Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (IE) FY 2024 MD&A
This page reproduces the company's own Item 7 MD&A text from the linked SEC filing. It is filer text, not grepcent analysis, scoring, or investment advice.
Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes to those statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report. In addition to historical financial information, the following discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results and timing of selected events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those discussed under Item 1A. Risk Factors and elsewhere in this Annual Report. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Business Overview
We are a United States domiciled minerals exploration company with a focus on developing mines from mineral deposits principally located in the United States. We seek to support American supply chain independence by finding and delivering the critical metals necessary for electrification of the economy, with a focus on copper. We use our accurate and powerful Typhoon™ geophysical surveying system, together with advanced data analytics provided by our 94.3% owned subsidiary, Computational Geosciences Inc. (“CGI”), to accelerate and de-risk the mineral exploration process as we seek to discover new deposits of critical metals that may otherwise be undetectable by traditional exploration technologies. We believe the United States is significantly underexplored and has the potential to yield major new discoveries of critical metals. Our mineral exploration efforts focus on copper as well as other metals including nickel, vanadium, cobalt, platinum group elements, gold and silver. Through the advancement of our portfolio of electric metals exploration projects, headlined by the Santa Cruz Project in Arizona as well as other exploration projects in the United States, we intend to support the United States' supply chain independence by finding and delivering critical metals necessary for the electrification of the economy. We also operate a 50/50 joint venture with Saudi Arabian Mining Company Ma’aden ("Ma'aden") to explore for minerals on ~48,500 km2 of underexplored Arabian Shield in Saudi Arabia.
Finally, in addition to our mineral projects, we also own a 90.0% controlling interest in VRB Energy Inc. (“VRB Energy”) which itself owns 100% of VRB USA, an Arizona-based developer of advanced grid-scale energy storage systems utilizing vanadium redox flow batteries for integration with renewable power sources. VRB Energy also has a 49% interest in the VRB China Joint Venture. The VRB China Joint Venture manufactures, develops and sells vanadium redox flow batteries for Asian, African and Middle Eastern markets.
At our Santa Cruz Project in Arizona, we are evaluating the potential for a high-grade modern underground copper mining operation. The Initial Assessment for the Santa Cruz Project, completed in September 2023, focuses on an underground copper mine with an average of 5.5 million tonnes mined annually, exclusively from the high-grade exotic, oxide and enriched domains of the Santa Cruz and East Ridge Deposits. The Initial Assessment estimates life of mine copper production of 1.6 million tonnes over a 20-year mine life, with projected cash costs of $1.36 per pound of copper produced. We are advancing environmental, technical, trade-off and economic studies in preparation for a Preliminary Feasibility Study for a copper mining operation incorporating leading technologies to improve efficiencies and costs. We are designing a technologically advanced mine that we expect to result in low carbon dioxide emissions per pound of copper produced and be a leading example of responsibly produced domestic copper.
Our other mineral projects in the United States include the Tintic Project, located in Utah, and the Hog Heaven Copper-Silver-Gold Project, located in Montana. We also hold a portfolio of exploration projects in the western United States, including projects in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Montana.
References to our mineral projects refers to our interests in such projects which may be a direct ownership interest in mineral titles (including through subsidiary entities), a right to acquire mineral titles through an earn-in or option agreement, or, in the case of our investments in publicly listed companies in Canada, through our ownership of the equity of those companies that have an interest in such mineral projects.
Our shares of common stock are listed on the NYSE American and the TSX under the ticker symbol “IE”.
Reverse Stock Split
On June 16, 2022, we effected a reverse stock split of our outstanding common stock at a ratio of 3-for-1 (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The number of authorized shares and the par value of the common stock were not adjusted as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. All references to common stock, options to purchase common stock, per share data and related information have been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the effect of the Reverse Stock Split for all periods presented.
91
Table of Contents
Business Developments in the Year
In February 2024, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Kaizen Discovery Inc. (“Kaizen”) not already beneficially owned by us pursuant to a plan of arrangement. Immediately prior to the closing of the arrangement, we beneficially owned 82.5% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Kaizen on a non-diluted basis. Following the closing of the arrangement, we beneficially own 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Kaizen on a fully diluted basis.
In March 2024, we completed our earn-in and acquired an additional 30% in Sama Nickel Corporation ("SNC") bringing our total ownership interest in SNC to 60%. SNC owns the Samapleu-Grata Nickel-Copper Project ("Samapleu Project") in the Ivory Coast.
In May 2024, we entered into an Exploration Alliance Agreement with BHP Mineral Resources Inc. (“BHP”), which set out the framework for BHP and us to explore mutually agreed “Areas of Interest” in the United States to identify copper and other critical metal exploration opportunities within those Areas of Interest that may become 50/50 owned joint ventures. The Exploration Alliance Agreement is for a term of three years, which may be extended upon mutual agreement. BHP will provide the initial funding of $15.0 million and thereafter we and BHP would provide funding on a 50/50 basis. We will provide access to one Typhoon™ system for use pursuant to the Exploration Alliance Agreement.
