UNITED STATES ANTIMONY CORP Commitments Disclosure
NOTE 10 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Historically, from time to time, the Company is assessed fines and penalties by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”). Using appropriate regulatory channels, management may contest these proposed assessments. At December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had no accrued liabilities relating to such assessments. However, in 2023, Bear River Zeolite Company (“BRZ”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, received fourteen significant and substantial citations and three orders from MSHA, all of which have been rectified by BRZ prior to the filing of this Annual Report.
On a combined basis, BRZ pays royalties ranging from 8% to 13% on the sale of zeolite products. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had accrued royalties payable of $153,429 and $435,075, respectively.
On August 8, 2022, USAMSA executed a preliminary Purchase Option Agreement (the “Agreement”) with SB Wadley SA de CV (“Wadley”) whereby USAMSA leases, with an option to acquire, mining claims located in Mexico known as the Wadley Property. Under the Agreement, USAMSA agreed to pay Wadley eight monthly installments of $10,000 plus VAT for the right to mine and conduct geological and resource studies as due diligence and exploration on the Wadley Property. At the end of such eight-month period, should USAMSA choose to exercise its option to acquire following due diligence and assessment of geological and resource studies, USAMSA agreed to pay Wadley $2,230,000 and seven annual payments of $1,160,000. The due diligence period under the Agreement was extended to October 15, 2023. After evaluation in October 2023 of Wadley Property information and the Agreement, USAMSA officially notified Wadley on October 12, 2023 that it did not intend to acquire the Wadley Property and terminated this Agreement. During the fourth quarter of 2023, USAMSA, which is part of the Mexico Antimony Segment, recorded a loss on disposal of assets of approximately $130,000 related to the termination of this Agreement.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Apr 12, 2024 | Showing above |
| 2022 | Jul 18, 2023 | |
About Commitments Disclosures
Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.
Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.