INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
AGREEMENT
This Agreement is dated effective
the 1st day of August, 2009.
BETWEEN:
ARGENTEX MINING
CORPORATION , a
corporation formed pursuant to the laws of the State of Nevada and
having an office for business located at Suite 602, 1112 West
Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 2S1
(the
“Company”)
AND:
FRONTERA GEOLOGICAL SERVICES
LTD., a corporation
formed pursuant to the laws of the Province of British Columbia and
having an office for business located at 1234 Doran Road, North
Vancouver British Columbia Canada V7K 1M7
(the
“Contractor”)
AND JOINED BY:
KEN HICKS,
an individual resident of the
Province of British Columbia with an address of 1234 Doran Road,
North Vancouver British Columbia Canada V7K 1M7
(“Hicks”)
WHEREAS:
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A.
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The Company is engaged in the
business of locating, acquiring and exploring natural resource
mineral properties and has acquired interests in several mineral
properties located in Argentina and in Canada.
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B.
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The Company wishes to obtain and
the Contractor wishes to provide certain services to the Company on
the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement.
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C.
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Hicks desires to join in this
Agreement for the purposes expressed.
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NOW THEREFORE
in consideration of the premises,
the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for
other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereby covenant
and agree as follows:
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1.
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DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Agreement
(including the Schedules hereto), the following terms will have the
following meanings:
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1.1.
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“Board” means the
Board of Directors of the Company;
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1.2.
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“Bonus Price” means,
for purposes of calculating any Incentive Remuneration referred to
in any subsection of Section 3.3, below, the closing price for one
Common
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2
Share, last sale of the day on
the Event Date, on either the OTC-Bulletin Board or the TSX Venture
Exchange, whichever is, on the Event Date the Company’s
primary trading market;
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1.3.
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“Cause”
means:
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(a)
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failure of the Contractor and/or
Hicks to observe or perform any of the material covenants and
obligations imposed by this Agreement;
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(b)
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failure of the Contractor and/or
Hicks to observe any of the covenants and obligations hereunder
that are not material, if the Contractor and/or Hicks does not
remedy such failure within a reasonable time after receiving
written notice thereof;
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(c)
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fraud, dishonesty, gross
negligence or willful malfeasance in connection with the Contractor
and/or Hicks performance of the Consulting Services; or
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(d)
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the conviction of the Contractor
and/or Hicks with respect to the commission of a crime involving
moral turpitude;
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1.4.
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“Change of Control”
means:
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1.4.1.
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the acquisition, after the date
of this Agreement and excluding any acquisitions from the Company,
by any one individual, entity or group (within the meaning of
Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities and Exchange Act
of 1934 ), of beneficial ownership of 40% or more of either the
then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of
the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors, which causes a change in the control of the board of
directors of the Company resulting from the election by the
shareholders of the Company of less than a majority of the persons
nominated for election by management of the Company;
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1.4.2.
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the approval by the stockholders
of the Company of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the
Company in which the individuals and entities who were the
respective beneficial owners of the common stock and voting
securities of the Company immediately prior to such reorganization,
merger or consolidation do not, following such reorganization,
merger or consolidation, beneficially own, directly or indirectly,
more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of
common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding
voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from
such reorganization, merger or consolidation; or
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1.4.3.
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a liquidation or dissolution of
the Company or the sale or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company;
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1.5.
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“Common Shares” means
shares of common stock, par value $0.001, of the
Company;
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1.6.
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“Confidential
Information” means information, whether or not originated by
the Contractor or Hicks, that relates to the business or affairs of
the Company, its affiliates, clients or suppliers and is
confidential or proprietary to, about or created by the Company,
its affiliates, clients, or suppliers. Confidential Information
includes, but is not limited to, the following types of
confidential information and other proprietary information of a
similar nature (whether or not reduced to writing or designated or
marked as confidential):
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1.6.1.
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the Company’s mineral
properties, exploration results, estimated economic reserves,
feasibility of mining the properties, as well as information
relating to strategies, research, communications, business plans,
and financial data of the Company and any information of the
Company which is not readily publicly available;
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1.6.2.
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work product resulting from or
related to work or projects performed for or to be performed for
the Company or its affiliates, including but not limited to, the
methods, processes, procedures, analysis, techniques and audits
used in connection therewith;
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1.6.3.
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any intellectual property
contributed to the Company, and any other technical and business
information of the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates which
is of a confidential, trade secret and/or proprietary
character;
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1.6.4.
