Augusta Resource Annual Information Form
www.augustaresource.com/Theme/Augusta/files/doc_financials/AIFMarch292011.pdf
March 29, 2011
Pages 10-17

Risk Factors —

An investment in the Company's common shares is highly speculative and subject to a number of risks. Only those persons who can bear the risk of the entire loss of their investment should invest in the common shares of the Company. An investor should carefully consider the risks described below and the other information filed with the Canadian securities regulators before investing in Company's common shares. The risks described below are not the only ones faced. Additional risks that the Company currently does not foresee or believes to be immaterial may become important factors that affect the Company's business. If any of the following risks occur, or if others occur, the Company's business, operating results and financial condition could be seriously harmed and investors may lose all of their investment.

1) The Company has a history of losses and anticipates that it will continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future.
The Company has historically incurred losses as evidenced by its financial statements, including the consolidated statements of operations contained in its annual audited financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2010.
As the Company's only material property is the Rosemont Property, the Company continues to assess other strategic opportunities for acquiring, exploring, advancing and developing mineral properties. The Company does not anticipate that it will earn any significant revenue from its operations until Rosemont reaches commercial production in the latter part of 2013.

2) The Company will require additional capital to fund its business plans.
As of December 31, 2010, Augusta had working capital of $27.2 million. Augusta has minimal revenue from its operations and does not expect to generate any significant revenue until 2013 when the Rosemont project is placed into commercial production. Augusta will require project financing to be in place by the fourth quarter 2011 as the Company prepares for the construction phase. Augusta may raise additional capital through debt or equity financing, and possibly production sharing arrangements or other means. Recent upheavals in the financial markets worldwide could make it very difficult for Augusta to raise funds. Such funding may not be available on commercially acceptable terms or at all. The Company's failure to meet its ongoing obligations on a timely basis or raise additional funds that may be required could result in delay or indefinite postponement of further exploration and development of the Company's property or the loss or substantial dilution of any of its property interests.

3) The Company has historically depended on distributions of its securities to fund its working capital and funding requirements.
Historically, the Company has raised funds principally through the sale of securities of Augusta . Additional equity financing would cause dilution to Augusta 's existing shareholders. In addition, the unrestricted resale of outstanding shares from the exercise of dilutive securities may have a depressing effect on the market for the Company's common shares.
As at the date of this AIF, 141,928,493 common shares of Augusta were issued and outstanding. In addition, Augusta had outstanding 10,253,939 convertible securities comprising of stock options, warrants, and restricted share units, which in aggregate may result in the issuance of 10,253,939 common shares.

4) The Company could lose its only material property in the event of a default under the Red Kite Loan Agreement.
The Company's obligations under the Red Kite loan are secured by the common shares and assets of Rosemont Copper Company, which holds the Company's only material property. In the event of a default under the Red Kite Loan Agreement, if the Company is unable to immediately pay all accrued and unpaid interest and principal debt, Red Kite is entitled to take possession of the common shares and assets of Rosemont Copper Company and sell, lease, or dispose of such collateral including the Rosemont Property and apply the proceeds to the Company's debt. If such an event occurs, the Company could lose its only material property and Augusta 's shareholders could lose their entire investment.

5) The Company's Joint Venture Agreement with UCM could result in the possibility of deadlock
Under the Joint Venture Agreement, a number of important project decisions (including program and budget approval, the replacement of the operator and the terms and conditions of project financing) require unanimous approval of the parties, which means that each party to the Joint Venture has a right to veto any of these decisions, which could lead to a deadlock.

6)The Company may be subject to risks relating to the global economy.
Market events and conditions, including disruptions in the international credit markets and other financial systems and the deterioration of global economic conditions, could impede Augusta 's access to capital or increase the cost of capital.
The Company is also exposed to liquidity risks in meeting its operating and capital expenditure requirements in instances where its cash position is unable to be maintained or appropriate financing is unavailable. These factors may impact the ability of the Company to obtain loans and other credit facilities in the future and, if obtained, on terms favourable to the Company. Increased market volatility may impact the Company's operations which could adversely affect the trading price of the Company's common shares.

