Golden Minerals Co

Overview

We are a mining company holding a 100% interest in the Velardeña and Chicago gold-silver mining properties and associated oxide and sulfide processing plants in the state of Durango, Mexico (the “Velardeña Properties”), a 100% interest in the El Quevar advanced exploration silver property (the “El Quevar Property”) in the province of Salta, Argentina (subject to the terms of the April 9, 2020, earn-in agreement (the “Earn-in Agreement”) pursuant to which Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) has the option to earn a 70% interest in the El Quevar Property), and a diversified portfolio of precious metals and other mineral exploration properties located primarily in or near historical precious metals producing regions of Argentina, Nevada and Mexico. The Velardeña Properties, the El Quevar Property and the Yoquivo Property in Mexico are the only properties that the Company considers material at this time. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the Rodeo gold mine (the “Rodeo Property”) in Durango State, Mexico, where it ceased mining operations in 2023. We believe the mineral resource at the Rodeo Property is depleted and is no longer considered to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction.

We are primarily focused on shutting down our Velardeña Properties and holding them for short-term sale as we evaluate options to realize value from the assets as further described below under “Material Mining Properties-*Velardeña Properties”.*The employees in Mexico who are currently engaged in shutting down the mine and operating the plants that process the remaining Velardeña mined material will be terminated when all of the mined material has been processed and the Properties have been placed in a state where they can be held for short-term sale while we evaluate alternatives to realize value from the assets. The other employees in Mexico, comprise an administrative group and an exploration group to continue to advance our exploration plans in Mexico and to provide oversight for corporate compliance activities as well as maintain and safeguard the value of the Velardeña Properties while they are held for short-term sale. We commenced mining activities at the Velardeña Properties in December 2023; however, mining operations were shut down in February 2024 because the initial performance of the mine and the processing plant did not achieve the expected results.

We are also focused on exploration activities at the Yoquivo Property (see “Material Mining Properties – Yoquivo Property”).

We are also advancing our El Quevar advanced exploration property in Argentina through the Earn-in Agreement with Barrick as described below under*“Exploration Properties*—* El Quevar*” and continuing to evaluate and search for mining opportunities in North America (including Mexico) with near term prospects of mining, and particularly for properties within reasonable haulage distances of our processing plants at the Velardeña Properties. We are also reviewing strategic opportunities, focusing primarily on development or operating properties in North America, including Mexico.

Our management team is comprised of experienced mining professionals with extensive expertise in mineral exploration, mine construction and development, and mine operations. Our principal office is located in Golden, Colorado at 350 Indiana Street, Suite 650, Golden, CO 80401, and our registered office is the Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. We also maintain an office at the Velardeña Properties in Mexico and exploration offices in Argentina and Mexico.

Company History

We were incorporated in Delaware under the Delaware General Corporation Law in March 2009. From March 2009 through September 2011, we focused on the advancement of our El Quevar silver project in Argentina. In September 2011, we completed a business combination transaction with ECU Silver Mining Inc. (“ECU”), resulting in our ownership of the Velardeña and Chicago silver, gold and base metals mines located in the Velardeña mining district in the State of Durango, Mexico as further described below under “Material Mining Properties—Velardeña Properties”.

Corporate Structure

Golden Minerals Company, headquartered in Golden, Colorado, is the operating entity through which we conduct our business. We have a number of wholly owned subsidiaries organized throughout the world, including in Mexico, Canada, South America, the Caribbean and Europe. We generally hold our exploration rights and properties through subsidiaries organized in the countries in which our rights and properties are located.

Summary of Mining Properties

Although we conducted mining operations from December 2023 to February 2024 at the Velardeña Properties, and extracted minerals at the Rodeo Property in 2023, we do not have mineral reserves as defined under S-K 1300 and therefore all of our mining properties are considered to be in the exploration stage. We have approximately 11 mining properties, which are listed in theSummary of Principal Mining Properties below.* * In total, Golden Minerals’ mining properties, including our options, cover approximately 76,100 hectares. The Velardeña Properties, the Yoquivo Property and the El Quevar Property are the only properties that we consider to be material at this time. Because we have ceased operations and depleted the mineral resource at the Rodeo Property, we no longer consider that property to be material.

Property locations

Mexico properties

Mexico properties, showing states of Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico

Argentina properties

United States property

Summary of Principal Mining Properties

Mexico

Argentina

Nevada, United States

(1) See “Material Mining Properties—* Rodeo Property*” for additional details, including a summary of mineral extraction.

(2) See “Material Mining Properties —Velardeña Properties” for additional details.

(3) See “Material Mining Properties —Yoquivo” for additional details.

(4) See “Material Mining Properties —El Quevar” for additional details.

(5) See “Exploration Properties —Desierto/Sarita Este” for additional details.

(6) See “Exploration Properties —Sand Canyon” for additional details.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Our internal controls relating to Quality Assurance and Quality Control (“QA/QC”) consist of monitoring the chain of custody of samples and including blanks, duplicates, and reference material standards in each batch of samples for lab analysis, consistent with industry standards and best practices. Additionally, umpire check assays are regularly submitted and analyzed to ensure lab performance, as well as continuous oversight and review by senior staff to ensure all QA/QC procedures and protocols are followed under company standards and guidelines.

QA/QC data is rigorously reviewed and analyzed to ensure its quality for use in exploration and mineral resource and estimation efforts. All mineral resource and estimation efforts are reviewed internally along with undergoing an external detailed peer review and edit process. Although there is inherent risk to any mineral resource estimation, we attempt to minimize risk by following strict QA/QC company procedures and protocols as well as continued and rigorous internal and external review.

No Proven or Probable Mineral Reserves/Exploration Stage Company

We are considered an exploration-stage company under the criteria of S-K 1300 because we have not demonstrated the existence of mineral reserves at any of our properties. Under S-K 1300, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) defines a “mineral reserve” as “an estimate of tonnage and grade or quality of indicated and measured mineral resources that, in the opinion of the qualified person, can be the basis of an economically viable project.” To have mineral resources, there must be reasonable prospects for economic extraction. Per the SEC, “probable mineral reserves” are the economically mineable part of an indicated and, in some cases, a measured mineral resource and “proven mineral

reserves” can only result from measured mineral resources. Mineral reserves cannot be considered proven or probable unless and until they are supported by a preliminary feasibility study or feasibility study, indicating that the mineral reserves have had the requisite geologic, technical and economic work performed and are economically and legally extractable.

We have not completed a preliminary feasibility study or feasibility study with regard to any of our properties to date. We expect to remain an exploration stage company for the foreseeable future. We will not exit the exploration stage until such time, if ever, that we demonstrate the existence of proven or probable mineral reserves that meet the guidelines under S-K 1300. Only the Velardeña Properties and Yoquivo Property have reportable resources as of the year ended December 31, 2023.