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internal Company personnel and
financial information, supplier names and other supplier
information, purchasing and internal cost information, internal
services and operational manuals, and the manner and method of
conducting the Company’s business;
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1.6.5.
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marketing and development plans,
price and cost data, price and fee amounts, pricing and billing
policies, quoting procedures, marketing techniques and methods of
obtaining business, forecasts and forecast assumptions and volumes,
current and prospective client lists, and future plans and
potential strategies of the Company that have been or are being
discussed; and
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1.6.6.
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all information that becomes
known to the Contractor and/or Hicks as a result of this Agreement
or the services performed hereunder that the Contractor and/or
Hicks, acting reasonably, believes is confidential information or
that the Company takes measures to protect.
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Confidential Information does not
include:
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1.6.7.
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the general skills and experience
gained by Hicks during the Contractor’s provision of the
Consulting Services to the Company that the Contractor could
reasonably have been expected to acquire in similar retainers or
engagements with other companies;
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1.6.8.
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information publicly known
without breach of this Agreement or similar agreements;
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1.6.9.
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information, the disclosure of
which by the Contractor is required to be made by any law,
regulation or governmental authority or legal process of discovery
(to the extent of the requirement), provided that before disclosure
is made, notice of the requirement is provided to the Company, and
to the extent reasonably possible in the circumstances, the Company
is afforded an opportunity to dispute the requirement;
or
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1.6.10.
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information known to the
Contractor at the date of this Agreement.
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1.7.
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“Consulting Effective
Date” means the date of this Agreement as shown on the first
page hereof;
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1.8.
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“Consulting Effective
Date” means date of this Agreement as shown on the first
page;
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1.9.
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“Consulting Fee”
means the sum of CDN $12,500 per month.
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1.10.
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“Consulting Services”
means such services as are consistent with those ordinarily
provided by a Chief Executive Officer, including the duties and
responsibilities set out at Schedule “A” hereto as well
as such other duties and responsibilities as may be reasonably
required of Hicks from time-to-time either in respect of the
foregoing or otherwise by the Board with respect to the Company
and, if requested by the Company, to any and all of its
subsidiaries from time to time.
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1.11.
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“Consulting Anniversary
Date” means the first anniversary of the date of this
Agreement as shown on the first page;
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1.12.
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“Consulting Termination
Date” means the second anniversary of the date of this
Agreement as shown on the first page;
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1.13.
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“Directors” means the
Directors of the Company, and “Director” means any one
of them;
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1.14.
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“Event Date” means
the last day of the period during which a Technical Event, Trading
Event or a Financing Event, including, if applicable, a Superior
Financing Event, occurs;
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1.15.
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“Financing Event”
means:
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1.15.1.
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During the period beginning on
the Consulting Effective Date and expiring on the Consulting
Anniversary Date, the Company receives gross proceeds from the Sale
of Equity in an aggregate amount that is equal to or greater than
$6,000,000 (U.S.), or
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1.15.2.
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During the period beginning on
the Consulting Effective Date and expiring on the Consulting
Anniversary Date, the Company receives gross proceeds from the Sale
of Equity in an aggregate amount that is equal to or greater than
$4,500,000 (U.S.).
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To
qualify as a “Financing Event”, the Sale of Equity
under Paragraph 1.15.2 must occur at an average price equal or
greater to $1.00 (U.S.) per share;
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1.16.
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“GST” means Goods and
Services Tax;
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1.17.
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“Incentive Bonus”
shall have the meaning attributed in Section 3.3, below;
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1.18.
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“Multiplier” means
the number 250,000 used in Subsection 3.3.1, below, the number
150,000 used in Subsection 3.3.2, below, and the number 250,000
used in Subsection 3.3.3, below, but only prior to the date that
the Incentive Bonus to which that Multiplier relates has been
earned, if at all;
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1.19.
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“OTC-BB” means the
over-the-counter bulletin board operated by the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA);
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1.20.
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“Sale of Equity”
means the sale, by the Company to investors for cash, of Common
Shares, including those that are part of a “unit”
comprised of a Common Share and a share purchase warrant but
excluding the sale of any Common Shares pursuant to the exercise of
warrants or stock options or the conversion of any other
convertible securities;
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1.21.
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“Stock Option
Agreement” means an agreement on the Company’s standard
form of stock option agreement;
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1.22.
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“Stock Option Plan”
means the Argentex Mining Corporation Stock Option Plan adopted by
the Company on November 10, 2007;
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1.23.
