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Orestone Mining — Proxy Solicitation & Information Statement 2025
Nov 6, 2025
46217_rns_2025-11-05_db0fc571-53b3-49eb-9701-fea99a620a19.pdf
Proxy Solicitation & Information Statement
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ORESTONE MINING CORP.
2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
INFORMATION CIRCULAR
GENERAL INFORMATION
This Information Circular is furnished to the holders ("shareholders") of common shares ("Common Shares") of Orestone Mining Corp. (the "Company") by management of the Company in connection with the solicitation of proxies to be voted at the annual general meeting (the "Meeting") of the shareholders to be held at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) on Thursday, December 11, 2025 and at any adjournment thereof, for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Meeting.
PROXIES
Solicitation of Proxies
The enclosed Proxy is solicited by and on behalf of management of the Company. The persons named in the enclosed Proxy form are management-designated proxyholders. A registered shareholder desiring to appoint some other person (who need not be a shareholder) to represent the shareholder at the Meeting may do so either by inserting such other person's name in the blank space provided in the Proxy form or by completing another form of proxy. To be used at the Meeting, proxies must be received by Computershare Trust Company of Canada, Proxy Department, 100 University Avenue, 8th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1 no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) prior to the time of the meeting, or, if the Meeting is adjourned, no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) prior to the time of the reconvened meeting, or may be accepted by the chairman of the Meeting prior to the commencement of the Meeting. Solicitation will be primarily by mail, but some proxies may be solicited personally or by telephone by regular employees or directors of the Company at a nominal cost. The cost of solicitation by management of the Company will be borne by the Company.
Voting by Non-Registered Shareholders
Only registered holders of Common Shares or the persons they appoint as their proxyholders are permitted to vote at the Meeting. In many cases, however, Common Shares beneficially owned by a holder (a "Non-Registered Holder") are registered either:
(a) in the name of an Intermediary (an "Intermediary") that the Non-Registered Holder deals with in respect of the shares. Intermediaries include banks, trust companies, securities dealers or brokers, and trustees or administrators of self-administered RRSPs, RRIFs, RESPs and similar plans, or
(b) in the name of a clearing agency (such as The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited (CDS)) of which the Intermediary is a participant.
Non-Registered Holders who have not objected to their Intermediary disclosing certain ownership information about themselves to the Company are referred to as "NOBOs". Those Non-Registered Holders who have objected to their Intermediary disclosing ownership information about themselves to the Company are referred to as "OBOs".
In accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 54-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 54-101"), the Company has elected to send the Notice of Meeting and this Information Circular (collectively,
the "Meeting Materials") directly to the NOBOs, and indirectly through intermediaries to the OBOs. The Company is not relying on the notice and access delivery procedures outlined in NI 54-101 to distribute copies of proxy-related materials in connection with the Meeting.
The Intermediaries (or their service companies) are responsible for forwarding the Meeting Materials to each OBO, unless the OBO has waived the right to receive them. Intermediaries will frequently use service companies to forward the Meeting Materials to the OBOs. Generally, an OBO who has not waived the right to receive Meeting Materials will either:
(a) be given a form of proxy which has already been signed by the Intermediary (typically by a facsimile, stamped signature), which is restricted as to the number of shares beneficially owned by the OBO and must be completed, but not signed, by the OBO and deposited with Computershare Trust Company of Canada; or
(b) more typically, be given a voting instruction form ("VIF") which is not signed by the Intermediary, and which, when properly completed and signed by the OBO and returned to the Intermediary or its service company, will constitute voting instructions which the Intermediary must follow.
The Company will not be paying for Intermediaries to deliver to OBOs (who have not otherwise waived their right to receive proxy-related materials) copies of the Meeting Materials and related documents. Accordingly, an OBO will not receive copies of the Meeting Materials and related documents unless the OBO's Intermediary assumes the costs of delivery.
The Meeting Materials are being sent to both registered shareholders of the Company and Non-Registered Holders. If you are a Non-Registered Holder, and the Company or its agent has sent these materials to you, your name and address and information about your holdings of securities have been obtained in accordance with applicable securities regulatory requirements from the Intermediary holding on your behalf. By choosing to send these materials to you directly, the Company (and not the Intermediary holding on your behalf) has assumed responsibility for (i) delivering these materials to you, and (ii) executing your proper voting instructions. Please return your voting instructions as specified in the request for voting instructions.
The Meeting Materials sent to NOBOs who have not waived the right to receive meeting materials are accompanied by a VIF, instead of a Proxy form. By returning the VIF in accordance with the instructions noted on it, a NOBO is able to instruct the voting of the Common Shares owned by the NOBO.
VIFs, whether provided by the Company or by an Intermediary, should be completed and returned in accordance with the specific instructions noted on the VIF. The purpose of this procedure is to permit Non-Registered Holders to direct the voting of the Common Shares which they beneficially own. Should a Non-Registered Holder who receives a VIF wish to attend the Meeting or have someone else attend on the Non-Registered Holder's behalf, the Non-Registered Holder may request a legal proxy as set forth in the VIF, which will grant the Non-Registered Holder, or the Non-Registered Holder's nominee, the right to attend and vote at the Meeting.
Non-Registered Holders should return their voting instructions as specified in the VIF sent to them. Non-Registered Holders should carefully follow the instructions set out in the VIF, including those regarding when and where the VIF is to be delivered.
Although Non-Registered Holders may not be recognized directly at the Meeting for the purpose of voting Common Shares registered in the name of their broker, agent or nominee, a Non-Registered Holder may attend the Meeting as a proxyholder for a registered shareholder and vote Common Shares in that capacity. Non-Registered Holders who wish to attend the Meeting and indirectly vote their Common Shares as proxyholder for the registered shareholder should contact their broker, agent or nominee well in advance of the Meeting to determine the steps necessary to permit them to indirectly vote their Common Shares as a proxyholder.
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Revocability of Proxies
A registered shareholder who has given a proxy may revoke it by an instrument in writing that is
(a) received at the registered office of the Company (19th Floor, 885 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3H4) at any time up to and including the last business day before the day set for the holding of the Meeting or reconvened meeting, if the Meeting is adjourned, at which the proxy is to be used, or
(b) provided to the chair of the Meeting, at the Meeting, before any vote in respect of which the proxy is to be used shall have been taken,
or in any other manner provided by law.
NOBOs who wish to revoke their voting instructions should contact Computershare Trust Company of Canada at telephone number 1-800-564-6253. OBOs who wish to revoke a voting instruction form or a waiver of the right to receive proxy-related materials should contact their Intermediaries for instructions.
