ALTAIR INTERNATIONAL INC
S-3/A, 1998-05-08
METAL MINING
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       As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 8, 1998
                           Registration No. 333-45511
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                               -------------------
                           AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                    Under the
                             Securities Act of 1933
                               -------------------

                            Altair International Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

    Province of Ontario, Canada                            None         
  (State or other jurisdiction of                    (I.R.S. employer   
   incorporation or organization)                  identification number)
                                                  
                                             
                                             
                               -------------------

                                 William P. Long
                                    President
                            Altair International Inc.
                         1725 Sheridan Avenue, Suite 140
                               Cody, Wyoming 82414
                                 (307) 587-8245
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
                               -------------------
                                   Copies to:

                              Brian G. Lloyd, Esq.
                              Bryan T. Allen, Esq.
                      PARR, WADDOUPS, BROWN, GEE & LOVELESS
                       185 South State Street, Suite 1300
                           Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
                                 (801) 532-7840

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as
practicable  after  the  effective  date  of  this  Registration   Statement  as
determined by market conditions.

     If the only  securities  being  registered  on this Form are being  offered
pursuant to dividend or interest  reinvestment plans, please check the following
box: |_|

     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box: |X|

     If this Form is filed to  register  additional  securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number  of the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering: |_|

     If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the  Securities  Act,  check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering: |_|

     If delivery of the  prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box: |_|

<TABLE>
                                          CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================================================================================================================================
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           Proposed
                                                                  Proposed maximum         maximum
           Title of each class                 Amount to be      offering price per   aggregate offering        Amount of
     of securities to be registered           registered(1)           share(2)             price(2)        registration fee(2)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                               <C>                  <C>                <C>                    <C>    
Common Shares, no par value..............         924,973              $8.625             $7,977,892             $2,393*
================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

* Previously paid.

(1)  Includes  644,973  shares which  represent the  Registrant's  estimate of a
     presently  indeterminate  number of shares  issuable upon conversion of the
     Registrant's 5% Convertible Subordinated Debentures due December 29, 2001.
(2)  Estimated  pursuant  to  Rule  457  for  the  purpose  of  calculating  the
     registration  fee,  based upon the average of the high and low sales prices
     for the Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq  National Market on April 6,
     1998.

     The Registrant  hereby amends this  Registration  Statement on such date or
dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall
file a further  amendment  which  specifically  states  that  this  Registration
Statement shall  thereafter  become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or until the  Registration  Statement  shall become
effective on such date as the Commission,  acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.
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<PAGE>



                                   PROSPECTUS

                                 924,973 Shares

                                  Common Stock
                               ------------------
     This Prospectus  relates to 924,973 shares of outstanding common shares, no
par value  (the  "Common  Stock"),  of Altair  International  Inc.,  an  Ontario
corporation  (the  "Company").  All of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby
(the  "Shares") are to be sold by persons who are existing  security  holders of
the Company (the "Selling  Security  Holders").  Of the Shares  offered  hereby,
644,973  Shares  represent the Company's  estimate,  pursuant to Rule 416 of the
Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended  (the  "Securities  Act"),  of a  presently
indeterminate  number  of Shares  issuable  upon  conversion  of  $5,000,000  in
principal  amount  of 5%  Convertible  Debentures  due  December  29,  2001 (the
"Debentures")  privately  placed by the Company in a  transaction  completed  on
December 29, 1997. Of the remaining Shares, 180,000 Shares are issuable upon the
exercise of warrants (the  "Warrants") to purchase shares of Common Stock placed
by the Company in connection with its placement of the  Debentures,  and 100,000
Shares are  currently  owned by an  existing  shareholder  of the  Company.  See
"Selling  Security  Holders."  For  purposes of this  Prospectus,  the number of
Shares  beneficially  held by the holders of the  Debentures  has been  computed
based on an  estimated  conversion  price of $7.889  per share of Common  Stock,
assuming  conversion thereof on May 5, 1998.  Nonetheless,  the number of Shares
available  for resale  hereunder is subject to adjustment  and could  materially
differ from the  estimated  amount  depending on the future  market price of the
Common Stock and the  occurrence  of a stock  split,  stock  dividend,  or other
transaction  resulting in an adjustment  in the number of Shares  subject to the
terms of the Debentures and the Warrants.

