Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending 12-31, 2025 (Form 10-K)

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Plan of Operation

Idaho Strategic is a gold producer and critical minerals exploration company focused on a diversified asset base and cash flows from operations. Its portfolio of mineral properties are located in the historic producing silver and gold districts of the Coeur d'Alene Mining region of north Idaho and the Elk City region of north-central Idaho, as well as the historic REE-Th Belt located near the city of Salmon in central Idaho.

The Company's plan of operation is to generate positive cash flow, increase its gold production and asset base over time while being mindful of corporate overhead. The Company's management is focused on utilizing its in-house technical and operating skills to build a portfolio of producing mines and milling operations with a focus on gold production and critical minerals exploration.

The Company's gold properties include: the Golden Chest (currently in production), and the New Jersey Mill (majority ownership interest), as well as the Little Baldy and Niagara exploration properties and other less advanced properties. The Company's primary focus as it relates to its gold properties is to continue to grow production at the Golden Chest Mine and look to reinvest the cash flow into both the Golden Chest, the New Jersey Mill, and furthering its exploration efforts near the Golden Chest, as well as at its REE properties.

In addition to its gold properties, Idaho Strategic has three REE exploration properties in Idaho known as Mineral Hill, Lemhi Pass, and Diamond Creek. The Company's expansion into REE's came about in an effort to diversify its holdings towards the anticipated demand for these elements in advanced robotics, low-carbon technologies, and a renewed focus on the United States' domestic critical minerals supply chain security for national defense. To date, Idaho Strategic has conducted numerous exploration programs on its REE properties which include mapping, sampling, trenching, and drilling of certain areas within the Company's 21,385-acre landholdings.

Idaho Strategic has been able to leverage its track record of operations and experience in mining, milling, and exploring at the Golden Chest to develop relationships with different state government agencies, universities, national labs, and other government and non-government entities to advance its REE exploration activities on multiple fronts. Idaho Strategic plans to continue to look for additional partnerships to find mutually beneficial solutions to advance the U.S.' domestic REE supply chain.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The SEC has requested that all registrants address their most critical accounting policies. The SEC has indicated that a "critical accounting policy" is one which is both important to the representation of the registrant's financial condition and results and requires management's most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, often because of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. The Company bases its estimates on experience and on various other assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results will differ and may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Additionally, changes in accounting estimates could occur in the future from period to period. Company management has discussed the development and selection of the most critical financial estimates with the Audit and Finance Committee of the Company's Board of Directors. The following paragraphs identify the most critical accounting policies:

The Company's concentrate sales sometimes involve variable consideration, as they can be subject to changes in metals prices between the time of shipment and their final settlement. However, the transaction price can be reasonably estimated for the concentrate sales at the time of shipment using forward prices for the estimated month of settlement, and previously recorded sales and accounts receivable are adjusted to estimated settlement metals prices until final settlement for financial reporting purposes. The embedded derivative contained in the Company's concentrate sales is adjusted to fair value through earnings each period prior to final settlement. It is unlikely a significant reversal of revenue for any one concentrate lot will occur. As such, the expected value method is used to price the concentrate until the final settlement date occurs, at which time the final transaction price is known. At December 31, 2025, metals that had been sold but not final settled included 6,103 ounces of gold of which 5,089 ounces were sold at a predetermined price with the remaining 1,014 ounces exposed to future price changes until prices are locked in based on the month of settlement. The Company has received provisional payments on the sale of these ounces with the remaining amount due reflected in gold sales receivable.

The asset retirement obligation and asset on the balance sheet is based on an estimate of the future cost to recover and remediate Company properties as required by permits upon cessation of operations and may differ when operations actually cease. At December 31, 2025, the Company made an estimate that the cost of the machine and man hours probable to be needed to put its properties in the condition required by permits once operations cease would be $104,000 for the Golden Chest Mine property and $224,000 for the New Jersey Mine and Mill. For purposes of the estimate, the Company evaluated the expected life in years and costs that, initially, are comparable to rates that would be presently incurred. The Company is adding to the liability each year, and amortizing the asset over the estimated life, which decreases net income in total each year. Periodic reviews are made of the remaining life of the mine and other operations, and the estimated remediation costs upon closure, and account balances are adjusted accordingly. At this time, the Company thinks that an adjustment in its asset recovery obligation is not required, and an adjustment in future periods would not have a material impact in the year of adjustment but would change the amount of the annual accretion and amortization costs charged to expenses by an undetermined amount.

Amortization of development costs is calculated using the units-of-production method over the expected life as per the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification 360-10-35-4. This includes the cost to define proven and probable reserves and measured and indicated resources accessible via the Main Access Ramp ("MAR"). Measured resources are 90-100% interpolated, and indicated resources 75-80% interpolated, using a 2 grams per tonne gold cut-off grade at the diluted minimum mining width. Conservative estimation parameters (three samples within 25 meters for measured, two within 50 meters for indicated) and economic factors ensure viability. Inferred resources are excluded to reduce uncertainty, and therefore, the volumes are risk-adjusted. Assumptions are regularly evaluated, with material deviations disclosed to ensure a systematic and rational cost allocation. More information on the Company's reserves and resources can be found in the Technical Report Summary For the Golden Chest Mine which is included as Exhibit 96.1 to this Form 10-K.

Golden Chest Highlights for 2025 include:

REE Exploration Highlights for 2025 include:

Results of Operations

Idaho Strategic's financial performance for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024 is summarized below:

Cash Costs and All-In Sustaining Costs Reconciliation to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP")

Reconciliation of cost of sales and other direct production costs and depreciation, depletion, and amortization (GAAP) to cash cost per ounce and All-In Sustaining Costs ("AISC") per ounce (non-GAAP).

The table below presents reconciliations between the most comparable GAAP measure of cost of sales and other direct production costs and depreciation, depletion, and amortization to the non-GAAP measures of cash cost per ounce produced and AISC per ounce produced for the Company's gold production for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024. The cost per ounce calculations are based on ounces produced. Upon sale, the Company typically receives payment at an average rate of 94% of ounces produced after smelting and refining charges are deducted.

Cash cost per ounce is an important operating measure that we utilize to measure operating performance. AISC per ounce is an important measure that we utilize to assess net cash flow after costs for pre-development, exploration, reclamation, and sustaining capital. Current GAAP measures used in the mining industry, such as cost of goods sold do not capture all the expenditures incurred to discover, develop, and sustain gold production. During 2024, the Company adjusted the method of calculating sustaining capital to better reflect actual costs required to sustain mining operations. Prior periods have been restated in the table below to reflect this change. Idaho Strategic calculates sustaining capital by including depreciation and amortization as an estimate of property, plant, and equipment wear and tear necessary to maintain production capacity, plus Golden Chest capitalized development costs, net of current period amortization, to reflect expenses for sustaining mine access and gold production.

Financial Condition and Liquidity

The Company has retained earnings of approximately $8.3 million at December 31, 2025 and earned a consolidated net profit in 2025 of $16,631,198. The Company's working capital at December 31, 2025 is $47,669,136. The Company is currently producing from underground at the Golden Chest. During 2025, production generated positive cash flow from operations of $19,101,691 compared to a positive cash flow from operations of $10,840,886 in 2024. Planned production for the next 18 months indicates a positive cash flow from operations will continue as underground mining of the H-Vein and Jumbo vein remains the primary source of ore feed for the mill. In prior years, the Company has been successful in raising required funds for ongoing operations from sale of its common stock or borrowing. Management believes it can meet its contractual obligations with continuing cash flows from operations, existing cash, and potential financings for the next 18 months.