Voting of Proxies
Common Shares represented by a shareholder's Proxy form will be voted or withheld from voting in accordance with the shareholder's instructions on any ballot that may be called for at the Meeting and, if the shareholder specifies a choice with respect to any matter to be acted upon, the Common Shares will be voted accordingly. In the absence of any instructions, the management-designated proxyholder named on the Proxy form will cast the shareholder's votes in favour of the passage of the resolutions set forth herein and in the Notice of Meeting.
The enclosed Proxy form confers discretionary authority upon the persons named therein with respect to (a) amendments or variations to matters identified in the Notice of Meeting and (b) other matters which may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. At the time of printing of this Information Circular, management of the Company knows of no such amendments, variations or other matters to come before the Meeting other than the matters referred to in the Notice of Meeting.
VOTING SHARES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS THEREOF
Only Common Shares carry voting rights at the Meeting with each Common Share carrying the right to one vote. The Board of Directors has fixed November 3, 2025 as the record date ("Record Date") for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting and, if adjourned, any reconvened meeting, and only shareholders of record at the close of business on that date are entitled to receive such notice and to vote at the Meeting. As of the Record Date, 78,993,563 Common Shares were issued and outstanding as fully paid and non-assessable.
To the knowledge of the directors and executive officers of the Company, as at the Record Date, the only persons or companies who beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or exercised control or direction over, shares carrying 10% or more of the voting rights attached to the Company's issued and outstanding Common Shares are:
| Name | Number of Common Shares | Percentage of Issued Shares |
|---|---|---|
| Crescat Portfolio Management LLC | 8,728,328 | 11.05% |
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VOTES NECESSARY TO PASS RESOLUTIONS AT THE MEETING
Under the Company's Articles, the quorum for the transaction of business at the Meeting consists of (a) two shareholders; or (b) one or more proxyholders representing at least two shareholders; or (c) at least one shareholder and one proxyholder representing another shareholder. A simple majority of the votes cast at the Meeting (in person or by proxy) is required in order to pass the resolutions referred to in the accompanying Notice of Meeting.
APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR
The persons named in the enclosed Proxy form intend to vote for the appointment of DeVisser Gray LLP, Chartered Accountants, of Vancouver, British Columbia, as the auditor of the Company. DeVisser Gray LLP has been the Company's auditor since July 2013.
At the meeting, the shareholders will be asked to authorize the directors of the Company to fix the remuneration to be paid to the auditor of the Company.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Company currently has five directors. At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to fix the number of directors at five and to elect five directors. The persons named below are the five nominees of management for election as directors, all of whom are current directors of the Company. Each director elected will hold office until the next annual general meeting or until the director's successor is elected or appointed unless the director's office is earlier vacated under any of the relevant provisions of the Articles of the Company or the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). It is the intention of the persons named as proxyholders in the enclosed Proxy form to vote for the election to the Board of Directors of those persons hereinafter designated as nominees for election as directors. The Board of Directors does not contemplate that any of such nominees will be unable to serve as a director; however, if for any reason any of the proposed nominees do not stand for election or are unable to serve as such, proxies in favour of management designees will be voted for another nominee in their discretion unless the shareholder has specified in such shareholder's Proxy that such shareholder's shares are to be withheld from voting in the election of directors.
The following table sets out the name of each of the persons proposed to be nominated for election as a director; all positions and offices in the Company presently held by the nominee; the nominee's present principal occupation, business or employment; the period during which the nominee has served as a director; and the number of Common Shares that the nominee has advised are beneficially owned, or controlled or directed, directly or indirectly, as at the Record Date.
| Name, place of residence and positions with the Company | Present principal occupation, business or employment | Period served as a director | Common Shares beneficially owned or controlled |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES ANDERSON | |||
| British Columbia, Canada | |||
| Director | Managing Director of Blueberry Capital Corp., CEO of Guanajuato Silver Company (formerly Vangold Mining Corp.) | Since May 14, 2019 | 1,350,000 |
| DAVID N. HOTTMAN | |||
| British Columbia, Canada Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Director | Chief Executive Officer of the Company. | Since June 20, 2011 | 2,347,800 |
| Name, place of residence and positions with the Company | Present principal occupation, business or employment | Period served as a director | Common Shares beneficially owned or controlled |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN KANDERKA(1) | |||
| Alberta, Canada | |||
| Director | Self-employed Landman consultant; President of Viper Consulting Inc. (a consulting company) from 2006 to present. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Visionary Metals Corp. | Since November 15, 2017 | Nil |
| GARY D. NORDIN(1)(2) | |||
| British Columbia, Canada | |||
| Director | President of Discovery Resources Corp, a private Geological consulting and investment company focused on minerals and Oil and Gas from 1990 to present. Director of Cansil Resources Inc. | Since June 20, 2011 | 2,311,983(3) |
| W. D. BRUCE WINFIELD | |||
| British Columbia, Canada | |||
| President and Director | President of the Company since Jun 2019; Director of Winfield Consulting Ltd., a private consulting company focused on the mining industry May 2011 to present; CEO, President, and Director of Defiance Silver Corp. June 2011 to July 2017. Director of Alcon Silver Corp, a private company focussed on mining exploration from July 5, 2016 to present. | Since October 29, 2019 | 1,771,944(4) |
(1) Audit Committee consists of John Kanderka, Gary Nordin and Patrick Daniels. With Mr. Daniels not standing for re-election at the Meeting, Mr. Winfield will be the third member of the Audit Committee after the Meeting.
(2) Member of the Corporate Governance & Compensation Committee.
(3) 2,096,983 of these Common Shares are held by a company controlled by Mr. Nordin.
(4) 919,444 of these Common Shares are held by a company controlled by Mr. Winfield.
Cease Trade Orders, Bankruptcies, Penalties or Sanctions
None of the proposed directors is, as at the date of this Information Circular, or has been, within the ten years preceding the date of this Information Circular, a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of any company (including the Company) that:
(a) was subject to a cease trade or similar order or an order that denied the relevant company access to any exemption under securities legislation that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days (collectively, an "Order"), when such Order was issued while the person was acting in the capacity of a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the relevant company; or
(b) was subject to an Order that was issued after such person ceased to be a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the relevant company, and which resulted from an event that occurred while the person was acting in the capacity of a director, chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the relevant company.
No proposed director is, as at the date of this Information Circular, or has been, within the ten years preceding the date of this Information Circular, a director or executive officer of any company (including the Company) that, while that person was acting in that capacity, or within a year of that person ceasing to act in that capacity, became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency or was subject to
or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets.