     The Company  will not receive any of the  proceeds  from the sale of any of
the Shares hereunder. In the United States, the shares of Common Stock have been
quoted under the symbol ALTIF on the Nasdaq  National  Market  maintained by the
National Association of Securities Dealers ("NASD") since January 26, 1998. From
March 24, 1997 until January 23, 1998, the shares of Common Stock were quoted on
the Nasdaq SmallCap Market. On May 4, 1998, the closing sale price of the Common
Stock,  as reported by the Nasdaq  National  Market,  was $8.875 per share.  See
"Price  Range of  Common  Stock."  Unless  otherwise  expressly  indicated,  all
monetary  amounts set forth in this  Prospectus  are  expressed in United States
Dollars.

                               ------------------
         The Common Stock offered hereby involves a high degree of risk.
                See "Risk Factors" on page 6 of this Prospectus.
                               ------------------

          THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE
           SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
          COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR
           ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR
             ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
                         CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

All  expenses  of  this  offering  will  be  paid  by the  Company,  except  for
commissions, fees and discounts of any underwriters,  brokers, dealers or agents
retained by the Selling  Security  Holders.  Estimated  expenses  payable by the
Company in connection with this offering are approximately  $25,000.  The Shares
may be sold from time to time by the Selling Security Holders in transactions in
the over-the-counter  market or otherwise at prices and on terms then prevailing
at the time of sale, at prices  related to the  then-current  market price or in
negotiated transactions.  The aggregate proceeds to the Selling Security Holders
from the resale of the Shares will be the purchase price of the Shares sold less
the aggregate  agents'  commissions  and  underwriters'  discounts,  if any. The
Selling Security  Holders and any agents,  broker-dealers  or underwriters  that
participate   in  the   distribution   of  the   Shares  may  be  deemed  to  be
"underwriters,"  within the meaning of the  Securities  Act, and any  commission
received by, or any profit  realized on the resale of Shares  purchased  by, any
such agents,  broker-dealers  or  underwriters  may be deemed to be underwriting
discounts or  commissions  under the  Securities  Act. The Company has agreed to
indemnify the Selling  Security Holders against certain  liabilities,  including
liabilities under the Securities Act.

                The date of this Prospectus is __________, 1998.

                                        1

<PAGE>






                              AVAILABLE INFORMATION

         The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the
"Commission") under the Securities Act a registration statement on Form S-3 (the
"Registration  Statement")  with  respect to the  Shares  offered  hereby.  This
Prospectus,  filed as a part of the Registration Statement, does not contain all
the information set forth,  or  incorporated by reference,  in the  Registration
Statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto, certain portions of which have
been omitted as permitted by the rules and  regulations of the  Commission.  For
further information  regarding the Company and the Shares,  reference is made to
the  Registration  Statement,  including  the  exhibits and  schedules  thereto.
Statements  contained in this  Prospectus  as to the contents of any contract or
other document  referred to herein are not  necessarily  complete,  and, in each
instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or document filed as an
exhibit to the  Registration  Statement  or  documents  incorporated  therein by
reference,  each  such  statement  being  qualified  in  its  entirety  by  such
reference.

         The Company is subject to the informational and reporting  requirements
of the  Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the  "Exchange  Act"),
and,  in  accordance  therewith,  files  reports,  proxy  statements  and  other
information  with the  Commission.  Such  reports,  proxy  statements  and other
information  filed  by the  Company,  as  well  as  copies  of the  Registration
Statement and exhibits, may be inspected and copied without charge at the public
reference facilities  maintained by the Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth
Street,  N.W.,  Room  1024,  Washington,  D.C.  20549,  and at the  Commission's
regional offices located at Seven World Trade Center,  Suite 1300, New York, New
York  10048 and the  Citicorp  Center,  500 West  Madison  Street,  Suite  1400,
Chicago,  Illinois 60661. Copies of such materials may also be obtained from the
Public Reference Section of the Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed fees. The Commission maintains a web
site that contains reports, proxy statements,  information statements, and other
information regarding registrants, including the Company, at http://www.sec.gov.
In addition, the Company intends to furnish its shareholders with annual reports
which include financial  statements that have been audited with a report thereon
by its independent accountants.

         The Common  Stock is quoted on the  Nasdaq  National  Market.  Reports,
proxy statements and other  information  concerning the Company can be inspected
and  copied  at the  Public  Reference  Room of the NASD,  1735 K Street,  N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20006.

