We are an exploration stage mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and extraction of precious metals from mineral deposits in the Southwestern United States.
 In February 2008, we acquired our lead project, a prospective gold, silver and calcium carbonate property located in Esmeralda County, Nevada, that we call the “Columbus Project.” The Columbus Project consists of 138 mineral claims covering approximately 6,778 acres, plus an additional 80 acres of private land, for a total of 6,858 acres including a 380 acre Permitted Mine Area (60-acre mill site and mill facility, 266-acre mine site with 54 acres defined as “undisturbed area”). Our current permits allow us to mine up to 792,000 tons per year to 40 feet in depth for the purpose of extracting precious metals and calcium carbonate from the Permitted Mine Area. In addition, we own 80 acres of land in the southeast quadrant of the project. Our current exploration efforts are focused on the North and South Sand Zones of the Columbus Project.
 During fiscal 2016, we upgraded and calibrated new equipment at the Columbus Project’s onsite laboratory to ensure the accuracy of our onsite testing procedures.  We also installed new high capacity thermal pretreatment, leach (TPAC) and concentration circuit equipment at the onsite pilot plant capable of processing 500 lbs. of sands per test.  Recent work at the onsite laboratory and the pilot plant has created a potential new source of additional value to the Columbus Project. Testing of the gold smelting process on materials thermally treated at the pilot plant has given rise to the development of a separate smelting step that has resulted in palladium (Pd) extraction rates significantly higher than previously identified. The discovery of material quantities of extractable Pd in both the sand and the concentrates is very significant to the project.