No proposed director has, within the ten years preceding the date of this Information Circular, become bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or become subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets of that person.
No proposed director has been subject to (a) any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to securities legislation or by a securities regulatory authority or has entered into a settlement agreement with a securities regulatory authority, or (b) any other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body that would likely be considered important to a reasonable securityholder in deciding whether to vote for a proposed director.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DISCLOSURE
The following description of the corporate governance practices of the Company is provided further to National Instrument 58-101 on "Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices" ("NI 58-101") and the disclosure prescribed for "Venture Issuers" such as the Company.
Board of Directors
The Board recognizes that it is responsible for the stewardship of the Company, overseeing the conduct of the Company's business and supervising management of the Company who remain responsible for the conduct of the business.
The Board of Directors currently consists of five directors, three of whom are considered to be independent. James Anderson, John Kanderka and Gary D. Nordin are considered independent. David N. Hottman serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Bruce Winfield serves as the President of the Company and both are, therefore, not considered independent under applicable securities rules. The Board of Directors is, therefore, comprised of a majority of independent directors.
The Board exercises its independent supervision by holding regular board meetings and soliciting input from management and the Company's auditor as required. The independent directors are encouraged to meet at any time they consider necessary without any members of management including the non-independent directors being present. The Company's auditors, legal counsel and employees may be invited to attend.
The Board considers that management is effectively supervised by the independent directors on an informal basis as the independent directors are actively and regularly involved in reviewing and supervising the operations of the Company and have regular and full access to management. Independent supervision of management is further accomplished through choosing management who demonstrate a high level of integrity and ability and having strong independent Board members. In addition, the Board may appoint from time to time an independent, lead director to direct Board operations.
Directorships
Certain of the current and proposed directors of the Company are presently directors of other reporting issuers in Canada or elsewhere as set out below:
| Director | Other Reporting Issuers |
|---|---|
| James Anderson | Guanajuato Silver Company (formerly Vangold Mining Corp.) |
| John Kanderka | Visionary Metals Corp. |
| Gary Nordin | Canasil Resource Corp. |
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Orientation and Continuing Education
Given the size of the Company and the in-depth public company and professional experience of the members of the Board, there is no formal orientation or continuing education program in place. New Board members receive an orientation package which includes reports on operations and results, and public disclosure filings by the Company. From time to time, Board meetings are combined with presentations by the Company's management to give the directors additional insight into the Company's business. In addition, management of the Company makes itself available for discussion with all Board members.
Ethical Business Conduct
The Board has found that the fiduciary duties placed on individual directors by the Company's governing corporate legislation and the common law and the restrictions placed by applicable corporate legislation on an individual director's participation in decisions of the Board in which the director has an interest have been sufficient to ensure that the Board operates independently of management and in the best interests of the Company.
Nomination of Directors
The Board is responsible for identifying potential Board candidates. The Board assesses potential Board candidates to fill perceived needs on the Board for required skills, expertise, independence and other factors. The Board determines new nominees to the Board through recommendations of the Corporate Governance & Compensation Committee (the "Corporate Governance Committee"). The nominees may also be the result of recruitment efforts by other Board members, including both formal and informal discussions among Board members and the Chief Executive Officer. The Corporate Governance Committee monitors the performance of individual Board members, committee members and their contributions.
Compensation
The independent directors are responsible for determining compensation for the directors and executive officers, including the CEO, based on recommendations received from the Corporate Governance Committee. The independent directors of the Company carry out the function of reviewing executive compensation levels, evaluating executive officers' and directors' performance in light of corporate goals and objectives, and determining or making recommendations to the Board with respect to the level of compensation arrangements for the executive, officers and directors. Presently, the compensation to executive officers is composed primarily of three elements: namely base salary, performance bonus and the allocation of incentive stock options.
Other Board Committees
The Board has no other committees other than the Audit Committee and the Corporate Governance and Compensation Committee. The Corporate Governance and Compensation Committee is tasked with the responsibility of, among other things, selecting (or recommending that the Board select) the director nominees for the next annual meeting of shareholders.
The Corporate Governance Committee is also tasked with the following responsibilities:
(i) developing qualification criteria for Board members for recommendation to the Board in accordance with the Company's corporate governance guidelines;
(ii) in conjunction with the Chairman, assigning Board members to the various committees of the Board;
(iii) reviewing annually or more often if appropriate: (a) committee members' qualifications and requirements; (b) committee structure (including authority to delegate); and (c) committee
performance (including reporting to the Board). The committee is to make recommendations to the Board, as appropriate, based on its review;
(iv) recommending to the Board compensation policies and guidelines for the Company and for implementing and overseeing compensation policies approved by the Board;
(v) developing and recommending to the Board corporate governance principles applicable to the Company;
(vi) monitoring the Company's overall approach to corporate governance issues and administering a corporate governance system which is effective in the discharge of the Company's obligations to its shareholders;
(vii) in conjunction with the Chairman, overseeing the evaluation of the Board and of the Company and making recommendations to the Board as appropriate;
(viii) reviewing and reassessing at least annually the adequacy of the Company's corporate governance guidelines and the Corporate Governance Committee's terms of reference and recommending any proposed changes to the Board for approval. The Corporate Governance Committee must also annually review its own performance;
(ix) monitoring and making recommendations to the Board in respect of total compensation paid by the Company to its executive officers; and
(x) reviewing the adequacy and form of compensation of directors and ensure that the compensation realistically reflects the responsibilities and risks involved in being a director.
Assessments
The Board annually, and at such other times as it deems appropriate, reviews the performance and effectiveness of the Board, the directors and its committees to determine whether changes in size, personnel or responsibilities are warranted.
AUDIT COMMITTEE DISCLOSURE
Pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 52-110 ("NI 52-110"), the Company is required to have an audit committee.
Audit Committee Charter
Pursuant to NI 52-110, the Company's audit committee is required to have a charter. A copy of the Company's Audit Committee Charter is set out in Appendix A to this Information Circular.