7) The Company has no history of production and may never place any of its properties into production.
The Company's properties are not in commercial production, and the Company has never recorded any revenues from mining operations. The Company expects to incur losses unless and until such time as its properties enter into commercial production and generate sufficient revenues to fund its continuing operations. The development of mining operations on its properties will require the commitment of substantial resources for operating expenses and capital expenditures, which may increase in subsequent years as needed consultants, personnel and equipment associated with advancing development and commercial production of its properties is added. The amounts and timing of expenditures will depend on the progress of ongoing development, the results of consultants' analysis and recommendations, the rate at which operating losses are incurred, the execution of any joint venture agreements with strategic partners, the acquisition of additional properties, and other factors, many of which are beyond its control. The Company may not generate any revenues or achieve profitability.

8) The Company's exploration activities may not be commercially successful.
Mineral exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks and is frequently non-productive. Unusual or unexpected geologic formations, and the inability to obtain suitable or adequate machinery, equipment or labour are risks involved in the conduct of exploration programs. The Company is currently advancing detailed engineering work in preparation for construction and as such it is largely beyond the exploration stage for its Rosemont Property. The success of mineral exploration and development is determined in part by the following factors:

• the identification of potential mineralization based on analysis;
• the availability of exploration permits;
• the quality of the Company's management and its geological and technical expertise; and
• the capital available for exploration.

Substantial expenditures and time are required to establish or to add to existing proven and probable reserves through drilling and analysis, to develop metallurgical processes to extract metal, and to develop the mining and processing facilities and infrastructure at any site chosen for mining. Whether a mineral deposit will be commercially viable depends on a number of factors, which include, without limitation, the particular attributes of the deposit, such as size, grade and proximity to infrastructure; metal prices, which fluctuate widely; and government regulations, including, without limitation, regulations relating to prices, taxes, royalties, land tenure, land use, importing and exporting of minerals and environmental protection.
The Company's exploration and development projects have not had any revenues from operations upon which to base estimates of future operating costs or future revenues from operations. Particularly for development projects, estimates of proven and probable mineral reserves and cash operating costs are, to a large extent, based upon the interpretation of geologic data obtained from drill holes and other sampling techniques, and feasibility studies that derive estimates of cash operating costs based upon anticipated tonnage and grades of ore to be mined and processed, the configuration of the ore body, expected recovery rates of metals from the ore, estimated operating costs, anticipated climatic conditions and other factors. As a result, it is possible that actual cash operating costs and economic returns will differ significantly from those currently estimated.
Any of the following events, among others, could affect the profitability or economic feasibility of a project, unanticipated changes in grade and tonnage of ore to be mined and processed, unanticipated adverse geotechnical conditions, incorrect data on which engineering assumptions are made, costs of constructing and operating a mine in a specific environment, availability and costs of processing and refining facilities, availability of economic sources of power, adequacy of water supply, availability of surface tenure on which to locate processing and refining facilities, adequate access to the site, including competing land uses (such as agriculture and illegal mining), unanticipated transportation costs, and accidents, labour actions and force majeure events.

9) Exploration, development and mining involve a high degree of risk.
The Company's operations will be subject to all the hazards and risks normally encountered in the exploration, development and production of copper and other base or precious metals, including, without limitation, encountering unusual or unexpected geologic formations or other geological or grade problems, unanticipated changes in metallurgical characteristics and metal recovery, periodic interruptions due to inclement or hazardous weather condition, seismic activity, rock bursts, pit-wall failures, cave-ins, encountering unanticipated ground or water conditions, flooding, fire, and other conditions involved in the drilling, removal of material, environmental hazards, discharge of pollutants or hazardous chemicals, industrial accidents, failure of processing and mining equipment, labour disputes, supply problems and delays and changes in the regulatory environment any of which could result in damage to, or destruction of, mineral properties, mines and other producing facilities, damage to life or property, personal injury or death, loss of key employees, environmental damage, delays in the Company's exploration and development activities, monetary losses and legal liabilities. Satisfying such liabilities may be very costly and could have a material adverse effect on the Company's future cash flow, results of operations and financial condition.