                 INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The  following  documents  previously  filed  by the  Company  with the
Commission (File No. 1-12497) pursuant to the Exchange Act are incorporated into
this Prospectus by reference:

         (a)      The  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December  31,  1997,  filed with the  Commission  on March 31,
                  1998.

         (b)      The Company's  Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 13,
                  1998, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Current  Report on Form
                  8-K/A, filed on January 21, 1998.

         (c)      The description of the Common Stock contained in the Company's
                  Registration  Statement  on Form 10 filed  under the  Exchange
                  Act,  including  any  amendment  or  report  filed  under  the
                  Exchange Act for the purpose of updating such description.

     All reports and other documents  filed by the Company  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus


                                        2

<PAGE>



and prior to the  termination of this offering  hereunder  shall be deemed to be
incorporated  by reference in this  Prospectus  and to be a part hereof from the
date of filing of such documents.

     Any statement contained herein or in a document all or any portion of which
is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed
to be modified or superseded for purposes of this  Prospectus to the extent that
a statement  contained herein or in any other  subsequently filed document which
also  is or is  deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  herein  modifies  or
supersedes  such statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded  shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Prospectus.

     The  Company  will  provide,  without  charge,  to each person to whom this
Prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of any such person, a copy
of any or all of the foregoing  documents (other than exhibits to such documents
which are not specifically incorporated by reference in such documents). Written
requests for such copies should be directed to the Company c/o Mineral  Recovery
Systems at 230 South Rock  Boulevard,  Suite 21,  Reno,  Nevada  89502,  U.S.A.,
Attention: Ed Dickinson, Director of Finance. Telephone requests may be directed
to the office of the Director of Finance at (702) 857-1966.

           ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES AGAINST FOREIGN PERSONS

     The  enforcement  by  purchasers  of civil  liabilities  under the  federal
securities laws of the United States may be adversely  affected by the fact that
the Company is an Ontario corporation, a majority of its directors are residents
of Canada,  and  certain  of the  Company's  experts  (including  its  principal
accountants and Canadian legal counsel) are located in Canada.  As a result,  it
may be difficult for  purchasers to effect  service of process within the United
States  upon such  persons or to enforce in the United  States  court  judgments
against  such persons from a court of the United  States  predicated  upon civil
liability  provisions of the federal  securities  laws. It is uncertain  whether
Canadian  courts would (i) enforce  judgments of United States  courts  obtained
against the Company or such directors,  officers or experts  predicated upon the
civil  liability  provisions  of United  States  Securities  laws or (ii) impose
liability in original actions against the Company or its directors, officers, or
experts predicated upon United States securities laws.

     In addition, it may be more difficult under Canadian laws than under United
States laws for a shareholder to maintain a class action or derivative  lawsuit;
moreover,  compensation  of attorneys on a  contingency  fee basis  currently is
prohibited in Ontario and limited in certain other provinces of Canada.









                                        3

<PAGE>




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                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     The  following  summary is qualified  in its entirety by the more  detailed
information  and financial  statements  (including the notes thereto)  appearing
elsewhere  or  incorporated  by reference in this  Prospectus.  This  Prospectus
contains  "forward-looking  statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act"),  that involve risks
and uncertainties.  See "Forward-Looking  Statements."  Purchasers of any of the
common shares,  no par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock") offered hereby
(the  "Shares")  are  cautioned  that the  Company's  actual  results may differ
significantly  from the results  discussed  in the  forward-looking  statements.
Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include those factors
discussed   herein  under  "Risk  Factors"  and  elsewhere  in  this  Prospectus
generally.

                                   The Company

     Altair  International  Inc., an Ontario  corporation (the "Company"),  is a
development  stage company  primarily engaged in the acquisition and development
of mineral  processing  equipment for use in the recovery of fine, heavy mineral
particles, including gold, titanium, zircon, and environmental contaminants. The
Company also seeks to acquire or lease mineral deposits  suitable for the use of
its mineral processing equipment. In furtherance of these purposes, during 1996,
the Company acquired the rights to a proprietary mineral processing device which
has been  modified by the Company and is now marketed as the Altair  Centrifugal
Jig (the "CJ"). The acquisition was accomplished  through a merger involving the
Company,  Fine Gold Recovery  Systems,  Inc., a  wholly-owned  subsidiary of the
Company ("Fine Gold"),  and Trans Mar, Inc. The CJ is a patented  device capable
of segregating and recovering  extremely fine mineral  particles or contaminants
which  are  not  presently   commercially   recoverable  utilizing  conventional
techniques or processes.  Potential  applications include gold/mineral recovery,
coal  cleaning  and  environmental  remediation.  In  addition,  the Company has
leased,  and is testing the  feasibility  of developing  mining  operations  on,
approximately  4,300 acres of property near Camden,  Tennessee  (the  "Tennessee
Property").  Preliminary  reports suggest that the Tennessee  Property  contains
significant  amounts of valuable heavy minerals,  including titanium and zircon,
and is suitable for a  large-scale  sand mining  operation  with a  multi-decade
life.