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“Stock Options” means
those options to purchase one hundred thousand (100,000) Common
Shares to be granted under the Stock Option Plan as described at
Paragraph 3.2 herein;
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1.24.
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“Superior Financing
Event” means the Company is able to raise the amount
identified in paragraph 1.15.2 from the sale of Common Shares or
warrants at an average price of at least $1.50 (U.S.) per
share;
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1.25.
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“TSX-V” means the TSX
Venture Exchange.
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1.26.
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“Technical Event”
means the completion of both a Resource Estimate and a complete and
positive Scoping Study on the Company’s Pinquino Property,
which must:
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1.26.1.
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include recommendations of how to
proceed forward on the technical side of the development for mining
purposes of the Pinguino property; and
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1.26.2.
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occur during the period beginning
on the Consulting Effective Date and expiring on the Consulting
Anniversary Date.
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1.27.
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“Termination Fee”
means a lump sum equal to the Fee (plus value added taxes) for any
of
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(i)
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six months;
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(ii)
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the remainder of the Term;
or
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(iii)
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two months for each year that
Hicks has provided service to the Company since February,
2004,
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whichever is greater.
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1.28.
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“Trading Event” means
the average price of Common Shares equals or exceeds U.S. $3.00 on
either the OTC-BB or the TSX-V for 20 consecutive trading days
during the period beginning on the Consulting Effective Date and
expiring on the Consulting Anniversary Date;
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1.29.
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“Vacation Time” means
Hicks’ entitlement not to provide the Consulting Services for
up to 20 business days in each calendar year and does not include
weekends or statutory holidays. The Contractor will notify the
Company at the beginning of each calendar of this Agreement with
respect to the scheduled Vacation Time for the year.
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2.
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SERVICES TO BE
PROVIDED
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2.1.
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This Agreement and each of its
terms are subject to:
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2.1.1.
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approval by the shareholders of
the Company; and
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2.1.2.
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the approval of or acceptance by
the TSX-V if such approval or acceptance is required; or
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2.1.3.
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the absence of any objections by
the TSX-V if approval of or acceptance by the TSX-V is not
required.
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If the
TSX-V objects to any clause or term of this Agreement, such clause
or term will be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary
to bring it within the requirements of the TSX-V and the remainder
of this Agreement will not be affected thereby, and each term,
provision, covenant, and condition of this Agreement will be and
remain valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by
law.
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2.2.
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Effective on the Consulting
Effective Date, the Contractor will cause Hicks to provide the
Consulting Services to the Company and will ensure that
Hicks:
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2.2.1.
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devotes sufficient working time,
attention, ability and expertise to successfully provide the
Consulting Services to the Company in a timely manner;
and
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2.2.2.
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well and faithfully serves the
Company and uses his best efforts to promote the best interests of
the Company
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2.3.
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Each of Hicks and the Contractor
will report directly to the Board and will keep the Board informed
of all matters concerning the Consulting Services as requested by
the Board from time to time.
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2.4.
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During the term of this
Agreement, the Company will nominate Hicks for election as a
Director at all meetings of stockholders held for the purpose of
electing directors. Any compensation to be paid to either of Hicks
or the Contractor for service by Hicks on the Board will be
negotiated separately from, and will be in addition to, the
compensation to be paid to the Contractor pursuant to this
Agreement.
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3.
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REMUNERATION, EXPENSES AND
INDEMNITY
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3.1.
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Remuneration –
Consulting Fees
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3.1.1.
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Subject to Paragraphs 3.1.2 and
Section 4, below, from the Consulting Effective Date to the
Consulting Termination Date, the Company will pay the Contractor
the Consulting Fee. The Board, as it may determine from time to
time in its sole discretion, may grant the Contractor an increase
in the Contractor Fee.
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3.1.2.
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The remuneration referred to in
Paragraph 3.1.1 will be payable at the end of each month upon
receipt of an invoice, and does not include GST or HST. To the
extent that the Contractor is required to remit GST or HST, the
Contractor will show the applicable GST or HST amount as a separate
line item on the Contractor’s invoice for services and
provide the Company with the Contractor’s GST or HST
registrant number.
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3.2.
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Remuneration – Stock
Options
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3.2.1.
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Subject to compliance with all
applicable laws, regulations and rules of any governmental
authority, quotation system or stock exchange, and subject further
to approval by the TSX-V if required, on or within two few business
days following the Consulting Effective Date, the Company will
grant the Stock Options to Hicks. The Stock Options shall have an
exercise price equal to the closing price, last sale of the day, on
the OTC-BB on the date the Stock Options are granted and a term of
three years from the date of grant.
