and Bishop Canyons. Historic production from several small mines occurred on the Colorado claims (Red Ant, Black Spider, etc.).

The Sage Mine was developed, operated, and permitted by Atlas Minerals in the 1970s. It closed in 1982 and was ultimately sold and the permit transferred to Butt Mining Company under a Small Mine NOI. Jim Butt operated the mine for a short time in the early 1990s when vanadium prices were high; however, the mine has been idle since that time.

In the fall of 2011, Colorado Plateau Partners drilled seven holes totaling 4,873 feet at the Sage Mine property to confirm historic map data and explore for a possible east-west channel connecting the mine to a mineralized body to the west. The drilling was successful in meeting the objectives of confirming the accuracy of the historic data and verifying a historically defined mineralized body. One hole exploring a possible mineralized trend connecting the mine to the western mineralized body intercepted 2.0 feet of 0.407% eU₃O₈. Another hole intercepted mineralization greater than 1.0 foot of 0.16% eU₃O₈.

Prior to the Company’s acquisition of the Sage Mine property, Energy Fuels, Colorado Plateau Partners (a Joint Venture between Energy Fuels and Lynx-Royal) completed a NI 43-101 technical report on the Sage Plain Project (Technical Report on Colorado Plateau Partners LLC (Energy Fuel Resources Corporation/Lynx-Royal JV) Sage Plain Project, San Juan County, Utah and San Miguel County, Colorado by Douglas C. Peters, Certified Professional Geologist, Peters Geosciences Golden, Colorado December 16, 2011) (the “Sage Mine Energy Fuels Report”).

The Sage Mine Energy Fuels Report resource is an historic estimate of mineral resources (not reserves) under NI 43-101. The Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources, and S-K 1300 does not permit such historic estimates to be disclosed in Form 10-K annual reports.

Energy Fuels submitted an Exploration NOI to the BLM in March 2013 for the site thereby establishing a nominal permit for the facility. Permitting for mine expansion was started in 2012, but was discontinued due to other priorities. This work included installing 3 monitoring wells around a proposed portable water treatment plant (exploration permit E/037/0188; bond $16,020) and conducting baseline studies (archeology, biology, groundwater). Eight baseline groundwater sampling events have been completed, which will allow for submittal of a complete groundwater discharge permit application to DWQ.

Other than offsetting some of the historic drill holes and use of gamma logs where available, no verification of the historical data has been conducted. No core is available at the present time from the earlier exploration or production work.

There is no more recent data available on the Sage Mine project resource than that of the Sage Mine Energy Fuels Report. In order to disclose a resource estimate as current, the Company would need to engage a qualified person (as defined under 43-101 and S-K 1300) to produce a technical report compliant with NI 43-101 and a feasibility study compliant with S-K 1300. The Company currently does not intend to commission such a technical report or feasibility study.

Project Geology

The Sage Plain and nearby Slick Rock and Dry Valley/East Canyon districts uranium vanadium deposits are a similar type to those elsewhere in the Uravan Mineral Belt. The location and shape of mineralized deposits are largely controlled by the permeability of the host sandstone. Most mineralization is in trends where Top Rim sandstones are thick, usually 40 feet or greater.

The Sage Plain District appears to be a large channel of Top Rim sandstone which trends northeast, as one of the major trunk channels that is fanning into distributaries in the southern portion of the Uravan Mineral Belt. The Calliham/Crain/Skidmore (Calliham Mine) and Sage Mine deposits, as well as nearby Deremo and Wilson/Silverbell mines appear to be controlled by meandering within this main channel.

The Morrison sediments accumulated as oxidized detritus in the fluvial environment. During early burial and diagenesis, the through-flowing ground water within the large, saturated pile of Salt Wash and Brushy Basin material remained oxidized, thereby transporting uranium in solution. When the uranium-rich waters encountered the zones of trapped reduced waters, the uranium precipitated. Vanadium may have been leached from the detrital iron-titanium mineral grains and subsequently deposited along with or prior to the uranium.

The thickness, the gray color, and pyrite and carbon contents of sandstones, along with gray or green mudstone, were recognized by early workers as significant and still serve as exploration guides. Much of the Top Rim sandstone in the Sage Plain Project area exhibits these favorable features; therefore, portions of the property with only widely spaced drill holes hold potential. However, without the historic drill data, it cannot be determined where sedimentary facies are located (e.g., channel sandstones thin and pinch-out, or sandstone grades and interfingers into pink and red oxidized sandstone and overbank mudstones). Furthermore, locations of interface zones of the oxidized and reduced environments are hard to predict. Until more historic data are obtained and/or more drilling occurs on the property away from the historic mines, these outlying areas remain exploration targets.

Restoration and Reclamation

A financial warrant is posted with the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for the amount of $40,124. 

Permitting Status

Although the mine is permitted (S/037/0058) and bonded ($40,124) for reclamation it is not permitted for mining. Because of its location on BLM managed land, an Environmental Impact Assessment will need to be prepared for the site by a third-party contractor once a Plan of Operations is submitted for the mine operation. An amendment to the Small Mine Reclamation NOI will also be needed with Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining to allow for mine expansion.  

Existing permits include:

Small Mine Reclamation permit with the Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining.

Basis of Disclosure

The scientific and technical information provided in this Form 10-K on the Sage Mine, as well all data and exploration information reported in this Form 10-K on the Sage Mine, is based on the information reported in the Sage Mine Energy Fuels Report.

4. Dunn

The Property

The 11 unpatented claims are located on approximately 220 acres of land administered by the BLM in sections 14 and 15, T32S, R25E, SLPM, San Juan County, Utah. Holding costs of the 11 claims will be $1,705 due to BLM before September 1 each year.

The Dunn Project is currently being held as a property that is exploratory in nature with no identified reserves. Exploration and mining plans have not been prepared for the project. Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. has not yet undertaken any development work at the property. Power and water sources have not yet been formally assessed.

Accessibility

The property lies in Bear Trap Canyon, a tributary at the head of East Canyon. This is midway between the EFR Rim Mine and the Calliham/Sage mine area. Access to the Dunn project is from West Summit Road (San Juan County Road 313), 10.8 miles north of the junction with U.S. Highway 491. West Summit Road is a two-lane paved road that is well maintained year round. At 10.8 miles, a graveled Class D County Road (unnamed), spurs off of West Summit Road, passes through the leased lands and terminates at the Dunn Portal at approximately 2.1 miles from the spur. The nearest town to the Dunn project is Monticello, Utah which is approximately 65 miles away. The closest commercial airport facilities are located in Cortez, Colorado, approximately 65 miles to the southeast, and Moab, Utah approximately 65 miles to the northwest; both airports have daily commercial flights to-and-from Denver International Airport.

History

The first discovery of uranium-vanadium mineralization within close proximity to the Dunn project was by Homestake Mining Company in the late 1960s at what would eventually become the Wilson Mine 4 miles to the east. Mineralization associated with the Dunn mine was discovered by Gulf Oil Corporation in the late 1960s, which was subsequently acquired by Homestake, followed by Atlas Minerals in the 1970’s. Between 1975 and 1983 Atlas completed 243 drill holes at the Dunn project with an average total depth of 724 feet. By 1981, Atlas had delineated a resource that could justify the construction of a 3,825 foot decline. The decline successfully reached the perimeter of delineated mineralization, but before any production-mining, Atlas ceased operations in 1983 when faced with financial setbacks that required them to divert funds.

In July 2013, Energy Fuels Resources acquired the Dunn Mine property from American Strategic Minerals Corporation and Kyle Kimmerle.

Project Geology

The Dunn project occurs on structurally unaffected terrain between the gently folded Boulder Knoll anticline to the southwest and the more prominent salt-cored Lisbon Valley anticline to the northeast. The strata beneath the project are relatively flat, and no major faults or folds are expected to disrupt bedding or unit contacts.

Uranium-vanadium mineralization at the Dunn is hosted in the Salt Wash Member of the Jurassic Morrison formation which occurs at approximately 500 to 750 feet below the surface. The average depth to the mineralized sandstones within the Salt Wash Member is 650 feet from the surface.

The primary uranium mineral is uraninite with minor amounts of coffinite. The primary vanadium mineral is Montroseite.

Restoration and Reclamation.

No liabilities currently exist.

Permitting Status

No permits currently exist.

Basis of Disclosure

The scientific and technical information provided in this Form 10-K on the Dunn Project American Strategic Mineral Corporation is based on information provided in a NI 43-101 technical report prepared by American Strategic Minerals Corporation (the previous owner of the Dunn Project) entitled Technical Report on American Strategic Minerals Corporation’s Dunn Project, San Juan County, Utah by Dr. David A. Gonzales, PhD, PG, Durango, Colorado March 23, 2012. Mr. Gonzales is a qualified person for purposes of NI 43-101. However, none of the data, other exploration information or other results reported in that report are being incorporated into this Form 10-K.

5. Van #4

The Property

The Van#4 is located in the Uravan Mineral Belt on Monogram Mesa in Montrose County, Colorado. The property had been held by Denison and its predecessors for many years. The property consists of 80 unpatented mining claims covering the mine site and long-known deposit to the east, plus two large claim groups to the north, east, and south with exploration potential. 

The 80 unpatented claims are located on approximately 1,900 acres land administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in sections 27, 28, 29, 33, and 34, T48N, R17W, NMPM, and some in section 3, T47N, R17W, Montrose County, Colorado. The Holding costs of the 80 claims will be $12,400 due to BLM before September 1 each year. There are no royalties encumbering these claims.

The property includes the Van #4 shaft and associated surface facilities, which need renovation. The mine is connected to the Ura decline on claims in Bull Canyon to the southwest, not owned by WUC. It has been on standby for many years. Denison completed reclamation of two of the ventilation holes in 2008 and 2010. The property has access to grid power; however, no source of industrial water has been identified yet. The Van 4 mine is currently being held as a property that is exploratory in nature. Exploration and mining plans have not been prepared for the project. Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. has not yet undertaken any development work at the property. Power and water sources have not yet been assessed.

A prior owner of the Van 4 Mine had been granted a first Temporary Cessation from reclamation of the mine by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board (“MLRB”) which was set to expire June 23, 2017. Prior to its expiration, PRM formally requested an extension through a second Temporary Cessation. PRM subsequently participated in a public process which culminated in a hearing on July 26, 2017. Prior to the hearing, three non-profit organizations who pursue environmental and conservation objectives filed a brief objecting to the extension. The MLRB board members voted to grant a second five-year Temporary Cessation for the Van 4 Mine. Thereafter, the three objecting parties filed a lawsuit on September 18, 2017. The MLRB was named as the defendant and PRM was named as a party to the case due to the Colorado law requirement that any lawsuit filed after a hearing must include all of the parties in the proceeding. The plaintiff organizations are seeking for the court to set aside the board order granting a second five-year Temporary Cessation period to PRM for the Van 4 Mine. The Colorado state Attorney General was defending this action in the Denver Colorado District Court. On May 8, 2018, the Denver Colorado District Court ruled in favor, whereby the additional five-year temporary cessation period was granted. The Plaintiffs appealed this ruling to the Colorado Court of Appeals and on July 25, 2019 the ruling was reversed, ruling that the additional five-year temporary cessation period should not have been granted.