In August 2024, we completed the final $10.0 million payment to exercise our option to acquire 100% ownership of the mineral rights at the Santa Cruz Copper Project in Arizona. Following this transaction, we now own 100% of the mineral and surface rights for the Santa Cruz Copper Project.
In October 2024, VRB Energy entered into definitive agreements providing for the creation of a 49%/51% joint venture (“VRB Transaction”) between VRB Energy and China Energy Storage Industry Co., Ltd. (“Red Sun”), a subsidiary of privately held Shanxi Red Sun Co., Ltd. Following the VRB Transaction, VRB Energy owns a 49% interest in the joint venture (“VRB China Joint Venture”), which manufactures, develops and sells vanadium redox flow batteries for Asian, African and Middle Eastern markets. VRB Energy also owns 100% of VRB USA, an Arizona-based business focused on the development and manufacture of advanced grid-scale energy storage systems utilizing vanadium redox flow technology for integration with renewable power sources. Pursuant to the VRB Transaction, the VRB China Joint Venture will receive approximately $35.2 million from Red Sun in tranches to be fully received by the end of 2025, with $12.7 million of those payments having been received to date. In addition, VRB Energy will receive $20.0 million from Red Sun in two tranches, to be completed by June 30, 2025, which will be used to advance VRB USA. On October 28, 2024, the first $10.0 million was deposited to an account in China jointly controlled by Red Sun and VRB Energy. Following receipt of several regulatory approvals required to transfer the funds outside of China, on February 12, 2025, VRB Energy received the first tranche payment with the second tranche payment being due in June 2025.
92
Table of Contents
Selected Financial Information
The selected financial information set forth below is presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP and is derived from our audited consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022. We did not declare or pay any dividends or distributions in any financial reporting period.
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per share amounts) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Revenue | $ | 2,901 | $ | 3,903 | $ | 8,440 | ||||
| Cost of sales | (1,018) | (2,986) | (3,135) | |||||||
| Gross profit | 1,883 | 917 | 5,305 | |||||||
| Expenses: | ||||||||||
| Exploration expenses | 130,944 | 126,719 | 105,286 | |||||||
| General and administrative expenses | 44,740 | 48,204 | 26,971 | |||||||
| Research and development expenses | 2,853 | 6,120 | 5,040 | |||||||
| Net loss attributable to: | ||||||||||
| Common stockholders or parent | 128,622 | 199,377 | 149,813 | |||||||
| Comprehensive loss attributable to: | ||||||||||
| Common stockholders or parent | 129,825 | 200,261 | 149,501 | |||||||
| Basic and diluted loss per share attributable to common stockholders or parent | $ | 1.07 | $ | 1.95 | $ | 1.91 | ||||
| Total assets | 374,932 | 487,226 | ||||||||
| Total non-current liabilities | 61,085 | 71,222 |
Segments
We account for our business in four business segments – (i) Santa Cruz Project (ii) critical metals, (iii) data processing services and (iv) energy storage.
Significant Components of Results of Operations
Revenue, Cost of Sales and Gross Profit
We have not generated any revenue from our mining projects because they are in the exploration stage. We do not expect to generate any revenue from our mining projects for the foreseeable future.
We generate some revenue from our technology businesses CGI and VRB Energy, which are included in the data processing and energy storage systems business segments, respectively.
CGI generates revenue from the sale of data processing services to the mining and oil and gas industries. In prior years, CGI has also generated revenue from software licensing.
VRB Energy generates revenue from developing, manufacturing and selling vanadium redox flow energy storage systems.
Exploration Expenses
Exploration expenses include topographical, geological, geochemical and geophysical studies, exploratory drilling, trenching, sampling and activities in relation to identifying a Mineral Resource and then evaluating the technical feasibility and commercial viability of extracting the Mineral Resource, as well as value-added taxes in relation to these direct exploration and evaluation costs incurred in foreign jurisdictions where recoverability of those taxes is uncertain. Exploration expenses also include salaries, benefits and non-cash stock-based compensation expenses of the employees performing these activities.
Exploration expenses also include payments under earn-in and option agreements where the option right is with respect to ownership interests in legal entities owning the underlying mineral project in the exploration project phase. Through our earn-in and option agreements, we have the right (and in some cases, the obligation) to fund and conduct exploration on the underlying mineral project prior to determining whether to acquire a minority or majority ownership interest through further funding the costs of such exploration and, in some cases, through direct payments to the owners of
93
Table of Contents
the project. In the event we cease making expenditures on an exploration mineral project or fail to incur the agreed level of exploration expenditures, we will not obtain an ownership right beyond any which may have been acquired as of the date of termination.