10) The Company may be adversely affected by fluctuations in copper, molybdenum, silver, gold and other metal prices.
The value and price of the Company's common shares, financial results, and its exploration, development and mining, if any, activities may be adversely affected by declines in the price of copper, molybdenum, silver, gold and other metals. Mineral prices fluctuate widely and are affected by numerous factors beyond the Company's control such as interest rates, exchange rates, inflation or deflation, fluctuation in the value of the US dollar and foreign currencies, global and regional supply and demand, and the political and economic conditions of mineral producing countries throughout the world. The price for metals can fluctuate in response to many factors beyond anyone's ability to predict. The prices used in making the resource estimates are disclosed and differ from daily prices quoted in the news media. The percentage change in the price of a metal cannot be directly related to the estimated resource quantities, which are affected by a number of additional factors. For example, a 10 percent change in price may have little impact on the estimated resource quantities and affect only the resultant cash flow, or it may result in a significant change in the amount of resources. Because mining occurs over a number of years, it may be prudent to continue mining for some periods during which cash flows are temporarily negative for a variety of reasons, including a belief that the low price is temporary and/or the greater expense incurred in closing a property permanently.
Mineralized material calculations and life-of-mine plans using significantly lower metal prices could result in material write-downs of the Company's investments in the Rosemont Property and increased amortization, reclamation and closure charges.
In addition to adversely affecting the Company's mineralized material estimates and financial condition, declining metal prices could impact operations by requiring a reassessment of the commercial feasibility of the Rosemont Project. Such a reassessment may be the result of a management decision related to a particular project. Even if the project is ultimately determined to be economically viable, the need to conduct such a reassessment may cause substantial delays in development or may interrupt operations, if any, until the reassessment can be completed.

11) Production and cost estimates may be worse than anticipated.
The decision by the Company to proceed with the development of the Rosemont Project was based on economic projections determined as part of the 2007 Feasibility Study process later supported by the 2009 Feasibility Study completed in January 2009. Included in these projections were estimates for metal production and capital and operating costs. Failure to achieve these production, capital and operating cost estimates or material increases in costs could have an adverse impact on the Company's future cash flows, profitability, results of operations and financial condition.
The Company's actual production and capital and operating costs may vary from estimates for a variety of reasons, including: actual ore mined varying from estimates of grade, tonnage, dilution and metallurgical and other characteristics; short-term operating factors relating to the ore reserves, such as the need for sequential development of ore bodies and the processing of new or different ore grades; revisions to mine plans; risks and hazards associated with mining; natural phenomena, such as inclement weather conditions, water availability, floods, and earthquakes; and unexpected labour shortages or strikes. Costs of production may also be affected by a variety of factors, including; changing waste-to-ore ratios, ore grade metallurgy, labour costs, the cost of commodities, general inflationary pressures and currency rates.

12) Litigation may adversely affect the Company's assets.
The Company may be involved in disputes with other parties in the future, which may result in litigation. The results of litigation cannot be predicted with certainty. If the Company is unable to resolve these disputes favorably, it may have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial performance, cash flow and results of operations.

13) Title to the Company's properties may be subject to other claims.
Although the Company believes it has exercised commercially reasonable due diligence with respect to determining title to properties it owns, controls or has the right to acquire by option, there is no guarantee that title to such properties and other tenure will not be challenged or impugned. The Company's mineral property interests may be subject to prior unrecorded agreements or transfers or native land claims and title may be affected by undetected defects. There may be valid challenges to the title of the Company's properties which, if successful, could impair development and/or operations. This may be exacerbated due to the large number of title transfers historically involved with some of the properties.