Summary of Mineral Resources at December 31, 2023

• Rounded to nearest 100, columns might not total due to rounding

Description of Material Mining Properties

Velardeña Properties

Location, Access and Facilities

The Velardeña Properties are comprised of two underground mines and two processing plants, which are located within the Velardeña mining district in the municipality of Cuencamé, in the northeast quadrant of the State of Durango, Mexico, approximately 65 kilometers southwest of the city of Torreón, Coahuila and approximately 140 kilometers northeast of the city of Durango, which is the capital of the State of Durango. The Velardeña Properties are centered on UTM grid coordinates 2774300 N and 632200 E (WGS 84 datum, zone 13). This property contains the Santa Juana mine which has been the focus of mining efforts since 1995, as well as the historical Terneras, San Juanes, and San Mateo mines.

The Chicago property is located approximately 2 km south of the Velardeña property and is centered at UTM grid coordinates 2772480 N and 631867 E (WGS 84 datum, zone 13). This property contains the historical Los Muertos-Chicago mine.

The mines are reached by a seven-kilometer gravel road from the village of Velardeña which is reached by paved highway from Torreón and Durango. The Velardeña mining district is situated in a temperate hot, semi-arid region.

Although we do not have defined mineral reserves pursuant to S-K 1300 and the Velardeña Properties are in the exploration stage, we have extracted minerals from the Velardeña Properties in the past. Of the two underground mines comprising the Velardeña Properties, the Velardeña mine includes five different major vein systems including the Terneras, Roca Negra, San Mateo, Santa Juana and San Juanes systems. During 2015, we mined from the San Mateo, Terneras and Roca Negra vein systems as well as the Santa Juana vein system to augment grades as mining and processing rates ramped up. From December 2023 to February 2024, we mined from the Santa Juana, San Mateo, and Roca Negra vein systems.

We own a 300-tonne per day flotation sulfide mill situated near the town of Velardeña. The mill includes three flotation circuits in which we can process sulfide material to make lead, zinc and pyrite concentrates. We also own a conventional 550-tonne per day cyanide leach oxide mill with a Merrill-Crowe precipitation circuit and flotation circuit located adjacent to our Chicago mine. We are currently processing oxide material at the oxide mill by contract on a trial basis. We continue to evaluate and search for other oxide and sulfide feed sources, focusing on sources within haulage distance of our sulfide and oxide mills at the Velardeña Properties.

We installed a new regrind mill circuit at the Velardeña oxide plant specifically designed to process the harder mined material coming from the Rodeo Property, which was completed in April 2021. The new circuit allowed us to increase daily throughput of Rodeo material in the oxide plant to at least 500 tonnes per day.

The recent rise in precious metals prices, newer favorable concentrate terms, the results of our testing activities along with the results from recent metallurgical and economic analysis prompted us to pursue the preparation of another updated PEA in Q3 of 2023. We had previously completed a separate updated PEA in March 2022 based partly on projected increased gold recoveries from a proposed bio-oxidation circuit to treat gold-bearing pyrite concentrates; ultimately the associated capital expenditures became too high to further pursue the bio-oxidation circuit option. In March 2022, we filed an updated PEA Technical Report Summary and 43-101 Technical Report supporting a possible economic operation at Velardeña using the optimized flotation parameters, BIOX treatment of pyrite concentrates and employing resue mining techniques to control dilution. In May 2022 we began additional test-mining activities with a new mining contractor to evaluate productivity and dilution of resue mining on the principal veins accessible from the San Mateo decline in part to validate the PEA assumptions. The results of the test mining met expected productivity metrics but did not meet anticipated dilution metrics on some of the veins mined. We continued to evaluate modified mine plans and mining techniques to address dilution issues. Mining activities commenced in December 2023 using the resue mining technique, a variation of cut and fill mining. In February 2024, we decided to shut down operations at the mine because the initial performance of the mine and the processing plant during the course of the initial several months of production did not achieve the results expected by the Company. We no longer intend to operate the Velardeña Properties in the future and will therefore, hold them for short-term sale while we evaluate alternatives to realize value from the assets.

Power for all of the mines and plants is provided through substations connected to the national grid.

Water is provided for all of the mines by wells located in the valley adjacent to the Velardeña Properties. In Mexico, water concessions are granted by the National Commission of Water (“CNA”). Currently no new water concessions are being granted by the CNA; however, companies can acquire water concessions through purchase or lease from current concession holders. We hold title to three wells located near the sulfide plant and hold certificates of registration to three wells located near the oxide plant. We are licensed to pump water from all six wells up to a permitted amount. We are required to make annual payments to the CNA to maintain our rights to these wells. In 2023 we made such

payments totaling approximately $116,000 and expect to pay approximately $94,000 in 2024. We are required to pay a nominal additional fee to the CNA each year if we use too much water from a particular well or alternatively if we do not use a minimum amount of water from a particular well.

The following map shows the location of the Velardeña Properties.

Exploration and mining in the Velardeña district extended back to at least the late 1500s or early 1600s, with large scale mining beginning in 1888 with the Velardeña Mining and Smelter Company. In 1902, the mining properties were acquired by ASARCO, who mined the property until 1926 when the mines were closed. For the next 35 years, the mines were operated from time to time by small companies and local miners. The property was nationalized in 1961, and in 1968 the sulfide processing plant was built by the Mexican government. In 1994, William Resources acquired the concessions comprising the Velardeña Properties. In 1997, ECU Gold (the predecessor to ECU Silver Mining Inc.) purchased from William Resources the subsidiaries that owned the concessions and the sulfide processing plant. The oxide processing plant was acquired in 2004. In 2011, we acquired ECU Silver Mining Inc.

We hold the concessions comprising the Velardeña Properties through our wholly owned Mexican subsidiary Minera William S.A. de C.V. At present, a total of 28 mineral concessions comprise the Velardeña Properties. The

Velardeña Properties concessions encompass approximately 316 hectares. The mineral concessions vary in size, and the concessions comprising each mineral property are contiguous within each of the Velardeña and Chicago properties. We are required to pay annual concession holding fees to the Mexican government to maintain our rights to the Velardeña mining concessions. In 2023, we made such payments totaling approximately $29,000 and expect to pay approximately $32,000 in 2024. We also own the surface rights to 144 hectares that contains the oxide plant, tailings area and access to the Chicago mine, along with surface lands that may be required for potential plant expansions.

The Velardeña Properties are in part subject to the Mexican ejido system requiring us to contract with the local communities, or ejidos, surrounding our properties to obtain surface access rights needed in connection with our mining and exploration activities. We currently have contracts with two ejidos to secure surface rights for our Velardeña Properties with a total annual cost of approximately $56,000. We have a ten-year contract with the Velardeña ejido, which provides surface rights to certain roads and other infrastructure at the Velardeña Properties through 2031 and a 25-year contract with the Vista Hermosa ejido, which provides exploration access and access rights for roads and utilities for our Velardeña Properties until 2038.

The following Velardeña Properties exploitation concessions are identified below by name and number in the Federal government Public Registry of Mining.

The Velardeña district is located at the easternmost limit of the Sierra Madre Occidental on the boundary between the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Mesa Central sub-provinces. Both of these terrains are underlain by Paleozoic and probably Precambrian basement rocks.

The regional geology is characterized by a thick sequence of limestone and minor calcareous clastic sediments of Cretaceous age, intruded by Tertiary plutons of acidic to intermediate composition. During the Laramide Orogeny, the sediments were folded into symmetrical anticlines and synclines that were modified into a series of asymmetrical overturned folds by a later stage of compression.

A series of younger Tertiary stocks have intruded the older Cretaceous limestone over a distance of approximately 15 kilometers along a northeast to southwest trend. The various mineral deposits of the Velardeña mining district occur along the northeast southwest axis and are spatially associated with the intrusions and their related alteration.

An important northwest-southeast fracture system is associated with these intrusions and, in many cases, acts as the main focus of mineralization. The Velardeña Properties are underlain by a thick sequence of limestone that corresponds to rocks of the Aurora and Cuesta del Cura formations of Lower Cretaceous age.

Several types of Tertiary intrusive rocks are present in the Velardeña district. The largest of these intrusives outcrops on the western flank of the Sierra San Lorenzo and underlies a portion of the Velardeña Properties. It is referred to as the Terneras pluton and forms a northeast oriented, slightly elongated body, considered to represent a diorite or monzodiorite that outcrops over a distance of about 2.5 kilometers. The adjacent limestone has been altered by contact metamorphism (exoskarn), and locally the intrusive has been metamorphosed (endoskarn).

The following is a description of the individual geological characteristics and mineralization found on each of the properties comprising the Velardeña and Chicago mines.

The following is a description of the individual geological characteristics and mineralization found on each of the properties comprising the Velardeña and Chicago mines.

Velardeña Mine

The Santa Juana, Terneras, San Juanes and San Mateo vein deposits on the Velardeña property are hosted by Aurora Formation limestone, the Terneras intrusion and related skarn. The limestone is intruded by a series of multiphase diorite or monzodiorite stocks (Terneras intrusion) and dikes of Tertiary age that outcrop over a strike length of approximately 2.5 kilometers.

Two main vein systems are present on the Velardeña property. The first is a northwest striking system as found in the Santa Juana deposit, while the second is east-west trending and is present in the Terneras, San Juanes and San Mateo deposits.

In the Santa Juana deposit, vein trends are steeply northeast dipping and northwest trending. The Terneras, San Juanes and San Mateo veins all strike east-west and dip steeply north. The most extensive of these is the Terneras vein, which was mined in the past over a strike length of 1,100 meters. All of these veins are observed to have extensive strike lengths and vertical continuity for hundreds of meters. The mineralogy of the east-west system is somewhat different in that it contains less arsenic than the northwest Santa Juana veins.

Mineralization in the deposits located at the Velardeña mine occurs primarily in epithermal quartz-calcite veins with associated lead, zinc, silver, and copper minerals including gold hosted mostly in arsenopyrite and pyrite, typical of

the polymetallic vein deposits of northern Mexico. The veins are usually thin, normally in the 0.2 meter to 0.5 meter range, but consistent along strike and down dip. Coxcomb and rhythmically banded textures are common.

Chicago Mine

The geologic setting of the Chicago property is very similar to that at the Velardeña mine. The oldest rocks outcropping at Chicago are folded limestone of the Aurora Formation which were intruded by Tertiary diorite stocks and dikes. Intrusive rocks occupy the western portion of the property with a northeast orientation. The limestone-diorite contact exhibits widespread recrystallization and marble formation overprinted by a distinctive green calc-silicate alteration dominated by grossular garnet and lesser wollastonite.

As at Velardeña, a system of post-mineralization faults striking northwest-southeast cuts and locally displaces mineralized structures. These faults are normally filled with calcite and can have widths up to 10 m near the surface.

In the Chicago mine, rhyolitic volcanic rocks and calcareous conglomerate of the Ahuichila Formation unconformably overlie the mineralized sequence across the eastern half of the area. Mineralization is similar to that encountered at Santa Juana mine in terms of mineralogy, host rocks, geometry of the structures and vein continuity.

Mineralization at the Chicago Mine is similar to the Velardeña mine in terms of mineralogy, host rocks, geometry of the structures, and continuity. The difference between the two is geometric - northwest striking veins dipping to the northeast at Velardeña instead of northeast striking veins dipping to the southeast at Chicago. The major veins at Chicago are the Chicago vein, the Escondida vein, and the Gambusino vein.

Mineral Resource Estimate

Estimated mineral resources for the Velardeña Properties are shown in Table 1 from the Technical Report Summary update completed by Tetra Tech in August 2023 (the “August 2023 Technical Report Summary”). The resource is reported by mineral type and resource class for all veins. Resources were calculated as diluted to a minimum mining width of 0.7 meters and are reported at a $195 NSR cutoff. For the oxide mineralized material, zinc and lead were previously reported as resources. It has since been determined they do not have a reasonable expectation of economic extraction at this time and have not been included in this update. The updated estimate of the August 2023 Technical Report Summary is different from March 2022 Technical Report Summary, which presented an estimate of mineral resources as of December 31, 2021. The Company evaluated metal prices based on long-term average consensus prices from 22 banks from April 2023 to determine updated metal price assumptions, which are considered reasonable for the purpose of the updated August 2023 Technical Report Summary.

Table 1 Velardeña Properties – Summary of Silver and Gold Mineral Resources at December 31, 2023(4)

based on $22.71/troy ounce Ag, $1,826/troy ounce Au, $1.02/lb. Pb, and $1.31/lb. Zn(1)(2)(3)

Notes:

(1) Tetra Tech was the qualified person for the preparation of the mineral resource estimate for the Velardeña Properties.

(2) Resources are reported as diluted tonnes and grade to 0.7 m fixed width.

(3) Columns may not total due to rounding.

The mineral resource estimate shown above has been tabulated using a $195/t NSR cutoff grade based on the price assumptions shown in Table 2 below. The resource tabulation is presented based on based on long-term average consensus prices from 22 banks from April 2023. The prices used are $22.71/troy ounce Ag, $1,826/troy ounce Au, $1.02/lb. Pb, and $1.31/lb. Zn. We believe those price assumptions remain reasonable as of December 31, 2023.

Table 2: Cutoff price assumptions

NSR has been calculated with concentrate characteristics and marketing terms supplied by Golden Minerals. Metal contributions are dependent on the concentrate and mineral type, and the overall recoveries are shown in Table 3.

Table 3: NSR metallurgical recovery assumptions

Velardeña Properties Activities

Given the recent rise in precious metals prices, newer favorable concentrate terms, the results of our testing activities along with the results from recent metallurgical and economic analysis prompted us to pursue the preparation of the updated PEA in August 2023. Results from the PEA were positive and led us to decide to restart mining in December 2023 without the need for modifying our process facility. Mining commenced in December 2023 and flotation processing of newly mined mineral material commenced in February 2024. However, at the end of February 2024 we decided to shut down operations at the Velardeña Properties because the performance of the mine and the processing plant during the course of the initial several months of production did not achieve our expected results. We are holding the properties for short-term sale.

Infrastructure

The Velardeña and Chicago mines are fully developed underground with 10,122 meters of drift and ramp development and 2,278 meters of raise development. Surface installations include maintenance shops, offices, and systems for water, electricity, and compressed air as required for underground mining.