Included in exploration expenses are exploration costs that we incur in relation to generating new projects. These activities may or may not proceed to earn-in agreements depending on our evaluation. These are categorized as “Project generation and other”.
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses consist of salaries and benefits, stock-based compensation, professional and consultant fees, insurance and other general administration costs. We have incurred increased general and administrative expenses in 2024 and 2023 compared to 2022 for salaries, non-cash stock-based compensation, compliance related costs and directors’ and officers’ insurance expense since operating as a public company following our initial public offering (“IPO”) in June 2022.
Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2023
For the year ended December 31, 2024 we recorded a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $128.6 million ($1.07 per share), compared to $199.4 million ($1.95 per share) for the year ended December 31, 2023, which was a decrease of $70.8 million. Significant contributors to this decrease in the loss for year ended December 31, 2024 included the recognition of a $50.7 million gain on the disposal of a subsidiary and a decrease of $27.3 million in share of loss of equity method investees.
Exploration expenses were $130.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 an increase of $4.2 million from $126.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Exploration expenses consisted of the following:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Exploration Expenses: | ||||||
| Santa Cruz, USA | $ | 72,384 | $ | 57,203 | ||
| San Matias, Colombia | 14,756 | 28,068 | ||||
| Tintic, USA | 11,274 | 13,131 | ||||
| Hog Heaven, USA | 10,855 | 7,812 | ||||
| Unity, USA | 3,052 | 147 | ||||
| White Hill, USA | 1,775 | 1,451 | ||||
| Carolina, USA | 1,201 | 1,337 | ||||
| Pinaya, Peru | 755 | 958 | ||||
| Lincoln, USA | 480 | 3,684 | ||||
| Project Generation and other | 14,412 | 12,928 | ||||
| Total | $ | 130,944 | $ | 126,719 |
During the year ended December 31, 2024, exploration expenditures largely focused on activities at:
•the Santa Cruz Project where $72.4 million of exploration expenditure was incurred in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $57.2 million incurred in the year ended December 31, 2023. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 at Santa Cruz were focused on a program of infill resource drilling, geotechnical, hydrological, and metallurgical drilling/laboratory testing along with advancing permitting and technical studies required to support a prefeasibility study;
•the San Matias Project where $14.8 million of exploration expenditure was incurred by Cordoba in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $28.1 million in the year ended December 31, 2023. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2024, focused on preparing for and commencing detailed engineering design of the Alacran Project;
94
Table of Contents
•the Tintic Project where $11.3 million of exploration expenditure was incurred in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $13.1 million in the year ended December 31, 2023. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 at Tintic were focused on diamond drilling in the Mammoth area; and
•the Hog Heaven Project in Montana where $10.9 million of exploration expenditure was incurred in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $7.8 million in the year ended December 31, 2023. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 at Hog Heaven were focused on diamond drilling in the Flathead Mine, West Flathead and Battle Butte areas.
General and administrative expenses were $44.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of $3.5 million from $48.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2023. Several items contributed to the decrease, including a $5.8 million decrease in non-cash stock-based compensation expense from $17.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $11.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to less Ivanhoe Electric stock option and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) grants occurring in 2024 than 2023 due to 2023 including increased stock based compensation grants as we expanded our management team. This decrease was offset by a $2.4 million increase in salary and wages from $4.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $7.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase in salary and wages was due to the creation of a Company short term incentive program in which bonuses of $1.8 million were expensed as general and administrative costs in March 2024 and also the impact of additional compensation costs related to building out our management and administrative teams to appropriately support our activities as a public company.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we recorded $8.7 million share of loss of equity method investees which was a decrease of $27.3 million from the $36.0 million share of loss of equity method investee recorded for the year ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in loss was due to the year ended December 31, 2023 including our recognition of a $33.0 million share of loss from the Ma'aden joint venture upon its formation due to the expensing of the land access rights in accordance with our accounting policy for exploration and evaluation costs.
The $50.7 million gain on the disposal of a subsidiary resulted from the sale of our 51% interest in VRB China. As a result of the sale, we de-consolidated VRB China as of October 31, 2024 and accounted for our retained interest in VRB China using the equity method of accounting. We have recorded our retained interest in VRB China at a fair value of $35.8 million and recognized a gain on the sale of the controlling interest of VRB China of $50.7 million.
Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $2.9 million, a decrease of $1.0 million from $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. CGI’s software licensing and data processing services to the mining and oil and gas industries represented 98% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 ($2.8 million) and 33% for the year ended December 31, 2023 ($1.3 million). VRB Energy’s energy storage system revenue represented 2% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 ($0.1 million) and 67% for the year ended December 31, 2023 ($2.6 million).
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | Percentage changeyear-over-year | ||||||||
| (In thousands) | ||||||||||
| CGI: Software licensing and data processing services: | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 2,831 | $ | 1,300 | 118 | % | ||||
| Cost of sales | 965 | 497 | 94 | % | ||||||
| Gross profit | 1,866 | 803 | 132 | % | ||||||
| VRB Energy: Energy storage systems: | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 70 | $ | 2,603 | (97) | % | ||||
| Cost of sales | 52 | 2,489 | (98) | % | ||||||
| Gross profit | 18 | 114 | (85) | % | ||||||
| Total | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 2,901 | $ | 3,903 | (26) | % | ||||
| Cost of sales | 1,018 | 2,986 | (66) | % | ||||||
| Gross profit | 1,883 | 917 | 105 | % |
CGI’s revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $2.8 million, an increase of $1.5 million from $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase of $1.5 million in CGI’s revenue in 2024 was a result of more data
95
Table of Contents
processing services being contracted for by customers than in 2023. CGI’s gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $1.9 million, a $1.1 million increase from $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in CGI's gross profit was consistent with the increase in revenue.
VRB Energy’s energy storage system revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $0.1 million, a decrease of $2.5 million from $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Due to the nature of VRB Energy’s contracts, revenue is typically recognized when an energy storage system is installed and commissioned. VRB Energy did not complete any installations or commissionings during the year ended December 31, 2024. VRB Energy did record minor ancillary revenue of $0.1 million related to sales of certain monitoring system components by VRB China in October 2024 prior to VRB China being deconsolidated. During the year ended December 31, 2023, VRB Energy delivered, installed and commissioned energy storage systems of 2.18MW/6.25MWh to customers, which resulted in $2.6 million of revenue being recognized.
Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2022
For the year ended December 31, 2023 we recorded a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $199.4 million ($1.95 per share), compared to $149.8 million ($1.91 per share) for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was an increase of $49.6 million. Significant contributors to this increase in the year ended December 31, 2023 included an increase of $21.4 million in exploration expenditures, an increase of $21.2 million in general and administrative expenses, an increase of $32.2 million in share of loss of equity method investees, a decrease of $4.5 million in revenue compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 offset by a decrease of $19.0 million in non-cash loss on revaluation of convertible debt as compared to the year ended December 31, 2022.
Exploration expenses were $126.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 an increase of $21.4 million from $105.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Exploration expenses consisted of the following:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | ||||
| Exploration Expenses: | ||||||
| Santa Cruz, USA | $ | 57,203 | $ | 61,172 | ||
| San Matias, Colombia | 28,068 | 18,454 | ||||
| Tintic, USA | 13,131 | 2,282 | ||||
| Hog Heaven, USA | 7,812 | 2,216 | ||||
| Unity, USA | 147 | 653 | ||||
| White Hill, USA | 1,451 | — | ||||
| Carolina, USA | 1,337 | 1,307 | ||||
| Pinaya, Peru | 958 | 2,616 | ||||
| Lincoln, USA | 3,684 | 1,312 | ||||
| Project Generation and other | 12,928 | 15,274 | ||||
| Total | $ | 126,719 | $ | 105,286 |
During the year ended December 31, 2023, expenditures largely focused on exploration activities at:
•the Santa Cruz Project where $57.2 million of exploration expenditure was incurred in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $61.2 million incurred in the year ended December 31, 2022. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2023, at Santa Cruz were focused on a program of exploration and infill resource, geotechnical, hydrological and metallurgical drilling, advancing technical studies, completing the updated mineral resource estimate released in February 2023 and the finalization of the Initial Assessment and the National Instrument 43-101 Preliminary Assessment and Technical Report ("PEA") which were released on September 6, and September 11, 2023.
•the San Matias Project where $28.1 million of exploration expenditure was incurred by Cordoba in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $18.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2022. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2023, focused on continuing work on the National Instrument 43-101 feasibility study on the Alacran deposit which was completed in December 2023. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2023, included infill geotechnical, metallurgical, hydrological and infill resource drilling, feasibility metallurgical test
96
Table of Contents
work, infrastructure, mine, mill and tailings facility design work, investigation of power supply options, environmental studies and market investigations;
•the Tintic Project where $13.1 million of exploration expenditure was incurred in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $2.3 million in the year ended December 31, 2022. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2023 at Tintic were focused on completing an initial diamond drill hole and commencing a two drill rig exploration program that is testing new areas of the historic Main Tintic Mining District. Drilling has focused on deep targets guided by geophysical data; and
•the Hog Heaven Project in Montana where $7.8 million of exploration expenditure was incurred in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $2.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2022. Activities during the year ended December 31, 2023 at Hog Heaven included a drilling program that commenced in June 2023. The ongoing drill program is designed to search for additional silver, gold, and copper-rich high-sulfidation epithermal mineralization, which was the focus of historical mining activities and is also intended to search for porphyry copper mineralization at depth. During 2023, we completed 12 drill holes, totaling 10,905 meters. In November 2023, we conducted a TyphoonTM geophysical survey covering approximately 10 km2 of land.
