Accounts Receivable, net

The Company maintains reserves for potential credit losses on accounts receivable. Management reviews the composition of accounts receivable and analyzes historical bad debts, customer concentrations, customer credit worthiness, current economic trends and changes in customer payment patterns to evaluate the adequacy of these reserves. Based on historical collection activity, the Company had allowance of $19,631$19,969 and $19,770 at March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Advances to Suppliers, net

The Company makes advances to certain vendors to purchase raw material, tools and equipment for production. The advances are interest-free and unsecured. As of March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had gross advance to suppliers of $362,122$120,443 and $245,058 respectively, and the Company had allowance for advances to suppliers of $2,727$2,774 and $2,747, respectively. In addition, as of March 31, 2021, advances to suppliers also included a prepayment of $30,436 to a third-party company for purchasing equipment and a land use right; total purchase price is $167,395, the remaining $136,959 will be paid within three days after the completion of the land certificate and related deed transfer, or the prepayment will be returned to the Company if failure to obtain the land use certificate and related deed. As of this report date, the Company is still waiting for relevant authorities to process the title transfer of the land use right.

Inventories, net

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value with cost determined on a weighted-average basis. Management compares the cost of inventories with the net realizable value and an allowance is made to write down inventories to market value, if lower.  

Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred; major additions, repairs and betterments that significantly extend original useful lives or improve productivity are capitalized and depreciated over the period benefited. When property and equipment are retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and any gain or loss is included in operations. Depreciation of property and equipment is provided using the straight-line method with a 3% - 10% salvage value and estimated lives as follows: 

Depreciation of plant, property and equipment attributable to manufacturing is capitalized as part of inventories, and expensed to cost of sales when inventories are sold. 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, which include tangible assets, such as property and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable, but at least annually. 

Recoverability of long-lived assets to be held and used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the assets. Fair value generally is determined using the asset’s expected future discounted cash flows or market value, if readily determinable. Based on its review, the Company believes that, as of March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, there was no significant impairments of its long-lived assets.

Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The guidance removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.

Deferred Income

Deferred income consists primarily of government grants and subsidies for supporting the Company’s technology innovation and transformation of boric acid, lithium and magnesium sulfate projects. The Company uses most of the subsidies to purchase machinery and equipment. Deferred income is amortized to revenue (other income) over the life of the assets for which the grant and subsidy was used. Subsidies for declared project fund require government inspection to ensure proper use of the funds for the designated project.

Unearned Revenue

The Company records payments received from customers in advance of their orders as unearned revenue. These orders normally are delivered (usually within one month) based upon contract terms and customer demand. 

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenues when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which it expects to receive for those goods. The Company recognizes revenues following the five-step model prescribed under ASU No. 2014-09: (i) identify contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenues when (or as) we satisfy the performance obligation.

Revenues from product sales are recognized when the customer obtains control of the Company’s product, which occurs typically upon receipts of the goods by customers. Sales and purchases are recorded net of VAT collected and paid as the Company acts as an agent for the government. VAT taxes are not affected by the income tax holiday. 

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales consists primarily of material costs and direct labor and manufacturing overhead attributable to the production of the products. Write-down of inventory to lower of cost or net realizable value is also recorded in cost of sales. 

Research and Development Costs

Research and development (“R&D”) costs are expensed as incurred and included in general and administrative expenses. These costs primarily consist of cost of materials used, salaries paid for the Company’s development department and fees paid to third parties. R&D costs for the six and three months ended March 31,June 30, 2021 and 2020 were immaterial.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for share-based compensation awards to employees in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation”, which requires that share-based payment transactions with employees be measured based on the grant-date fair value of the equity instrument issued and recognized as compensation expense over the requisite service period. 

The Company accounts for share-based compensation awards to non-employees in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 and FASB ASC Subtopic 505-50, “Equity-Based Payments to Non-employees”. Share-based compensation associated with the issuance of equity instruments to non-employees is measured at the fair valuevalue(“FV”) of the equity instrument issued or committed to be issued, as this is more reliable than the fair valueFV of the services received. The fair valueFV is measured at the date that the commitment for performance by the counterparty has been reached or the counterparty’s performance is complete.

Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2018-07, "Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting," which expands the scope of ASC 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from non-employees. An entity should apply the requirements of FASB ASC 718 to non-employee awards except for specific guidance on inputs to an option pricing model and the attribution of cost. The amendments specify that FASB ASC 718 applies to all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in a grantor's own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 did not have an impact on the Company’s CFS.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for using an asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences in future years of differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts at each period end based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates, applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

The Company follows FASB ASC Topic 740, which prescribes a more-likely-than-not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FASB ASC Topic 740 also provides guidance on recognition of income tax assets and liabilities, classification of current and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, accounting for interest and penalties associated with tax positions, accounting for income taxes in interim periods, and income tax disclosures.

Under the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 740, when tax returns are filed, it is likely that some positions taken would be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities, while others are subject to uncertainty about the merits of the position taken or the amount of the position that would be ultimately sustained. The benefit of a tax position is recognized in the financial statements in the period during which, based on all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated with other positions. Tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold are measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement with the applicable taxing authority. The portion of the benefits associated with tax positions taken that exceeds the amount measured as described above is reflected as a liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the accompanying balance sheets along with any associated interest and penalties that would be payable to the taxing authorities upon examination. Interest associated with unrecognized tax benefits is classified as interest expense and penalties are classified in selling, general and administrative expenses in the statement of operations.  At March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company did not take any uncertain positions that would necessitate recording a tax related liability.   

Noncontrolling Interests

The Company follows FASB ASC Topic 810, “Consolidation,” governing the accounting for and reporting of noncontrolling interests (“NCIs”) in partially owned consolidated subsidiaries and the loss of control of subsidiaries. Certain provisions of this standard indicate, among other things, that NCI (previously referred to as minority interests) be treated as a separate component of equity, not as a liability, that increases and decreases in the parent’s ownership interest that leave control intact be treated as equity transactions rather than as step acquisitions or dilution gains or losses, and that losses of a partially-owned consolidated subsidiary be allocated to non-controlling interests even when such allocation might result in a deficit balance. 

The net income (loss) attributed to NCI was separately designated in the accompanying statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). Losses attributable to NCI in a subsidiary may exceed a non-controlling interest’sNCIs interests in the subsidiary’s equity. The excess attributable to NCI is attributed to those interests. non-controlling interestsNCIs shall continue to be attributed their share of losses even if that attribution results in a deficit non-controlling interestsNCIs balance.

On April 15, 2020, Technology and Xi’an Jinzang formed a JV, Qinghai Zhongli, to process brine supplied by Technology. Technology owns 51% of the JV and Xi’an Jinzang owns the remaining 49%. During the six and three months ended March 31,June 30, 2021, the Company had loss of $9,933$39,920 and $29,987 attributable to the NCI. During the six and three months ended June 30, 2020, the Company had loss of $2,745 and $2,745 attributable to the NCI. 

Concentration of Credit Risk

Cash includes cash on hand and demand deposits in accounts maintained within China. Balances at financial institutions and state-owned banks within the PRC are covered by insurance up to RMB 500,000 (US$($77,000) per bank. Any balance over RMB 500,000 ($77,000) per PRC bank in PRC will not be covered. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts.

Certain other financial instruments, which subject the Company to concentration of credit risk, consist of accounts and other receivables. The Company does not require collateral or other security to support these receivables. The Company conducts periodic reviews of its customers’ financial condition and customer payment practices to minimize collection risk on accounts receivable.

The operations of the Company are located primarily in China. Accordingly, the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations may be influenced by the political, economic and legal environments in China, as well as by the general state of the PRC economy.

Basic and Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share (EPS)

Basic EPS is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS is computed similarly, except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. Diluted EPS are based on the assumption that all dilutive convertible shares and stock options were converted or exercised. Dilution is computed by applying the treasury stock method. Under this method, options and warrants are assumed to have been exercised at the beginning of the period (or at the time of issuance, if later), and as if funds obtained thereby were used to purchase common stock at the average market price during the period.   