14) The Company is subject to risks related to community action.
All industries, including the mining industry, are subject to community actions. In recent years, communities and non-governmental organizations have become more vocal and active with respect to mining activities at or near their communities. These parties may take actions such as road blockades, applications for injunctions seeking work stoppage and lawsuits for damages. These actions can relate not only to current activities but also in respect of decades old mining activities by prior owners of subject mining properties.

15) Estimates of mineralized materials are subject to geologic uncertainty and inherent sample variability.
Although the estimated resources at the Rosemont Property have been delineated with appropriately spaced drilling, there is inherent variability between duplicate samples taken adjacent to each other and between sampling points that cannot be reasonably eliminated. There also may be unknown geologic details that have not been identified or correctly appreciated at the current level of delineation. This results in uncertainties that cannot be reasonably eliminated from the estimation process. Some of the resulting variances can have a positive effect and others can have a negative effect on mining and processing operations. Acceptance of these uncertainties is part of any mining operation.

16) Mineral resources and proven and probable reserves are estimates.
Although the mineralized material and proven and probable reserve figures included in this document have been carefully prepared by independent engineers, these amounts are estimates only, and the Company cannot be certain that specific quantities of copper, molybdenum, silver, gold or other minerals will in fact be realized. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources and proven and probable mineral reserves including many factors beyond the Company's control. The estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves is necessarily a subjective process, and the accuracy of any such estimates are a function of the quantity and quality of available data and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretations, which may prove to be unreliable and different materially from actual results. Any material change in the quantity of mineralization, grade or stripping ratio, or mineral prices may affect the economic viability of its properties. In addition, the Company cannot be certain that metal recoveries in small-scale laboratory tests will be duplicated in larger scale tests under on-site conditions or during production. Until a deposit is actually mined and processed the quantity of mineral resources and reserves and grades must be considered as estimates only.

17) Government regulation may adversely affect the Company's business and planned operations.
The Company believes the Rosemont project complies with existing environmental and mining laws and regulations affecting its operations. Its mining, processing, development and mineral exploration activities, if any, will be subject to various laws governing prospecting, mining, development, production, taxes, labour standards and occupational health, mine safety, toxic substances, land use, water use, land claims of local people and other matters. The Company can provide no assurance that new rules and regulations will not be enacted or that existing rules and regulations will not be applied in a manner which could limit or curtail production or development.
A portion of the present Rosemont Property land position is located on unpatented mine and millsite claims located on US federal public lands. The right to use such claims are granted under the United States General Mining Law of 1872 (the �General Mining Law�). Unpatented mining claims are unique property interests in the US, and are generally considered to be subject to greater title risk than other real property interests because the validity of unpatented mining claims is often uncertain. This uncertainty arises, in part, out of the complex federal and state laws and regulations under the General Mining Law and the interaction of the General Mining Law and other federal and state laws, such as those enacted for the protection of the environment. Unpatented mining claims are subject to possible challenges by third parties or contests by the federal government. The validity of an unpatented mining claim, in terms of both its location and maintenance, is dependent on strict compliance with a complex body of federal and state statutory or decisional law. In addition, there are few public records that definitively control the issues of validity and ownership of unpatentable mining claims. In recent years, the US Congress has considered a number of proposed amendments to the General Mining Law. If adopted, such legislation could, among other things:

? impose a royalty on the production of metals or minerals from unpatented mining claims;
? reduce or prohibit the ability of a mining company to expand its operations; and
? require a material change in the method of exploiting the reserves located on unpatented mining claims.

All of the foregoing could adversely affect the economic and financial viability of any future mining operations at the Rosemont Property.
Amendments to current laws, regulations and permits governing operations and activities of mining and exploration companies, or more stringent implementation thereof, could have a material adverse impact on its business and cause increases in exploration expenses, capital expenditures or production costs or reduction in levels of production at producing properties or require abandonment or delays in development of new mining properties.

18) The Company will require exploration and mining permits and licences.
No guarantee can be given that the necessary exploration and mining permits and licences will be issued to the Company or, if they are issued, that they will be renewed, or that the Company will be in a position to comply with all conditions that are imposed. Nearly all mining projects require government approval. There can be no certainty that these approvals will be granted to the Company in a timely manner, or at all.

19) The Company's operations are subject to environmental risks.
All phases of the Company's operations are subject to federal, state and local environmental regulation in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. These regulations mandate, among other things, the maintenance of air and water quality standards and land reclamation. They also set forth limitations on the generation, transportation, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner which will require stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, more stringent environmental assessments of proposed projects and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. The Company cannot be certain that future changes in environmental regulation, if any, will not adversely affect its operations. Environmental hazards may exist on the properties on which the Company holds and will hold interests which are unknown to the Company at present and which have been caused by previous or existing owners or operators of the properties.
Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements may result in enforcement actions thereunder, including orders issued by regulatory or judicial authorities causing operations to cease or be curtailed, and may include corrective measures requiring capital expenditures, installation of additional equipment, or remedial actions. Parties engaged in mining operations or in the exploration or development of mineral properties may be required to compensate those suffering loss or damage by reason of the mining activities and may have civil or criminal fines or penalties imposed for violations of applicable laws or regulations.
Production, if any, at its mines will involve the use of hazardous materials. Should these materials leak or otherwise be discharged from their containment systems then the Company may become subject to liability for hazards that it may not be insured against or for clean up work that may not be insured.

20) The Company's Common Shares may be subject to price and volume fluctuations and the market price for the common shares of the Company may drop below the price at which such common shares were purchased.
In recent years, securities markets have experienced considerable price and volume volatility, and the market prices of securities of many companies have been subject to wide fluctuations not necessarily related to the operating performance, underlying asset values, exploration success or prospects of such companies. The market price of a publicly traded stock, especially a junior resource issuer, is affected by many variables including the market for junior resource stocks, the strength of the economy generally, commodity prices, the availability and attractiveness of alternative investments, and the breadth of the public market for the stock. The effect of these and other factors on the market price of securities on the stock exchanges on which Augusta trades, suggest the trading price of the common shares will continue to be volatile. There can be no assurance that such fluctuations will not affect the price of Augusta 's common shares and that the price of such common shares may decline below the purchase price paid for such common shares.
In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company's securities, shareholders have often instituted class action securities litigation against those companies. Such litigation, if instituted, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management attention and resources, which could significantly harm the Company's profitability and reputation.

21) The Company does not insure against all risks.
The Company's insurance policies do not insure the Company against all the potential risks associated with a mining company's operations. The Company may also be unable to maintain insurance to cover these risks at economically feasible premiums. Insurance coverage may not continue to be available or may not be adequate to cover any resulting liability. Moreover, insurance against risks such as environmental pollution or other hazards as a result of exploration and production is not generally available to the Company or to other companies in the mining industry on acceptable terms. The Company might also become subject to liability for pollution or other hazards which may not be insured against or which the Company may elect not to insure against because of premium costs or other reasons. Losses from these events may cause the Company to incur significant costs that could have a material adverse effect upon the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

22) The Company competes with larger, better capitalized competitors in the mining industry.
The mining industry is competitive in all of its phases. The Company faces strong competition from other mining companies in connection with the acquisition of properties producing, or capable of producing, base and precious metals. Many of these companies have greater financial resources, operational experience and technical capabilities than the Company. As a result of this competition, the Company may be unable to maintain or acquire attractive mining properties on terms it considers acceptable or at all. Consequently, the Company's revenues, operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

23) Any metal price hedging activities undertaken by the Company may also limit the price that it can realize on such metals.
Other than in respect of the silver and gold purchase arrangement entered into with Silver Wheaton, the Company has no hedges in place against volatility in the metal prices. The Company may engage in hedging activities in the future. Hedging activities are intended to protect a company from the fluctuations of the prices of metal and to minimize the effect of declines in prices on results of operations for a period of time. Although hedging activities may protect a company against low metal prices, they may also limit the price that can be realized on the relevant metal that is subject to forward sales and call options where the market price of the relevant metal exceeds the price in a forward sale or call option contract.

