First Majestic Silver Corp. (the "Company" or the "Registrant") is permitted, under a multi-jurisdictional disclosure system adopted by the United States, to prepare this annual report on Form 40-F in accordance with Canadian disclosure requirements, which are different from those of the United States. The Company prepares its financial statements (the "Audited Financial Statements") in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB").
The Annual Information Form ("AIF") filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this annual report on Form 40-F has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of United States securities laws. The terms "mineral reserve", "proven mineral reserve" and "probable mineral reserve" are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") - CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended. These definitions differ from the definitions in the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") rules and regulations applicable to domestic United States companies.
Accordingly, information contained in this annual report on Form 40-F and the documents incorporated by reference herein containing descriptions of the Company's mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements under the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM
The AIF is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to, and incorporated by reference in, this annual report on Form 40-F.
AUDITED ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Audited Consolidated Financial Statements as at and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, including the report of the independent registered public accounting firm with respect thereto, are filed as Exhibit 99.2 to, and incorporated by reference in, this annual report on Form 40-F. Our independent registered public accounting firm is Deloitte LLP, Vancouver, BC Canada (PCAOB ID No. 1208).
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
The Company's management's discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition for the year ended December 31, 2022 is filed as Exhibit 99.3 to, and incorporated by reference in, this annual report on Form 40-F.
CERTIFICATIONS
See Exhibits 99.4, 99.5, 99.6 and 99.7, which are included as Exhibits to this annual report on Form 40-F.
DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
At the end of the period covered by this annual report on Form 40-F, the Company's management, with the participation of its President and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures. Based upon the results of that evaluation, the Company's CEO and CFO have concluded that, as of December 31, 2022, the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports it files is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the appropriate time periods and is accumulated and communicated to management, including the CEO and CFO, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Internal Control over Financial Reporting
The Company's management, with the participation of its CEO and CFO, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as such term is defined in the rules of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators. The Company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with IFRS as issued by the IASB. The Company's internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that:
- maintain records that accurately and fairly reflect, in reasonable detail, the transactions and dispositions of assets of the Company;
- provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary for preparation of financial statements in accordance with IFRS as issued by the IASB;
- provide reasonable assurance that the Company's receipts and expenditures are made only in accordance with authorizations of management and the Company's Directors; and
- provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company's assets that could have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
The Company's internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect all misstatements because of inherent limitations. Additionally, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness for future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance with the Company's policies and procedures.
The Company’s management evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based upon the criteria set forth in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on management’s evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2022.
There has been no change in the Company's internal control over financial reporting during the year ended December 31, 2022 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.
The Company's independent registered public accounting firm, Deloitte LLP, has audited the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements as at December 31, 2022, and 2021 and for each the two years in the period ended December 31, 2022 filed as Exhibit 99.2, and has issued an attestation report dated February 23, 2023 on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria set forth in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
Limitations of Controls and Procedures
The Company's management, including the President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, believes that any disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting, no matter how well conceived and operated, may not prevent or detect all misstatements because of inherent limitations. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, they cannot provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been prevented or detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by unauthorized override of the control. The design of any control system also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in a cost effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Audit Committee
The Company's board of directors has a separately designated standing audit committee established in accordance with section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act. The members of the Company's audit committee are identified on page 130 of the AIF, filed as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein. In the opinion of the Company's board of directors, all members of the audit committee are independent (as determined under Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange) and are financially literate.
Audit Committee Financial Expert
The Company's board of directors has determined that Colette Rustad, CPA, CA, is an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in Form 40-F, in that she has an understanding of generally accepted accounting principles and financial statements; is able to assess the general application of accounting principles, including, in connection with the accounting for estimates, accruals and reserves; has experience preparing, auditing, analyzing or evaluating financial statements that entail accounting issues of equal breadth and complexity to the Company's financial statements (or actively supervising another person who did so); has an understanding of internal controls and procedures for financial reporting; and has an understanding of audit committee functions.
CODE OF ETHICS
The Company has adopted a written Code of Ethical Conduct that qualifies as a "code of ethics" within the meaning of such term in Form 40-F. A copy of this code is available on the Company's website at http://www.firstmajestic.com or to any person without charge, by written request addressed to: First Majestic Silver Corp., Attention: Corporate Secretary, Suite 1800 - 925 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3L2 Canada (604) 688-3033, or by email (info@firstmajestic.com).
If any amendment to the Code of Ethical Conduct is made, or if any waiver from the provisions thereof is granted, the Company may elect to disclose the information about such amendment or waiver required by Form 40-F to be disclosed, by posting such disclosure on the Company's website, which may be accessed at www.firstmajestic.com.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
Deloitte LLP acted as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the financial year ended December 31, 2022. See page 131 of the AIF, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, for the total amount billed to the Company by Deloitte LLP for services performed in the last two financial years by category of service (for audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and all other fees) in United States dollars.
AUDIT COMMITTEE PRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
See Appendix "A" of the AIF filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
The Company does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on its financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that is material to investors, or relationships with unconsolidated special purpose entities.
CASH REQUIREMENTS
The information provided under the heading "Management's Discussion and Analysis - Liquidity, Capital Resources and Contractual Obligations" contained in Exhibit 99.3 hereto contains the Company's disclosure of contractual obligations and liquidity and is incorporated by reference herein.
MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Not applicable.
DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
RECOVERY OF ERRONEOUSLY AWARDED COMPENSATION
Not applicable.
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE DISCLOSURE
Presiding Director at Meetings of Non-Management Directors
The Company schedules regular executive sessions in which the Company's "non-management directors" (as that term is defined in the rules of the New York Stock Exchange) meet without management participation. Thomas Fudge, Jr. serves as the presiding director (the "Presiding Director") at such sessions. Each of the Company's non-management directors, except Raymond Polman, is "independent" within the meaning of the rules of the New York Stock Exchange.
The Company also holds executive sessions at least four times per year in which the Company's independent directors meet without participation from management or non-independent directors.
Communication with Non-Management Directors
Shareholders may send communications to the Company's non-management directors by writing to Thomas Fudge, Jr., Chair of the board of directors, c/o Corporate Secretary, First Majestic Silver Corp., 925 West Georgia Street, Suite 1800, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L2. Communications will be referred to the Presiding Director for appropriate action. The status of all outstanding concerns addressed to the Presiding Director will be reported to the board of directors as appropriate.
Board Committee Mandates
The Charters of the Company's audit committee, compensation committee, corporate governance and nominating committee and environmental, social, health and safety committee are each available for viewing on the Company's website at www.firstmajestic.com.
NYSE Statement of Governance Differences
As a Canadian corporation listed on the NYSE, the Company is not required to comply with most of the NYSE corporate governance standards, so long as it complies with Canadian corporate governance practices. In order to claim such an exemption, however, the Company must disclose the significant difference between its corporate governance practices and those required to be followed by U.S. domestic companies under the NYSE's corporate governance standards. The Company has included a description of such significant differences in corporate governance practices on its website, which may be accessed at www.firstmajestic.com.
UNDERTAKINGS
The Company undertakes to make available, in person or by telephone, representatives to respond to inquiries made by the SEC staff, and to furnish promptly, when requested to do so by the SEC staff, information relating to: the securities registered pursuant to Form 40-F; the securities in relation to which the obligation to file an annual report on Form 40-F arises; or transactions in said securities.
CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS
The Company filed an Appointment of Agent for Service of Process and Undertaking on Form F-X with respect to the class of securities in relation to which the obligation to file this annual report on Form 40-F arises.
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit |
Description |
99.1 |
Annual Information Form of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022 |
99.2 |
Audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and the notes thereto as of and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, together with the reports of the independent registered public accounting firm |
99.3 |
Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022 |
99.4 |
CEO Certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
99.5 |
CFO Certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
99.6 |
CEO Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
99.7 |
CFO Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
99.8 |
Consent of Ramon Mendoza Reyes, P. Eng., Vice President Technical Services of First Majestic Silver Corp. |
99.9 |
Consent of Persio Rosario, P. Eng., Vice-President of Processing, Metallurgy and Innovation |
99.10 |
Consent of Maria E. Vazquez, P. Geo., Geological Database Manager of First Majestic Silver Corp. |
99.11 |
Consent of Phillip J. Spurgeon, P. Geo., Senior Resource Modeler of First Majestic Silver Corp. |
99.12 |
Consent of Brian Boutilier, P.Eng. Manager of Technical Services |
99.13 |
Consent of David Rowe, CPG, Director of Mineral Resources of First Majestic Silver Corp. |
99.14 |
Consent of Joaquin Merino, P. Geo., Consultant |
99.15 |
Consent of Andrew P. Hampton, M.Sc., P.Eng., Principal Metallurgist of SLR International Corporation |
99.16 |
Consent of Chelsea Hamilton, P.Eng., Project Mining Engineer of SLR International Corporation |
99.17 |
Consent of Jeremy Scott Collyard, MMSA QP, Principal Environmental Specialist and United States Mining and Minerals Sector Lead of SLR International Corporation |
99.18 |
Consent of Ryan Rodney, C.P.G, former Associate Geologist of SLR International Corporation |
99.19 |
Consent of Gordon L. Fellows, P.E. former Mine Manager of Jerritt Canyon Gold |
99.20 |
Consent of Deloitte LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
101.INS |
Inline XBRL Instance Document–the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File as its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document |
101.SCH |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
101.CAL |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document |
101.DEF |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Definition Linkbase Document |
101.LAB |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document |
101.PRE |
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
104 |
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101). |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 40-F and has duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
Date: March 31, 2023
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FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP. |
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By: |
/s/ Keith Neumeyer |
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Keith Neumeyer |
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Chief Executive Officer |