§ 1.615-1. Pre-1970 exploration expenditures.

¶(a) General rule. Section 615 prescribes rules for the treatment of expenditures (paid or incurred before January 1, 1970) for ascertaining the existence, location, extent, or quality of any deposit of ore or other mineral (other than oil or gas) paid or incurred by the taxpayer before the beginning of the development stage of the mine or other natural deposit. Such expenditures hereinafter in the regulations under section 615 will be referred to as exploration expenditures. The development stage of the mine or other natural deposit will be deemed to begin at the time when, in consideration of all the facts and circumstances (including the actions of the taxpayer), deposits of ore or other mineral are shown to exist in sufficient quantity and quality to reasonably justify commercial exploitation by the taxpayer. A taxpayer who elects under section (e) may treat exploration expenditures under either section 615(a) or section 615(b). See § 1.615-6 for the method of making the election to treat exploration expenditures under section 615. Under section 615(a), a taxpayer may, at his option, deduct exploration expenditures paid or incurred in an amount not to exceed $100,000 for any taxable year. Under section 615(b) and § 1.615-2, he may elect to defer any part of such amount and deduct such part on a ratable basis as the units of produced minerals benefited by such expenditures are sold. If the taxpayer does not treat exploration expenditures under either section 615 (a) or (b) in any year for which his election under section 615(e) is effective, the expenditures for such year will be charged to depletable capital account. The option to deduct under section 615(a) and the election to defer under section 615(b), however, are subject to the limitation provided in section 615(c) and § 1.615-4. In the case of certain corporations which are members of an affiliated group which has elected the 100 percent dividends received deduction under section 243(b), see section 243(b) (3) and § 1.243-5 for limitations on the option to deduct under section 615(a) and the election to defer under section 615(b).

¶(b) Expenditures to which section 615 is not applicable.