24) The Company may incur losses associated with foreign currency fluctuations.
The Company operates predominantly in the United States and Canada, and incurs most of its expenses in the Company's sole material property, which is located in the United States. Consequently, a significant portion of the Company's operating expenses are incurred in US dollars. The fluctuation of the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Canadian dollar may affect the Company's stock price and its financial condition.

25) The Company is dependent on its key personnel.
The Company's success depends on its key executives. The loss of the services of one or more of such key management personnel could have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company's ability to manage exploration and development activities, and hence its success, will depend in large part on the efforts of these individuals. The Company faces intense competition for qualified personnel, and cannot be certain that it will be able to attract and retain such personnel.

26) The Company's officers and directors may have potential conflicts of interest.
Certain of the Company's directors and officers serve as directors and/or officers of other public and private companies and devote a portion of their time to manage other business interests. This may result in certain conflicts of interest. To the extent that such other companies may participate in ventures in which the Company is also participating, such directors and officers may have a conflict of interest in negotiating and reaching an agreement with respect to the extent of each company's participation. The laws of Canada require the directors and officers to act honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. However, in conflict of interest situations, the Company's directors and officers may owe the same duty to another company and will need to balance the competing obligations and liabilities of their actions. There is no assurance that the Company's needs, will receive priority in all cases. From time to time, several companies may participate together in the acquisition, exploration and development of natural resource properties, thereby allowing these companies to: (i) participate in larger programs; (ii) acquire an interest in a greater number of programs; and (iii) reduce their financial exposure with respect to any one program. A particular company may assign, at its cost, all or a portion of its interests in a particular program to another affiliated company due to the financial position of the company making the assignment. In determining whether or not the Company will participate in a particular program and the interest therein to be acquired by it, it is expected that the Company's directors will primarily consider the degree of risk to which the Company may be exposed and its financial position at the time.

27) The Company provides indemnity and protection to its directors and officers.
Section 7 of Augusta's By-Law No.1 provides that Augusta shall indemnify a director or officer, a former director or officer, or a person who acts or acted at Augusta's request as a director or officer of a body corporate of which Augusta is or was a shareholder or creditor against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment. Thus, Augusta may be required to pay amounts to settle any such claims that may arise. The impact of any such possible future indemnity protection cannot be determined at this time.

28) The Company does not intend to pay dividends.
Augusta has never paid a dividend to its shareholders and intends to retain its cash for the continued development of its business. Augusta does not intend to pay cash dividends on its common stock in the foreseeable future. As a result, an investor's return on investment will be solely determined by his or her ability to sell the Company's common shares in the secondary market.

29) The Company faces increased costs and compliance risks as a result of being a public company.
Legal, accounting and other expenses associated with public company reporting requirements have increased significantly in the past few years. The Company anticipates that general and administrative costs associated with regulatory compliance will continue to increase with ongoing compliance requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as any new rules implemented by the SEC, Canadian Securities Administrators, the NYSE Amex and the TSX in the future. These rules and regulations have significantly increased the Company's legal and financial compliance costs and made some activities more time-consuming and costly. There can be no assurance that the Company will continue to effectively meet all of the requirements of these regulations, including Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 and National Instrument 52-109 of the Canadian Securities Administrators (�NI 52-109�). Any failure to effectively implement internal controls, or to resolve difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm the Company's operating results, cause the Company to fail to meet reporting obligations or result in management being required to give a qualified assessment of the Company's internal controls over financial reporting or the Company's independent auditors providing an adverse opinion regarding management's assessment. Any such result could cause investors to lose confidence in the Company's reported financial information, which could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of the Company's common shares. These rules and regulations have made it more difficult and more expensive for it to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and the Company may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage in the future. As a result, it may be more difficult for the Company to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve on its board of directors or as executive officers. If the Company fails to maintain the adequacy of its internal control over financial reporting, the Company's ability to provide accurate financial statements and comply with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and/or NI 52-109 could be impaired, which could cause the Company's stock price to decrease.

HOME