Composition of the Audit Committee
As at the date of this Information Circular, the following is information on the members of the Company's Audit Committee:
| Name | Independent | Financial Literacy |
|---|---|---|
| John Kanderka (Chair) | Yes | Yes |
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| Bruce Winfield | No | Yes |
|---|---|---|
| Gary D. Nordin | Yes | Yes |
Relevant Education and Experience
The following describes the relevant education and experience of the members of the Audit Committee:
John Kanderka – Mr. Kanderka has held many surface, mineral, gas marketing and administrative positions with Poco Petroleums Ltd., Wellore Energy Inc. and Voyager Energy Inc. Mr. Kanderka was a Co-Founder and the Landman for Trimox Energy Inc. and Terraquest Energy Corporation both successful oil and gas production companies, bought out by Canext Energy Ltd. and Masters Energy Inc. respectively. Mr. Kanderka was Vice President Land at Richland Petroleum Corporation when it merged with Provident Energy Trust. Mr. Kanderka became Vice President of Land at Baytex Energy as the result of a merger with Dorset Exploration Ltd., a corporation with over one million undeveloped acres of land. In the course of that experience, he has reviewed financial statements, attained familiarity with various accounting principles and considered the requirements for an understanding of the needs for internal controls and procedures.
Bruce Winfield – Mr. Winfield has more than 40 years of experience in the minerals industry as a geologist, corporate executive and consultant. Following 14 years with major mining companies Texasgulf Inc. and Boliden Inc., he held the position of VP Exploration for Greenstone Resources and Eldorado Gold Corporation leading to the exploration and development of five gold deposits. Subsequently as President and or CEO he has led companies exploring primarily in South America for the last twenty years.
Gary Nordin – Mr. Nordin was a co-founding Director and Vice President of Bema Gold Corporation where he served as a leading exploration geologist. As a founding Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Consulting Geologist of Eldorado Corporation Ltd. from 1991 to 2000, Mr. Nordin participated in the discovery and development of several important gold deposits. Mr. Nordin is a founder and was the Chief Geologist of Polaris Materials Corporation. Mr. Nordin has served on the Board of Directors of several publicly listed exploration and mining companies, and served as a Director of Nevada Pacific Gold Ltd. before its takeover by US Gold Corporation. He was also a Director of Canasil Resources, Rae Wallace Mining Company, Polaris Materials Corporation and Fortunate Sun Mining Company Limited. Mr. Nordin holds a Bachelor of Science (Geology) degree from the University of Alberta where he graduated with honours in 1970.
Audit Committee Oversight
At no time since February 1, 2021 was a recommendation of the Audit Committee to nominate or compensate an external auditor not adopted by the Company's Board of Directors.
Reliance on Certain Exemptions
At no time since February 1, 2021 has the Company relied on the exemption in section 2.4 of NI 52-110 (De Minimis Non-audit Services), subsection 6.1.1(4) of NI 52-110 (Circumstances Affecting the Business or Operations of the Venture Issuer), subsection 6.1.1(5) of NI 52-110 (Events Outside Control of Member), subsection 6.1.1(6) of NI 52-110 (Death, Incapacity or Resignation), or an exemption from NI 52-110, in whole or in part, granted under Part 8 (Exemption) of NI 52-110 by a securities regulatory authority or regulator.
Pre-approval Policies and Procedures for Non-Audit Services
The Audit Committee has not adopted any specific policies and procedures for the engagement of non-audit services apart from those set out in the Audit Committee Charter.
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External Auditor Service Fees (By Category)
The aggregate fees billed by the Company's auditor in the last two financial years of the Company for services in each of the categories indicated are as follows:
| Financial Year Ended | Audit Fees | Audit Related Fees^{(1)} | Tax Fees^{(2)} | All Other Fees^{(3)} |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 31, 2024 | $18,500 | Nil | $2,000 | Nil |
| January 31, 2025 | $18,500 | Nil | $2,500 | Nil |
(1) Pertains to assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company's financial statements and that are not reported under "Audit Fees".
(2) Pertains to professional services for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. The nature of the services comprising the fees disclosed under this category includes the preparation of tax returns.
(3) Pertains to products and services other than services reported under the other categories.
Venture Issuers Exemption
The Company is relying upon the exemption in section 6.1 of NI 52-110 which exempts "venture issuers" from the requirements of Part 3 (Composition of Audit Committee) and Part 5 (Reporting Obligations) of NI 52-110.
DIRECTOR AND NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION
Director and Named Executive Officer Compensation Excluding Compensation Securities
Named Executive Officers
Set out below are particulars of compensation paid to the following persons (the "Named Executive Officers" or "NEOs"):
(a) each individual who, in respect of the Company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief executive officer, including an individual performing functions similar to a chief executive officer ("CEO");
(b) each individual who, in respect of the Company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief financial officer, including an individual performing functions similar to a chief financial officer ("CFO");
(c) in respect of the Company and its subsidiaries, the most highly compensated executive officer (other than the CEO and CFO) at the end of the most recently completed financial year whose total compensation was more than $150,000, as determined in accordance with applicable securities rules, for that financial year; and
(d) each individual who would be a NEO under paragraph (c) but for the fact that the individual was not an executive officer of the Company, and not acting in a similar capacity, at the end of that financial year.
During the financial years ended January 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company had three Named Executive Officers, David N. Hottman, the Company's Chief Executive Officer; Mark T. Brown, the Company's Chief Financial Officer, and Bruce Winfield, the Company's President. No other individuals in the Company received total compensation in excess of $150,000 during the most recently completed financial year.
Table of Compensation Excluding Compensation Securities
The following table sets out compensation paid, payable, awarded, granted, given, or otherwise provided, directly or indirectly, by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, to each NEO and director, in any capacity, for each of the Company's financial years ended January 31, 2024 and 2025.
| Table of compensation excluding compensation securities | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name and position | Year | Salary, consulting fee, retainer or commission ($) | Bonus ($) | Committee or meeting fees ($) | Value of perquisites ($) | Value of all other compensation ($) | Total compensation ($) |
| DAVID HOTTMAN^{(1)} | 2024 | 31,500 | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | 31,500 |
| CEO, Chairman and Director | 2025 | 1,000 | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | 1,000 |
| MARK T. BROWN^{(3)} | 2024 | 68,925 | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | 68,925 |
| CFO | 2025 | 75,190 | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | 75,190 |
| BRUCE WINFIELD^{(4)} | 2024 | 22,250 | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | 22,250 |
| President, Director | 2025 | 6,000 | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | 6,000 |
| GARY D. NORDIN^{(5)} | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
| Director | 2025 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
| JOHN KANDERKA^{(6)} | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
| Director | 2025 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
| JAMES ANDERSON^{(7)} | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
| Director | 2025 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
| PATRICK DANIELS^{(8)} | 2024 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
| Former Director | 2025 | Nil | Nil | Nil | (2) | Nil | Nil |
(1) Mr. Hottman was not paid any compensation for his role as director of the Company.
