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Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
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June 14, 2012
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Commission File Number
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000-31380
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APPLIED MINERALS, INC.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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82-0096527
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
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110 Greene Street – Suite 1101, New York, NY
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10012
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(Address of principal executive offices)
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(Zip Code)
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(800) 356-6463
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(Issuer’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
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□
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230-425)
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240-14a-12)
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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A.
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On June 14, 2012, the Company, at the direction of the Board of Directors, dismissed PMB Helin Donovan LLP as its independent accountant. The directors believed that as the Company transitions the primary place of its financial recordkeeping and accounting functions from Idaho (which was the place of the Company’s headquarters until 2009) to New York City, it was appropriate to move the auditing function from Spokane, Washington to New York City.
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a.
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There were no disagreements with PMB Helin Donovan LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement(s), if not resolved to the satisfaction of PMB Helin Donovan LLP, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement(s) in connection with its report.
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b.
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PMB Helin Donovan LLP did not advise the Company that the internal controls necessary for the Company to develop reliable financial statements did not exist except that in its attestation report as of December 31, 2011, PMB Helin Donovan LLP indicated the Company did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011 because of the effect of a material weaknesses on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria and contains an explanatory paragraph that states:
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1.
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Certain controls over equity were not effective to ensure that all transactions involving equity were recorded in an accurate and timely fashion;
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2.
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Certain controls were not effective to ensure that all expenses were accurately categorized;
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3.
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The Company did not have adequate control over the recording and monitoring of purchase orders and accounts receivables; and
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4.
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There was an insufficient number of personnel with appropriate technical accounting and SEC reporting expertise to perform a timely financial close process, adhere to certain control disciplines, and to evaluate and properly record certain non-routine and complex transactions. This resulted in audit adjustments, which are material in the aggregate and necessary to present the annual audited financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In light of the actual audit adjustments required and the effect on the account balances and related disclosures in the financial statements management determined there is a more than a remote likelihood that material misstatement could occur and not be detected in the Company's interim or annual audited financial statements.
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c.
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PMB Helin Donovan LLP did not advise the Company that information had come to the PMB Helin Donovan LLP’s attention that has led it to no longer be able to rely on management's representations, or that had made it unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by management;
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d.
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PMB Helin Donovan LLP did not advise the Company of the need to expand significantly the scope of its audit, or that information has come to PMB Helin Donovan LLP’s attention, that, if further investigated, may have:
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i.
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Materially impacted the fairness or reliability of either: a previously issued audit report or the underlying financial statements; or the financial statements issued or to be issued covering the fiscal period(s) subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements covered by an audit report (including information that may prevent it from rendering an unqualified audit report on those financial statements), or
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ii.
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Caused it to be unwilling to rely on management's representations or be associated with the Company's financial statements
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e.
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PMB Helin Donovan LLP did not advise the Company that information has come to PMB Helin Donovan LLP’s attention that it concluded materially impacted the fairness or reliability of either (i) a previously issued audit report or the underlying financial statements, or (ii) the financial statements issued or to be issued covering the fiscal period(s) subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements covered by an audit report
(including information that, unless resolved to the accountant's satisfaction, would prevent it from rendering an unqualified audit report on those financial statements),
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B.
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On June 18, 2012, the Company engaged EisnerAmper LLP as its independent accountant.
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i.
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The application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements; or
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ii.
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Any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement (as defined in paragraph 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or a reportable event (as described in paragraph 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K, there being no such disagreements or reportable events.
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APPLIED MINERALS, INC.
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Dated:
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June 19, 2012
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/s/ ANDRE ZEITOUN
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By: Andre Zeitoun
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President and Chief Executive Officer
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