General and administrative expenses were $48.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $21.2 million from $27.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2022. Several items contributed to the increase, including:
•a $14.7 million increase in non-cash stock-based compensation expense from $3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to $17.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to Ivanhoe Electric stock option and RSU grants that have occurred from November 2022 onwards.
•a $1.9 million increase in directors and officers insurance expenses from $3.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to $5.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 in relation to the director and officers insurance policy that we entered into when we became a public company in June 2022; and
•a $2.7 million increase in salary and wages from $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to $4.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 due to adding more people to our management and administrative teams following our IPO in June 2022.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, we recorded $36.0 million share of loss of equity method investees which was an increase of $32.2 million from the $3.7 million share of loss of equity method investee recorded for the year ended December 31, 2022. The $36.0 million share of loss of equity method investees is largely attributable to our recognition of a $34.4 million loss from our 50% share of the loss from the Ma'aden joint venture due to the land access rights of $66.0 million being expensed in accordance with our accounting policy for exploration and evaluation costs.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, we recorded a non-cash $19.0 million loss on revaluation of convertible debt which related to the convertible notes that were automatically converted into shares of common stock upon the completion of our initial public offering on June 30, 2022. There was no similar expense in 2023.
97
Table of Contents
Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $3.9 million, a decrease of $4.5 million from $8.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | Percentage changeyear-over-year | ||||||||
| (In thousands) | ||||||||||
| CGI: Software licensing and data processing services: | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 1,300 | $ | 7,729 | (83) | % | ||||
| Cost of sales | 497 | 577 | (14) | % | ||||||
| Gross profit | 803 | 7,152 | (89) | % | ||||||
| VRB Energy: Energy storage systems: | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 2,603 | $ | 711 | 266 | % | ||||
| Cost of sales | 2,489 | 2,558 | (3) | % | ||||||
| Gross profit (loss) | 114 | (1,847) | 106 | % | ||||||
| Total | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 3,903 | $ | 8,440 | (54) | % | ||||
| Cost of sales | 2,986 | 3,135 | (5) | % | ||||||
| Gross profit | 917 | 5,305 | (83) | % |
CGI’s software licensing and data processing services to the mining and oil and gas industries represented 33% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 ($1.3 million) and 92% for the year ended December 31, 2022 ($7.7 million). The decrease of $6.4 million in CGI’s revenue from 2023 to 2022 was a direct result of the year ended December 31, 2022 including revenue from a customer who licensed certain software from CGI for a one-time fee of $6.5 million. There were no similar agreements in 2023 and we cannot provide any assurance that CGI will enter into any similar contracts in the future.
CGI’s gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $0.8 million, a $6.3 million or 89% decrease from $7.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The 2022 licensing of certain software for a one-time fee of $6.5 million had a direct impact on gross profit as the licenses had no underlying carrying value and therefore resulted in a $6.5 million gross profit being recognized for the year ended December 31, 2022.
VRB Energy’s energy storage system revenue represented 67% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 ($2.6 million) and 8% for the year ended December 31, 2022 ($0.7 million). During the year ended December 31, 2023, VRB Energy delivered, installed and commissioned energy storage systems of 2.18MW/6.25MWh to customers, which resulted in $2.6 million of revenue being recognized.
VRB Energy’s gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $0.1 million, a $2.0 million or 106% increase from the $1.8 million gross loss for the year ended December 31, 2022. VRB Energy’s gross loss for the year ended December 31, 2022 was largely due to an inventory impairment of $1.9 million being recognized in relation to the termination of a tolling agreement with a producer of ammonium metavanadate.
Stock-Based Compensation
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we granted 2.2 million stock options to certain employees of the Company. The fair value of the option grants was determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model as follows:
•1.8 million stock options issued on March 11, 2024 at an exercise price of $13.50. The fair value of the option grant was determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model as $3.46 per share; and
•0.4 million stock options issued on April 8, 2024 at an exercise price of $13.50. The fair value of the option grant was determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model as $4.72 per share.
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Capital Requirements
Cash Resources
We have recurring net losses and negative operating cash flows and we expect that we will continue to operate at a loss for the foreseeable future.
98
Table of Contents
We generate revenue from our technology businesses. We have not generated any revenue from our mining projects and do not expect to generate any revenue from our mining projects for the foreseeable future.
We have funded our operations primarily through the sale of our equity securities.
At December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $41.0 million and a working capital balance of $35.9 million. Of the total cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2024, $11.2 million was not available for the general corporate purposes of the Company as this amount was held by non-wholly-owned subsidiaries.