The MLRB and the Colorado Attorney General advised Western that it will not make an additional appeal of the ruling. Further, the time period for an appeal has passed. The Judge has subsequently issued an instruction for the MLRB to issue an order revoking the permit and putting the Van 4 Mine into reclamation. On January 22, 2020, the MLRB held a hearing and on March 2, 2020, the MLRB issued an order vacating the Van 4 Temporary Cessation, revoking the permit and ordered commencement of final reclamation, which must be completed within five (5) years. The Company commenced reclamation of the Van 4 Mine but progress has been delayed both by COVID-19 restrictions and countywide fire and open flame restrictions. The reclamation cost is fully covered by the reclamation bonds posted with the state of Colorado. Our mining operations team has made significant progress on the reclamation as all surface structures have been disassembled and removed with the exception of the head frame.

Accessibility

The Van #4 mine is accessible via Montrose County Roads year-round.

History

The Van#4 was initially permitted in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Union Carbide as part of a number of small mines named the Thunderbolt Group. Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc. (EFN) acquired the mine in 1984 and then transferred the mine and permits to International Uranium Corporation (IUC) in 1997. IUC re-permitted the mine with DRMS (then known as the Division of Minerals and Geology) in 1999 because the previous permit had included other mines in the area that were not acquired by IUC.  Mine Permit M-1997-032 with DRMS is currently in good standing and bonded for $75,057. Amendment AM-1, which incorporated the approved EPP, was issued on May 30, 2012. The permit has been transferred over the years from IUC to Denison Mines (USA) Corp. to Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. and now to WUC by way of PRM.

Project Geology

The uranium-vanadium deposits occur in the upper and middle sandstones of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation. Deposits in this part of the Uravan Mineral Belt have a moderate V₂O₅: U₃O₈ratio. The Company is in possession of much historic mine and drill data (former Union Carbide/Umetco property), as well as up-to-date mine maps. Denison drilled most recently (summer 2008) 21 wide-spaced exploration holes in sections 27 and 34. All have been reclaimed and the permit terminated.

Restoration and Reclamation.

There is a reclamation bond held by the Colorado DRMS for $75,057.

Permitting Status

Permit compliance is currently limited to an annual stormwater inspection; stormwater improvement work was completed in 2010 and 2012. The air permit with APCD was recently allowed to lapse, as the company does not have any immediate development or operation plans for the mine. The mine does not have EPA approval for radon emissions; however, this approval may not be needed to restart mining, as the life-of-mine production will likely be less than 100,000 tons. The DRMS mining permit was put into Temporary Cessation in February, 2014. Existing major permits at the mine include:

6. Hansen/Taylor Ranch

The Property

Within the Project area, Black Range has mining agreements, owns fee minerals, holds options to purchase fee mineral rights, holds federal unpatented mining claims and mineral leases with the State of Colorado, and has in place surface access agreements, including:

- 1 x private Mineral Lease

- 1 x State Mineral Lease (UR3324)

- 1 x option to purchase 100% of the Hansen and Picnic Tree Deposits

- 108 Federal unpatented mining claims

The Hansen/Taylor Ranch Project is currently being held as a property that is exploratory in nature with no identified reserves. Neither exploration plans nor a mining plan exist for the project. Black Range Minerals has not undertaken development work at the property since groundwater well installation in 2013. Power and water sources have not yet been formally assessed.

Notably a portion of the Hansen/Taylor deposit was in dispute during 2017. On September 16, 2015, in connection with the Company’s acquisition of Black Range, the Company assumed an option and exploration agreement (the “Option and Exploration Agreement”) with STB Minerals, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company (“STB”). The Option and Exploration Agreement gives the Company the right to purchase 51% of the mineral rights of specific areas of the Hansen and Picnic Tree deposits (for which the Company already holds 49% of the rights). If the Company were to exercise its option under the Option and Exploration Agreement, it would require the Company to (a) make a cash payment of $2,500,000 immediately upon exercise; (b) issue common shares to STB amounting to a value of $3,750,000 immediately upon exercise; and (c) issue common shares to STB amounting to a value of $3,750,000 on the date that is 180 days following exercise. The Option and Exploration Agreement was scheduled to expire by its terms on July 28, 2017 if not exercised.

The Option and Exploration Agreement provided an extension for an “event of force majeure”. Under this clause, the Company would receive an extension of the period during which it could exercise its option if it experiences an unreasonable delay outside its control that prevents it from exercising the option.  On May 10, 2017, the Company provided to STB a notice that it was exercising the force majeure clause due to the delay by government regulators in licensing the Company’s Kinetic Separation and permitting mining at the Hansen property. STB has contested the Company’s finding that an event of force majeure has occurred. Ongoing negotiations continued until September 21, 2017 when the Company and STB agreed to settle the matter through the pre-established arbitration mechanism. Prior to the commencement of arbitration, a settlement was agreed to on February 28, 2018 through the execution of an Amendment of Option and Exploration Agreement. As consideration, the Company paid STB a $20,000 extension payment and granted STB the right to seek a bona fide written offer over the remaining term, and agreed to the removal of the force majeure clause from the agreement. The Company received an extension until July 28, 2019 and a right of first refusal to match any bona fide written offer. Hence the Company already owned 49% of the resource property and retained an option to purchase the 51% of the resource property that the Company did not already own for the duration of the agreement. Further the Company believes the execution of this agreement was without financial implications, and as such, the Company has not made any adjustment to these consolidated financials related to this matter.

Prior to July 28, 2019, the Company decided not to exercise the option to purchase the remaining 51% of the mineral rights of specific areas of the Hansen and Picnic Tree deposits, and thus the option has expired unexercised.

Accessibility

The Project is located in Fremont County, in South Central Colorado approximately 30 miles northwest of the city of Canon City. Canon City is the closest population center, and had a population of 16,400 in 2010. The largest metropolitan area in close proximity to the Project is Colorado Springs which is located approximately 46 miles northeast of Canon City and has a population of approximately 416,000. Figure 1 shows the locations of these population centers with respect to the Project.

For ground travel, Canon City is best accessed from Denver/Colorado Springs via I-25 south to State Highway 115 which intersects Highway 50 just east of Canon City. For air travel, alternatives include the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), which is a 16-gate facility served by 14 airlines and Denver’s International Airport (DEN), which is 149 miles from Canon City. There is a small airport, Fremont County Airport (CNE), located in Canon City, which is open to private flights. The property has access to grid power; however, no source of industrial water has been identified yet.

History

Uranium mineralization was discovered in the Tallahassee Creek District in 1954 by two groups of prospectors. Between 1954 and 1972, 16 small open pit and underground mines were operated in the district. Discoveries, and most producing mines and production were in the Tallahassee Creek Conglomerate, with one mine, the Smaller Mine, producing from the Echo Park Formation. Exploration efforts were minimal until Rampart Exploration Company (Rampart), under contract to Cyprus, explored the Taylor Ranch area beginning in 1974 and discovered the Hansen Uranium Deposit along with other uranium deposits in the district. Cyprus took the Hansen and Picnic Tree deposits through a positive final feasibility analysis in 1980 for an open-pit mining and conventional uranium milling operation, and secured all necessary operating permits in 1981. The collapse of the uranium market led to Cyprus abandoning the project which lay dormant until Black Range Minerals began activities in late 2006.

Black Range Mineral’s Taylor Ranch Project, CO, consists of a combination of private, BLM and State Section minerals, and private, BLM and State Section surface rights. Ownership of the private minerals and surface has mainly been by local ranchers. Western Nuclear held a portion of the property briefly in 1968. Cyprus gained control of mineral and surface rights during the period 1975-1978.

In 1993, Cyprus sold their Tallahassee Creek holdings to Noah (Buddy) and Diane Taylor who had managed ranching activities on the property. The Taylors were not able to make the final payment to Cyprus and sold the southern portion of their holdings which included the Hansen and Picnic Tree deposits to New Mexico and Arizona Land (now NZ Minerals) in 1996 who, in 1998, sold the property to South T-Bar Ranch, a subsidiary of Colorado developer Land Properties, while reserving a 49% interest in the minerals.

This part of Cyprus’ prior holdings was subdivided, mainly into 35-acre parcels. Beginning in December 2006, through various purchases, leases and option agreements, Black Range Minerals has obtained mineral rights to most of the original Cyprus holdings.

Prior to the Hansen/Taylor Project being acquired by WUC, a mineral resource for the Hansen/Taylor Ranch Project for Black Range Minerals Limited. Black Range Reported a JORC compliant indicated uranium resources. This historic resource estimate was originally reported to Black Range Minerals Limited by Tetra Tech in four resource memos (collectively, the “Tetra Tech Reports”): 1) High Park Kriging Resources – Taylor Ranch Uranium Project, April 25, 2008; 2) North Hansen, Boyer Kriging Resources – Taylor Ranch Uranium Project, April 29, 2009; 3) Technical Memorandum – Boyer, Hansen and Picnic Tree Area Kriging Resources – Taylor Ranch Uranium Project, August 24, 2009; and 4) Technical Memorandum – Boyer, Hansen and Picnic Tree Area Kriging Resources – Taylor Ranch Uranium Project (Updated 2010), August 12, 2010. These memos were originally prepared by Rex Bryan of Tetra Tech, a qualified person under NI 43-101. The results reported in the Tetra Tech Reports are historical estimates under NI 43-101. However, the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources, and S-K 1300 does not permit such historic estimates to be disclosed in Form 10-K annual reports.

The historic Black Range Minerals resource reported in the Tetra Tech Reports uses JORC indicated and inferred resource categories and does not contain reserves. There is no more recent data available on the Hansen/Taylor Project resource than that of the Tetra Tech Reports. In order to disclose a resource estimate as current, the Company would need to engage a qualified person (as defined under 43-101 and S-K 1300) to produce a technical report compliant with NI 43-101 and a feasibility study compliant with S-K 1300. The Company currently does not intend to commission such a technical report or feasibility study. 

Project Geology

The deposits that make up the Project are tabular sandstone deposits associated with redox interfaces. The mineralisation is hosted in Tertiary sandstones and/or clay bearing conglomerates within an extinct braided stream, fluvial system or palaeochannel. Mineralisation occurred post sediment deposition when oxygenated uraniferous groundwater moving through the host rocks came into contact with redox interfaces, the resultant chemical change caused the precipitation of uranium oxides. The most common cause of redox interfaces is the presence of carbonaceous material that was deposited simultaneously with the host sediments. In parts of the Project the palaeochannel has been covered by Tertiary volcanic rocks and throughout the Project basement consists of Pre-Cambrian plutonics and metamorphic rocks. The volcanic and Pre-Cambrian rocks are believed to be the source of the uranium.

Restoration and Reclamation

During the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company received notice from the State of Colorado that its surety release request on the Hansen Picnic Tree property had been approved, and as such, this property is no longer subject to reclamation treatment. As the property wasn’t a current development priority, Western completed reclamation on the property. The Company recorded a discontinuation of the Hansen Picnic Tree property’s present value of $44,793 during the fourth quarter of 2021. On December 29, 2021, the Company moved the $154,936 restricted cash deposit into its cash after receiving payment from the state of Colorado.