     Unless the context requires  otherwise,  all references to the "Company" in
this  Prospectus  refer to the Company and each of its  subsidiaries.  Except as
otherwise expressly indicated, all monetary amounts set forth in this prospectus
are  expressed in United  States  Dollars.  The  Company's  principal  office is
located at 1725 Sheridan Avenue,  Suite 140, Cody, Wyoming 82414 U.S.A., and the
Company's telephone number is (307) 587-8245.

                                  The Offering

Common Stock offered by the Selling
    Shareholders............................  924,973 Shares (1)

Common Stock outstanding prior to and
    after this offering.....................  15,612,153 shares (2)

Use of Proceeds.............................  All proceeds of the offering will
                                              be received by the Selling 
                                              Security Holders.  See "Use of 
                                              Proceeds."

Nasdaq National Market trading symbol.......  ALTIF



- --------------------

(1)  Includes 644,973 unissued Shares  representing the Company's  estimate of a
     presently  indeterminate  number of Shares  issuable upon conversion of the
     Company's 5% Convertible  Subordinated Debentures Due December 29, 2001 and
     180,000 Shares issuable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase shares of
     Common  Stock  placed by the  Company in  connection  with its sale of such
     debentures. See "Selling Security Holders."

(2)  Includes 644,973 unissued Shares issuable upon conversion of the Debentures
     and 180,000  unissued  Shares  issuable upon exercise of the Warrants,  but
     excludes  1,415,000  shares of Common Stock  authorized  for issuance  upon
     exercise   of   outstanding   options   granted   pursuant  to  the  Altair
     International  Inc.  Stock  Option  Plan and 3,000  shares of Common  Stock
     reserved for the future grant of stock options under such plan.



                                        4
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<PAGE>




- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Selling Security Holders

     All of the  Shares  are to be sold by  persons  who are  existing  security
holders of the Company (the "Selling Security  Holders").  Of the Shares offered
hereby,   644,973  Shares  represent  the  Company's  estimate  of  a  presently
indeterminate  number  of Shares  issuable  upon  conversion  of  $5,000,000  in
principal  amount  of 5%  Convertible  Debentures  due  December  29,  2001 (the
"Debentures")  privately  placed by the Company in a  transaction  completed  on
December 29, 1997. Of the  remaining  Shares,  180,000  Shares are issuable upon
exercise of warrants (the  "Warrants") to purchase shares of Common Stock placed
by the Company in connection with its private  placement of the Debentures,  and
100,000  Shares are currently  owned by an existing  shareholder of the Company.
For purposes of this Prospectus,  the number of Shares  beneficially held by the
holders of the  Debentures  has been computed  based on an estimated  conversion
price of $7.889 per share of Common Stock, assuming conversion thereof on May 5,
1998.  Nonetheless,  the  number of Shares  available  for resale  hereunder  is
subject to adjustment  and could  materially  differ from the  estimated  amount
depending on the future market price of the Common Stock and the occurrence of a
stock split,  stock dividends,  or similar  transaction.  See "Selling  Security
Holders."

















                                        5

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<PAGE>



                           FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     This Prospectus,  and certain documents  incorporated  herein by reference,
contain various  forward-looking  statements and  information  that are based on
management's  belief, as well as assumptions made by, and information  currently
available to, management.  When used in these documents, the words "anticipate,"
"estimate,"  "project,"  "likely,"  "believe,"  "intend,"  "expect," and similar
expressions are intended to identify  forward-looking  statements.  Although the
Company  believes  that  the  expectations  reflected  in  such  forward-looking
statements are reasonable,  it can give no assurance that such expectations will
prove to have been  correct.  Such  statements  are  subject to  certain  risks,
uncertainties   and   assumptions.   Should  one  or  more  of  these  risks  or
uncertainties  materialize,  or should  underlying  assumptions prove incorrect,
actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected,
expected or intended.  Among the key factors  that may have a direct  bearing on
the Company's operating results are the risks and uncertainties  described under
"Risk  Factors,"  including,  among  other  factors,  the  absence of  operating
revenues   or   profits,    uncertainties    regarding   the   development   and
commercialization  of the Company's product and service  offerings,  development
risks associated with the Tennessee Property and the Company's ability to obtain
capital  sufficient to continue its operations and pursue its proposed  business
strategy.