We own the equipment required for mining. The key pieces of equipment include scoop-trams, underground trucks and drilling jumbos. We also own the jacklegs required for stoping and underground development (narrow drifts) and ventilation equipment in use underground.

Plant 1 is designed to process sulfide material in a conventional flow sheet of crushing, grinding, and differential flotation to produce three separate concentrates: lead-silver, zinc, and pyrite.

Figure 1 shows the processing flow sheet for Plant 1

Figure 1: Process plant flow sheet for Plant 1

The sulfide plant was originally constructed in 1966 and has been upgraded and rebuilt several times, most recently in 2014 prior to use in 2015 and in 2017 in preparation for a re-start of the Velardeña and Chicago mines. The book value of the plant as of December 31, 2023 is zero.

The oxide processing plant at Velardeña is a conventional agitated cyanide leach facility and has an operating capacity of up to 550 tpd depending on material hardness and grind size requirements. It was used to process mineralized material from our Rodeo Mine. The book value of the plant as of December 31, 2024 is $1.1 million. We are currently processing oxide material at the oxide mill for a third party by contract on a trial basis.

Environmental Matters and Permitting

We hold environmental licenses and environmental impact assessments that allow us to run our mines, plants and tailing facilities at our Velardeña Properties. We are required to update our environmental licenses and environmental impact assessments for expansion of or modification to any of the existing two processing plants. The construction of new infrastructure beyond the current plant facilities also would require additional permitting, which could include environmental impact assessments and land use permits.

Certain Laws Affecting Mining in Mexico

Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a federal constitutional republic in North America and bordered by the United States of America, Belize and Guatemala. Mexico is a federal democratic republic with 31 states and Mexico City. Each state has its own constitution and its citizens elect a governor, as well as representatives, to their respective state congresses. The President of Mexico is the head of the executive federal government. Executive power is exercised by the President, while legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the Congress of the Union. The three constitutional powers are the Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislature which are independent of each other.

Legislation Affecting Mining

The Mining Law, originally published in 1992 and amended in 1996, 2005, 2006 2014, and 2023 is the primary legislation governing mining activities in Mexico. Other significant legislation applicable to mining in Mexico includes the regulations to the Mining Law, the Federal Law of Waters, the Federal Labor Law, the Federal Law of Fire Arms and Explosives, the General Law on Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection and regulations, the Federal Law of Duties and the Federal Law on Metrology and Standards.

The Concession System

Under Mexican law, mineral deposits are property of the Mexican republic, and a mining concession, granted by the executive branch of the federal government, is required for the exploration, exploitation and processing of mineral deposits. Mining concessions may only be granted to Mexican individuals domiciled in Mexico or companies incorporated and validly existing under the laws of Mexico. Mexican companies that have foreign shareholders must register with the National Registry of Foreign Investments and renew their registration on an annual basis. Mining concessions grant rights to explore and exploit mineral deposits but do not grant surface rights over the land where the concession is located. Mining concession holders are required to negotiate surface access with the landowner or holder (e.g., agrarian communities) or, should such negotiations prove unsuccessful, file an application with the corresponding administrative authority (Ministry of Economy or Ministry of Agrarian-Territorial-Urban Development) to obtain an easement, temporary occupancy, or expropriation of the land, as the case may be. An application for a concession must be filed with the Mining Agency or Mining Delegation located closest to the area to which the application relates.

Mining concessions have a term of 50 years from the date on which title is recorded in the Public Registry of Mining. Holders of mining concessions are required to comply with various obligations, including the payment of certain mining duties based on the number of hectares of the concession and the number of years the concession has been in effect. Failure to pay the mining duties can lead to cancellation of the relevant concession. Holders of mining concessions are also obliged to carry out and prove assessment works in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Mining Law and its regulations. The regulations to the Mining Law establish minimum amounts that must be spent or invested on mining activities. A report must be filed in May of each year regarding the assessment works carried out during the preceding year. The mining authorities may impose a fine on the mining concession holder if one or more proof of assessment work reports is not timely filed.

Pursuant to amendments to the federal corporate income tax law, effective January 2014, additional duties are imposed on mining concession holders; See “—Taxes in Mexico” below.

Environmental Legislation

Mining projects in Mexico are subject to Mexican federal, state and municipal environmental laws and regulations for the protection of the environment. The principal legislation applicable to mining projects in Mexico is the federal General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection, which is enforced by the Federal Bureau of Environmental Protection, commonly known as “PROFEPA”. PROFEPA is the federal entity in charge of carrying out environmental inspections and negotiating compliance agreements. Voluntary environmental audits, coordinated through

PROFEPA, are encouraged under the federal General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection. PROFEPA monitors compliance with environmental legislation and enforces Mexican environmental laws, regulations and official standards. If warranted, PROFEPA may initiate administrative proceedings against companies that violate environmental laws, which proceedings may result in the temporary or permanent closure of non-complying facilities, the revocation of operating licenses and/or other sanctions or fines. According to the Federal Criminal Code, PROFEPA must inform the relevant governmental authorities of any environmental crimes that are committed by a mining company in Mexico.

Concession holders under the exploration stage may submit themselves to comply with the Mexican Official Norm: NOM-120-SEMARNAT-1997, which provides, among other things, that mining exploration activities to be carried out within certain areas must be conducted in accordance with the environmental standards set forth in NOM-120-SEMARNAT-1997; otherwise, concession holders are required to file a preventive report or an environmental impact study prior to the commencement of the exploration, exploitation and processing of mineral resources. An environmental impact study is required for exploitation and processing of mineral resources activities.

In 2014 Mexico developed an energy policy applicable to private investment companies whereby new mining concessions are now subject to prior approval from the Ministry of Energy. Current mining concessions forming the Velardeña Properties are not subject to or affected by this approval requirement, but any new mining concessions acquired will be subject to this additional approval.

Taxes in Mexico

Mexico has a federal corporate income tax rate of 30%, and there are no state taxes on corporate net income. In determining their corporate income tax, entities are allowed to subtract from gross income various deductions permitted by law, and they are allowed a ten-year carry-forward of net operating losses. Pursuant to amendments to the federal tax laws effective January 1, 2014, a 10% withholding tax is charged on dividends distributed to shareholders, regardless of the tax residence of the recipient, out of after-tax profits. However, in the case of nonresident shareholders the limitations and tax rates provided in the treaties to avoid double taxation will prevail. A foreign resident company is subject to income tax if it has a permanent establishment in Mexico. In general, a permanent establishment is a place of business where the activities of an enterprise are totally or partially carried out and includes, among others, offices, branches and mining sites.

Under the 2014 amendments to the federal corporate income tax law, titleholders of mining concessions are required to pay an annual special duty of 7.5% of their mining related profits. Titleholders of mining concessions also are required to pay a 0.5% special mining duty, or royalty, on an annual basis, on revenues obtained from the sale of silver, gold and platinum. Both the 7.5% annual special duty and the 0.5% duty are due at the end of March each year. The special duty of 7.5% is generally applicable to earnings before income tax, depreciation, depletion, amortization, and interest. In calculating the special duty of 7.5%, there are no deductions related to depreciable costs from operational fixed assets, but exploration and prospecting depreciable costs are deductible when incurred. Both duties are tax deductible for income tax purposes.