(2) Perquisites that are not generally available to all employees did not exceed $15,000.
(3) Amounts under "Salary" for Mr. Brown pertain to compensation paid by the Company to Pacific Opportunity Capital Ltd., a company controlled by Mr. Brown. This amount relates to management and accounting services of an accounting and administrative team of three people during fiscal 2021 and 2022 as well as rent charged to the Company.
(4) Mr. Winfield became President of the Company on June 3, 2019. Amounts under "Salary" for Mr. Winfield pertain to compensation paid by the Company to a private company owned by Mr. Winfield.
(5) Mr. Nordin was paid geological consulting fee during fiscal 2021 and 2022.
(6) Mr. Kanderka became a director of the Company on November 15, 2017.
(7) Mr. Anderson became a director of the Company on May 14, 2019.
(8) Mr. Daniels became a director of the Company on April 28, 2018 and resigned August 29, 2024.
External Management Companies
Mr. Brown is indirectly compensated through a consulting agreement between the Company and Pacific Opportunity Capital Ltd., a firm controlled by Mr. Brown. See "Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements" for a description of the agreement.
Mr. Winfield is indirectly compensated through a consulting arrangement between the Company and Mr. Winfield's privately owned company. See "Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements" for a description of the arrangement.
Except as disclosed herein, none of the NEOs or directors of the Company have been retained or employed by an external management company which has entered into an understanding, arrangement or agreement with the Company to provide executive management services to the Company, directly or indirectly.
Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities
The following table discloses all compensation securities granted or issued to each NEO and director by the Company or one of its subsidiaries in the financial years ended January 31, 2024 and 2025 for services provided or to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the Company or any of its subsidiaries and the total amount of compensation securities held as at the Company's financial years end of January 31, 2024 and 2025.
| Compensation Securities | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name and position | Type of compensation security | Number of compensation securities, number of underlying securities, and percentage of class(1) | Date of issue or grant (m/d/y) | Issue, conversion or exercise price ($) | Closing price of security or underlying security on date of grant ($) | Closing price of security or underlying security at year end ($) | Expiry date (m/d/y) | Total amount of compensation securities held as at January 31, 2025 |
| DAVID HOTTMAN Chairman, CEO, Director | Options | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 575,000 |
| GARY NORDIN Director | Options | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 725,000 |
| JOHN KANDERKA Director | Options | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 250,000 |
| BRUCE WINFIELD President, Director | Options | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 230,000 |
| JAMES ANDERSON Director | Options | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 300,000 |
| MARK T. BROWN CFO | Options | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 200,000 |
(1) The numbers under this column represent the number of options and the same number of Common Shares underlying the related options. Subsequent to January 31, 2025 year-end, on June 30, 2025, the Company granted options to its directors and officers and such grant has not been reflected in the table above.
Other than as noted in the above table, no compensation security has been re-priced, cancelled and replaced, had its term extended, or otherwise been materially modified, in the most recently completed financial year.
Except for the vesting schedules noted in the above table, there are no restrictions or conditions for converting, exercising or exchanging the compensation securities.
During the financial years ended January 31, 2024 and 2025, no NEO or director exercised compensation securities.
Stock Option Plans and Other Incentive Plans
The Company's stock option plan (the "Stock Option Plan"), which is a "rolling 10%" stock option plan, was approved by the Board of Directors on October 26, 2021 and approved by the shareholders at the August 29, 2024 Meeting. The Stock Option Plan is used to provide share purchase options which are granted in consideration of the level of responsibility of the executive officer as well as his or her impact or contribution to the longer-term operating performance of the Company.
The Stock Option Plan is presently administered by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors reviews and approves grants of options on an annual basis and periodically during the financial year.
In determining the number of options to be granted to the executive officers, the directors take into account the number of options, if any, previously granted to each executive officer, and the exercise price of any outstanding options to ensure that such grants are in accordance with the policies of the Exchange, and closely align the interests of the executive officers with the interests of shareholders.
The Stock Option Plan must be re-approved on an annual basis by the shareholders at each annual general meeting of the Company as required by the policies of the Exchange. See "Particulars of Other Matters to be Acted Upon – Reconfirmation of Stock Option Plan".
Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements
Compensation for David Hottman (as Chief Executive Officer) was determined in June 2011. Mr. Hottman is directly compensated through an arrangement providing for annual fixed salary (subject to change as the Board of Directors may determine from time to time) for his services as CEO. Mr. Hottman is also entitled to receive option based compensation periodically at the discretion of the Board.
Compensation for Mark T. Brown as Chief Financial Officer was determined in August 2017 and remains unchanged. Mr. Brown is indirectly compensated through a consulting agreement between the Company and Pacific Opportunity Capital Ltd., a firm controlled by Mr. Brown, pursuant to which the Company pays consulting fees for the services of Mr. Brown as CFO and for financial and administrative services, which include the review and analysis of the preparation of financial statements and the management discussion and analysis, review and analysis of contractual documents, supervision of the accounting staff, preparation of financial information for auditors and tax-related filings. All of the consulting fees paid to Pacific Opportunity Capital Ltd. can be attributed to Mr. Brown's services as CFO as well as rent and a team of two accountants performing financial and administrative services. Mr. Brown is the President and a director of Pacific Opportunity Capital Ltd. Mr. Brown also receives option based compensation periodically.
Compensation for Bruce Winfield as the President was determined in June 2019 and remains unchanged. Mr. Winfield is indirectly compensated through his privately owned company, pursuant to which the Company pays consulting fees for the services of Mr. Winfield as the President. Mr. Winfield also receives option based compensation periodically.
Except as disclosed herein, the Company and its subsidiaries have no management or employment contracts with any other Named Executive Officer or director.
Neither the Company, nor its subsidiaries, have a contract, agreement, plan or arrangement that provides for payments to a Named Executive Officer or director following or in connection with any termination (whether voluntary, involuntary or constructive), resignation, retirement, a change of control of the Company or its subsidiaries, or a change in responsibilities of the NEO following a change in control.
Oversight and Description of Director and Named Executive Officer Compensation
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
The Company does not have a formal compensation program with set benchmarks. Individual compensation is not directly tied to performance goals which are based on any specific objective and identifiable measure, such as the Company's share price or earnings per share. However, the Company does have a compensation program which seeks to reward a NEO's current and future expected performance. Individual performance is reviewed for all NEOs based largely on a qualitative evaluation of the Company's achievement of corporate milestones and objectives. The principal objectives underlying the Company's executive compensation program are as follows: (a) to attract and retain qualified executive officers, which includes having compensation that is
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competitive within the marketplace; (b) to align executives' interests with those of the shareholders; and (c) to reward demonstration of both leadership and performance. The Company's executive compensation program has three principal components: base salary, performance bonus and stock options.
