Should Exploration and Evaluation be recognised as an asset or expense?
1. define asset
Firstly, in determining whether e&e should be recognised as an asset, we need to look at what is defined as an assets under the AASB framework, that is:
“An asset is a resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity” [Paragraph 49 a]
2. list recognition criteria
Additionally, the framework also provides a broad view of the recognition criteria items need to satisfy before they are considered to be assets. The framework states:
a) it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the time will flow to or from the entity ; and
b) the item has a cost or value that can be measured with reliability.
3. Mention e&e have low prob so management can use the following methods to capitalise as an asset
The implications involved with exploration and evaluation is that the industry is associated with low probability and any activities do not guarantee any future economic benefits nor can it be measured reliably.
The pre production costs of exploration and evaluation can be categorised as development and construction. Close examination of development costs suggests that they should be considered as assets under the framework. Development costs provide an establishment of access to the deposit and other activities for commercial production thus they provide future economic benefits.
However, it is difficult to determine the costs associated with construction (establishing and commissioning facilities) will lean towards being an asset as it does not have a cost or value that can be measured reliab ...