Mexico has several taxes in addition to income tax that are relevant to most business operations, including (i) the Value Added Tax (“VAT”); (ii) import duties; (iii) various payroll taxes; and (iv) statutorily entitled employee profit sharing (“PTU”). In addition, annual mining concession fees are charged by the government.

VAT in Mexico is charged upon alienation of goods, performance of independent services, grant of temporary use or exploitation of goods, or import of goods or services that occur within Mexico’s borders, at a rate of 16%. There is no VAT in the case of export of goods or services or for the sale of gold, jewelry, and gold metalwork with a minimum gold content of 80%, excluding retail sale to the general public. The sale of mining concessions is subject to VAT as concessions are not considered to be land. VAT paid by a business enterprise on its purchases and expenses may usually be credited against its liability for VAT collected from customers on its own sales. This creditable VAT may also be directly refunded, but under new regulations beginning in January 2019, the creditable VAT can no longer offset other

Mexican federal taxes. At December 31, 2023, the Company recorded a net VAT receivable in Mexico of $3.1 million, related to the Velardeña Properties and the Rodeo operations. Subsequent to December 31, 2023, the Company has recovered approximately $2.1 million in VAT receivable. The Company expects that the remaining current amounts will be recovered within a one-year period.

Import duties apply for goods and services entering the country, unless specifically exempted due to a free trade agreement or registered under specific programs like IMMEX. Payroll taxes are payable in most states including Durango and Coahuila, and social security, housing and pension contributions must be made to the federal government when paying salaries.

Employees of Mexico entities are statutorily entitled to a portion of the employer’s pre-tax profits, “PTU”. The rate of profit sharing is currently 10% of the employer’s taxable income as defined by the Income Tax law. A taxpayer may reduce its income tax base by an amount equal to the PTU. Certain companies are exempt from paying PTU, which include companies in the extractive industry (principally the mining industry) during the period of exploration.

Yoquivo

Location, Access and Facilities

The Yoquivo Project is located 210 km west–southwest of the city of Chihuahua, in Ocampo Municipality, Chihuahua State. The approximate centroid of the project concessions is located at 28°2’12.2”N latitude, 108°2’37.2”W longitude. The closest town to the Project is Basaseachi, approximately 24 km to the northwest of the project area. The town can support basic exploration activities, and currently the Company rents a house in Basaseachi as the base for project exploration activities. The Project can be reached via a series of paved and unpaved roads from Basaseachi.

The area has a long tradition of mining, and within 50 km of the project area are several large open pit and underground precious metal mines. These mines source the majority of their workforces from the local communities. There is sufficient skilled and unskilled labour in the communities near to the Yoquivo Project to provide skilled and unskilled labour for the Project.

The Comisión Federal de Electricidad (the state power company) constructed a 115 kV powerline to the town of Basaseachi in 2005, and the community of San Francisco de Yoquivo is connected to the main power grid. However, it is likely that these lines would need to be upgraded to support any future operations at the Yoquivo Project.

We acquired our interest in the Yoquivo Project in 2017 from the Yoquivo group of concessions (El Dollar, La Copa, San Francisco de Yoquivo, La Niña, Dolores, and La Restauradora) from Alejandro Dozal González and Paola Gabriela Dozal González in March 2022. The acquisition consisted of a total payment of $480,000 over 54 months and payment of US$125,140 to settle all outstanding property taxes the original concessions owners owed to the Mexican government. The Esperanza concession was acquired from Maria Esthela Parra Quezada, María del Carmen Parra Quezada, Jesús Antonio Parra Quezada and Emiliano Hurtado Montaño on July, 29 2019 for a total payment of $250,000 over 36 months. Prior to our ownership of the property, work conducted at the site included limited narrow-vein mining activities, surface geological and reconnaissance mapping, mapping and sampling of historical excavations, rock chip and channel sampling, a regional helicopter geophysical survey, and core drilling. Several companies owned an interest in the Project prior to our ownership, including Cia. Minera La Rastra, S.A., Mead Exploration Co., Sydney Resources Corporation, West Timmins Mining Inc., and Konigsberg Corporation. During our period of ownership we have completed surface geological and reconnaissance mapping, mapping and sampling of selected historical excavations, rock chip and channel sampling, core drilling, and initial internal metallurgical studies.

The Yoquivo Project is 100% held by Golden Minerals, subject to royalty interests. Third-party NSR royalties are payable on all of the concessions, and range from 2–3%, capped at $2.8M, in the aggregate.

The Yoquivo Project consists of seven mining concessions with an area totalling about 1,975 hectars, located within the Ocampo municipality, Chihuahua State. In Mexico, mining concessions are granted by the Economy Ministry and are considered exploitation concessions with a 50-year term. All payments of mining duties and taxes for the concessions are up to date, and the required proof of annual labour forms have been filed for the concessions.

The following map shows the location of the Yoquivo Project along with the Company and third-party concessions.

The claims are located on the San Francisco de Yoquivo ejido. Although the mineral rights are independent of the surface rights, access to the claim block is granted through an agreement between the concession holder and the San Francisco de Yoquivo ejido that does not have a direct interest in the mineral claims. Minera de Cordilleras signed a five-year temporary access agreement in May 2018 with the San Francisco de Yoquivo ejido to allow the company to conduct exploration activities within the mineral concessions. We are currently negotiating a new access agreement with the ejido to allow a continuation of exploration activities.

The mineralization types within the vein systems at Yoquivo are examples of low-sulphidation systems. The Yoquivo Project is located within the Sierra Madre Occidental volcanic belt (Sierra Madre), an arc formed by eastward subduction of the Pacific Plate. The Sierra Madre is a metallogenic terrane well known for its epithermal precious metal deposits.

The mineralization on the Yoquivo Project consists of several epithermal quartz veins in four principal vein systems (Pertenencia, San Francisco, Dolar and Esperanza). Individual vein systems have been mapped and sampled over >3,000 m strike lengths and range from 0.2 m to >5 m in width.

In general, at surface, the veins are sulphide-poor, and have textures typical of a low-sulphidation epithermal environment, including fine colloform to crustiform banding, bladed calcite textures, and open-space filling textures. Outside of the principal mineralized structures and their adjacent stockwork zones, veins are mostly limited to isolated single veins, minor subparallel veins, or small patches of stockwork veins. Orientations of these minor veins are varied, but most commonly dip steeply to the southeast.

Veins have narrow haloes of silicification, local argillic alteration, and distally grade into weak chloritic alteration. The walls of the vein structure sometimes have sharp boundaries, but it is also quite common for the vein to consist of anastomosing veinlets and stockwork veinlets.

Sulphides are generally pyrite with rare argentite, and locally minor galena–sphalerite–chalcopyrite, and total sulphide content is generally <5%. In the oxide zone, the sulphides are leached, leaving either casts or pseudomorphs of goethite–hematite.