All compensation arrangements between the Company and any director or executive officer of the Company must be approved by the independent directors of the Company. The independent directors are responsible for reviewing and considering corporate goals and objectives relevant to compensation for all executive officers, evaluating their performance in light of those corporate goals and objectives, and determining (or making recommendations to the Board with respect to) the level of compensation arrangements for the executive officers based on this evaluation.
The Board of Directors has considered the implications of the risks associated with the Company's compensation policies and practices. The Board acknowledges that the Company, as a junior natural resource company, does not presently generate any revenues, and that all management compensation to date has been derived solely from cash in the Company's treasury, acquired by way of equity financings to date, and the grant of incentive stock options to management personnel and employees. Salary compensation to the Named Executive Officers is provided for pursuant to unwritten arrangements between Named Executive Officers and the Company. In order to provide necessary oversight and to mitigate against the risks posed by these management compensation arrangements, the Board has adhered to the policy of requiring all independent Board members to evaluate and approve of all executive compensation arrangements and awards prior to their commitment. The Board has also adopted a policy which requires the independent directors to review the terms of these executive compensation arrangements on an annual basis. At present, the Board has determined that the current executive compensation levels are not excessive, and are in line with other companies of similar stature.
With respect to the longer-term component of executive compensation, options granted to executive officers under the Company's Stock Option Plan serve to align the interests of those persons with the shareholders, and therefore mitigates any excessive risks that may be taken by the executive officers. As options are generally priced above market value at the time of grant and are subject to mandatory vesting schedules, the benefits of such compensation, if any, may not be realized by the executive until a significant period of time has passed. Accordingly, the ability of executives to take inappropriate or excessive risks that are beneficial to them from the standpoint of their compensation at the expense of the Company and its shareholders is extremely limited.
The Company does not anticipate making any significant changes to its compensation policies and practices in the current financial year.
Elements of Compensation for NEOs
Base salary provides the Named Executive Officers a set amount of money during the year with the expectation that each Named Executive Officer will perform his responsibilities to the best of his ability and in the best interests of the Company.
Performance bonuses, in the form of cash payments, are designed to add a variable component of compensation based on the corporate and individual performances of Named Executive Officers. In determining to award performance bonuses, including the amounts thereof, the Board of Directors uses its discretion and takes into consideration the Company's annual achievements, without assigning any quantifiable weight or factor in respect of any particular achievement or corporate milestone. During the Company's financial year ended January 31, 2025, no performance bonuses were awarded to any Named Executive Officer.
The Company considers the granting of incentive stock options to be a significant component of executive compensation as it allows the Company to reward each Named Executive Officer's efforts to increase value for shareholders without requiring the Company to use cash from its treasury. Stock options are generally awarded to directors, officers, consultants and employees at the commencement of employment and periodically thereafter. The terms and conditions of the Company's stock option grants, including vesting provisions and exercise prices, are governed by the terms of the Company's Stock Option Plan.
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Elements of Compensation for Directors
Other than as disclosed herein, the Company has no arrangements, standard or otherwise, pursuant to which directors are compensated by the Company or its subsidiaries for their services in their capacity as directors, or for committee participation, involvement in special assignments or for services as consultant or expert during the most recently completed financial year.
Pension Disclosure
The Company does not provide a pension to any director or NEO.
SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS
The following table sets out information on the Company's equity compensation plans under which Common Shares are authorized for issuance as at January 31, 2025.
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
| Plan Category | Number of Securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a) | Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b) | Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) (c) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity compensation plans approved by securityholders(1) | 2,765,000 | $0.12 | 3,401,023(1) |
| Equity compensation plans not approved by securityholders | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Total | 2,765,000 | — | 3,401,023 |
(1) The total number of Common Shares that may be reserved and authorized for issuance pursuant to options granted under the Company's stock option plan in effect as at January 31, 2025 was 10% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (being 61,660,232 Common Shares as at January 31, 2025).
INDEBTEDNESS OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
As at the date hereof, no director or executive officer of the Company, no proposed nominee for election as a director of the Company, no associate of any such director, executive officer or proposed nominee (including companies controlled by them), no employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and no former executive officer, director or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is indebted to the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than for "routine indebtedness" as defined under applicable securities legislation) or is indebted to another entity where such indebtedness is the subject of a guarantee, support agreement, letter of credit or other similar arrangement or understanding provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
INTEREST OF INFORMED PERSONS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS
Except as otherwise disclosed in this Information Circular or as disclosed in a previous information circular of the Company, no informed person (i.e. insider) of the Company, no proposed director of the Company, and no associate or affiliate of any informed person or proposed director has had any material interest, direct or indirect,
in any transaction since February 1, 2024 or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or would materially affect the Company.
MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS
The management company of Mark T. Brown provides managerial and consulting services to the Company pursuant to a consulting agreement, as described under "Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements" under "Director and Named Executive Office Compensation".
Compensation for Bruce Winfield as the President is indirectly compensated through his privately owned company, pursuant to which the Company pays consulting fees for the services of Mr. Winfield rendered each month as the President where Mr. Winfield invoices monthly to the Company. See "Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements" under "Director and Named Executive Office Compensation".
Except as otherwise disclosed herein, no management functions of the Company are to any substantial degree performed by a person other than the directors or executive officers of the Company.
PARTICULARS OF OTHER MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON
Reconfirmation of Stock Option Plan
On October 26, 2021, the Board approved the adoption of a Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") for the Company and the shareholders approved on August 29, 2024. The information below is a summary of the Plan and should be read in conjunction with full text of the Plan which will be accessible on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Any definitions or capitalized terms used or referenced below have the same meaning attributed to them in the Plan.