Permitting Status

The project currently has an exploration permit through the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety as well as a Conditional Use Permit with the Fremont County Planning and Zoning Department.

Basis of Disclosure

The scientific and technical information provided in this Form 10-K on the Hansen/Taylor Ranch Project, as well all data and exploration information reported in this Form 10-K on the Hansen/Taylor Ranch Project, is based on the information reported in the Tetra Tech Reports.

7. Bullen Property (Weld County)

The Property

The Bullen Property is a private land parcel located in Weld County Colorado and is inclusive of 139 surface acres and 160 mineral acres. The property location is Township 9 North, Range 60 West, 6^th P.M., Section 34:NW/4.

Accessibility

The Bullen Property is accessible via Weld County roads year-round.

History

The Bullen Property is an oil and gas property located in Weld County Colorado. The Company acquired this non-core property in 2015 in the Black Range Minerals Limited acquisition. Black Range purchased the property in 2008 for its Keota Uranium Project. This project ran from 2008 to 2013, and at its peak there were five strategic interests which comprised approximately 3,300 acres in the Keota Uranium District. After the project ceased, the Bullen Property was the only acreage retained in Weld County by virtue of its outright ownership.

In 2017, the Company signed a three year oil and gas lease which in 2020 was extended for an additional three year term or the end of continuous operations. The consideration was in the form of upfront bonus payments and backend production royalty payments. Additional right-of-way easement agreements were signed which allowed for the development of a pipeline. The lease agreement allows the Company to retain property rights to vanadium, uranium, and other mineral resources.

In early 2020 Bison Oil & Gas traded this lease to Mallard Exploration (“Mallard”), Mallard subsequently filed an application with the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to update the permitting to create a new pooled unit.

In late 2020 Mallard began development of the pooled unit. By March 31, 2021, the drilling portion of the project had been completed for the eight horizontal wells named Blue Teal Fed. Seven wells were drilled to a 2.5 miles lateral length and one well was drilled to a 3.0 mile lateral length. These DJ-Basin wells target the Niobrara formation. During 2021, the operator completed all well development stages and each of the eight (8) Blue Teal Fed wells commenced oil and gas production by mid-August 2021. The first royalty payment was made in January 2022 and monthly royalty payments have been received subsequently. These wells continue to rank among the top Colorado producing wells. Due to the success of the first 8 wells, the operator has decided to develop a second set of 8 wells within Western’s royalty area during 2022.

Project Geology

The Bullen Property is located within the Denver-Julesburg Basin (“D-J Basin”) which is inclusive of multiple oil and gas formations.

Permitting Status

Mallard’s application with the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) created a new order to establish a drilling and spacing unit and set the maximum number of horizontal wells that may be drilled. The field rules were approved on August 24, 2020 (COGCC Order No. 535-1325). This order pooled five adjoining parcels into a 3,200 acre pooled unit (“Unit”) and set the maximum number of wells at 24. A total of 16 wells have been permitted in the Unit.

OTHER

Ferris Haggerty

The Property

No leases or land use remain.

Accessibility

The reclamation project is accessible 4 to 6 months out of the year due to snow and closed access. Take Wyoming Highway west from Encampment, Wyoming for approximately 11 miles. Once across the divide, to the northeast there is a pullout for Medicine Bow National Forest recreation. Follow 4 wheel drive route 412 (Continental Divide Trail) for approximately 5 miles to the Haggerty creek watershed. Turn southwest onto a steep 4 wheel drive rout and travel for approximately 1.5 miles until you are at the property.

History

The Ferris-Haggerty Mine Site was one of the richest components of the Grand Encampment Mining District in Carbon County, Wyoming. The site was first exploited by Ed Haggerty, a prospector from Whitehaven, England, in 1897, when he established the Rudefeha Mine on a rich deposit of copper ore. Haggerty was backed by George Ferris and other investors, of whom all but Ferris dropped out. The partners sold an interest to Willis George Emerson, who raised investment funding for improvements to the mine. These facilities included a 16-mile (26 km) aerial tramway from Grand Encampment over the Continental Divide to the smelter in Encampment and a 4-mile (6.4 km) pipeline to the mine. The mine’s assets were eventually acquired by the North American Copper Company for $1 million. By 1904 the mine had produced $1.4 million in copper ore, and was sold to the Penn-Wyoming Copper Company. However, even with copper prices peaking in 1907, the company had difficulty making a profit from the remove mine site. The company was over-capitalized and under-insured, and was suffered devastating fires at the mine site in March 1906 and May 1907 which halted production. Business disputes and a fall in copper prices prevented re-opening of the mine even after it was rebuilt. Machinery was salvaged after a foreclosure in 1913. A total of $2 million in copper ore was extracted from the mine during its life.

Project Geology

The Deposit is a tabular injection of magmatic metal differentiation product at the margins of an ultramafic intrusive of early Archean age (2.2 billion years ago). This intrusive was injected into pre-existing high siliceous sandstones and shales of massive thickness (+2,000 ft). Mineralization at the Ferris-Haggarty mine consists of disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite grains that occur along bedding planes of the host quartzite. However, the massive ore body mined at the Ferris-Haggarty was described by Spencer (1904) to lie along quartzite-Schist contacts and to cross cut foliation. Based on the historic description, the ore may have been remobilized from the host quartzite during regional metamorphism and emplaced along the quartzite-schist contact by way of permeable fractures. The impermeable hanging wall schist may have formed a natural barrier to the ore solutions and produced an unusually rich ore body.

Restoration and Reclamation

Grass must grow on the drill pad disturbance areas from drilling which took place in 2007. These drill pads are located at 10,000 feet above sea level on the north face of a mountain on the Continental Divide.

During the first quarter of 2021, the Company received notice that its Ferris Haggerty property was no longer considered to be subject to reclamation treatment. On April 29, 2021, the Company moved the Ferris Haggerty $10,000 restricted cash deposit into its cash after receiving payment from the state of Wyoming.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Company’s carrying value of property, plant and equipment is as follows:

The Company holds a license to use Kinetic Separation, a proven technology that we anticipate will improve the efficiency of the sandstone hosted uranium mining process, although there are some uncertainties about whether the anticipated benefits will be realized. See Item 1, “Business – The Kinetic Separation Process.” Kinetic Separation is a low cost, purely physical method of uranium and vanadium ore extraction. Kinetic Separation has been initially tested in order to understand the hydro and mechanical separation processes. The Company used a prototype Kinetic Separation test system to test several different samples of uranium ore from the Sunday Mine Complex and the Hansen/Taylor Ranch properties. In all cases, uranium ore that was entered into the Kinetic Separation pilot test system appeared to concentrate most of the uranium into the post kinetically separated material consisting of a fraction of the original mass, leaving most of the post kinetically separated materials which did not contain any uranium. The results of these tests have not yet been validated by a qualified person.

During 2016, the Company submitted documentation to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (“CDPHE”) for a determination ruling regarding the type of license which may be required for the application of Kinetic Separation at the Sunday Mine Complex within the state of Colorado. During May and June of 2016, CDPHE held four public meetings in several cities in Colorado as part of the process. On July 22, 2016 CDPHE closed the comment period. In connection with this matter, the CDPHE consulted with the NRC. In response, the CDPHE received an advisory opinion dated October 16, 2016, which did not contain support for the NRC’s opinion and with which the Company’s regulatory counsel does not agree. NRC’s advisory opinion recommended that Kinetic Separation should be regulated as a milling operation but did recognize that there may be exemptions to certain milling regulatory requirements because of the benign nature of the non-uranium bearing sands produced after Kinetic Separation is completed on uranium-bearing ores. On December 1, 2016, the CDPHE issued a determination that the proposed Kinetic Separation operations at the Sunday Mine must be regulated by the CDPHE through a milling license. Beginning in 2017 the Company’s regulatory counsel has prepared significant documentation in preparation for a prospective submission. On September 13, 2019, the Company’s regulatory counsel submitted a whitepaper to the NRC entitled “Recommendations on the Proper Legal and Policy Interpretation for Using Kinetic Separation Processes at Uranium Mine Sites.” On July 24, 2020, the NRC staff responded with a letter in support of the original conclusion. Western’s regulatory counsel has proposed alternatives. However, management has decided not to proceed at this time, given its present opportunity set.

The Company holds mineral properties as outlined below.

Pinon Ridge Properties

On August 18, 2014, the Company purchased mining assets from Energy Fuels Holding Corp. in an arm’s length transaction. The mining assets include both owned and leased land in the states of Utah and Colorado. All of the mining assets represent properties which have previously been mined to different degrees for uranium. As some of the properties have not formally established proven or probable reserves, there may be greater inherent uncertainty as to whether or not any mineralized material can be economically extracted as originally planned and anticipated.

The Company’s mining properties acquired on August 18, 2014 which the Company still retains as of December 31, 2020, include the San Rafael Uranium Project located in Emery County, Utah; the Sunday Mine Complex located in western San Miguel County, Colorado; the Van 4 Mine located in western Montrose County, Colorado; the Sage Mine project located in San Juan County, Utah; and the Dunn project located in San Juan and San Miguel counties, Colorado.

Black Range Properties

On September 16, 2015, in connection with the Black Range Transaction, the Company acquired additional mineral properties. The mining assets acquired through Black Range include leased land in the states of Colorado, Wyoming and Alaska. None of these mining assets were operational at the date of acquisition. As these properties have not formally established proven or probable reserves, there may be greater inherent uncertainty as to whether or not any mineralized material can be economically extracted as originally planned and anticipated.

The Company’s mining properties acquired on September 16, 2015 which the Company still retains as of December 31, 2020, include Hansen, North Hansen, High Park, Hansen Picnic Tree, Taylor Ranch, located in Fremont County, Colorado. The Company also acquired Keota located in Weld County, Wyoming.

In connection with the Black Range Transaction, Western assumed a mortgage secured by land, building and improvements at 1450 North 7 Mile Road, Casper, Wyoming, with interest payable at 8.00% and payable in monthly payments of $11,085 with the final balance of $1,044,015 due as a balloon payment on January 16, 2016. The Company did not pay the mortgage on its due date. On May 26, 2016, the Company executed agreements with the mortgage holder whereby in an equal exchange the mortgage was exchanged for the land, building and improvements on which it was secured, pursuant to which no further financial consideration is required.

During the second quarter of 2016, the Company initiated actions to cancel its coal mining leases in Alaska. In connection therewith, the Company notified the state of Alaska of its intent to forfeit the posted bond in satisfaction of the reclamation liabilities at the site. In response to the Company’s notification, the Company received notification that the state of Alaska was initiating forfeiture of the Company’s performance bond for reclamation. However, the notice indicated an additional surety bond of $150,000 in excess of the $210,500 cash bond, which had been posted by the Company upon purchase of the property. The Company and its advisors do not believe that it is obligated for this additional amount of claimed reclamation obligation. The Company is working with its legal counsel and the State of Alaska to resolve this matter. The Company has not recorded an additional $150,000 obligation as the Company does not expect, based on the advice of legal counsel, to be obligated to an amount greater than that presently reflected in the reclamation liability. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company adjusted the fair value of its reclamation obligation and for the Alaska mine, accreted $183,510 to bring its reclamation liability to face value. The portion of the reclamation liability related to the Alaska mine, and its related restricted cash are included in current liabilities, and current assets, respectively, at a value of $215,976 and $215,976. On January 20, 2017, the State of Alaska notified the Company that its reclamation bond had been forfeited to be used to satisfy the reclamation obligation. However, no amount had yet been determined in respect to the final cost of the reclamation obligation.