Property Activities

The initial exploration drilling was conducted in 2007 by West Timmins, who drilled eight core holes totaling 2,473 m. Drill data from the West Timmins campaign are not used in mineral resource estimation because no original assay certificates, down-hole survey or assay quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) data are currently available to us for this drilling campaign. In addition, no drill holes from this campaign intersected the Pertenencia vein system. From 2020 to 2022, we drilled 70 core holes totaling 16,565m. A total of 78 core holes, totaling 19,039 meters have been drilled at Yoquivo.

On average, the true width of mineralization is about 50–80% of the core length but varies depending on local orientation of the mineralized zones and the drill hole orientation.

Metallurgical Testwork

Two composite samples for preliminary test work were collected from coarse rejects of Yoquivo core samples. These composites were designed to represent low grade and medium grade mineralized material at Yoquivo. Metallurgical investigations included creating composites, conducting head assays for gold, silver, cyanide soluble gold, and cyanide soluble silver, conducting duplicate bench top agitated leach tests, and flotation tests. Metallurgical tests were designed and conducted by personnel at the Velardeña metallurgical laboratory.

The samples responded very well to flotation. Gold recoveries were between 84% and 95% and silver recoveries were between 82% and 89%. The flotation kinetics were quick as gold recoveries near 70% and silver recoveries near 60% were achieved in the first minute.

Recoveries of 85% for gold and silver were recommended by the QP for use in assessing reasonable prospects of economic extraction when performing the mineral resource estimate. These forecasts can support estimation of inferred mineral resources.

Mineral Resource Estimate

The initial mineral resource estimate for the Yoquivo property was completed in February 2023 by the Company. Mineral resources are reported by vein. The mineral resource tabulation shown below is based on price forecasts for $1,840/oz Au and $24/oz Ag, respectively. In support of these price assumptions, the Company relied on a review of long-term mining analysts and investment bank forecasts; pricing used in technical reports filed with Canadian regulatory authorities during 2022; pricing reported by major mining companies in public filings such as annual reports and management discussion and analyses during 2022; and three-year trailing average pricing.

Yoquivo Property - Summary of Gold and Silver Mineral Resources at December 31, 2023 based on $1,840 oz/Au and $24 oz/Ag

Notes to accompany mineral resource table:

A portion of the vein systems at Yoquivo have been the subject of historical mining. The majority of the historical mining has been conducted on the San Francisco vein system, but there is evidence that some historical mining has occurred on the Pertenencia and Esperanza vein systems. There is no evidence for mining on the Camila and Camila HW vein systems. There are some small prospect pits on the New vein system but no evidence of any historical mining. Our drilling in the upper part of the Pertenencia vein system encountered old workings in some of the drill holes. Adjacent drill holes located less than 10 meters away from those drill holes did not intersect workings, suggesting that the workings are small and erratic, and may represent development on the vein rather than large areas of stoping.

Certain Laws Affecting Mining in Mexico

Our current and proposed operations at the Yoquivo Property are subject to a variety of laws affecting mining operations in Mexico. For a discussion of these laws, see “Material Mining and Properties - Velardeña Properties - Certain Laws Affecting Mining in Mexico” above.

Taxes

For a discussion of the taxes that apply generally to mining projects in Mexico, see “Material Mining Properties - Velardeña Properties - Taxes in Mexico”.

El Quevar

Location and Access

Our El Quevar silver exploration project is located at 24°21’20.4“S latitude and 66°48’13.3”W longitude in the San Antonio de los Cobres municipality, Salta Province, in the altiplano region of northwestern Argentina, approximately 300 kilometers by road northwest of the city of Salta, the capital city of the province. The project is also accessible by a 300-kilometer dirt and gravel road from the city of Calama in northern Chile. The small village of Pocitos, located about 20 kilometers to the west of El Quevar, is the nearest settlement. We have established a camp approximately 10 kilometers west of the project to house project workers. A high-tension power line is located approximately 40 kilometers from the site, and a high-pressure gas line devoted to the mining industry and subsidized by the Salta government is located within four kilometers of the El Quevar camp. There is a permitted well for non-potable water on the property with ample volume for exploration purposes and with potential to be increased to accommodate future production needs.

The El Quevar project is located near Nevado Peak with altitudes at the concessions ranging from 3,800 to 6,130 meters above sea level. The climate of the area is high mountain desert, with some precipitation in summer (such as snow) and little snow in winter. The following map shows the location of the El Quevar project.

Mining activity in and around the El Quevar project dates back at least 80 years. Between 1930 and 1950, there was lead and silver extraction from small workings in the area, but we have no mining records from that period. The first organized exploration activities on the property occurred during the 1970s, although no data from that period remains. Over the last 30 years, several companies have carried out exploration activity in the area, including BHP Billiton, Industrias Peñoles, Mansfield Minerals and Hochschild Mining Group, consisting primarily of local sampling with some limited drilling programs.

According to Argentine law, mineral resources are subject to regulation in the provinces where the resources are located. Each province has the authority to grant mining exploration permits and mining exploitation concession rights to applicants. The Federal Congress has enacted the National Mining Code and other substantive mining legislation, which is applicable throughout Argentina; however, each province has the authority to regulate the procedural aspects of the National Mining Code and to organize the enforcement authority within its own territory.

In the province of Salta, where the El Quevar project is located, all mining concessions are granted by a judge in the Salta Mining Court. The El Quevar project is comprised of exploitation concessions. Exploitation concessions are subject to a canon payment fee (maintenance fee) which is paid in advance twice a year (before June 30th and December 31st of each calendar year). Each time a new mining concession is granted, concession holders are exempt from the canon payment fee for a period of three years from the concession grant date. However, this exemption does not apply to the grant of vacant exploitation concessions; only to the grant of new mining concessions.

The El Quevar project is currently comprised of 31 mining concessions that we hold directly or indirectly through our wholly owned subsidiaries. In total, the El Quevar project encompasses approximately 57,000 hectares. The area of most of our exploration activities at El Quevar is within the concessions that are owned by Silex Argentina S.A., our wholly owned subsidiary.

We are required to pay a 1% net smelter return royalty on the value of all minerals extracted from the El Quevar II concession and a 1% net smelter return royalty on one-half of the minerals extracted from the Castor concession to the third party that owns the royalties on these concessions. We can purchase one half of the royalty for $1 million in the first two years of mining. The Yaxtché deposit is located primarily on the Castor concession. We may also be required to pay a 3% royalty to the Salta Province based on the net smelter value of minerals extracted from any of our concessions less costs of processing. To maintain all of the El Quevar concessions, we paid fees to the Argentine government of approximately $5,000 in 2023. In 2024 we expect to pay approximately $30,000.

The following El Quevar mine concessions are identified below by name and file number in the Salta Province Registry of Mines.

The surface rights at El Quevar are controlled by the Salta Province. There are no private properties within the concession area. To date, no issues involving surface rights have impacted the project. Although we have unrestricted access to our facilities, we have been granted easements to further protect our access rights.