Foreign Currency Translation and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The accounts of the US parent company are maintained in USD. The functional currency of the Company’s China subsidiaries is the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (“RMB”). The accounts of the China subsidiaries were translated into USD in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 830, “Foreign Currency Matters.” According to FASB ASC Topic 830, all assets and liabilities were translated at the exchange rate on the balance sheet date, stockholders’ equity was translated at the historical rates and statement of operations items were translated at the average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments are reported under other comprehensive income in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 220, “Comprehensive Income.”

Statement of Cash Flows

In accordance with FASB ASC Topic 230, “Statement of Cash Flows,” cash flows from the Company’s operations are calculated based upon the local currencies. As a result, amounts shown on the statement of cash flows may not necessarily agree with changes in the corresponding asset and liability on the balance sheet.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Certain of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and equivalents, notes receivable, accrued liabilities and accounts payable, carrying amounts approximate their fair valueFV due to their short maturities. FASB ASC Topic 825, “Financial Instruments,” requires disclosure of the fair value (“FV”)FV of financial instruments held by the Company. The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheets for current liabilities each qualify as financial instruments and are a reasonable estimate of their FV because of the short period of time between the origination of such instruments and their expected realization and the current market rate of interest.

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures

FASB ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” defines FV, and establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosures of FV measurement that enhances disclosure requirements for FV measures. The three levels are defined as follow:

Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement: Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which modifies the disclosure requirements for Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 instruments in the FV hierarchy.

As of March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company did not identify any assets and liabilities that are required to be presented on the balance sheet at FV. 

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease or contains a lease at inception. Operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the remaining lease payments, discounted using the discount rate for the lease at the commencement date. As the rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable for the operating lease, the Company generally uses an incremental borrowing rate based on information available at the commencement date to determine the present value of future lease payments. Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU assets”) assets represent the Company’s right to control the use of an identified asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets are generally recognized based on the amount of the initial measurement of the lease liability. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company will elect the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance to combine the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component for operating leases, and will keep leases with an initial term of 12 months or less off the balance sheet and recognize the associated lease payments in the consolidated statements of income on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

ROU assets are reviewed for impairment when indicators of impairment are present. ROU assets from operating and finance leases are subject to the impairment guidance in ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment, as ROU assets are long-lived nonfinancial assets.

ROU assets are tested for impairment individually or as part of an asset group if the cash flows related to the ROU asset are not independent from the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. An asset group is the unit of accounting for long-lived assets to be held and used, which represents the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets and liabilities.

Operating leases are included in operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities (current and non-current), on the consolidated balance sheets.  The Company did not have any leases as of March 31,June 30, 2021.

Related Parties

Parties are considered to be related to the Company if the parties, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, control, are controlled by, or are under common control with the Company. Related parties also include principal owners of the Company, its management, members of the immediate families of principal owners of the Company and its management and other parties with which the Company may deal with if one party controls or can significantly influence the management or operating policies of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing its own separate interests. The Company discloses all significant related party transactions.

Segment Reporting

FASB ASC Topic 280, “Segment Reporting,” requires use of the “management approach” model for segment reporting. The management approach model is based on the way a company’s management organizes segments within the company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. Reportable segments are based on products and services, geography, legal structure, management structure, or any other manner in which management disaggregates a company. Management determined the Company’s current operations constitute a single reportable segment in accordance with ASC 280. The Company currently operates in one1 business and industry segment: manufacture and sale of boric acid. The Company plans to expand its manufacturing facilities through a newly formed joint ventureJV with Qinghai Zhongli in which the Company owns 51% to produce lithium carbonate for the electric vehicle battery market in China. Qinghai Zhongli is currently constructing the production workshop but has no production yet.

Reclassification

Certain prior period balance sheet accounts were reclassified for the purpose of consistency with the current year’s presentation.