As the properties are not in production, they are not covered by various types of insurance including property and casualty, liability and umbrella coverage. We have not experienced any material uninsured or under insured losses related to our properties in the past and believe our approach sufficient given the inactivity.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Other than described below, management is not aware of any material legal proceedings that are pending or that have been threatened against us or our subsidiaries or any of our respective properties, and none of our directors, officers, affiliates or record or beneficial owners of more than 5% of our common shares, or any associate of any such director, officer, affiliate or shareholder, is (i) a party adverse to us or any of our subsidiaries in any legal proceeding or (ii) has an adverse interest to us or any of our subsidiaries in any legal proceeding.

The Company is subject to periodic inspection by certain regulatory agencies for the purpose of determining compliance by the Company with the conditions of its licenses. In the ordinary course of business, minor violations may occur; however, these are not expected to result in material expenditures or have any other material adverse effect on the Company.

A prior owner of the Van 4 Mine had been granted a first Temporary Cessation from reclamation of the mine by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board (“MLRB”) which was set to expire June 23, 2017. Prior to its expiration, PRM formally requested an extension through a second Temporary Cessation. PRM subsequently participated in a public process which culminated in a hearing on July 26, 2017. Prior to the hearing, three non-profit organizations who pursue environmental and conservation objectives filed a brief objecting to the extension. The MLRB board members voted to grant a second five-year Temporary Cessation for the Van 4 Mine. Thereafter, the three objecting parties filed a lawsuit on September 18, 2017. The MLRB was named as the defendant and PRM was named as a party to the case due to the Colorado law requirement that any lawsuit filed after a hearing must include all of the parties in the proceeding. The plaintiff organizations are seeking for the court to set aside the board order granting a second five-year Temporary Cessation period to PRM for the Van 4 Mine. The Colorado state Attorney General was defending this action in the Denver Colorado District Court. On May 8, 2018, the Denver Colorado District Court ruled in favor, whereby the additional five-year temporary cessation period was granted. The Plaintiffs appealed this ruling to the Colorado Court of Appeals and on July 25, 2019 the ruling was reversed, ruling that the additional five-year temporary cessation period should not have been granted.

The MLRB and the Colorado Attorney General advised Western that it will not make an additional appeal of the ruling. Further, the time period for an appeal has passed. The Judge has subsequently issued an instruction for the MLRB to issue an order revoking the permit and putting the Van 4 Mine into reclamation. On January 22, 2020, the MLRB held a hearing and on March 2, 2020, the MLRB issued an order vacating the Van 4 Temporary Cessation, revoking the permit and ordered commencement of final reclamation, which must be completed within five (5) years. The Company commenced reclamation of the Van 4 Mine but progress has been delayed both by COVID-19 restrictions and countywide fire and open flame restrictions. The reclamation cost is fully covered by the reclamation bonds posted upon acquisition of the property.

On February 4, 2020, the Colorado DRMS sent a Notice of Hearing to Declare Termination of Mining Operations related to the status of the mining permits issued by the state of Colorado for the Sunday Mine Complex. At issue is the application of an unchallenged Colorado Court of Appeals Opinion for a separate mine (Van 4) with very different facts that are retroactively modifying DRMS rules and regulations. The Company maintains that it was timely in meeting existing rules and regulations. The hearing was scheduled to be held during several monthly MLRB Board meetings, but this matter has been delayed several times. The permit hearing was held during MLRB Board monthly meeting on July 22, 2020. At issue was the status of the five existing permits which comprise the Sunday Mine Complex. Due to COVID restrictions, the hearing took place utilizing a virtual-only format. The Company prevailed in a 3 to 1 decision which acknowledged that the work completed at the Sunday Mines under DRMS oversight was timely and sufficient for Western to maintain these permits. In a subsequent July 30, 2020 letter, the DRMS notified the Company that the status of the five permits (Sunday, West Sunday, St. Jude, Carnation, and Topaz) had been changed to Active status effective June 10, 2019, the original date on which the change of the status was approved. On August 23, 2020, the Company initiated a request for temporary cessation status for the Sunday Mine Complex as the mines had not been restarted within a 180-day window due to the direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, a permit hearing was scheduled for October 21, 2020 to determine temporary cessation status. In a unanimous vote, the MLRB approved temporary cessation status for each of the five Sunday Mine Complex permits (Sunday, West Sunday, St. Jude, Carnation, and Topaz). On October 9, 2020, the MLRB issued a board order which finalized the findings of the July 22, 2020 permit hearing. On November 10, 2020, the MLRB issued a board order which finalized the findings of the October 21, 2020 permit hearing. On November 6, 2020, the MLRB signed an order placing the five Sunday Mine Complex mine permits into Temporary Cessation. On November 12, 2020, a coalition of environmental groups (the “Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint against the MLRB seeking a partial appeal of the July 22, 2020 decision by requesting termination of the Topaz Mine permit.

On December 15, 2020, the same coalition of environmental groups amended their complaint against the MLRB seeking a partial appeal of the October 21, 2020 decision requesting termination of the Topaz Mine permit. The Company has joined with the MLRB in defense of their July 22, 2020 and October 21, 2020 decisions. On May 5, 2021, the Plaintiff in the Topaz Appeal filed an opening brief with the Denver District Court seeking to overturn the July 22, 2020 and October 21, 2020 MLRB permit hearing decisions on the Topaz Mine permit. The MLRB and the Company were to respond with an answer brief within 35 days on or before June 9, 2021, but instead sought a settlement. The judicial review process was delayed as extensions were put in place until August 20, 2021. A settlement was not reached and the MLRB and the Company submitted answer briefs on August 20, 2021. The Plaintiff submitted a reply brief on September 10, 2021. On March 1, 2022, the Denver District Court reversed the MLRB’s orders regarding the Topaz Mine and remanded the case back to MLRB for further proceedings consistent with its order. The Company and the MRLB have until April 19, 2022 to appeal the Denver District Court’s ruling. The Company is also working toward the completion of an updated Topaz mine Plan of Operations which is a separate federal requirement of the BLM for the conduct of mining activities on federal land.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

For Western, safety is a core value, and we strive for superior performance. Our health and safety management system, which includes detailed standards and procedures for safe production, addresses topics such as employee training, risk management, workplace inspection, emergency response, accident investigation, and program auditing. In addition to strong leadership and involvement from all levels of the organization, these programs and procedures form the cornerstone of safety at Western, ensuring that employees are provided a safe and healthy environment and are intended to reduce workplace accidents, incidents and losses, comply with all mining-related regulations and provide support for both regulators and the industry to improve mine safety.

The operation of our U.S. based mine is subject to regulation by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the “Mine Act”). MSHA inspects our mine on a regular basis and issues various citations and orders when it believes a violation has occurred under the Mine Act Following passage of The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, MSHA significantly increased the number of citations and orders charged against mining operations. The dollar penalties assessed for citations issued has also increased in recent years.

Western is required to report certain mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K, and that required information is included in Exhibit 95 and is incorporated by reference in this annual report.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Market Information

Our common shares trade on the OTCQX Market under the “WSTRF” trading symbol.

Our common shares are listed for trading in Canada on the CSE under the symbol “WUC”.

Shareholders

According to our transfer agent, as of March 31, 2022 there were approximately 3,400 holders of record of our common shares. 

ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

Not Applicable

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

Forward-Looking Statements

The information disclosed in this annual report, and the information incorporated by reference herein, include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this annual report are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us and speak only as of the date of each such statement. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and this Item 7 of this annual report. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated annual financial statements and footnotes thereto contained in this annual report.

Overview

General

Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. (“Western” or the “Company”, formerly Western Uranium Corporation) was incorporated in December 2006 under the Ontario Business Corporations Act. On November 20, 2014, the Company completed a listing process on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”). As part of that process, the Company acquired 100% of the members’ interests of Pinon Ridge Mining LLC (“PRM”), a Delaware limited liability company. The transaction constituted a reverse takeover (“RTO”) of Western by PRM. Subsequent to obtaining appropriate shareholder approvals, the Company reconstituted its board of directors and senior management team. Effective September 16, 2015, Western completed its acquisition of Black Range Minerals Limited (“Black Range”).

On August 18, 2014, the Company closed on the purchase of certain mining properties in Colorado and Utah from Energy Fuels Holding Corp. Assets purchased included both owned and leased lands in Utah and Colorado, and all represent properties that have been previously mined for uranium to varying degrees in the past. The acquisition included the purchase of the Sunday Mine Complex. The Sunday Mine Complex is located in western San Miguel County, Colorado. The complex consists of the following five individual mines: the Sunday mine, the Carnation mine, the Saint Jude mine, the West Sunday mine and the Topaz mine. The operation of each of these mines requires a separate permit, and all such permits have been obtained by Western and are currently valid. In addition, each of the mines has good access to a paved highway, electric power to existing declines, office/storage/shop and change buildings, and an extensive underground haulage development with several vent shafts complete with exhaust fans. These properties were formerly secured by a first priority interest collateralizing a $500,000 promissory note which was paid in full on August 31, 2018, and thus, the properties are now held free and clear of encumbrances. The Sunday Mine Complex is the Company’s core resource property and was assigned “Active” status effective June 2019.

On September 16, 2015, Western completed its acquisition of Black Range, an Australian company that was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange until the acquisition was completed. The acquisition terms were pursuant to a definitive Merger Implementation Agreement entered into between Western and Black Range. Pursuant to the agreement, Western acquired all of the issued shares of Black Range by way of Scheme of Arrangement (“the Scheme”) under the Australian Corporation Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Black Range Transaction”), with Black Range shareholders being issued common shares of Western on a 1 for 750 basis. On August 25, 2015, the Scheme was approved by the shareholders of Black Range, and on September 4, 2015, Black Range received approval by the Federal Court of Australia. In addition, Western issued options to purchase Western common shares to certain employees, directors, and consultants. Such stock options were intended to replace Black Range stock options outstanding prior to the Black Range Transaction on the same 1 for 750 basis.

The Company has registered offices at 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 2S8, and its common shares are listed on the CSE under the symbol “WUC” and are traded on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol “WSTRF”. Its principal business activity is the acquisition and development of uranium and vanadium resource properties in the states of Utah and Colorado in the United States of America (“United States”).

Recent Developments

February 2021 Private Placement

On February 16, 2021, the Company closed on a non-brokered private placement of 3,250,000 units at a price of CAD $0.80 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $2,600,000. Each unit consisted of one common share of Western plus one common share purchase warrant of Western. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CAD $1.20 per share for a period of three years following the closing date of the private placement. A total of 3,250,000 common shares and 3,250,000 warrants were issued in the private placement.

March 2021 Private Placement

On March 1, 2021, the Company closed on a non-brokered private placement of 3,125,000 units at a price of CAD $0.80 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $2,500,000. Each unit consisted of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CAD $1.20 per share for a period of three years following the closing date of the private placement. A total of 3,125,000 common shares and 3,125,000 warrants were issued in the private placement.