                                  RISK FACTORS


     The following risk factors  constitute  cautionary  statements  identifying
important  factors,  including certain risks and uncertainties  that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking
statements.  In addition,  actual  results  could differ  materially  from those
projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of the matters appearing
elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus.  The Company cautions
the reader that this list of factors may not be exhaustive. An investment in the
Shares being  offered  hereby  involves a high degree of risk.  Before  making a
decision to purchase any of the Shares described in this Prospectus, prospective
investors  should  consider  carefully the following risk factors as well as the
other  information  contained  in this  Prospectus  or  incorporated  herein  by
reference.

         Absence of Operating Revenues or Profits.  The Company is a development
stage  company and has been since its  inception.  To date,  the Company has not
generated  revenues  from  operations  or  realized  a profit.  The  Company  is
presently investing  substantial resources in the testing and development of the
CJ and the testing of the Tennessee Property. There can be no assurance that the
CJ, the Tennessee Property, or any other project being undertaken or proposed by
the Company  will  enable the  Company to generate  revenues or that the Company
will ever realize a profit from operations.

         Operating Losses. The Company has experienced a loss from operations in
every fiscal year since its inception.  The Company's  losses from operations in
1996 and 1997 were $1,327,226 and $1,831,471, respectively.  Consistent with its
history,  the Company  expects to experience a net loss from  operations in 1998
and may continue to experience  losses in the future.  There can be no assurance
that the Company will ever realize a profit from operations.

         Product Development Risks. The CJ is in the development stage. Although
test  results  on the  Series  12  CJ,  designed  to be  capable  of  processing
approximately  120 tons of solids per day,  suggest that  commercial  use of the
Series 12 CJ is technically  feasible at this time, the designed capacity of the
Series 12 CJ is too small for most intended applications of the CJ, except small
placer gold mines or similar operations.  Accordingly,  even if the Series 12 CJ
performs  to  design  specifications  in  subsequent  tests  or at a  commercial
facility,  the  Company  believes  that,  because  of its  small  capacity,  the
potential  market for the Series 12 CJ is extremely  limited.  In addition,  the
Series CJ has been  tested  only in a  controlled  environment  and for  limited
periods of time.  There can be no assurance that performance of the Series 12 CJ
at a commercial  facility would match its  performance in a test  environment or
that  the  Series  12 CJ  will  be  able to  operate  cost  effectively  or with
commercially reasonable maintenance and repair costs.

     In 1997, the Company  designed and  constructed a Series 30 CJ, designed to
be capable of processing 500 tons of solids per day, which intended capacity the
Company believes is sufficient for heavy mineral sands processing, coal washing,
and many other intended commercial applications.  With respect to the use of the
Series 30 CJ for  heavy  mineral  sands  processing,  the  Series 30 CJ has been
installed  for  testing at a mineral  recovery  plant  operated by a large heavy
mineral sands producer located in Florida (the "Florida  Testing").  The Florida
Testing,  and  related  adjustment  and  modification  of the  Series  30 CJ, is
scheduled to be completed during the late summer or fall of 1998. Depending upon
the  results  of the  Florida  Testing,  the  Company  hopes  that it can  begin
marketing the Series 30 CJ for heavy minerals sands recovery within three months
of the date such  testing is complete.  Nevertheless,  there can be no assurance
that test  results will  suggest the Series 30 CJ is capable of  processing  the
volume of heavy mineral sands it is designed to process or capable of recovering
minerals with commercially  acceptable efficiency and maintenance costs. If not,
the Company  expects that  marketing of the Series 30 CJ for heavy mineral sands
processing  will be  delayed.  Moreover,  even if the  Series 30 CJ or larger CJ
performs to design specifications,  there can be no assurance that the Series 30
CJ  will  be  able  to  recover   minerals  from  heavy   minerals  sands  in  a
cost-effective  manner or otherwise prove  attractive to end users. In addition,


                                        6

<PAGE>



the introduction of new  technologies by competitors  could render the Series 30
CJ or larger CJ obsolete or unmarketable  or require costly  alterations to make
it marketable.

     With respect to coal  washing,  the larger  volume series 30 CJ has not yet
been tested to evaluate its ability to remove fine pyrite particles and ash from
coal fines in either a  laboratory  environment  or at a  commercial  production
facility. The Company expects to have installed a Series 30 CJ at an independent
coal  production  facility by the end of August,  1998 and expects  that testing
will take a minimum of six months.  Depending  upon the results of such testing,
the Company hopes to begin  marketing  the Series 30 CJ for coal washing  within
three months of the date such testing is complete. Nevertheless, there can be no
assurance that the test results will suggest that the Series 30 CJ is capable of
processing  the volume of coal it is  designed to process or capable of removing
fine pyrite particles and ash from coal fines with acceptable efficiency or with
reasonable  maintenance costs. If not, the Company expects that marketing of the
Series 30 CJ for coal washing will be delayed.  Moreover,  even if the Series 30
CJ or larger CJ performs  to design  specifications,  there can be no  assurance
that the Series 30 CJ will be able to wash coal fines in a cost-effective manner
or otherwise prove attractive to end users. In addition, the introduction of new
technologies by competitors  could render the Series 30 CJ or larger CJ obsolete
or unmarketable or require costly alterations to make it marketable.

         Property  Development Risks. The Tennessee Property is currently in the
exploratory  stage.  The  Company  is  engaged  in  pre-feasibility  testing  to
determine the size and quality of mineral deposits on the Tennessee Property. If
the results of such tests suggest that the deposits are amenable to large-scale,
low-cost mining, the Company will undertake a feasibility study of the Tennessee
Property. Such a feasibility study would involve the actual design, pricing, and
analysis of equipment  and  facilities  that would be used to mine the Tennessee
Property.  The Company expects that completion of a feasibility  study will take
12-18 months and that, if the  feasibility  study  suggests that  cost-effective
mining of the Tennessee  Property is feasible,  a mine would not be  operational
for 24-36 months after  completion of the study.  There can be no assurance that
the  pre-feasibility  testing or the  feasibility  study will  indicate that the
Tennessee  Property  contains minable  quantities of heavy minerals or that such
deposits are amenable to large-scale,  low-cost  mining,  as contemplated by the
Company.  Even if the testing and studies  suggest  that mining is  economically
feasible on the Tennessee  Property,  there can be no assurance that the Company
will be able to obtain the capital, resources, and permits necessary to mine the
Tennessee Property.  Nor can there be any assurance that market factors, such as
a decline in the price of, or demand for, minerals  recoverable at the Tennessee
Property,  will  not  have  an  adverse  effect  on the  development  of  mining
operations on such property.

         Dependence  on  Third  Party   Manufacturers.   The  Company  currently
contracts with a machine shop located in central  California for assembly of the
CJ. If the Company  completes  testing and develops a final  production model of
the CJ, of which there can be no assurance,  the Company does not currently have
the  know-how  or  resources  to  establish  its  own  manufacturing   facility.
Management  is  considering   options  for  manufacture  of  the  CJ,  including
manufacturing under contract,  exclusive licensing or a joint venture. There can
be no assurance that the Company will obtain suitable  manufacturing capacity or
that  such   manufacturing   capacity,   if  found,  will  produce   affordable,
high-quality  units capable of sustaining  high  reliability and low maintenance
costs in a production environment.

         Sufficiency  and  Price  of  Capital.  Due  to,  among  other  factors,
unanticipated expenses of development, the absence of manufacturers or licensees
interested in entering into an alliance, increases in costs of necessary capital
equipment,  necessary or  discretionary  acquisitions of equipment,  properties,
intellectual property rights or companies,  general and industry market factors,
or other unforeseen  events affecting the Company's use of and need for capital,
the Company's  existing  capital may prove  insufficient to complete testing and
development of the CJ, the Tennessee Property, or other new or ongoing projects.
In  addition,  depending  on  market  factors  affecting  the  costs of  capital
generally,  the  performance of the Company,  the Company's  capital needs,  the
market  perception of mining  stocks,  the economics of projects  being pursued,
industry  perception of the Company's ability to recover minerals with the CJ or
otherwise,  and other factors affecting the availability of capital and/or price
of obtaining capital, the Company may unable to obtain necessary capital, may be
forced to pay a price for capital  that is higher than the Company is  presently
paying or is generally available in the industry, or limit the Company's growth,
expenditures  or capital inflow.  If the Company is unable to obtain  sufficient
capital or is forced to pay a high price for capital,  the Company may be unable
to pursue or fully exploit existing or future development  opportunities.  Also,
because of their size, resources, history and other factors, certain competitors
of the  Company  may have better  access to capital  than the Company  and, as a
result, may be able to exploit  opportunities more easily or thoroughly than the
Company.

         Alternative   Technologies.   There  can  be  no  assurance   that  the
centrifugal jig process will prove superior, either technically or commercially,
to alternative  technologies.  Various mineral processing  technologies  perform
many  functions  similar  or  identical  to those for which the CJ is  designed.
Minerals  processing  technologies are generally  predicated on the physical and
chemical  characteristics  of the materials being processed.  Contrasts in size,
specific gravity, hardness, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical conductivity
are physical  characteristics that the processor exploits to selectively extract
and  concentrate  mineral  constituents.  Variations in chemical  reactivity and
molecular affinity are also used to selectively segregate feed components.


                                        7

<PAGE>



     The CJ  competes  in an arena in which  particle  specific  gravity  is the
primary criteria for particle segregation and capture. Competing technologies in
this arena include spiral and cones, froth flotation processes,  and heavy media
separation  processes.  Spirals  and cones  are  mechanical  gravity  separation
devices  commercially  used in the recovery of heavy  minerals  from  sand-sized
feeds and are most  effective  when feed sizes are larger  than 150 mesh.  Froth
floatation  is a minerals  beneficiation  process used to  selectively  separate
sulfide  particles  by  introducing  chemical  agents  which  attach to  certain
sulfides;  once attached, the sulfides are separated by floatation.  This method
may be effective on particles as small as 200 mesh.  Heavy media separation is a
process in which a feed  containing both dense and light particles is fed into a
solution whose specific gravity is midway between the particles to be separated.
The  light  particles  float to the  surface  of the  solution,  while the heavy
particles sink. Heavy media separation is effective  primarily in the removal of
ash from coal and in small scale analytic laboratory  applications.  The Company
believes that, in certain  applications,  the CJ may prove more efficient,  cost
effective,  or adaptable than the spirals and cones, froth flotation devices, or
heavy media  separation  devices.  Nevertheless,  results from further  tests or
actual  operations  may reveal  that these  alternative  technologies  may prove
better adapted to any or all of the uses for which the CJ is intended. Moreover,
regardless  of test results,  consumers may view any or all of such  alternative
technologies as technically superior to, or more cost effective than, the CJ.

      Competing  Products.  The Company  believes  that the CJ  currently  faces
several forms of competition in the  commercial  segregation of dense  particles
contained in feeds  between 150 and 400 mesh,  including  the Kelsey Jig and the
Knelsen batch concentrator unit, which are currently being used worldwide. As of
mid-1995,  according to the Kelsey jig's  manufacturer,  Geologics Pty. Ltd., 36
Kelsey jigs were in service at 28 sites worldwide, including two machines at one
site in the United  States.  Knelsen units have been installed in various mining
applications,  primarily gold,  throughout the world. There is no assurance that
competitors,  many of whom may have significant capital and resources,  will not
develop, or are not now in the process of developing, superior or less expensive
alternatives to the CJ.

         Dependence on Commodities Markets. If the CJ is successfully  developed
and manufactured, of which there can be no assurance, the Company intends to use
the CJ to separate and recover  valuable,  heavy  mineral  particles at deposits
owned or leased by the Company, including the Tennessee Property, and market the
CJ to other companies.  Active  international  markets exist for gold, titanium,
zicron, and many other minerals  potentially  recoverable with the CJ. Prices of
certain  minerals  have  fluctuated  widely,  and are beyond the  control of the
Company.  A  significant  decline in the price of  minerals  being  produced  or
expected to be  produced,  among other  factors,  could have a material  adverse
effect on the Company. In addition, a general economic downturn in the mining or
mineral  industries  or the global  economy  may have an  adverse  effect on the
Company.