The purpose of the Plan is to give to Eligible Persons as additional compensation, the opportunity to participate in the success of the Company by granting to such individuals Options, exercisable over periods of up to ten (10) years as determined by the board of directors of the Company, to buy shares of the Company at a price not less than the Market Price prevailing on the date the Option is granted less applicable discount, if any, permitted by the policies of the Exchanges and approved by the Board. The key terms of the Plan are reflected in the disclosure below.
| Key Term | Summary |
|---|---|
| Administration | The Board shall, without limitation, have full and final authority in their discretion, but subject to the express provisions of the Plan, to interpret the Plan, to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan and to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable in respect of the Plan. Except as set forth in certain sections of the Plan and subject to any required prior Exchange approval, the interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan by the Board shall be final and conclusive. Administration of the Plan shall be the responsibility of the appropriate officers of the Company and all costs in respect thereof shall be paid by the Company. |
| Number of Shares | The maximum aggregate number of Shares that are issuable pursuant to security based compensation granted or issued under the Plan and all of the Company's other previously established or proposed security based compensation plans (to which the following limits apply under Exchange policies): |
| (a) to all Optionees as a group (including for greater certainty Insiders (as a group) shall not exceed 10% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis at any point in time; |
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Key Term
Summary
(b) to Insiders (as a group) in any 12-month period shall not exceed 10% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date, unless the Company has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval pursuant to applicable Exchange policies;
(c) to any one Optionee (including, where permitted under applicable policies of the Exchanges, any companies that are wholly owned by such Optionee) in any 12-month period shall not exceed 5% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date, unless the Company has obtained the requisite disinterested shareholder approval pursuant to applicable Exchange policies.
(d) to any one Consultant in any 12-month period shall not exceed 2% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date;
(e) to Investor Relations Service Providers (as a group) in any 12-month period shall not exceed 2% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date, and Investor Relations Service Providers shall not be eligible to receive any security based compensation other than Options if the Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange at the time of any issuance or grant; and
(f) to Eligible Charitable Organizations (as a group) shall not exceed 1% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis on the Grant Date.
Securities
Each Option entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Share at an exercise price determined by the Board.
Participation
Any directors, officers, Employees, Management Company Employees, Consultants and Eligible Charitable Organizations of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively "Eligible Persons").
Option Price
The Option Price under each Option shall be not less than the Market Price on the Grant Date less the applicable discount permitted under the policies of the Exchanges.
Exercise Period
The exercise period of an Option will be the period from and including the grant date up to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time on the expiry date that will be determined by the Board at the time of grant (the "Expiry Date"), provided that the Expiry Date of an Option will be no later than the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date of the Option.
Cessation of Employment
If an Optionee ceases to be an Eligible Person, his or her Option shall be exercisable as follows:
(a) Death or Disability
If the Optionee ceases to be an Eligible Person, due to his or her death or Disability or, in the case of an Optionee that is a company, the death or Disability of the person who provides management or consulting services to the Company or to any entity controlled by the Company, the Option then held by the Optionee shall be exercisable to acquire Vested Unissued Option Shares at any time up to but not after the earlier of:
(i) 365 days after the date of death or Disability; and
(ii) the Expiry Date;
(b) Termination For Cause
If the Optionee or, in the case of a Management Company Employee or a Consultant Company, the Optionee's employer, ceases to be an Eligible Person as a result of termination for cause as that term is interpreted by the courts of the
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Key Term
Summary
jurisdiction in which the Optionee, or, in the case of a Management Company Employee or a Consultant Company, of the Optionee's employer, is employed or engaged; any outstanding Option held by such Optionee on the date of such termination, whether in respect of Option Shares that are Vested or not, shall be cancelled as of that date.
(c) Early Retirement, Voluntary Resignation or Termination Other than For Cause
If the Optionee or, in the case of a Management Company Employee or a Consultant Company, the Optionee's employer, ceases to be an Eligible Person due to his or her retirement at the request of his or her employer earlier than the normal retirement date under the Company's retirement policy then in force, or due to his or her termination by the Company other than for cause, or due to his or her voluntary resignation, the Option then held by the Optionee shall be exercisable to acquire Vested Unissued Option Shares at any time up to but not after the earlier of the Expiry Date and the date which is 90 days (30 days if the Optionee was engaged in Investor Relations Activities) after the Optionee or, in the case of a Management Company Employee or a Consultant Company, the Optionee's employer, ceases to be an Eligible Person.
Acceleration Events
If at any time when an Option granted under the Plan remains unexercised with respect to any Unissued Option Shares, an Offer is made by an offeror, the Board may, upon notifying each Optionee of full particulars of the Offer and subject to the approval of the Exchanges with respect to Investor Relations Service Providers, declare all Option Shares issuable upon the exercise of Options granted under the Plan, Vested, and declare that the Expiry Date for the exercise of all unexercised Options granted under the Plan is accelerated so that all Options will either be exercised or will expire prior to the date upon which Shares must be tendered pursuant to the Offer. The Board shall give each Optionee as much notice as possible of the acceleration of the Options under this section, except that not less than 5 business days notice is required and more than 30 days notice is not required
Amendments
The Board may from time to time, subject to applicable law and to the prior approval, if required, of the shareholders (or disinterested shareholders, if required), Exchanges or any other regulatory body having authority over the Company or the Plan, suspend, terminate or discontinue the Plan at any time, or amend or revise the terms of the Plan or of any Option granted under the Plan and the Option Agreement relating thereto, provided that no such amendment, revision, suspension, termination or discontinuance shall in any manner adversely affect any Option previously granted to an Optionee under the Plan without the consent of that Optionee.
As of the date of this Information Circular, the Company had 6,340,000 Options issued and outstanding:
| Holder of Options | Number of Options Held | Exercise Price | Issue Date | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directors (who are not also executive officers) of the Company, as a group.(1) | 700,000 | $0.12 | April 1, 2021 | 5 years |
| 1,775,000 | $0.10 | June 30, 2025 | 5 years | |
| Executive officers of the Company, as a group.(2) | 655,000 | $0.12 | April 1, 2021 | 5 years |
| 1,685,000 | $0.10 | June 30, 2025 | 5 years | |
| Consultants of the Company, as a group. | 260,000 | $0.12 | April 1, 2021 | 5 years |
| 1,265,000 | $0.10 | June 30, 2025 | 5 years | |
| TOTAL | 6,340,000 |
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Notes:
(1) This information applies to 3 directors of the Company.
(2) This information applies to 3 executive officers of the Company.
Under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the adoption by the Company of the Plan requires approval of the Company's shareholders by ordinary resolution. Accordingly, at the Meeting, the shareholders of the Company will be asked to pass the following resolution (the "Stock Option Plan Resolution"):
"BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
the Company's Stock Option Plan be approved and confirmed, and that in connection therewith a maximum of 10% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares at the time of each grant be approved for granting as options; and
any director or officer of the Company be authorized and directed to do all acts and things and to execute and deliver all documents required, as in the opinion of such director or officer may be necessary or appropriate in order to give effect to this resolution."