Barrick Earn-In Agreement

In April 2020, we entered into the Earn-In Agreement with Barrick, pursuant to which Barrick has acquired an option (the “Option”) to earn a 70% interest in the Company’s El Quevar. Pursuant to the terms of the Earn-In Agreement, in order to earn an undivided 70% interest in the El Quevar project, Barrick must: (A) incur a total of $10 million in work

expenditures over a total of eight years ($0.5 million per year in years one and two, $1.0 million per year in years three, four and five, and $2.0 million per year in years six, seven and eight); (B) deliver to the Company a National Instrument 43-101 compliant pre-feasibility study pursuant to the parameters set forth in the Earn-In Agreement; and (C) deliver a written notice to exercise the Option to us within the term of the Earn-In Agreement. Barrick may withdraw from the Earn-In Agreement at any time after spending a minimum of $1.0 million in work expenditures and upon providing us with 30 days’ notice. Barrick has met the $1 million in work expenditures that would allow them to withdraw from the Earn-in Agreement.

Upon satisfaction of the earn-in conditions and exercise of the Option, we will form a new entity (“NewCo”) that will hold the El Quevar properties. NewCo will be 70% owned by Barrick and 30% owned by us. Funding of NewCo will be based on Barrick’s and our respective ownership, and industry standard dilution mechanisms will apply in the case of funding shortfalls by either shareholder.

During the earn-in period, originally scheduled from April 9, 2020 to April 9, 2028, in addition to the exploration spending, Barrick will fund the holding costs of the property, which will qualify as work expenditures. Barrick will reimburse us for expenses related to maintaining the exploration camp which will initially be run by us under a service agreement, which will also qualify as work expenditures. Through December 31, 2023, approximately $2.3 million of expenses incurred by us were reimbursed under the Earn-In Agreement.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related legal restrictions on mining exploration in Salta, Argentina, Barrick declared a force majeure event under the Earn-In Agreement. As a result of the force majeure event, the earn-in period and other applicable deadlines in the Earn-In Agreement were extended by 119 days. The force majeure event is no longer in effect.

The geology of the El Quevar project is characterized by silver-rich veins and disseminations in Tertiary volcanic rocks that are part of an eroded stratovolcano. Silver mineralization at El Quevar is hosted within a broad, generally east-west-trending structural zone and occurs as a series of north-dipping parallel sheeted vein zones, breccias and mineralized faults situated within an envelope of pervasively silicified brecciated volcanic rocks. There are at least three sub-parallel structures that extend for an aggregate length of approximately 6.5 kilometers. Several volcanic domes (small intrusive bodies) have been identified and mineralization is also found in breccias associated with these domes, especially where they are intersected by the structures. The silver mineralization at the Yaxtché zone is of epithermal origin. The cross-cutting nature of the mineralization, the assemblage of sulfide and alteration minerals, and the presence of open spaces with euhedral minerals, all point to an origin at shallow to moderate depths (a few hundred meters below surface) from hydrothermal solutions.

Exploration Properties

In addition to Velardeña, El Quevar, and Yoquivo, we currently control a portfolio of approximately 13 exploration properties located primarily in certain traditional precious metals producing regions of Mexico, Nevada and Argentina. We do not consider any of our other exploration properties to be individually material, including those noted below.

In 2024 we plan to focus our exploration efforts primarily on evaluating and searching for mining opportunities in North America with near term prospects of mining. We are also focused on continuing our exploration efforts on selected properties in our portfolio.

A brief discussion of certain of our exploration properties is below. We do not believe any of the below are individually material to us at this time.

Sarita Este

In December 2019, we paid $150,000 to enter into an option agreement with Cascadero Minerals Corporation (“Cascadero”) to acquire a 51% interest in the gold/copper Sarita Este concession, located in the northwest portion of the Province of Salta, Argentina, located near the Taca Taca project owned by First Quantum Minerals. The option agreement called for us to spend at least $0.3 million in exploration expenditures and complete a 2,000-meter drill program by the end of 2021, another $0.5 million by the end of 2022, and another approximately $1.6 million by 2023 for a total $2.5 million. We have exceeded the drilling requirements and have spent approximately $3.0 million since entering into the agreement in December 2019. We have completed the earn-in requirements and now hold 51% of the property subject to completion of the JV paperwork which is in progress. In the fourth quarter of 2021, we completed the first drill program ever conducted at Sarita Este, which involved drilling 10 diamond drill holes totaling 2,518 meters to explore untested epithermal gold-silver and copper porphyry targets. In January 2022, we announced assay results from the drill program, which we believe indicate the potential for a significant gold system. We completed a second drill program in June 2022 designed to offset and further delineate mineralization associated with the gold interval encountered in the first drill program. We believe that the assay results from that program point to a potentially economic shallow oxidized gold system.

1 Santa Maria

In December 2023, we sold the Santa Maria property, a gold and silver exploration property in Mexico, to a private party for $1.5 million in cash plus a 1.5% net smelter royalty on gold and silver production to a cap of $1.0 million.

Sand Canyon

During the second quarter of 2019 we entered into an earn-in agreement with Golden Gryphon Explorations for the Sand Canyon project located in northwestern Nevada, where surface work has identified a large system of epithermal veins with potential for gold and silver deposits. We have since amended that agreement on two occasions in order to extend the time period during which we are able to satisfy the spending commitments. The option agreement provides us with the opportunity to earn a 60% interest in the Sand Canyon project by spending $2.5 million in exploration expenses over six years. We paid $25,000 cash and $50,000 in reimbursed exploration expenditures to acquire the option and $35,000 cash in 2020 on the first anniversary of the agreement, and have made payments of a total additional $100,000 ($50,000 in 2021 and $50,000 in 2022). Through December 31, 2023, we have spent $2.4 million toward the $2.5 million earn-in requirement, fulfilling all but the final 2025 minimum expenditures and the minimum drill commitment. The earn-in agreement has been amended by mutual agreement to extend the dates for completion as shown.

We completed an initial drill program of approximately 1,800 meters in 4 diamond drill holes. The drill holes were placed to target surface geochemical and geophysical anomalies associated with epithermal veining observed in outcrops. Drill holes tested the two principal epithermal vein target areas on the property, the DeLong Canyon target and the Sand Canyon target. The drill hole collared to test the DeLong Canyon target did not encounter any veins or significant anomalous geochemical values. Interpretation shows that a fault offset likely caused the drill hole to miss the vein system as projected from surface. The three drill holes collared to test the veins and anomalies in the Sand Canyon target area all intersected narrow vein and breccia structures with low anomalous values of Ag, As, Sb, and Mo. No potentially economic concentrations of precious metals were encountered in any of the four drill holes. Plans for further testing of the mineralized system are being considered.

Our Competitive Strengths and Business Strategy

Our business strategy is to establish Golden Minerals as a mid-tier precious metals mining company focused in North America and Argentina. We also review strategic opportunities from time to time.