December 2021 Private Placement

On December 17, 2021, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement of 372,966 units at a price of CAD $1.60 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $596,746 (USD $434,973 in net proceeds). Each unit consisted of one common share plus one warrant. Each warrant entitled the holder to purchase one common share at a price of CAD $2.50 per share for a period of three years following the closing date of the private placement. A total of 372,966 common shares and 372,966 warrants were issued in the private placement.

Bullen Property (Weld County)

The Bullen Property is an oil and gas property located in Weld County Colorado. The Company acquired this non-core property in 2015 in the Black Range Minerals Limited acquisition, and Black Range purchased the property in 2008 for its Keota Uranium Project.

In 2017, the Company signed a three year oil and gas lease which in 2020 was extended for an additional three year term or until the end of continuous operations. The consideration was in the form of upfront bonus payments and backend 3/16^th production royalty payment. Additional right-of-way easement agreements were signed which allowed for the development of a pipeline. The lease agreement allows the Company to retain property rights to vanadium, uranium, and other mineral resources.

A 2019 lawsuit was filed in the Weld County District Court over the original Bullen Property deed language which was negotiated before the Company acquired Black Range by prior management and a bank representing the estate of the property owner. The Company settled with the plaintiffs by awarding the estate’s beneficiaries a non-participating royalty interest of 1/8th for all hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon substances that are produced and sold from the property.

In early 2020, Bison Oil & Gas traded this lease to Mallard Exploration (“Mallard”), Mallard subsequently filed an application with the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (“COGCC”) to update the permit to create a new pooled unit.

During 2021, the operator advanced through the oil well production stages: drilling was completed in the first quarter, wellfield completion/fracking was completed during the second quarter, drill out was completed in July, and flowback was completed in August. By August 2021, each of the eight (8) Blue Teal Fed wells had commenced oil and gas production. The first royalty payment was made in January 2022 and monthly royalty payments have been received subsequently. These wells continue to rank among the top Colorado producing wells. Due to the success of the first 8 wells, the operator has decided to develop a second set of 8 wells within Western’s royalty area during 2022. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 the Company recognized aggregate revenue of $272,142 and $54,620, respectively, under these oil and gas lease arrangements. On January 31, 2022, the Company received $207,552 as payment for royalties recognized during the period August 2021 through December 2021.

Kinetic Separation Licensing

During 2016, the Company submitted documentation to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (“CDPHE”) for a determination ruling regarding the type of license which may be required for the application of Kinetic Separation at the Sunday Mine Complex within the state of Colorado. During May and June of 2016, CDPHE held four public meetings in several cities in Colorado as part of the process. On July 22, 2016, CDPHE closed the comment period. In connection with this matter, the CDPHE consulted with the NRC. In response, the CDPHE received an advisory opinion, dated October 16, 2016, which did not contain support for the NRC’s opinion and with which the Company’s regulatory counsel does not agree. NRC’s advisory opinion recommended that Kinetic Separation should be regulated as a milling operation but did recognize that there may be exemptions to certain milling regulatory requirements because of the benign nature of the non-uranium bearing sands produced after Kinetic Separation is completed on uranium-bearing ores. On December 1, 2016, the CDPHE issued a determination that the proposed Kinetic Separation operations at the Sunday Mine Complex must be regulated by the CDPHE through a milling license. Beginning in 2017, the Company’s regulatory counsel prepared significant documentation in preparation for a prospective submission. On September 13, 2019, the Company’s regulatory counsel submitted a white paper to the NRC entitled “Recommendations on the Proper Legal and Policy Interpretation for Using Kinetic Separation Processes at Uranium Mine Sites.” On July 24, 2020, the NRC staff responded with a letter in support of the original conclusion. Western’s regulatory counsel has proposed alternatives. However, management has decided not to proceed at this time, given its present opportunity set.

Sunday Mine Complex Permitting Status

On February 4, 2020, the Colorado DRMS sent a Notice of Hearing to Declare Termination of Mining Operations related to the status of the mining permits issued by the state of Colorado for the Sunday Mine Complex. At issue was the application of an unchallenged Colorado Court of Appeals Opinion for a separate mine (Van 4) with very different facts that are retroactively modifying DRMS rules and regulations. The Company maintains that it was timely in meeting existing rules and regulations. The hearing was scheduled to be held during several monthly MLRB Board meetings, but this matter was delayed several times. The permit hearing was held during the MLRB Board monthly meeting on July 22, 2020. At issue was the status of the five existing permits which comprise the Sunday Mine Complex. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the hearing took place utilizing a virtual-only format. The Company prevailed in a 3-to-1 decision which acknowledged that the work completed at the Sunday Mine Complex under DRMS oversight was timely and sufficient for Western to maintain these permits. In a subsequent July 30, 2020 letter, the DRMS notified the Company that the status of the five permits (Sunday, West Sunday, St. Jude, Carnation, and Topaz) had been changed to “Active” status effective June 10, 2019, the original date on which the change of the status was approved. On August 23, 2020, the Company initiated a request for Temporary Cessation status for the Sunday Mine Complex as the mines had not been restarted within a 180-day window due to the direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, a permit hearing was scheduled for October 21, 2020 to determine Temporary Cessation status. In a unanimous vote, the MLRB approved Temporary Cessation status for each of the five Sunday Mine Complex permits (Sunday, West Sunday, St. Jude, Carnation, and Topaz). On October 9, 2020, the MLRB issued a board order which finalized the findings of the July 22, 2020 permit hearing. On November 12, 2020, a coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the MLRB seeking a partial appeal of the July 22, 2020 decision by requesting termination of the Topaz mine permit. On December 15, 2020, the same coalition of environmental groups amended their complaint against the MLRB seeking a partial appeal of the October 21, 2020 decision requesting termination of the Topaz mine permit. The Company has joined with the MLRB in defense of their July 22, 2020 and October 21, 2020 decisions. On May 5, 2021, the Plaintiff in the Topaz Appeal filed an opening brief with the Denver District Court seeking to overturn the July 22, 2020 and October 21, 2020 MLRB permit hearing decisions on the Topaz mine permit. The MLRB and the Company were to respond with an answer brief within 35 days on or before June 9, 2021, but instead sought a settlement. The judicial review process was delayed as extensions were put in place until August 20, 2021. A settlement was not reached and the MLRB and the Company submitted answer briefs on August 20, 2021. The Plaintiff submitted a reply brief on September 10, 2021. On March 1, 2022, the Denver District Court reversed the MLRB’s orders regarding the Topaz Mine and remanded the case back to MLRB for further proceedings consistent with its order. The Company and the MRLB have until April 19, 2022 to appeal the Denver District Court’s ruling. The Company is also working toward the completion of an updated Topaz mine Plan of Operations which is a separate federal requirement of the BLM for the conduct of mining activities on federal land.

Sunday Mine Complex Project 2021 Restart

The project entailed the development of multiple SMC ore bodies. This year’s project involves a shift in the base of operations from the St. Jude Mine (2019) to the Sunday Mine (2021). Underground development began in August following mine ventilation, power upgrades, and increasing explosive capabilities. The first target was the extension of the drift (tunnel) 150 feet to reach the first surface exploration drill hole to access the GMG Ore Body (GMG). Early results were positive as drilling toward the GMG resulted in the location of ore-grade material within thirty feet of the existing mine workings. Notably, only limited exploration drilling has been done in this area due to the mountainous terrain on the surface above. As drifting proceeded, very high-grade ore continued to be intersected through the drift path and on both sides of the drift. As a result, the team shifted from development to mining. During the December 2021 to March 2022 period, over 3,000 tons of high-grade uranium/vanadium ore was mined from the drift. The mining contractor calculated grades based upon on site scintillometer readings. At the end of March, the mining contractor engaged by Western decided to retire from contract mining operations. As a result of this decision, Western will take over the mining operations and has acquired a full complement of mining equipment. The equipment is being prepared for operations and upgrades to mine ventilation, support buildings and infrastructure are underway. Further mine development and ore production is expected to resume in early summer after upgrades are completed. Western’s mining team will be expanded to facilitate mine development and full ore production.

Van 4 Mine Permitting Status

A prior owner of the Van 4 mine had been granted a first Temporary Cessation from reclamation of the mine by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board (“MLRB”) which was set to expire June 23, 2017. Prior to its expiration, PRM formally requested an extension through a second Temporary Cessation. PRM subsequently participated in a public process which culminated in a hearing on July 26, 2017. Prior to the hearing, three non-profit organizations who pursue environmental and conservation objectives filed a brief objecting to the extension. The MLRB board members voted to grant a second five-year Temporary Cessation for the Van 4 mine. Thereafter, the three objecting parties filed a lawsuit on September 18, 2017. The MLRB was named as the defendant and PRM was named as a party to the case due to the Colorado law requirement that any lawsuit filed after a hearing must include all of the parties in the proceeding. The plaintiff organizations are seeking for the court to set aside the board order granting a second five-year Temporary Cessation period to PRM for the Van 4 mine. The Colorado state Attorney General was defending this action in the Denver Colorado District Court. On May 8, 2018, the Denver Colorado District Court ruled in favor, whereby the additional five-year Temporary Cessation period was granted. The Plaintiffs appealed this ruling to the Colorado Court of Appeals, and on July 25, 2019, the ruling was reversed, ruling that the additional five-year Temporary Cessation period should not have been granted.

The MLRB and the Colorado Attorney General advised Western that it will not make an additional appeal of the ruling. Further, the time period for an appeal has passed. The judge has subsequently issued an instruction for the MLRB to issue an order revoking the permit and putting the Van 4 mine into reclamation. On January 22, 2020, the MLRB held a hearing, and on March 2, 2020, the MLRB issued an order vacating the Van 4 Temporary Cessation, revoking the permit, and ordering commencement of final reclamation, which must be completed within five years. The Company commenced reclamation of the Van 4 mine, but progress has been delayed both by COVID-19 restrictions and countywide fire and open flame restrictions. The reclamation cost is fully covered by the reclamation bonds that have been posted with the state of Colorado. Our mining operations team has made significant progress on the reclamation as all surface structures have been disassembled and removed with the exception of the head frame.

Uranium Section 232 Investigation/Nuclear Fuel Working Group Process

An investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 was undertaken by the DoC in 2018 to assess the impact to national security of the importation of the vast majority of uranium utilized by the approximately 100 operative civilian nuclear reactors within the United States. In response to the Section 232 report, the White House disseminated a Presidential Memoranda in July 2019. At that time, President Trump formed the Nuclear Fuel Working Group (“NFWG”) to find solutions for reviving and expanding domestic nuclear fuel production and reinvigorating recommendations.

In April 2020, the DoE released the NFWG report entitled “Restoring America’s Competitive Nuclear Energy Advantage – A strategy to assure U.S. national security.” The report outlines a strategy for the reestablishment of critical capabilities and direct support to the front end of the U.S. domestic nuclear fuel cycle. The NFWG findings and recommendations presented are a positive outcome for U.S. uranium miners; however, the ultimate outcome and timing remains uncertain as the continuing process requires approvals and budget appropriation from Congress and implementation by U.S. government agencies.

