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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS  
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

NOTE 4 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The Company uses the fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, essentially an exit price, based on the highest and best use of the asset or liability. The levels of the fair value hierarchy are:

●Level 1—Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
●Level 2—Significant other observable inputs (i.e., quoted prices for similar items in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar items in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, such as interest rate and yield curves, and market-corroborated inputs); and
●Level 3—Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting unit to develop its own assumptions.

The classification of fair value measurements within the established three-level hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the measurements. Financial instruments, although not recorded at fair value on a recurring basis, include cash and cash equivalents, held-to-maturity debt securities, restricted cash for reclamation bonds, note receivable and debt obligations. Equity investments with readily determinable fair values are measured at fair value on a recurring basis, with changes in fair value recognized in earnings.

The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents approximates fair value because of its short-term nature. The estimated fair values of investments in debt securities held to maturity were based on Level 2 inputs. The carrying amount of restricted cash for reclamation bonds and the note receivable approximate fair value based on their contractual terms. The fair value of the Company’s debt is estimated to be face value based on the contractual terms of the underlying debt arrangements and market-based expectations. The Company’s investment in equity securities is classified as a Level 1 fair value measurement because it is valued each reporting period using readily available quoted market prices from the Australian Securities Exchange.