Recognition of exploration and evaluation assets (AASB6_08-15_COMPmar20_07-21)

When developing its accounting policies, an entity recognising exploration and evaluation assets shall apply paragraph 10 of AASB 108 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors and paragraphs Aus7.1 and Aus7.2 below.

Paragraphs 11 and 12 of AASB 108 specify sources of authoritative requirements and guidance that management is required to consider in developing an accounting policy for an item if no Standard applies specifically to that item. Subject to paragraphs 9 and 10 below, this Standard exempts an entity from applying those paragraphs to its accounting policies for the recognition and measurement of exploration and evaluation assets.

An entity’s accounting policy for the treatment of its exploration and evaluation expenditures shall be in accordance with the following requirements. For each area of interest, expenditures incurred in the exploration for and evaluation of mineral resources shall be:

(a) expensed as incurred; or

(b) partially or fully capitalised, and recognised as an exploration and evaluation asset if the requirements of paragraph Aus7.2 are satisfied.

An entity shall make this decision separately for each area of interest.

An exploration and evaluation asset shall only be recognised in relation to an area of interest if the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) the rights to tenure of the area of interest are current; and

(b) at least one of the following conditions is also met:

(i) the exploration and evaluation expenditures are expected to be recouped through successful development and exploitation of the area of interest, or alternatively, by its sale; and

(ii) exploration and evaluation activities in the area of interest have not at the end of the reporting period reached a stage which permits a reasonable assessment of the existence or otherwise of economically recoverable reserves, and active and significant operations in, or in relation to, the area of interest are continuing.

An area of interest refers to an individual geological area whereby the presence of a mineral deposit or an oil or natural gas field is considered favourable or has been proved to exist. It is common for an area of interest to contract in size progressively, as exploration and evaluation lead towards the identification of a mineral deposit or an oil or natural gas field, which may prove to contain economically recoverable reserves. When this happens during the exploration for and evaluation of mineral resources, exploration and evaluation expenditures are still included in the cost of the exploration and evaluation asset notwithstanding that the size of the area of interest may contract as the exploration and evaluation operations progress. In most cases, an area of interest will comprise a single mine or deposit or a separate oil or gas field.