This remains an ongoing process where a number of bills were introduced in both the U.S. Senate and House to implement the key provisions of the NFWG report’s recommendations. In November 2020, after the U.S. election, the Senate Committee on Appropriations released its funding measures and allocations recommending the creation and funding of the American Uranium Reserve. In October 2020, the DoC extended the Russian Suspension Agreement for an additional 20 years until 2040. Existing categories of quotas on imports of Russian uranium into the U.S. were reduced by a graduated scale, and additional provisions were modified to eliminate loopholes. An extension of this agreement was among the NFWG’s recommendations. In further implementation of the report’s recommendations, the DoE made multiple investment awards to companies advancing new nuclear technologies. TerraPower and X-energy received awards to build demonstration models of their advanced reactor designs, and NuScale received support to deploy the first U.S. small modular reactor (“SMR”) plan comprised of 12 modules at the Idaho National Laboratory. The International Development Finance Corp. signed a letter of intent to finance NuScale’s development of 42 SMR modules in South Africa. In an acknowledgement of the future growth potential of new nuclear technologies, the U.S. government has increased its industry support to a level not seen in decades. This is being done to level the playing field versus state-sponsored foreign entities. In December 2020, U.S. Congress passed the “COVID-Relief and Omnibus Spending Bill,” which included $75 million for the establishment of a strategic U.S. Uranium Reserve. The Biden-Harris Administration has rolled the 2021 funding into its 2022 fiscal year budget to continue this initiative. The DoE continues to work on establishing the parameters of the program and in August 2021, the DoE put out a Request for Information (RFI) to obtain additional comments related to the establishment of the DoE’s Uranium Reserve program. On October 13, 2021, Western submitted a response to the Request for Information: Establishment of the Uranium Reserve Program to the DoE’s National Nuclear Security Administration

Also, recent follow through includes the July 2021 public release of the uranium Section 232 report which the DoC presented to President Trump in April 2019. The report concluded that uranium imports were “weakening our internal economy” and “threaten to impair the national security” and recommended immediate actions to “enable U.S. producers to recapture and sustain a market share of U.S. uranium consumption”. These actions were not taken in favor of the NFWG process.

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and strong market positions of Russia and the former Soviet Republics in nuclear fuel the term “energy security” has taken on increased urgency, as dependencies have impacted many free-market economies. With respect to the uranium market, the national security risks to the United States have been identified and reported under both the Section 232 Investigation and subsequently by the NFWG. In response to the Russian invasion, a number of U.S. Senators and Representatives have utilized the Uranium Reserve program as a basis for proposing a U.S. response to Russia’s invasion and reducing U.S. expenditures benefiting the Russian regime.

Vanadium Section 232 Investigation

In the United States, a petition for an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 was requested by two domestic companies in November 2019. In June of 2020, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, initiated an investigation into whether the present quantities or circumstances of vanadium imports into the United States threaten to impair the national security. The Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Vanadium was concluded, and a report was submitted to President Biden in February 2021. In July 2021, the report was made public. It concluded that vanadium imports “do not threaten to impair the national security as defined in Section 232,” but identified and recommended “several actions that would help to ensure reliable domestic sources of vanadium and lessen the potential for imports to threaten national security.” No action has been taken on these recommendations.

Biden-Harris Administration Initiatives

The positive momentum has continued for the nuclear and uranium mining sector due to the Biden-Harris Administration’s emphasis on climate change. The “Plan to Build a Modern Sustainable Infrastructure and an Equitable Clean Energy Future” emphasizes climate change solutions. Upon taking office, the Biden team immediately rejoined the Paris Agreement and continued its pursuit of campaign promises of investments in clean energy, creating jobs, producing clean electric power, and achieving carbon-pollution free energy in electricity generation by 2035. Since taking office, President Biden has given all agencies climate change initiatives and has started a climate change working group. The existing U.S. nuclear reactor fleet currently produces in excess of 50% of U.S. clean energy, and new, advanced nuclear technologies promise to generate additional clean energy. A White House national climate advisor told the media in a press briefing that the Biden-Harris Administration intends to seek a national clean energy standard that includes nuclear energy. The Company believes that nuclear energy will be increasingly able to compete on a level playing field with renewable energy technologies.

There has been legislative advancement of implementation mechanisms including tax credits, subsidies, and/or U.S. utilities being required to produce an increasing proportion of electricity generation from clean energy power sources. President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda has several components supportive of nuclear power generation. Already signed into law is the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that provides the DoE funding to prevent the premature retirement of existing nuclear plants and invest in advanced nuclear projects. The separate $1.7 trillion Build Back Better Reconciliation Legislation, which has not yet made its way through the U.S. Congress, further addresses climate change through the inclusion of a zero-emission nuclear power production credit. If passed in its current form, beginning in 2022 qualified nuclear power facilities would be eligible to receive a base credit and a bonus credit if certain requirements are met.

President Biden attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. His administration simultaneously released a proposed plan targeting the reduction of methane emissions. Many of the proposed initiatives from the Climate Summit target reduced utilization of fossil fuels and if implemented expand future opportunities for nuclear power generation, given its ability to provide baseload and carbon-free energy. To conclude the COP2, in a surprise announcement, the U.S. and China pledged to work together to slow global warming. This is significant because the U.S. and China represent the two countries with the largest CO2 emissions. They jointly pledged to take “enhanced climate actions” to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement temperature goal of limiting global warming to less than 1.5C.

Strategic Acquisition of Physical Uranium

On May 28, 2021, the Company executed a binding agreement to purchase 125,000 pounds of natural uranium concentrate at the market price. In December 2021, the Company paid $4,020,000 or $32.16 per pound, in connection with its full prepayment of the purchase price for 125,000 pounds of natural uranium concentrate. This uranium concentrate was delivered to the purchaser on April 13, 2022, pursuant to the terms of the aforementioned uranium concentrates supply agreement.

Uranium Supply Agreement Delivery

On April 13, 2022, in satisfaction of the Year 5 delivery under its supply contract, the Company delivered 125,000 lbs of uranium concentrate from its prepaid uranium concentrate inventory. This delivery of uranium concentrate resulted in a sale of $7,130,000, at a price of approximately $57 per pound. The Company expects to receive the cash from this sale in May 2022.

Sprott Physical Uranium Trust

The Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (U.UN) (the “Trust”) took over the former Uranium Participation Corp. (U.TO) and launched an at-the-market program (ATM) on August 17, 2021 to raise capital for the closed-ended trust. Since the inception of the ATM program, the Trust has bought significant quantities of uranium causing spot prices to increase. It is anticipated that a Sprott U.S. vehicle will receive New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) approval and be made available for investment during 2022. It is also likely that a comparable physical uranium holding vehicle will be launched in affiliation with Kazatomprom, the world’s largest uranium miner.

COVID-19

The world has been, and continues to be, impacted by the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. COVID-19, and measures to prevent its spread, impacted our business in a number of ways. The impact of these disruptions and the extent of their adverse impact on the Company’s financial and operating results will be dictated by the length of time that such disruptions continue, which will, in turn, depend on the currently unpredictable duration and severity of the impacts of COVID-19, and among other things, the impact of governmental actions imposed in response to COVID-19 and individuals’ and companies’ risk tolerance regarding health matters going forward and developing strain mutations. To date, COVID-19 has primarily caused Western delays in reporting, regulatory matters, and operations. Most notably, the Company initiated a request for Temporary Cessation status for the Sunday Mine Complex in August 2020 as the mines had not been restarted within the 180-day window due to the direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Van 4 Mine reclamation process was delayed because of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The need to observe quarantine periods also caused a limited loss of manpower and delay to the 2021 / 2022 Sunday Mine Complex project. The COVID-19 pandemic has also limited Western’s participation in industry and investor conference events during 2020 and 2021. The Company is continuing to monitor COVID-19and its subvariants, and the potential impact of the pandemic on the Company’s operations.

Year Ended December 31, 2021 as Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2020

The following table presents the Company’s financial results for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Summary:

Our consolidated net loss for the years ended December 31, 2021and 2020 was $2,074,037 and $2,392,890 or $0.06 and $0.08 per share, respectively. The principal components of these year over year changes are discussed below.

Our comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $1,985,017 and $2,503,750, respectively.

Revenue

Our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $272,142 and $54,620, respectively. This revenue resulted from lease revenue pursuant to a July 18, 2017 oil and gas lease agreement, which was extended for an additional three years in 2020 at a 150% increased rate. The February 2, 2018 pipeline easement, with the initial operator has terminated resulting in a decrease in this portion of revenue. The July 1, 2018 right-of-way agreement with the new operator was consistent between periods. The aforementioned revenue streams are derived from the Weld County oil and gas property. By August 2021, each of the eight (8) Blue Teal Fed wells had commenced oil and gas production. On January 31, 2022, the Company received $207,552 as payment for royalties recognized during the period August 2021 through December 2021.

Mining Expenditures

Mining expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $717,657 as compared to $393,182 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in mining expenditures of $324,475, or 82.5% was principally attributable to mining expenditures related to restarting mining operations at the Company’s Sunday Mine Complex during the third quarter of 2021.

Professional Fees

Professional fees for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $365,302 as compared to $299,908 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in professional fees of $65,394, or 21.8% was due to a $61,197 increase in legal fees which was primarily attributable to the Form S-1 share registration process.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $1,172,585 as compared to $1,136,049 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in general and administrative expense of $36,536, or 3.2% is due to a $136,756 increase in in payroll expenses, and an increase of $36,760 in utilities expenses in connection with the Sunday Mine Complex project offset by a decrease of $212,796 of stock-based compensation.

Consulting Fees

Consulting fees for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $29,543 as compared to $39,137 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The decrease in consulting fees of $9,594, or 24.5% was principally due to the Company’s reduced utilization of consultants during the current period.

Accretion and interest

Accretion and interest for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $(16,960) as compared to $13,338 for the years ended December 31, 2020. The change of accretion and interest of $30,298 was due to the return of the Hansen Picnic Tree Financial Warrantee with interest.

Warrant Modification Expense

Warrant modification expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $0 as compared to $639,012 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The decrease in warrant modification expense relates to the Company’s decision on April 20, 2020 to extend warrants issued to investors during various 2018 private placements and amend the trigger price in the acceleration clause for each tranche of warrants, resulting in a warrant modification expense of $639,012 in 2020.

Gain on Forgiveness of Debt

Gain on forgiveness of debt for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $0 as compared to $73,116 for the year ended December 31, 2020. The gain on forgiveness of debt relates to the Company having its PPP Loan forgiven by the U.S. Small Business Association in December 2020.

Foreign Exchange

Foreign exchange gain (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $89,020 as compared to $(110,860) for the year ended December 31, 2020. The change of the foreign exchange gain (loss) of $199,880 is primarily due to a swing from a loss in 2020 to a gain in 2021 from holding cash balances in Canadian Dollars during a period when the currency appreciated and the translation gain from using United States Dollars as the reporting currency.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company’s cash balance as of December 31, 2021 was $880,821. The Company’s cash position is highly dependent on its ability to raise capital through the issuance of debt and equity and its management of expenditures for mining development and for fulfillment of its public company reporting responsibilities. Management believes that in order to finance the development of the mining properties and Kinetic Separation, the Company will be required to raise additional capital by way of debt and/or equity. The Company could potentially require additional capital if the scope of the Sunday Mine Complex expands. This outlook is based on the Company’s current financial position and is subject to change if opportunities become available based on current exploration program results and/or external opportunities.