On February 14, 2025, we completed a public offering where we issued 11,794,872 units (the “Units”) at a price of $5.85 per Unit for net proceeds of approximately $66.0 million, after giving effect to the underwriter’s exercise in full of its option to purchase additional Units. Each Unit consists of (i) one share of our common stock and (ii) one accompanying warrant (the "Warrants"). Each of the currently outstanding 11,794,872 whole Warrants is exercisable to purchase one share of our common stock at a price of $7.00 per share until February 17, 2026. We intend to use the net proceeds of the offering on the preliminary feasibility study for the Santa Cruz Project, land acquisition payments, drilling and other exploration activities and for other working capital and general corporate purposes.
As at February 27, 2025, we believe that we have sufficient cash resources to carry out our business plans for at least the next 12 months, after which we expect to need additional financing to further advance our projects and conduct our business; provided, however, that if we make a development decision at the Santa Cruz Project within the next 12 months, our need for additional financing will be accelerated. We have based these estimates on our current assumptions which may require future adjustments based on our ongoing business and development decisions. Accordingly, we may require additional cash resources earlier than we currently expect or we may need to curtail currently planned activities.
Our significant operational expenses include the payments that we anticipate making under the various earn-in and option agreements to which we are a party. These agreements are structured to provide us with flexibility whereby our ability to continue to explore on a mineral project is contingent on funding agreed specified levels over specified time intervals. See Item 1. Business — Mineral Project Obligations and Payments.
We may seek additional financing at any time through debt, equity, project specific debt, and/or other means. Our continued operations are dependent on our ability to obtain additional financing or to generate future cash flows. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in our efforts to raise additional capital on terms favorable to us, or at all.
Consolidated Cash Balances as of December 31, 2024
The table below discloses the amounts of consolidated cash disaggregated by currency denomination as of December 31, 2024 in each jurisdiction that our affiliated entities are domiciled.
| Currency by Denomination (in USD Equivalents) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US dollars | Canadiandollars | Colombian Pesos | Other | Total | |||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jurisdiction of Entity: | |||||||||||||||||||
| USA | $ | 26,686 | $ | 1,085 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 27,771 | |||||||||
| Colombia | 5,000 | — | 4,851 | — | 9,851 | ||||||||||||||
| Canada | 607 | 1,359 | — | — | 1,966 | ||||||||||||||
| Other | 1,064 | 219 | — | 100 | 1,383 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 33,357 | $ | 2,663 | $ | 4,851 | $ | 100 | $ | 40,971 |
Refer to Note 19 of our consolidated financial statements which outlines restrictions on transfers of net assets from our consolidated subsidiaries to the Company.
Note Payable
In May 2023, as part of the consideration for the acquisition of 5,975 acres of surface title and associated water rights at the Santa Cruz Project we issued to the vendor a secured promissory note in the principal amount of $82.6 million. The promissory note included an annual interest rate of prime plus 1% and is to be paid in installments, In November 2023, Ivanhoe Electric repaid $34.3 million, plus accrued interest of the promissory note. In November 2024, Ivanhoe Electric repaid $12.1 million, plus accrued interest of the promissory note. Three principal payments of $12.1 million remain to be paid on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of the November 2023 payment, plus applicable accrued interest.
99
Table of Contents
Convertible Bond — VRB Energy.
On July 8, 2021, VRB Energy issued a convertible bond for gross proceeds of $24.0 million. The bond has a five-year term and interest accrues at a rate of 8% per annum. Prior to the maturity date, the convertible bond will be automatically converted into equity of VRB Energy upon an equity financing or sale event, at a price per share equal to the lower of (A) the transaction price of the equity financing or sale event, and (B) the valuation cap price of $158.0 million divided by the total shares outstanding at the time of the event. If no equity financing or sale event occurs, VRB Energy must repay the outstanding principal and interest on maturity in July 2026.
Bridge Loan — Cordoba.
In December 2024, Cordoba entered into a $5.0 million bridge financing loan agreement with JCHX. The loan bears simple interest at 10% per annum for the first six months of the loan agreement, and 12% per annum for the remaining months of the loan agreement. The Bridge Loan is payable on the maturity date, which is the earlier of (i) 36 months after the date of the loan agreement, and (ii) the date the third installment of $20.0 million becomes payable by JCHX under the strategic arrangement.
Cash Flows
The following table presents our sources and uses of cash for the periods indicated:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by: | ||||||||||
| Operating activities | $ | (162,096) | $ | (150,515) | $ | (115,734) | ||||
| Investing activities | (14,470) | (150,766) | (48,384) | |||||||
| Financing activities | 18,895 | 366,454 | 254,410 | |||||||
| Effect of foreign exchange on cash | (2,063) | 210 | (482) | |||||||
| Total change in cash | $ | (159,734) | $ | 65,383 | $ | 89,810 |
Operating activities.
Net cash used in operating activities for all periods presented largely was spent on our exploration expenses and our general and administrative costs. We do not generate adequate cash from operations to cover our operating expenses and therefore rely on our financing activities to provide the cash resources to fund our operating and investing activities.
