
Securities
Trading Policy
Introduction:
This policy is intended to
raise the general level of awareness of the trading and confidentiality
obligations of employees, officers and directors of Almaden Minerals
Ltd.
In this policy, the Company
includes any subsidiary of the Company.
Broadly speaking, an employee,
officer or member of the Board of Directors of the Company with
knowledge of material undisclosed corporate information may not
trade in securities of the Company or otherwise use or selectively
disclose the information until the information is publicly known.
In order to reduce potential exposure for liability under securities
laws, employees, officers and board members must not trade in
the Company s securities during
-
1.the Blackout Periods described
in this policy; and
2.when advised not to do so by the CEO or the Chair of the Independent
Board as a result of the existence of material undisclosed information.
Breaches of confidentiality
and violations of insider trading and tipping laws carry severe
consequences both for the Company and the individuals involved.
Therefore, all employees, officers and directors of the Company
must comply with the provisions and procedures of this policy.
This policy also reinforces
the Company's commitment to guard its confidential information.
The ethical and business principles underlying this policy may
extend beyond even the stringent requirements of applicable securities
laws.
Definitions:
"Blackout Period" is:
- the period beginning 5 business
days before the announcement of the financial results for the
end of each fiscal quarter of the Company and ending at the end
of the business day after the day of the announcement of the
financial results for the quarter and, in respect of the fourth
quarter, the financial results for the year; and
- for all other Company announcements
of Material Information, the period beginning on the day of the
announcement and ending at the end of the business day after
the day of the announcement.
A member of senior management
will be considered as the "Information Officer", who
is responsible for designating a period as a Blackout Period.
"Employees" means all individuals
currently employed by the Company or any of its direct or indirect
affiliates or under contract to Almaden or any of its direct
or indirect affiliates, and includes the spouses, and other
individuals residing in the same home, of such individuals.
"Information Officer" means the individual designated by
the Board of Directors of the Company whom employees or insiders
may contact to determine whether or not they may execute trades
in the market or reveal Undisclosed Material Information in the
necessary course of business.
"Insider" means all directors, senior officers
or any other individual who performs a similar function and any
person or company that beneficially owns or exercises control
or direction over 10% or more of the common shares of the Company.
Note that the trading restrictions described above cover individuals
that are in a special relationship with the Company which is
a broader category than insiders. The insider designation identifies
those individuals who are required by law to publicly disclose
their trades.
"Material Change" means a change in the
business, operations or capital of the Company that would reasonably
be expected to have a significant affect on the market price
or value of any of the securities of the Company and includes
a decision to implement the change by the Board of Directors
or by senior management who believe that confirmation of the
decision by the Board is probable.
"Material Fact" means a fact that
significantly affects or would reasonably be expected to have
a significant affect on the market price or value of the Company's
securities.
"Material Information" means any information (Material Fact
or Material Change) relating to the business and affairs of the
Company that: (i) results in or would reasonably be expected
to result in a significant change in the market price or value
of any of the Company's securities; or (ii) would be considered
important by investors in making decisions whether to purchase,
sell or hold securities of the Company.
"Pending Material
Developments" means a proposed transaction
of the Company that would constitute Material Information, however,
a decision to proceed with the transaction has not been made
by the Board of Directors or by senior management with the expectation
of concurrence from the Board.
"Special Relationship
Person" means:
(a) a person or company that is, currently or formerly, an Insider,
affiliate or associate of:
(i) the Company;
(ii) a person or company that is proposing to make a take-over
bid for the
securities of the Company; or
(iii) a person or company that is proposing to become a party
to a business combination with the Company or to acquire a substantial
portion of its property;
(b) a person or company that
is engaging in or proposes to engage in any business or professional
activity with or on behalf of the Company or with or on behalf
of a person or company described in subclause (a)(ii) or (iii);
(c) a person who is an Employee
of the Company or of a person or company described in subclause
(a)(ii) or (iii) or clause (b);
(d) a person or company that
learned of the material fact or material change with respect
to the Company while the person or company was a person or company
described in clause (a), (b) or (c);
(e) a person or company that
learns of a material fact or material change with respect to
the Company from any other person or company described in this
subsection, including a person or company described in this clause,
and knows or ought reasonably to have known, that the other person
or company is a person or company in such a relationship.
"Undisclosed Material
Information" means Material Information
pertaining to the Company that has not been publicly disclosed
or information that has been publicly disclosed, but a reasonable
period of time for its dissemination has not passed.
Terms of this Policy
Insider trading is a complex
area of the law. There are many circumstances in which an individual
legitimately may be unsure about the application of this policy.
In these situations, a simple question may forestall disciplinary
action or complex legal problems. If there is any question or
concern with respect to the application of this policy to any
employee or insider or to any particular circumstance, the Information
Officer should be contacted for guidance.
Information Officer
For purposes of this policy
and until the designation is changed by the Board of Directors
of the Company , Duane Poliquin (CEO) and Morgan Poliquin (OO)
have each been designated as the Information Officer and can
be contacted at (604) 689-7644. When Special Relationship Persons
have concerns about whether or not certain information is Undisclosed
Material Information, they should contact the Information Officer
to obtain permission before executing any trades in securities
of the Company. If the information is such that it would influence
Special Relationship to buy or sell securities of the Company
then that fact alone suggests that it is Material Information.
Special Relationship Persons should err on the side of caution
in such matters.
Trading in Securities of
the Company
Under applicable securities
laws, a person in a Special Relationship with the Company may
not trade in securities of the Company if the person knows material
information with respect to the Company that has not been generally
disclosed to the public. If the person trades securities of the
Company in such a circumstance, the person may be liable to compensate
the seller or purchaser of the securities, as the case may be,
for damages resulting from the sale. A trade includes a purchase
or sale of securities, an offer or solicitation to purchase or
sell securities and an exercise of an option, warrant or other
convertible security.
Material Information
Any information relating to
the Company or its business and affairs that would have, or would
reasonably be expected to have, a significant effect on the value
or market price of the Company's securities is material information.
This includes information about significant changes to senior
management, financial results, decisions concerning dividends,
major acquisitions or dispositions, investments, sales or restructurings,
and the acquisition or loss of important contracts.
Rule Against Tipping
No employee, officer or board
member with knowledge of material information with respect to
the Company that has not been generally disclosed to the public
may inform or tip others of such information, except in the necessary
course of business as required in order to carry out the duties
of the person s office or employment with the Company.
Rule as it Applies to Other
Entities
Where the Company is involved
in an undisclosed transaction with another entity, which may
be a material transaction, each employee, officer and board member
of the Company may be in a special relationship with the other
entity and, therefore, cannot trade in securities of the other
entity using knowledge pertaining to the transaction.
When Information Becomes
Public
Information is considered to
become public when it has been released to the public through
appropriate channels, such as by news release or public statements
by senior officers. In recognition of the need to ensure that
enough time has elapsed to permit the investment community to
absorb and evaluate information, the Company has established
Blackout Periods during which employees, officers and board members
may not trade in the Company's securities.
Trading Outside Blackout Periods
Because at any time outside
the Blackout Periods there may exist material corporate information
that has not been publicly disclosed and which might significantly
affect the price or value of the Company's securities, any trades
by an insider or by an employee who may have access to this information
should be pre-cleared with either the CEO or the Chair of the
Independent Board.
Notification of Trades
All trades of securities by
an officer or board member, or any of his or her associates,
must be reported by the officer or director within three days
to either the CEO or the Chair of the Independent Board.
Insider Trading Reporting
It is the personal duty of
each of the Company's board members, senior officers and other
insiders to file insider reports following any trade or other
change in holdings of securities of the Company (including the
exercise of any options) in accordance with securities laws.
If a board member or officer requires assistance with filing
procedures the Company will provide it but the provision or non-provision
of such assistance will not relieve the individual responsible
or board member or officer to file insider reports in a timely
and accurate manner. Currently, insider reports must be filed
within 10 days after a change in direct or indirect beneficial
ownership of, or control or direction over, the Company's securities.
Insider trading reports must be filed electronically under the
electronic filing system known as SEDI. Registration of the Company's
insiders under SEDI is available through the Company's counsel,
William J. Worrall, Q.C. Law Corporation.
Individual Responsibility
Each insider or person in a
special relationship with the Company has the individual responsibility
to comply with this policy and applicable securities laws. The
guidelines set forth in this policy are guidelines only, and
appropriate judgment should be exercised in connection with any
trade in the Company s securities.
Penalties
If Special Relationship Persons
were caught trading on Undisclosed Material Information it would
cause great embarrassment to the Company. As a result, the Company
may take its own disciplinary actions, including termination
of employment or association or implementation of a probationary
period. The Company will also report the matter to the appropriate
regulatory authorities.
The prohibition against trading
on Undisclosed Material Information as set forth in Canadian
securities legislation can be enforced through a wide range of
penalties, including:
(a) fines of up to three times
any profit made or loss avoided, or $5 million Canadian, whichever
is greater and/or penal sanctions including imprisonment of not
more than 5 years less a day;
(b) civil actions for damages;
(c) an accounting to the Company
for any benefit or advantage received; and
(d) administrative sanctions
by securities commissions, such as cease trade orders and removal
of exemptions.
Policy Review
The Company will review this
policy annually to ensure that it is achieving its purpose. Based
on the results of the review, the policy may be revised accordingly.
March 31st 2006