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3.2.2.
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The Stock Options will vest in
accordance with the Stock Option Plan.
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3.2.3.
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The Stock Options will be granted
subject to the terms of the Stock Option Plan, as the same may be
amended from time to time, and the Stock Option Agreement. In the
event of any inconsistency among this Agreement, the Stock Option
Agreement and the Stock Option Plan, the terms of the Stock Option
Plan will control.
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3.3.
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Incentive Bonus
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Upon the occurrence
of:
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3.3.1.
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the Financing Event, Hicks will
earn a cash Incentive Bonus equal to the Bonus Price multiplied by
250,000;
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3.3.2.
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the Superior Financing Event,
Hicks will earn, in addition to the cash Incentive Bonus paid under
Paragraph 3.3.1 above, an additional cash Incentive Bonus equal to
the Bonus Price multiplied by 150,000; and;
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3.3.3.
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the Technical Event, Hicks will
earn a cash Incentive Bonus equal to the Bonus Price multiplied by
150,000;
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3.3.4.
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the Trading Event, Hicks will
earn a cash Incentive Bonus equal to the Bonus Price multiplied by
250,000.
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3.4.
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Application and Payment of
Incentive Bonus Proceeds
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3.4.1.
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Within 48 hours of any Event
Date, the Company shall take reasonable steps to reserve the
applicable Bonus Price with the TSX V as the price for a private
placement offering of Common Shares to Hicks.
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3.4.2.
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Within ten days after the
applicable Event Date, Hicks shall provide to the Company a good
faith estimate of his anticipated income tax liability for the
amount of the Incentive Bonus and the Company shall remit that
amount to Hicks in cash within a reasonable period of
time.
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3.4.3.
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On or about the date that the
Company pays to Hicks the estimated tax liability referred to in
Section 3.4.2, above, and subject to approval of the private
placement by TSX V, the Company shall apply the balance of the
proceeds from the Incentive Bonus to the private placement referred
to in Section 3.4.1, above. If TSX V does not conditionally approve
such private placement within a reasonable period of time, the
Company shall remit the balance of the Incentive Bonus in cash to
Hicks.
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3.5.
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Adjustments of and
Restrictions on Securities
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3.5.1.
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If and whenever the Common Shares
at any time outstanding are subdivided into a greater or
consolidated into a lesser number of common shares, the exercise
price of the Options and the amount of any Multiplier for any
Incentive Bonus that has not yet been earned must be decreased or
increased proportionately, as the case may be, and upon any such
subdivision or consolidation, the number of Common Shares
deliverable upon the exercise of the Options, and the amount of any
Multiplier for any Incentive Bonus that has not yet been earned,
must be increased or decreased proportionately, as the case may
be.
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3.5.2.
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Any Common Shares issued pursuant
to this Agreement will be “restricted securities”, as
that term is defined in Rule 144(a)(3), promulgated by the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and will bear such restrictive legends as may
be required by the applicable securities laws, rules and
regulations.
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3.6.
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Expenses
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3.6.1.
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The Contractor will be
responsible for all costs associated with the performance of the
Consulting Services, except as noted in Paragraphs 3.6.2 through
3.6.4 below.
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3.6.2.
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Unless otherwise agreed by the
parties, the Consulting Services will be provided at the
Company’s office located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The
Company must provide office space, equipment (including necessary
computing equipment and software), furniture and supporting
personnel at the Company’s premises to Hicks at no cost to
the Contractor.
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3.6.3.
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In the event that the parties
agree that the Consulting Services will be provided at a location
other than Vancouver, British Columbia, the Company will pay to the
Contractor all reasonable moving expenses incurred by Hicks and
reimbursed to Hicks by the Contractor.
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3.6.4.
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The Contractor will be reimbursed
by the Company for out of pocket expenses incurred by Hicks on
behalf of the Company in the course of providing the Services, as
supported by copies of receipts and other documentation.
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3.7.
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Indemnity by
Company
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The Company agrees to indemnify
each of the Contractor and Hicks from and against any and all
actions, causes of action, claims, demands or other proceedings
made against either or both of the Contractor or Hicks in the
course of or as a result of this Agreement or because of
Hicks’ position as a director and officer of the Company on
and subject to the terms of the Indemnification Agreement attached
to this Agreement as Schedule &l
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