Velardeña Properties. Due to continuing net operating losses, we suspended mining and sulfide processing activities at the Velardeña Properties during the first half of November 2015. In June 2021 we began limited scale mining activities at

our Velardeña underground mine to obtain further bulk samples for use in final optimization of a then-contemplated bio-oxidation plant design and for use in additional flotation separation studies. Given the newer favorable concentrate terms first announced in early 2023, the results of our testing activities and the results of recent metallurgical and economic analysis, we pursued the preparation of another updated PEA in August 2023. Mining operations restarted in December 2023 and ceased in February 2024. We do not intend to re-start the operation and are holding the properties for short-term sale.

Yoquivo. The initial mineral resource reported for Yoquivo is the first step in moving the property into focus as a potential development property for the company. As financial resources allow, we intend to continue to evaluate prospects for economic mineral extraction at Yoquivo.

Exploration Focus. We are focused on evaluating and searching for mining opportunities in North America with high precious metal grades and low development costs with near term prospects of mining, and particularly properties within reasonable haulage distances of our Velardeña processing plants. We also continue to advance our El Quevar silver project in Salta Province, Argentina through an earn-in agreement with Barrick. We are continuing our exploration efforts on selected properties in our portfolio of exploration properties located in Mexico, Nevada and Argentina.

Experienced Management Team. We are led by a team of mining professionals with approximately 60 years of combined experience in exploration, project development, and operations management, primarily in the Americas. Our executive officers have held senior positions at various large mining companies including, among others, Cyprus Amax Minerals Company, INCO Limited, Meridian Gold Company, Barrick Gold Exploration and Noranda Exploration.

Executive Officers of Golden Minerals

Warren M. Rehn (69). Mr. Rehn was appointed President of our Company in May 2015 and appointed Chief Executive Officer and director in September 2015. Mr. Rehn previously served as Senior Vice President, Exploration and Chief Geologist since December 2012 and served as Vice President, Exploration and Chief Geologist since February 2012. From 2007 until February 2012, Mr. Rehn held various positions at Barrick Gold Exploration, Inc., serving most recently as Chief Exploration Geologist for the Bald Mountain and Ruby Hill mining units. From 2005 until 2007, Mr. Rehn was a consulting geologist for Gerson Lehman Group, which provides consulting services to various industries, including geology and mining. Mr. Rehn served as a Consulting Senior Geologist at Placer Dome Exploration, Inc. in 2004 and as an independent consulting geologist throughout the Americas from 1994 until 2003. He served as a Senior Geologist at Noranda Exploration, Inc. from 1988 until 1994. Mr. Rehn holds an M.S. in Geology from the Colorado School of Mines and a B.S. in Geological Engineering from the University of Idaho. Mr. Rehn also serves as a director of the Company, and in determining Mr. Rehn’s qualifications to serve on our board of directors, the board has considered, among other things, his experience in the mining industry, including his exploration and geology expertise and experience at several mining companies, as well as his history with the Company.

Julie Z. Weedman (59). Ms. Weedman joined Golden Minerals in January of 2022 as Vice President Finance, assuming the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer role in April 2022. Prior to joining Golden Minerals, Ms. Weedman served as Vice President Finance of Aerospace Contacts LLC from March 2020 to January 2022. She previously served as controller for Cupric Canyon Capital LLC from March 2015 until December 2019 and as corporate controller of Mercator Minerals Ltd. from June 2012 to January 2015. Prior to joining Mercator, Ms. Weedman worked from 2006 to 2012 for Ducommun Corporation, serving in several capacities including site controller and group controller for its

Ducommun Technologies division. She also spent 10 years at Phelps Dodge Corporation in various financial roles including assistant controller of Chino Mines Co. in Silver City, New Mexico. Ms. Weedman began her career in public accounting with Deloitte & Touche. She holds a B.S. in accountancy from Northern Arizona University.

Pablo Castanos(51)*.*Mr. Castanos joined Golden Minerals in July of 2023 as Executive Vice President. Prior to joining Golden Minerals, since 2016, Mr. Castanos acted as a private investor in real estate development and construction companies located in Querétaro, Mexico and Austin, Texas. Mr. Castanos has more than twenty years of global and strategic expertise, including twelve years in the mining industry, in positions focusing on strategic planning, finance, compliance, sustainability, government affairs and risk management. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from a joint graduate program conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Gabriela Mistral University in Santiago, Chile

Metals Market Overview

We are an emerging precious metals exploration company with silver and gold mining properties in Mexico and a large, advanced exploration silver project in Argentina. Descriptions of the markets for these metals are provided below.

Silver Market

Silver has traditionally served as a medium of exchange, much like gold. Silver’s strength, malleability, ductility, thermal and electrical conductivity, sensitivity to light and ability to endure extreme changes in temperature combine to make it a widely used industrial metal. While silver continues to be used as a form of investment and a financial asset, the principal uses of silver are industrial, primarily in electrical and electronic components, photography, jewelry, silverware, batteries, computer chips, electrical contacts, and high technology printing. Silver’s anti-bacterial properties also make it valuable for use in medicine and in water purification. Additionally, the use of silver in the photovoltaic and solar panel industries is growing rapidly, and new uses of silver are being developed in connection with the use of superconductive wire and radio frequency identification devices.

Most silver product is obtained from mining in which silver is not the principal or primary product. The Silver Institute, an international silver industry association, noted that for 2022 only around 28% of output came from so-called primary silver mines, where silver is the main source of revenue.

The following table sets forth for the periods indicated on the London Fix high and low silver fixes in U.S. dollars per troy ounce. On March 8, 2024, the closing price of silver was $24.50 per troy ounce

• Through March 8, 2024.

Gold Market

Gold has two main categories of use: fabrication and investment. Fabricated gold has a variety of end uses, including jewelry, electronics, dentistry, industrial and decorative uses, medals, medallions and official coins. Gold investors buy gold bullion, official coins and jewelry. The supply of gold consists of a combination of production from mining and the draw-down of existing stocks of gold held by governments, financial institutions, industrial organizations and private individuals.

The following table sets forth for the periods indicated on the London Fix PM high and low gold fixes in U.S. dollars per troy ounce. On March 8, 2024, the closing price of gold was $2,171 per troy ounce.

• Through March 8, 2024.

Employees

We currently have 194 employees, including 8 in the United States, approximately 177 in Mexico who are primarily involved with the Velardeña operations, and 9 in Argentina.

Competition

There is aggressive competition within the mining industry for the acquisition of a limited number of mineral resource opportunities, and many of the mining companies with which we compete have greater financial and technical resources than we do. Accordingly, these competitors may be able to spend greater amounts on acquisitions of mineral properties of merit, as well as on exploration and advancement of their mineral properties. We also compete with other mining companies for the acquisition and retention of skilled mining engineers, mine and processing plant operators and mechanics, geologists, geophysicists and other experienced technical personnel. Our competitive position depends upon our ability to successfully and economically advance new and existing silver and gold properties. Failure to achieve and maintain a competitive position could adversely impact our ability to obtain the financing necessary for us to advance our mineral properties.

Available Information

We make available, free of charge through our website at www.goldenminerals.com, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website is not incorporated into this annual report on Form 10-K and is not a part of this report. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.* *