New Accounting Pronouncements 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326), which requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. This replaces the existing incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2022. Early application will be permitted for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the standard will have on its CFS.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The guidance removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its FV, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The guidance should be adopted on a prospective basis. As a smaller reporting company, the standard will be effective for the Company for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this standard on its CFS.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) (“ASU 2020-04”). ASU 2020-04 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in ASU 2020-04 is optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the guidance and may apply the elections as applicable as changes in the market occur.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470- 20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies the accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. This ASU (1) simplifies the accounting for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock by removing the existing guidance in ASC 470-20, Debt: Debt with Conversion and Other Options, that requires entities to account for beneficial conversion features and cash conversion features in equity, separately from the host convertible debt or preferred stock; (2) revises the scope exception from derivative accounting in ASC 815-40 for freestanding financial instruments and embedded features that are both indexed to the issuer’s own stock and classified in stockholders’ equity, by removing certain criteria required for equity classification; and (3) revises the guidance in ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, to require entities to calculate diluted earnings per share (EPS) for convertible instruments by using the if-converted method. In addition, entities must presume share settlement for purposes of calculating diluted EPS when an instrument may be settled in cash or shares. For SEC filers, excluding smaller reporting companies, ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. For all other entities, ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Entities should adopt the guidance as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption and cannot adopt the guidance in an interim reporting period.  The Company is currently evaluating the impact that ASU 2020-06 may have on its CFS.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, including its Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the SEC did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on the Company’s present or future CFS.

3. INVENTORIES, NET 

Inventories at March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, were as follows: 

4. NOTES RECEIVABLE – BANK ACCEPTANCES

The Company sold goods to its customers and received notes (bank acceptances) from them in lieu of payment. These bank acceptances were issued by customers to the Company and would be honored by the applicable bank. The Company may hold a bank acceptance until the maturity for full payment, or have the bank acceptance cashed out by the bank at a discount at an earlier date, or transfer the bank acceptance to its vendors in lieu of payment for their own obligations. As of March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had notes receivable of $73,045$32,507 and $96,367, respectively; and at March 31,June 30, 2021, the Company had $0.84$0.65 million notes receivable that were endorsed to its vendors, in lieu of payment. The Company was contingently liable for these notes receivable until paid.

5. OTHER RECEIVABLES

Other receivables consisted of the following at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:

6. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

Property and equipment consisted of the following at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively:

In May 2021, the Company acquired RMB 1.1 million ($170,270) of land and building structures from a bankrupt company, of which, $115,760 was for building structures including workshop and office, $54,510 was for the land use right (see Note 7). The Company prepaid RMB 200,000 ($30,960) in March 2020, and paid remaining balance of RMB 900,000 ($139,310) in May 2021.

Depreciation for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 was $181,059 and $151,543, respectively. Depreciation for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 was $90,525 and $75,197, respectively. 

5. OTHER RECEIVABLES7. INTANGIBLE ASSET, NET

Other receivablesIntangible asset consisted of the following at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020:June 30, 2021:

6. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NETThe Company acquired land use right of $54,512 from a bankrupt company in May 2021, the transfer of Land Use Right Certificate was in process as of this report date. The Company has the right to use the land for 37 years and eight months and is amortizing such rights on a straight-line basis.

Property and equipment consisted ofAmortization for the following at March 31, 2021six months and December 31, 2020, respectively:

Depreciation for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2021 was $233 and 2020 was $90,534 and $76,346,$233, respectively. Annual amortization for the next five years from June 30, 2021, is expected to be $1,442 for each year.

7.8. CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS (“CIP”)

As of March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had CIP of $783,141$1,291,020 and $141,846, respectively. The CIP was mainly for Qinghai Zhongli’s Adsorption Station Project, which is the early stage of an integrated lithium carbonate production system. The adsorption station is equipped with a liquid storage tank for the adsorption material to be placed inside, and its function is to preliminarily extract lithium mother solution from brine for initial purification; the lithium mother solution will go into evaporation shed for refining and concentration; and the concentrated mother solution (also called lithium water saturated solution) is then sent to the production workshop for precipitation and drying to form the finished product of lithium carbonate. As of March 31,June 30, 2021, the Company spent $783,141$1,291,020 for constructing the adsorption station; as of this report date, the Company completed the construction of twoNo. 1 adsorption stations, and is currently doing the equipment commissioningtechnological transformation for No. 2 refining station for adding the second absorption station.adsorption tank to increase daily production. The Company was committed to pay $203,180 more$196,000 based on the various construction - related contracts entered as of March 31,June 30, 2021.

8.9. TAXES PAYABLE

Taxes payable consisted of the following March 31,June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively: