In June 2011, the Company commenced the development of an oil extraction facility on its mineral lease in Maeser, Utah and entered into construction and equipment fabrication contracts for this purpose. On September 1, 2015, the first phase of the plant was completed and was ready for production of hydrocarbon products for resale to third parties. During the year ended August 31, 2017 the Company began the dismantling and relocating the oil extraction facility to its TMC Mineral Lease facility to improve production and logistical efficiencies while continuing its project to increase production capacity to a minimum capacity of 1,000 barrels per day. The plant has been relocated to the TMC mining site and expansion of the plant to production of 1,000 barrels per day has been substantially completed.

The cost of construction includes capitalized borrowing costs for the nine months ended May 31, 2020 of $0 (August 31, 2019 - $2,190,309) and total capitalized borrowing costs as at May 31, 2020 of $4,421,055 (August 31, 2019 - $4,421,055).

As a result of the relocation of the plant and the planned expansion of the plant’s production capacity to 1,000 barrels per day, and subsequently to an additional 3,000 barrels per day, the Company re-evaluated the depreciation policy of the oil extraction plant and the oil extraction technologies (Note 10) and determined that depreciation should be recorded on the basis of the expected production of the completed plant at various capacities. No amortization has been recorded during the nine months ended May 31, 2020 and  2019 as there has only been immaterial production during these periods.