Item 1A. Risk Factors
Much of the information included in this prospectus includes or is based upon estimates, projections or other "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements include any projections or estimates made by us and our management in connection with our business operations. While these forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business, actual results will almost always vary, sometimes materially, from any estimates, predictions, projections, assumptions, or other future performance suggested herein. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements.
Such estimates, projections or other "forward-looking statements" involve various risks and uncertainties as outlined below. We caution readers of this prospectus that important factors in some cases have affected and, in the future, could materially affect actual results and cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed in any such estimates, projections or other "forward-looking statements". In evaluating us, our business and any investment in our business, readers should carefully consider the following factors.
Our common shares are considered speculative. Prospective investors should consider carefully the risk factors set out below.
Risks Associated with Business
Our company has no operating history and an evolving business model, which raises doubt about our ability to achieve profitability or obtain financing.
Our Company has no operating history. Moreover, our business model is still evolving, subject to change, and will rely on the cooperation and participation of our joint venture partners. Our Company's ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to obtain adequate financing and to reach profitable levels of operations and we no proven history of performance, earnings or success. There can be no assurance that we will achieve profitability or obtain future financing.
Uncertain demand for mineral resources sector may cause our business plan to be unprofitable.
Demand for mineral resources is based on the world economy and new technologies. Current lithium demand exceeds available supply due to the rapid increase in lithium batteries in portable electronics and the growing electric vehicle markets. There can be no assurance that current supply and demand factors will remain the same or that projected supply and demand factors will actually come to pass from 3rd party projections that are currently believed to be true and accurate. There can be no assurance that new disruptive technologies will replace lithium as a significant component in battery storage over time.
Conflicts of interest between our company and our directors and officers may result in a loss of business opportunity.
Our directors and officers are not obligated to commit their full time and attention to our business and, accordingly, they may encounter a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our future operations and those of other businesses. In the course of their other business activities, they may become aware of investment and business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us as well as other entities to which they owe a fiduciary duty. As a result, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. They may also in the future become affiliated with entities, engaged in business activities similar to those we intend to conduct.
In general, officers and directors of a corporation are required to present business opportunities to a corporation if:
- the corporation could financially undertake the opportunity;
- the opportunity is within the corporation's line of business; and
- it would be unfair to the corporation and its stockholders not to bring the opportunity to the attention of the corporation.
We plan to adopt a code of ethics that obligates our directors, officers and employees to disclose potential conflicts of interest and prohibits those persons from engaging in such transactions without our consent. Despite our intentions, conflicts of interest may nevertheless arise which may deprive our company of a business opportunity, which may impede the successful development of our business and negatively impact the value of an investment in our company.
The speculative nature of our business plan may result in the loss of your investment.
Our operations are in the start-up or stage only, and are unproven. We may not be successful in implementing our business plan to become profitable. There may be less demand for our services than we anticipate. There is no assurance that our business will succeed and you may lose your entire investment.
Changing consumer preferences may cause our planned products to be unsuccessful in the marketplace.
The decision of a potential client to undergo an environmental audit or review may be based on ethical or commercial reasons. In some instances, or with certain businesses, there may be no assurance that an environmental review will result in any cost savings or increased revenues. As such, unless the ethical consideration is also a material factor, there may be no incentive for such businesses to undertake an environmental review. Changes in consumer and commercial preferences, or trends, toward or away from environmental issues may impact on businesses" decisions to undergo environmental reviews.
General economic factors may negatively impact the market for our planned products.
The willingness of businesses to spend time and money on energy efficiency may be dependent upon general economic conditions; and any material downturn may reduce the likelihood of businesses incurring costs toward what some businesses may consider a discretionary expense item.
A wide range of economic and logistical factors may negatively impact our operating results.
Our operating results will be affected by a wide variety of factors that could materially affect revenues and profitability, including the timing and cancellation of customer orders and projects, competitive pressures on pricing, availability of personnel, and market acceptance of our services. As a result, we may experience material fluctuations in future operating results on a quarterly and annual basis which could materially affect our business, financial condition and operating results.
Changes In Environmental Regulations May Have An Impact On Our Operations
We believe that we currently comply with existing environmental laws and regulations affecting our proposed operations. While there are no currently known proposed changes in these laws or regulations, significant changes have affected the industry in the past and additional changes may occur in the future. The company is subject to the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM"), State and potentially other government agencies with respect to its lithium brine business.