Net cash used in operating activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $6,154,665 for the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared with $1,513,626 for the year ended December 31, 2020. Of the $6,154,665 in net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021, $2,074,037 is derived from our net loss before non-cash adjustments. Changes in our operating assets and liabilities for the period primarily include an increase of $4,085,723 in prepaid uranium concentrate inventory, $269,606 in prepaid expenses and other current assets, an increase of $356,976 in accounts payable and accrued expenses, and a decrease of $64,620 in deferred revenue.

Net cash used in investing activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $65,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared with $0 for the year ended December 31, 2020.This capital expenditure relates to purchasing property and equipment for our mining operations.

Net cash provided by financing activities

Net cash provided by financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $6,309,143 and $73,116, respectively. The Company completed three private placements during 2021 representing aggregate net proceeds of $4,304,279 and received $2,004,864 from the exercise of warrants during the year ended December 31, 2021.

Reclamation Liability

The Company’s mines are subject to certain asset retirement obligations, which the Company has recorded as reclamation liabilities. The reclamation liabilities of the United States mines are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, and estimates of the costs of reclamation are reviewed periodically by the applicable regulatory authorities. The reclamation liability represents the Company’s best estimate of the present value of future reclamation costs in connection with the mineral properties. The Company determined the gross reclamation liabilities of the mineral properties as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, to be approximately $740,446 and $906,811, respectively. On March 2, 2020, the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board (“MLRB”) issued an order vacating the Van 4 Temporary Cessation, terminating mining operations and ordering commencement of final reclamation. The Company has begun the reclamation of the Van 4 Mine. The reclamation cost is fully covered by the reclamation bonds posted upon acquisition of the property. The Company adjusted the fair value of its reclamation obligation for the Van 4 Mine. The portion of the reclamation liability related to the Van 4 Mine and its related restricted cash are included in current liabilities and current assets, respectively, at a value of $75,057. The Company expects to begin incurring the reclamation liability after 2054 for all mines that are not in reclamation and accordingly, has discounted the gross liabilities over their remaining lives using a discount rate of 5.4%. The net discounted aggregated values as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $271,620 and $309,940, respectively. The gross reclamation liabilities as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 are secured by financial warranties in the amount of $740,446 and $906,811, respectively.

During the first quarter of 2021, the Company received notice that its Ferris Haggerty property was no longer considered to be subject to reclamation treatment. The Company recorded a discontinuation of the Ferris Haggerty property’s present value of $2,669 during the first quarter 2021. On April 29, 2021, the Company moved the Ferris Haggerty $10,000 restricted cash deposit into its cash after receiving payment from the state of Wyoming. During the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company received notice that its Hansen Picnic Tree property was no longer considered to be subject to reclamation treatment. The Company recorded a discontinuation of the Hansen Picnic Tree property’s present value of $44,793 during the fourth quarter of 2021. On December 29, 2021, the Company moved the $154,936 restricted cash deposit into its cash after receiving payment from the state of Colorado.

Oil and Gas Lease and Easement

The Company entered into an oil and gas lease that became effective with respect to minerals and mineral rights owned by the Company of approximately 160 surface acres of the Company’s property in Colorado. As consideration for entering into the lease, the lessee has agreed to pay the Company a royalty from the lessee’s revenue attributed to oil and gas produced, saved, and sold attributable to the net mineral interest. The Company has also received cash payments from the lessee related to the easement that the Company is recognizing incrementally over the eight year term of the easement.

On June 23, 2020, the same entity as discussed above elected to extend the oil and gas lease easement for three additional years, commencing on the date the lease would have previously expired. During 2021, the operator completed all well development stages and each of the eight (8) Blue Teal Fed wells commenced oil and gas production by mid-August 2021.

During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 the Company recognized aggregate revenue of $272,142 and $54,620, respectively, under these oil and gas lease arrangements. On January 31, 2022, the Company received $207,552 as payment for royalties recognized during the period August 2021 through December 2021.

Related Party Transactions

The Company has transacted with related parties pursuant to service arrangements in the ordinary course of business, as follows:

Prior to the acquisition of Black Range, Mr. George Glasier, the Company’s CEO, who is also a director of the Company (“Seller”), transferred his interest in a former joint venture with Ablation Technologies, LLC to Black Range. In connection with the transfer, Black Range issued 25 million shares of Black Range common stock to Seller and committed to pay AUD $500,000 (USD $362,794 as of December 31, 2021) to Seller within 60 days of the first commercial application of the Kinetic Separation technology. Western assumed this contingent payment obligation in connection with the acquisition of Black Range. At the date of the acquisition of Black Range, this contingent obligation was determined to be probable. Since the deferred contingent consideration obligation is probable and the amount is estimable, the Company recorded the deferred contingent consideration as an assumed liability in the amount of $362,794 and $392,086 as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Going Concern

The Company has incurred continuing losses from its operations and as of December 31, 2021, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $13,161,496 and working capital of $4,492,169.

Since inception, the Company has met its liquidity requirements principally through the issuance of notes and the sale of its common shares. On February 16, 2021, the Company closed on a non-brokered private placement of 3,250,000 units at a price of CAD $0.80 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $2,600,000 (USD $1,950,509 in net proceeds). On March 1, 2021, the Company closed on a non-brokered private placement of 3,125,000 units at a price of CAD $0.80 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $2,500,000 (USD $1,918,797 in net proceeds). On December 17, 2021, the Company closed on a non-brokered private placement of 372,966 units at a price of CAD $1.60 per unit. The aggregate gross proceeds raised in the private placement amounted to CAD $596,746 (USD $434,973 in net proceeds). During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company received $2,004,864 in proceeds from the exercise of warrants.

The Company’s ability to continue its operations and to pay its obligations when they become due is contingent upon the Company obtaining additional financing. Management’s plans include seeking to procure additional funds through debt and equity financings, to secure regulatory approval to fully utilize its Kinetic Separation and to initiate the processing of ore to generate operating cash flows.

There are no assurances that the Company will be able to raise capital on terms acceptable to the Company or at all, or that cash flows generated from its operations will be sufficient to meet its current operating costs and required debt service. If the Company is unable to obtain sufficient amounts of additional capital, it may be required to reduce the scope of its planned product development, which could harm its financial condition and operating results, or it may not be able to continue to fund its ongoing operations. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern to sustain operations for at least one year from the issuance of the accompanying financial statements. The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of December 31, 2021, there were no off-balance sheet transactions. The Company has not entered into any specialized financial agreements to minimize its investment risk, currency risk or commodity risk.

Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies

The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires management to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period.

Significant assumptions about the future and other sources of estimation uncertainty that management has made at the end of the reporting period, that could result in a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities, in the event that actual results differ from assumptions made, include, but are not limited to, the following: fair value of transactions involving common shares, assessment of the useful life and evaluation for impairment of intangible assets, valuation and impairment assessments on mineral properties, deferred contingent consideration, the reclamation liability, valuation of stock-based compensation, valuation of available-for-sale securities and valuation of long-term debt, HST and asset retirement obligations. Other areas requiring estimates include allocations of expenditures, depletion and amortization of mineral rights and properties.

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Not applicable.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

This information appears following Item 17 of this report and is included herein by reference.

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this report, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)). Based on their evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2021, to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is (a) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and (b) accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Description of Material Weakness

Management has concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2021, due to the lack of segregation of duties and the failure to report disclosures on a timely basis.

Remediation of Material Weakness

Management has developed a plan and related timeline for the Company to design a set of control procedures and the related required documentation thereof in order to address this material weakness. However, its implementation was delayed as a decline in commodity prices caused the Company to pursue aggressive cost cutting and de-staffing which has increasingly concentrated duties on the remaining staff. Until the Company has the proper staff in place, it likely will not be able to remediate its material weaknesses.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s 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 the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

This annual report does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by our independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to a provision under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that grants a permanent exemption for non-accelerated filers from complying with Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act that occurred during the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION.

None.

ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS.

None.

PART III

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

The following table sets forth information regarding the members of our board of directors (the “Board”) and our executive officers.

Executive Officers

George Glasier, J.D., founded Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. and has served as a Director and as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2014. He has over thirty years’ experience in the uranium industry in the United States, with extensive experience in sales and marketing; project development and permitting uranium processing facilities. He is the founder of Energy Fuels Inc. (Volcanic Metals Exploration Inc.) and served as its Chief Executive Officer and President from January 2006 to March 2010. He was responsible for assembling a first-class management team, acquiring a portfolio of uranium projects, and leading the successful permitting process that culminated in the licensing of the Piñon Ridge uranium mill; planned for construction in Western Montrose County, Colorado. He began his career in the uranium industry in the late 1970’s with Energy Fuels Nuclear, which built and operated the White Mesa Mill near Blanding, Utah, becoming the largest uranium producer in the United States. 

Robert Klein has served as Chief Financial Officer of Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp since 2016. He is in charge of accounting and finance, and is closely involved in capital markets activities, corporate transactions, investor relations, public relations, and legal, and compliance. Formerly, Mr. Klein served as Vice President Finance and had leading roles in reporting, corporate transactions, and Western’s public listings on the CSE and OTCQX. Mr. Klein was formerly the Chief Operating Officer of Cross River Group and began his association with Western on an Operating Partner basis after the formation of Western’s predecessor company, Pinon Ridge Mining, LLC. Previously, Mr. Klein was a Managing Director at Analytical Research, an alternative investments research firm. He has a broad financial background derived from senior operating and investment roles with asset managers and through Exeter Analytics, a consulting firm he founded. Mr. Klein was formerly the CFO of Five Points Capital, a hedge fund spin-out from Soros Fund Management. After having begun his career in public accounting, Mr. Klein worked for Lehman Brothers, an investment bank, and William E. Simon & Sons, a merchant bank and private investment firm. Rob earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, received an M.B.A. from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and a B.S. in Accounting from George Mason University.

Non-Employee Directors 

Andrew Wilder serves as a Director and the Chairman of the Audit Committee for Western Uranium & Vanadium Corporation, positions he has held since 2014. He is the Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Cross River Infrastructure Partners, a platform designed to accelerate global sustainability through the development and construction of infrastructure projects deploying transformative industrial technologies. Areas of focus include capturing and sequestering carbon emissions, generating green hydrogen and ammonia, generating clean power with advanced small modular nuclear reactors, and upcycling biowaste into renewable natural gas and alternative protein. Mr. Wilder is also currently a Board Member for Bedford 2030, a community-based climate action non-profit organization for the Township of Bedford, New York. In 2011, prior to launching Cross River Infrastructure Partners, Mr. Wilder founded and managed the Cross River Group, an advisory business providing capital and business development services to alternative asset managers and institutions. In 2001, Mr. Wilder co-founded and served as Chief Operating and Chief Financial Officer for North Sound Capital LLC, an equity hedge fund manager with $3 billion peak assets under management. Mr. Wilder’s prior career included serving as a Manager in the audit group of Deloitte. Mr. Wilder received the Chartered Accountant (Canada) designation, holds the CFA designation, and received an MBA from the University of Toronto and a BA from the University of Western Ontario.

Bryan Murphy has served as a Director of Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. since 2018. He is the founder of Magellan Limited, an advisory firm focusing on providing strategic, M&A, and financial advisory services and currently serves as CFO and Head of Finance for Biome Renewables Inc., an early stage renewable energy innovation and industrial design company. Formerly, Mr. Murphy was Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Quest Partners, a boutique investment bank that focuses on the provision of M&A, corporate finance, and business strategy services. In these capacities, Mr. Murphy has developed extensive international experience and relationships advising high-growth businesses across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. In the prior dozen years, Mr. Murphy held senior management roles at Canadian Tire Corporation overseeing divisions and business lines. Additionally, Mr. Murphy was formerly a board member of Covenant House Toronto, one of Canada’s largest homeless youth agencies. Bryan has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration majoring in Finance and an MBA with Distinction from the University of Western Ontario Richard Ivey School of Business. Bryan earned the ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Involvement of Officers and Directors in Certain Legal Proceedings

During the past ten years, none of the persons serving as our executive officers and/or directors have been the subject of any of the following legal proceedings that are required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K, including: (a) 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) any criminal convictions or any criminal proceedings in which the person is a named subject (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses); (c) any order, judgment, or decree permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any type of business, securities or banking activities; (d) any finding by a court, the SEC or the CFTC to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies, or any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud in connection with any business entity; or (e) any sanction or order of any self-regulatory organization, any registered entity, or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or other organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member. Further, no such legal proceedings are believed to be contemplated by governmental authorities against any director or executive officer.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships among our directors and executive officers.

Code of Ethics

We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to our officers, directors, employees and consultants. A copy of the code of ethics will be sent, free of charge, to any person who sends a written request for a copy to Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp., 330 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2S8.

Audit Committee

Western has established a separately designated audit committee of the board of directors (the “Board”) consisting of Andrew Wilder, George Glasier, and Bryan Murphy. Our audit committee is responsible for oversight of audits, corporate governance, board nominations, and executive compensation. The Board has determined that one of its members, Andrew Wilder, who has previously served as Western’s Chief Financial Officer, qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert”. We have also determined that Mr. Wilder and Mr. Murphy are independent directors as defined in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2).

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation earned by our named executive officers:

Employment Agreements

George Glasier

On February 8, 2017, the Company entered into an employment agreement with George Glasier, its Chief Executive Officer. The employment agreement automatically renews each year unless either party provides a 90-day advance written notice of their desire to not renew the agreement. The employment agreement provides for a base salary of $180,000 per year, the amount of which is subject to review by the board of directors at least annually. The agreement also provides for a discretionary annual cash bonus to be determined by the Board. On May 30, 2019, the Board approved an addendum to Mr. Glasier’s employment agreement, increasing his annual base salary from $180,000 to $220,000. In December 2021, the Board approved an increase to Mr. Glasier’s base salary from $220,000 to $250,000. Pursuant to the employment agreement, if the Company terminates the employment agreement without cause, or if a change of control occurs, the Company is required to pay to Mr. Glasier a lump sum payment equal to two and one-half times his annual base salary.

Robert Klein

On November 12, 2020, the Company entered into a new employment agreement with its Chief Financial Officer, Robert Klein. The agreement was effective as of October 1, 2020 and has an initial term that ends on September 30, 2021. The agreement will automatically renew for successive annual terms unless either party provides a 90-day advance written notice of their intention not to renew. The Agreement provides for a base salary of $150,000 per year, the amount of which is subject to review by the board of directors at least annually. Under the agreement, Mr. Klein is eligible to receive bonuses after the end of each calendar year or earlier in the discretion of the Board, and a bonus will also be considered upon the closing of a strategic transaction by the Company. The agreement provides that Mr. Klein is eligible to participate generally in any employee benefit plan of the Company or its affiliates and to receive annual stock option grants under the Company’s incentive stock option plan in amounts to be determined and approved by the Board.

Outstanding Equity Awards Table

The following table sets forth unexercised options, unvested stock and equity incentive plan awards outstanding for our named executive officers as of December 31, 2021.

Outstanding Option Awards at Fiscal Year-End for 2021

Outstanding Stock Awards at Fiscal Year-End for 2021

None.

Director Compensation

The following table sets forth a summary of the compensation for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021earned by each director who is not a named executive officer and who served on the Board during the year.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our class of common shares as of April 13, 2022 by:

The amounts and percentages of common shares beneficially owned are reported on the basis of regulations of the SEC governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. The information relating to our 5% beneficial owners is based on information we received from such holders. Under the rules of the SEC, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or direct the voting of a security, or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of a security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Securities that can be so acquired are deemed to be outstanding for purposes of computing such person’s ownership percentage, but not for purposes of computing any other person’s percentage. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed a beneficial owner of the same securities and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest.

Except as otherwise set forth in the footnotes to the table below, the address of persons listed below is c/o Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp., 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2S8. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes, each of the beneficial owners listed has, to our knowledge, sole voting and investment power with respect to the indicated common shares.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The Company maintains an Incentive Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) that permits the granting of stock options as incentive compensation. Shareholders of the Company approved the Plan on June 30, 2008 and amendments to the Plan on June 20, 2013, and the board of directors approved additional changes to the Plan on September 12, 2015 and as of October 1, 2021. The Plan was amended on October 1, 2021 to allow for the cashless exercise of stock options, among other things.

The purpose of the Plan is to attract, retain and motivate directors, management, staff and consultants by providing them with the opportunity, through stock options, to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company and benefit from its growth.

The Plan is to be administered by the Board in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, including the policies of any stock exchange, over-the-counter marketplace, or quotation/system service upon which the Company’s securities are listed or traded. The Board is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Plan, to adopt such rules and regulations as it deems consistent with the Plan’s provisions and, in its sole discretion, to designate options to purchase shares of the Company pursuant to the Plan. The Board may delegate to a committee the authority to exercise any or all power and authority of the Board under the Plan, including the authority with respect to option grants and/or exercises, all to the extent stipulated by the Board when so delegated. The Board may authorize one or more individuals of the Company to execute, deliver and receive documents on behalf of the Board.

At December 31, 2021, a total of 2,324,670 stock options issued under the Plan were outstanding.

The Plan provides that the aggregate number of common shares for which stock options may be granted will not exceed 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares at the time stock options are granted. At December 31, 2021, a total of 39,073,122 common shares were outstanding, and at that date the maximum number of stock options eligible for issue under the Plan was 3,907,312. A stock option exercise price shall not be less than the most recent share issuance price. The maximum term is five years. There are no specific vesting provisions under the Plan. Options are non-assignable and non-transferable.

The Plan provides that if an optionee’s employment is terminated for any reason, or if the service of a director, senior executive or consultant of the Company who is an optionee is terminated, any vested stock option of such optionee may be exercised during a period of ninety (90) days following the date of termination of such employment or service, as the case may be. In the case of an optionee’s death, any vested stock option of such optionee at the time of death may be exercised by his or her personal representative, heirs or legatees or their liquidator during a period of one year following such optionee’s death.

The total number of common shares issuable to any one person during a 12-month period may not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total number of common shares issued and outstanding. Also, in any 12-month period, no options exercisable for more than 2% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares may be awarded to consultants. The Plan provides that where options are cancelled or lapse under the Plan, the associated common shares become available again and new options may be granted in respect thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Plan.

The Board may make any amendment to the Plan, without shareholder approval, except an increase in the number of common shares reserved for issue under the Plan or a reduction of an option exercise price. The terms of any existing option may not be altered, suspended or discontinued without the consent in writing of the Optionee.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

As of December 31, 2021

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Transactions with Related Persons

Prior to the acquisition of Black Range, Mr. George Glasier, the Company’s CEO, who is also a director (“Seller”), transferred his interest in a former joint venture with Ablation Technologies, LLC to Black Range. In connection with the transfer, Black Range issued 25 million shares of Black Range common stock to Seller and committed to pay AUD $500,000 (USD $362,794 as of December 31, 2021) to Seller within 60 days of the first commercial application of the Kinetic Separation technology. Western assumed this contingent payment obligation in connection with the acquisition of Black Range. At the date of the acquisition of Black Range, this contingent obligation was determined to be probable. Since the deferred contingent consideration obligation is probable and the amount is estimable, the Company recorded the deferred contingent consideration as an assumed liability in the amount of $362,794 and $392,086 as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Director Independence

The board of directors facilitates its exercise of independent supervision over management by ensuring representation on the Board by directors who are independent of management and by promoting frequent interaction and feedback.

Directors are considered to be independent if they have no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company. A “material relationship” is a relationship which could, in the view of the Board, be reasonably expected to interfere with the exercise of a director’s independent judgment.

The Company’s Board currently consists of three directors. Currently, Andrew Wilder and Bryan Murphy are independent directors based upon the tests for independence set forth in National Instrument 52-110 Audit Committees.

SEC rules require a separate determination of independence of the Company’s directors based on the definition of independence of a U.S. national securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system which has requirements that a majority of the board of directors be independent. Because the Company’s common shares are not currently listed on a national securities exchange, it currently uses the definition in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) for determining director independence. Under that definition, Andrew Wilder and Bryan Murphy would be considered independent directors. Mr. Wilder and Mr. Murphy would also be considered independent directors under Rule 5605(c)(2)’s provisions relating to audit committee composition.

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed by MNP LLP (“MNP”), our independent registered accounting firm for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. These fees are categorized as audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees, and all other fees. The nature of the services provided in each category is described in the table below.

Audit fees: Consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of the consolidated financial statements and review of the quarterly interim consolidated financial statements. These fees also include the review of registration statements and the delivery of consents in connection with registration statements.

Audit-related fees: In 2021, MNP billed audit-related fees for preparation and review of an SEC Form S-1 filing and a comment letter. There were no fees billed by MNP for professional services rendered for audit-related services for the years ended December 31, 2020.

Tax fees: Consists of fees incurred for the Company’s U.S. and Canadian tax preparation fees and tax consulting fees.

All other fees: There were no fees billed by MNP for professional services rendered for other compliance purposes for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

The Company’s board of directors has established pre-approval policies and procedures, pursuant to which the Board approved the foregoing audit and tax services provided by MNP in 2021 and 2020 consistent with the Board’s responsibility for engaging Western’s independent auditors. The Board also considered whether the non-audit services rendered by our independent registered public accounting firm are compatible with an auditor maintaining independence. The Board has determined that the rendering of such services is compatible with MNP maintaining its independence.

PART IV – OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

Documents Filed as Part of This Report.

(a) The following financial statements are being filed as part of this Annual Report.

(b) The following exhibits are being provided as required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K.

ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY

None

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. and Subsidiaries

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. 

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Western Uranium & Vanadium Corp. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations and other comprehensive loss, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). 

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its consolidated operations and its consolidated cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Material Uncertainty Related to Going Concern

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has incurred continuing losses and negative cash flows from operations and is dependent upon future sources of equity or debt financing in order to fund its operations. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. 

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Chartered Professional Accountants, Licensed Public Accountants
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2015.
Mississauga, Canada
April 15, 2022

WESTERN URANIUM & VANADIUM CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Stated in USD)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

WESTERN URANIUM & VANADIUM CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(Stated in USD)