Expensing of Exploration and Development for Non-fuel Minerals

Expensing of costs associated with exploration and development refers to the ability of some extractive industries to fully deduct these costs from their taxable income immediately or as they are incurred rather than waiting for those activities to generate income. This is an exception to general tax rules, which normally require companies to capitalize these costs (i.e. depletion or depreciation) over the life of the asset. Costs that can be expensed by minerals producers include prospecting for hard minerals. Noncorporate mineral producers may fully expense their costs, while corporate mineral producers may expense 70 percent of their costs and deduct the remaining 30 percent over 60 months.