Our operations may be subject to environmental laws, regulations and rules promulgated from time to time by government. In addition, certain types of operations require the submission and approval of environmental impact assessments. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner that means stricter standards and enforcement. Fines and penalties for non-compliance are more stringent. Environmental assessments of proposed projects carry a heightened degree of responsibility for companies, directors, officers and employees. The cost of compliance with changes in governmental regulations has potential to reduce the profitability of operations. We intend to comply with all environmental regulations in the United States and Canada.
Loss of consumer confidence in our company or in our industry may harm our business.
Demand for our services may be adversely affected if consumers lose confidence in the quality of our services or the industry's practices. Adverse publicity may discourage businesses from buying our services and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Various factors may adversely impact our reputation, including product quality inconsistencies or contamination resulting in product recalls. Reputational risks may also arise from our third parties' labour standards, health, safety and environmental standards, raw material sourcing, and ethical standards. We may also be the victim of product tampering or counterfeiting or grey imports. Any litigation, disputes on tax matters and pay structures may subject us to negative attention in the press, which can damage reputation.
The failure to secure customers may cause our operations to fail.
We currently have no long-term agreements with any customers. Many of our sales may be on a "onetime" basis. Accordingly, we will require new customers on a continuous basis to sustain our operations. Risk of material impact on Group growth and profit of consumer led slowdown in key developing markets, exacerbated by increasing currency volatility. A variety of factors may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition during periods of economic uncertainty or instability, social or labour unrest or political upheaval in the markets in which we operate. Such periods may also lead to government actions, such as imposition of martial law, trade restrictions, foreign ownership restrictions, capital, price or currency controls, nationalization or expropriation of property or other resources, or changes in legal and regulatory requirements and taxation regimes.
If we fail to effectively and efficiently advertise, the growth of our business may be compromised.
The future growth and profitability of our business will be dependent in part on the effectiveness and efficiency of our advertising and promotional expenditures, including our ability to (i) create greater awareness of our products, (ii) determine the appropriate creative message and media mix for future advertising expenditures, and (iii) effectively manage advertising and promotional costs in order to maintain acceptable operating margins. There can be no assurance that we will experience benefits from advertising and promotional expenditures in the future. In addition, no assurance can be given that our planned advertising and promotional expenditures will result in increased revenues, will generate levels of service and name awareness or that we will be able to manage such advertising and promotional expenditures on a cost-effective basis.
Our success is dependent on our unproven ability to attract qualified personnel.
We depend on our ability to attract, retain and motivate our management team, consultants and advisors. There is strong competition for qualified technical and management personnel in the business sector, and it is expected that such competition will increase. Our planned growth will place increased demands on our existing resources and will likely require the addition of technical personnel and the development of additional expertise by existing personnel. There can be no assurance that our compensation packages will be sufficient to ensure the continued availability of qualified personnel who are necessary for the development of our business.
We have a limited operating history with losses and we expect the losses to continue, which raises concerns about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We have generated minimal revenues since our inception and will, in all likelihood, continue to incur operating expenses with minimal revenues until we are able to successfully develop our business. Our business plan will require us to incur further expenses. We may not be able to ever become profitable. These circumstances raise concerns about our ability to continue as a going concern. We have a limited operating history and must be considered in the start-up stage.
There is an explanatory paragraph to their audit opinion issued in connection with the financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2022 with respect to their doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to our financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2022, we had working capital of $2,845,286 (deficit of $5,841 as at August 31, 2021) and have incurred cumulative losses of $12,694,988 that raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Our management has been able, thus far, to finance the operations through equity financing and cash on hand. There is no assurance that our company will be able to continue to finance our company on this basis.
Without additional financing to develop our business plan, our business may fail.
Because we have generated only minimal revenue from our business and cannot anticipate when we will be able to generate meaningful revenue from our business, we will need to raise additional funds to conduct and grow our business. We do not currently have sufficient financial resources to completely fund the development of our business plan. We anticipate that we will need to raise further financing. We do not currently have any arrangements for financing and we can provide no assurance to investors that we will be able to find such financing if required. The most likely source of future funds presently available to us is through the sale of equity capital. Any sale of share capital will result in dilution to existing security-holders.
We may not be able to obtain all of the licenses necessary to operate our business, which would cause our business to fail.
Our operations require licenses and permits from various governmental authorities related to the establishment of our planned facilities, to the production, storage and distribution of our products, and to the disposal of waste. We believe that we will be able to obtain all necessary licenses and permits under applicable laws and regulations for our operations and believe we will be able to comply in all material respects with the terms of such licenses and permits. However, such licenses and permits are subject to change in various circumstances. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to obtain or maintain all necessary licenses and permits.
Changes in health and safety regulation may result in increased or insupportable financial burden on our company.
We believe that we currently comply with existing laws and regulations affecting our product and operations. While there are no currently known proposed changes in these laws or regulations, significant changes have affected the industry in the past and additional changes may occur in the future.
Our products and operations may be subject to unanticipated regulations and rules promulgated from time to time by government, namely those related to consumer health and safety which may render certain production methods, ingredients, products or practices obsolete. The cost of compliance with changes in governmental regulations has potential to reduce the viability or profitability of our products or operations.
If we are unable to recruit or retain qualified personnel, it could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and stock price.
Our success depends in large part on the continued services of our executive officers and third party relationships. We currently do not have key person insurance on these individuals. The loss of these people, especially without advance notice, could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and our stock price. It is also very important that we be able to attract and retain highly skilled personnel, including technical personnel, to accommodate our exploration plans and to replace personnel who leave. Competition for qualified personnel can be intense, and there are a limited number of people with the requisite knowledge and experience. Under these conditions, we could be unable to recruit, train, and retain employees. If we cannot attract and retain qualified personnel, it could have a material adverse impact on our operating results and stock price.
If we fail to effectively manage our growth our future business results could be harmed and our managerial and operational resources may be strained.
As we proceed with our business plan, we expect to experience significant and rapid growth in the scope and complexity of our business. We will need to add staff to market our services, manage operations, handle sales and marketing efforts and perform finance and accounting functions. We will be required to hire a broad range of additional personnel in order to successfully advance our operations. This growth is likely to place a strain on our management and operational resources. The failure to develop and implement effective systems, or to hire and retain sufficient personnel for the performance of all of the functions necessary to effectively service and manage our potential business, or the failure to manage growth effectively, could have a materially adverse effect on our business and financial condition.
Risks Associated with the Shares of Our Company
Because we do not intend to pay any dividends on our shares, investors seeking dividend income or liquidity should not purchase our shares.
We have not declared or paid any dividends on our shares since inception, and do not anticipate paying any such dividends for the foreseeable future. We presently do not anticipate that we will pay dividends on any of our common stock in the foreseeable future. If payment of dividends does occur at some point in the future, it would be contingent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements, and general financial condition. The payment of any common stock dividends will be within the discretion of our Board of Directors. We presently intend to retain all earnings to implement our business plan; accordingly, we do not anticipate the declaration of any dividends for common stock in the foreseeable future.
Investors seeking dividend income or liquidity should not invest in our shares.
Because we can issue additional shares, purchasers of our shares may incur immediate dilution and may experience further dilution.
We are authorized to issue up to 200,000,000 shares. The board of directors of our company has the authority to cause us to issue additional shares, and to determine the rights, preferences and privileges of such shares, without consent of any of our stockholders. Consequently, our stockholders may experience more dilution in their ownership of our company in the future.
Other Risks
Trading on the OCTQB may be volatile and sporadic, which could depress the market price of our common stock and make it difficult for our stockholders to resell their shares.
Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB electronic quotation service operated by OTC Markets Group Inc. Trading in stock quoted on the OTCQB is often thin and characterized by wide fluctuations in trading prices, due to many factors that may have little to do with our operations or business prospects. This volatility could depress the market price of our common stock for reasons unrelated to operating performance. Moreover, the OTCQB is not a stock exchange, and trading of securities on the OTCQB is often more sporadic than the trading of securities listed on a quotation system like Nasdaq or a stock exchange like Amex. Accordingly, shareholders may have difficulty reselling any of the shares.
Our stock is a penny stock. Trading of our stock may be restricted by the Securities and Exchange Commission's penny stock regulations which may limit a stockholder's ability to buy and sell our stock.
Our stock is a penny stock. The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted Rule 15g-9 which generally defines "penny stock" to be any equity security that has a market price (as defined) less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. Our securities are covered by the penny stock rules, which impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell to persons other than established customers and "accredited investors". The term "accredited investor" refers generally to institutions with assets in excess of $5,000,000 or individuals with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or annual income exceeding $200,000 or $300,000 jointly with their spouse. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document in a form prepared by the Securities and Exchange Commission which provides information about penny stocks and the nature and level of risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer also must provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer's account. The bid and offer quotations, and the broker-dealer and salesperson compensation information, must be given to the customer orally or in writing prior to effecting the transaction and must be given to the customer in writing before or with the customer's confirmation. In addition, the penny stock rules require that prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from these rules, the broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser's written agreement to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market for the stock that is subject to these penny stock rules. Consequently, these penny stock rules may affect the ability of broker-dealers to trade our securities. We believe that the penny stock rules discourage investor interest in and limit the marketability of our common stock.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, has adopted sales practice requirements which may also limit a stockholder's ability to buy and sell our stock.
In addition to the "penny stock" rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative low priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer's financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our stock and have an adverse effect on the market for our shares.
We believe that our operations comply, in all material respects, with all applicable environmental regulations.
Our operating partners maintain insurance coverage customary to the industry; however, we are not fully insured against all possible environmental risks.
Any change to government regulation/administrative practices may have a negative impact on our ability to operate and our profitability.
The laws, regulations, policies or current administrative practices of any government body, organization or regulatory agency in the United States, Canada, or any other jurisdiction, may be changed, applied or interpreted in a manner which will fundamentally alter the ability of our company to carry on our business.
The actions, policies or regulations, or changes thereto, of any government body or regulatory agency, or other special interest groups, may have a detrimental effect on us. Any or all of these situations may have a negative impact on our ability to operate and/or our profitably.
Because we can issue additional shares, purchasers of our shares may incur immediate dilution and may experience further dilution.
We are authorized to issue up to 200,000,000 shares. The board of directors of our company has the authority to cause us to issue additional shares, and to determine the rights, preferences and privileges of such shares, without consent of any of our stockholders. Consequently, our stockholders may experience more dilution in their ownership of our company in the future.
Our by-laws contain provisions indemnifying our officers and directors against all costs, charges and expenses incurred by them.
Our by-laws contain provisions with respect to the indemnification of our officers and directors against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, actually and reasonably incurred by him, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment in a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding to which he is made a party by reason of his being or having been one of our directors or officers.
Investors' interests in our company will be diluted and investors may suffer dilution in their net book value per share if we issue additional shares or raise funds through the sale of equity securities.
Our constating documents authorize the issuance of 200,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $0.001. In the event that we are required to issue any additional shares or enter into private placements to raise financing through the sale of equity securities, investors" interests in our company will be diluted and investors may suffer dilution in their net book value per share depending on the price at which such securities are sold. If we issue any such additional shares, such issuances also will cause a reduction in the proportionate ownership and voting power of all other shareholders. Further, any such issuance may result in a change in our control.
Our by-laws do not contain anti-takeover provisions, which could result in a change of our management and directors if there is a take-over of our company.
We do not currently have a shareholder rights plan or any anti-takeover provisions in our By-laws. Without any anti-takeover provisions, there is no deterrent for a take-over of our company, which may result in a change in our management and directors.
As a result of a majority of our directors and officers are residents of other countries other than the United States, investors may find it difficult to enforce, within the United States, any judgments obtained against our company or our directors and officers.
Other than our operations office in Kelowna, British Columbia, we do not currently maintain a permanent place of business within the United States. In addition, a majority of our directors and officers are nationals and/or residents of countries other than the United States, and all or a substantial portion of such persons" assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to enforce within the United States any judgments obtained against our company or our officers or directors, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state thereof.
Trends, risks and uncertainties.
We have sought to identify what we believe to be the most significant risks to our business, but we cannot predict whether, or to what extent, any of such risks may be realized nor can we guarantee that we have identified all possible risks that might arise such as a black swan event. An absolute worst case scenario with sufficient potential impact to risk the future of the company as an independent business operating in its chosen markets. Significant reputational impact as a result of a major issue resulting in multiple fatalities, possibly compounded by apparently negligent management behavior; extreme adverse press coverage and viral social media linking the Company name to consumer brands, leads to a catastrophic share price fall, very significant loss of consumer confidence and inability to retain and recruit quality people. Investors should carefully consider all of such risk factors before making an investment decision with respect to our common shares.