The Board unanimously recommends that each Shareholder vote FOR the Stock Option Plan Resolution.
OTHER MATTERS
Management of the Company is not aware of any other matters to come before the Meeting other than as set forth in the Notice of the Meeting. If any other matter properly comes before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed Proxy form to vote the shares represented thereby in accordance with their best judgment on such matter.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information relating to the Company is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Financial information relating to the Company is provided in the Company's comparative financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for its financial years ended January 31, 2024 and January 31, 2025 which are available on SEDAR+ and may also be obtained by sending a written request to the President of the Company at the Company's head office located at Suite 407, 325 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 1Z7.
DATED as of the 3rd day of November, 2025.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD
"David N. Hottman"
DAVID N. HOTTMAN
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
APPENDIX A
ORESTONE MINING CORP. (the "Company")
Audit Committee Charter
Mandate
The primary function of the audit committee (the "Committee") is to assist the Board of Directors ("Board") in fulfilling its financial oversight responsibilities by reviewing the financial reports and other financial information provided by the Company to regulatory authorities and shareholders, the Company's systems of internal controls regarding finance and accounting and the Company's auditing, accounting and financial reporting processes. The Committee's primary duties and responsibilities are to:
- serve as an independent and objective party to monitor the Company's financial reporting and internal control system and review the Company's financial statements;
- review and appraise the performance of the Company's external auditor; and
- provide an open avenue of communication among the Company's auditor, financial and senior management and the Board.
Composition
The Committee shall be comprised of at least three directors as determined by the Board, all of whom shall be "independent" directors except as permitted by applicable securities regulatory guidelines (including applicable exemptions while the Company is a "venture issuer" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation). A quorum of the Committee shall be a majority of the members. Each member of the Committee will be a member of the Board. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chair of the Committee shall not have a second casting vote.
The members of the Committee shall be elected by the Board at its first meeting following the annual shareholders' meeting. Unless a Chair is elected by the Board, the members of the Committee may designate a Chair by a majority vote of the full Committee membership.
Meetings
The Committee shall meet at least once annually, or more frequently as circumstances dictate or as may be prescribed by securities regulatory requirements. As part of its job to foster open communication, the Committee will meet at least annually with the Chief Financial Officer and the external auditor in separate sessions.
Responsibilities and Duties
To fulfill its responsibilities and duties, the Committee shall:
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- Documents/Reports
a) review and update, if applicable or necessary, this Audit Committee Charter annually;
b) review with management and the independent auditor the Company's annual and interim financial statements, management's discussion and analysis, any annual and interim earnings press releases and any reports or other financial information to be submitted to any governmental and/or regulatory body, or the public, including any certification, report, opinion, or review rendered by the external auditor for the purpose of recommending their approval to the Board prior to their filing, issue or publication. The Chair of the Committee may represent the entire Committee for purposes of this review in circumstances where time does not allow the full Committee to be available;
c) review analyses prepared by management and/or the external auditor setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgements made in connection with the preparation of the financial statements, including analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the financial statements;
d) review the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives, as well as off balance sheet structures, on the financial statements of the Company;
e) review policies and procedures with respect to directors' and officers' expense accounts and management perquisites and benefits, including their use of corporate assets and expenditures related to executive travel and entertainment, and review the results of the procedures performed in these areas by the external auditor, based on the terms of reference agreed upon by the external auditor and the Committee;
f) review expenses of the Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer annually; and
g) ensure that adequate procedures are in place for the review of the Company's public disclosure of financial information extracted or derived from the Company's financial statements, as well as review any financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies, and periodically assess the adequacy of those procedures.
- External Auditor
a) review annually, the performance of the external auditor who shall be ultimately accountable to the Board and the Committee as representatives of the shareholders of the Company;
b) obtain annually, a formal written statement of external auditor setting forth all relationships between the external auditor and the Company;
c) review and discuss with the external auditor any disclosed relationships or services that may have an impact on the objectivity and independence of the external auditor;
d) take, or recommend that the Board take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the external auditor, including the resolution of disagreements between management and the external auditor regarding financial reporting;
A-2
e) recommend to the Board the selection and, where applicable, the replacement of the external auditor nominated annually for shareholder approval;
f) recommend to the Board the compensation to be paid to the external auditor;
g) at each meeting, where desired, consult with the external auditor, without the presence of management, about the quality of the Company's accounting principles, internal controls and the completeness and accuracy of the Company's financial statements;
h) review and approve the Company's hiring policies regarding partners, employees and former partners and employees of the present and former external auditor of the Company;
i) review with management and the external auditor the audit plan for the year end financial statements; and
j) review and pre approve all audit and audit related services and the fees and other compensation related thereto, and any non audit services, provided by the Company's external auditor. The authority to pre approve non audit services may be delegated by the Committee to one or more independent members of the Committee, provided that such pre approval must be presented to the Committee's first scheduled meeting following such pre approval. Pre approval of non audit services is satisfied if:
(i) the aggregate amount of all the non audit services that were not pre approved is reasonably expected to constitute no more than 5% of the total amount of fees paid by the Company and subsidiaries to the Company's external auditor during the fiscal year in which the services are provided;
(ii) the Company or a subsidiary did not recognize the services as non audit services at the time of the engagement; and
(iii) the services are promptly brought to the attention of the Committee and approved, prior to completion of the audit, by the Committee or by one or more of its members to whom authority to grant such approvals has been delegated by the Committee.
3. Financial Reporting Processes
a) in consultation with the external auditor, review with management the integrity of the Company's financial reporting process, both internal and external;
b) consider the external auditor's judgments about the quality and appropriateness of the Company's accounting principles as applied in its financial reporting;
c) consider and approve, if appropriate, changes to the Company's auditing and accounting principles and practices as suggested by the external auditor and management;
d) review significant judgments made by management in the preparation of the financial statements and the view of the external auditor as to appropriateness of such judgments;
e) following completion of the annual audit, review separately with management and the external auditor any significant difficulties encountered during the course of the audit, including any restrictions on the scope of work or access to required information;
f) review any significant disagreement among management and the external auditor in connection with the preparation of the financial statements;
g) review with the external auditor and management the extent to which changes and improvements in financial or accounting practices have been implemented;
h) review any complaints or concerns about any questionable accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters;
i) review certification process;
j) establish a procedure for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters; and
k) establish a procedure for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
- Other
a) review any material related party transactions;
b) engage independent counsel and other advisors as it determines necessary to carry out its duties; and
c) to set and pay compensation for any independent counsel and other advisors employee by the Committee.
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