The net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 of $162.1 million primarily was the result of $126.5 million of cash exploration expenditures and $32.8 million of cash general and administrative costs.
The net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 of $150.5 million primarily was the result of $120.2 million of cash exploration expenditures and $30.5 million of cash general and administrative costs.
The net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 of $115.7 million primarily was the result of $96.7 million of cash exploration expenditures and $23.9 million of cash general and administrative costs.
Investing activities.
Our investing activities generally relate to acquisitions of mineral property interests, purchases of shares in companies that we may partner with and capital expenditures at our projects. To date, due to our mining projects being in the exploration stage we have not incurred material capital expenditures.
Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 of $14.5 million was mainly attributable to $10.6 million related to payments for exploration properties, $2.9 million for the purchases of property, plant and equipment and $1.1 million for the purchase of investments that are subject to significant influence. The $10.6 million of cash used for purchases of exploration properties largely consisted of a payment of $10.3 million for the Santa Cruz Project. In addition, we acquired cash of $0.2 million when we commenced consolidating SNC in March 2024.
Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 of $150.8 million was mainly attributable to $80.5 million related to acquisitions of exploration properties and $68.7 million for purchases of investments subject to significant influence. The $80.5 million of payments for exploration properties, included $76.6 million paid to acquire land at the Santa Cruz Project and $3.5 million of option payments at our Tintic Project. The $68.7 million for purchases of
100
Table of Contents
investments subject to significant influence primarily consists of our $66.0 million investment in the Ma'aden Joint Venture.
Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 of $48.4 million was mainly attributable to $35.9 million for payments for exploration properties, and $8.5 million for payments for property, plant and equipment. The $35.9 million of cash used for purchases of exploration properties related to $28.0 million for the Santa Cruz Project and $7.6 million of payments for the Tintic Project. The $8.5 million for payments for property, plant and equipment largely relates to a $7.1 million deposit made to I-Pulse for the purchase of six Typhoon™ transmitters to be delivered in stages over approximately the three years.
Financing activities.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, there were no significant financing activities as we continued to fund our operations with the proceeds from our September 2023 public offering. Our subsidiary, Cordoba, raised $26.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2024 in relation to financing its Alacran project through its strategic arrangement with JCHX and also received a $5.0 million bridge loan from JCHX. During the year ended December 31, 2024, we also made a $12.1 million repayment of the promissory note.
During the year ended December 31, 2023 there was $366.5 million of net cash provided by financing activities which was primarily from the $319.6 million in net proceeds we raised through issuances our common stock. We raised net proceeds of $123.7 million as a result of the July 2023 private placement with Ma'aden and raised net proceeds of $175.5 million from our September 2023 public offering. In October 2023, we received approximately $20.0 million from Ma’aden exercising their “top-up right” to maintain their 9.9% interest. In addition, we received $3.4 million of proceeds from the exercise of employee stock options during the year ended December 31, 2023. Our subsidiary, Cordoba, raised $39.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2023 in relation to financing its Alacran project through its strategic arrangement with JCHX.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, there was $254.4 million of net cash provided by financing activities representing the $158.1 million of net cash raised upon the closing of our initial public offering on June 30, 2022, and $86.2 million raised from the sale of the Series 2 Convertible Notes. In addition, Cordoba received a $10.0 million bridge loan from JCHX in connection with the strategic arrangement for the joint development of the Alacran Project.
Material Cash Obligations
As of December 31, 2024, we had the following material known cash obligations in addition to our discretionary mineral project obligations described above:
| Material Cash Obligations (in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2025 | 2026-2027 | 2028-2029 | 2030 onwards | ||||||||||||||
| Note payable(1) | $ | 36,572 | $ | 12,409 | $ | 24,163 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||
| Convertible debt(2) | 30,942 | — | 30,942 | — | — | |||||||||||||
| Due to related party(3) | 5,001 | 5,001 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| Leases | 2,753 | 1,003 | 1,611 | 139 | — | |||||||||||||
| Typhoon purchase obligations | 2,621 | 1,747 | 874 | — | — | |||||||||||||
| Total material cash obligations | $ | 77,889 | $ | 20,160 | $ | 57,590 | $ | 139 | $ | — |
___________
(1)The promissory note was issued as part of the consideration for the acquisition of certain land for the Santa Cruz Project. Three equal principal payments of $12.1 million remain to be paid on the second, third and fourth anniversaries of November 2023, plus applicable accrued interest. As of December 31, 2024, the value of the note payable including accrued interest was $36.6 million.
(2)The $24.0 million convertible bond issued by VRB Energy matures in 2026 if not converted to common shares of VRB Energy prior to such date. As of December 31, 2024, the value of the convertible bond including accrued interest was $30.9 million.
(3)In December 2024, JCHX advanced a bridge loan of $5.0 million to Cordoba. The bridge loan is payable on the maturity date, which is the earlier of (i) 36 months after the date of the loan agreement, and (ii) the date the third installment of $20.0 million becomes payable by JCHX under the strategic arrangement. As of December 31, 2024, the value of the bridge loan including accrued interest was $5.0 million.
101
Table of Contents
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 2024, we were not involved in any off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.
Related Party Transactions
See Note 21 of our consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, as well as the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of our financial statements.
Below are the accounting matters that we believe are critical to our financial statements due to the degree of uncertainty regarding the estimates or assumptions involved and the magnitude of the asset, liability, revenue, expense, gain or loss being reported. Actual results may vary from our estimates in amounts that may be material to the financial statements. An accounting estimate is deemed to be critical if it requires an accounting estimate to be made based on assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain at the time the estimate is made, and if different estimates that reasonably could have been used or changes in the accounting estimates that are reasonably likely to occur periodically, could materially impact our financial statements.
We base our assumptions and estimates on historical experience and various other sources that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from the estimates we calculate due to changes in circumstances, global economics and politics and general business conditions. A summary of our significant accounting policies are detailed in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report. We have outlined below those policies identified as being critical to the understanding of our business and results of operations and that require the application of significant management judgment in developing estimates.
Recoverable value of exploration mineral interests
We review and evaluate exploration mineral interests for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The recoverability of our exploration mineral interests and intangible assets did not involve significant estimation in the periods presented as circumstances did not indicate the carrying amount of our assets may not be recoverable. However, the recoverability of our recorded mineral interests is subject to market factors that could significantly affect the recoverability of our assets, such as commodity prices, results of exploration activities that may affect our intentions to continue under option or earn-in agreements and geopolitical circumstances, particularly in Colombia. By nature, significant changes in these factors are reasonably possible to occur periodically, which could materially impact our financial statements.
Stock-based compensation
Compensation expense for options granted to employees, directors and certain service providers is determined based on estimated fair values of the options at the time of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which takes into account, as of the grant date, the fair market value of the shares, expected volatility, expected life, expected dividend yield and the risk-free interest rate over the expected life of the option. The use of the Black-Scholes option pricing model requires input estimation of the expected life of the option and volatility, which can have a significant impact on the valuation model and resulting expense recorded.
We granted 2.2 million stock options during the year ended December 31, 2024. The table below details the options granted and the Black-Scholes option pricing model assumptions used to compute the fair value of the options:
102
Table of Contents
| March 11, 2024 Grant Date | April 8, 2024 Grant Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of options granted | 1.8 million | 0.4 million | |
| Exercise price | $13.50 | $13.50 | |
| Black-Scholes option-pricing model fair value | $3.46 | $4.72 | |
| Black-Scholes option-pricing model assumptions: | |||
| Risk-free interest rate | 4.2% | 4.6% | |
| Dividend yield | nil | nil | |
| Estimated volatility | 61.6% | 60.1% | |
| Expected option life | 4 years | 4 years |
The risk-free interest rate assumption was based on the U.S. treasury constant maturity yield at the date of the grant over the expected life of the option. No dividends are expected to be paid. We calculated the estimated volatility based on the historical volatility of a group of peer companies’ common stock and a group of relevant stock market indices over the expected option life as we only commenced publicly trading in June 2022. The computation of expected option life was determined based on a reasonable expectation of the option life prior to the option being exercised or forfeited.
Income taxes
We make estimates and judgments in determining the provision for income tax expense, deferred tax assets and liabilities and liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties. We are subject to income tax laws in many jurisdictions, including the United States, Colombia, Peru, Canada, Australia, the Ivory Coast and the PRC.
We report income tax in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires the establishment of deferred tax accounts for all temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, using currently enacted tax rates. In addition, deferred tax accounts must be adjusted to reflect new rates if enacted into law.
Realization of deferred tax assets is contingent on the generation of future taxable income. As a result, we consider whether it is more likely than not that all or a portion of such assets will be realized during periods when they are available, and if not, we provide a valuation allowance for amounts not likely to be recognized. In determining our valuation allowance, we have not assumed future taxable income from sources other than the reversal of existing temporary differences. The extent to which a valuation allowance is warranted may vary as a result of changes in our estimates of future taxable income. In addition to the potential generation of future taxable income through the establishment of economic feasibility, development and operation of mines on our exploration assets, estimates of future taxable income could change in the event of disposal of assets, the identification of tax-planning strategies or changes in tax laws that would allow the benefits of future deductible temporary differences in certain entities or jurisdictions to be offset against future taxable temporary differences in other entities or jurisdictions.
We recognize the effect of uncertain income tax positions if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. The amount recognized is subject to estimates and our judgment with respect to the likely outcome of each uncertain tax position. The amount that is ultimately incurred for an individual uncertain tax position or for all uncertain tax positions in the aggregate could differ from the amount recognized. We had no uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2024.
103
Table of Contents