         Risk of Development,  Construction and Mining Operations. In connection
with the development of a mineral  resource  property,  the ability to meet cost
estimates and  construction  and production  time  estimates  cannot be assured.
Technical  considerations,   delays  in  obtaining  governmental  approvals  and
permits,  inability to obtain  financing or other  factors could cause delays in
developing mineral resource properties.

         Government  Regulation.   The  Company's  present  exploration  of  the
Tennessee  Property,  and  testing  of the  CJ,  and  any  prospective  testing,
construction  or mining  activities  the  Company  may  conduct  are  subject to
numerous  federal,  state,  and local laws and  regulations  concerning mine and
machine safety and environmental  protection,  including without  limitation the
Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource  Conservation and Recovery Act,
and the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Act. Some of
the laws and regulations that would pertain to mining, construction,  or testing
operations  require,  among other things,  maintenance  of air and water quality
standards, the protection of threatened endangered and other species of wildlife
and  vegetation,  the  preservation  of  certain  cultural  resources,  and  the
reclamation  of  exploration,  mining  and  processing  sites.  These  laws  are
continually  changing and, as a general matter,  are becoming more  restrictive.
Although  compliance with federal state or local  ordinances,  regulations,  and
permitting requirements represents a small part of the Company's present budget,
continued compliance may necessitate  significant capital  expenditures.  In the
event the Company fails to comply,  or is delayed in coming into compliance with
any such  ordinances or  regulations,  the Company may be subject to substantial
fees or may be  required  to expend  significant  capital to ensure  compliance.
There can be no  assurance  that the  Company  will be able to  comply  with all
applicable  laws and  regulations,  or that  compliance  or  permitting  will be
obtained without substantial delays or expenses.

         Uncertainty  of Obtaining  Environmental  Permits.  The Company has not
obtained any permits that may be required by various  federal,  state, and local
mining  and  environmental  agencies  to begin  construction  and  mining at the
Tennessee  Property  or any  other  property.  With  respect  to  mining  of the
Tennessee Property,  the Company has hired an outside consulting firm to conduct
a pre-feasibility study, which is expected to be completed in late 1998. If such
pre-feasibility   study   indicates   the  Tennesee   Property  is  amenable  to
large-scale,  low-cost mining, the Company will undertake a thorough feasibility
study, which would involve the actual design, pricing, and analysis or equipment
and facilities for the proposed mine. Because the Company has not yet determined
that mining of the  Tennessee  Property is  economically  feasible or  commenced
design of a mining  facility,  the Company is not in a position to  definitively
ascertain  which  federal,  state and local  mining  and  environmental  laws or
regulations would apply to a mine on the Tennessee Property.  Nevertheless,  the
Company anticipates that compliance with the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act,


                                        8

<PAGE>



the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Comprehensive  Environmental
Response Compensation Liability Act would be necessary if the Company determined
to commence construction and operation of a mine on the Tennessee Property.  See
"--Government Regulation."

         In  addition  to  these  federal  laws  and  regulations,  the  Company
anticipates  that, if the Tennesee  Property is developed,  the Company would be
required to obtain a surface mining permit from the State of Tennessee under the
Tennesee  Mineral  Surface Mining Law of 1972. The application for such a permit
must be preceded by public notice and must include, among other things, a filing
fee,  a  reclamation  and  revegetation  plan,  and a bond to cover the costs of
reclamation.  Depending  on the nature of water use at the  proposed  mine,  the
Company  may also be  required  to  obtain a water  discharge  permit  under the
Tennessee Water Quality Control Act.

         There can be no  assurance  that the Company will be able to obtain all
permits,  licenses,  and approvals necessary to conduct mining operations on the
Tennessee  Property or otherwise.  Although the Company is not aware of specific
circumstances   which  would  signficantly  delay,  or  increase  the  cost  of,
developing  the  Tennessee  Property,  the Company has not  obtained  sufficient
mineral and economic feasibility  information to enable it to develop definitive
plans  with  respect  to the  precise  design  and  nature,  if any,  of  mining
operations  on the  Tennessee  Property,  which  plans may  affect  the cost and
difficulty of complying with governing environmental and land use law. Moreover,
the Company has not  commenced  any of the  environmental,  cultural,  and other
studies required by governing  environmental  and regulatory laws, which studies
are  designed to reveal the  existence of factors that may increase the cost and
difficulty of obtain necessary permits and approvals.  In addition,  the Company
has not contacted  Benton County  officials  with regard to its proposed  mining
operations  and  can  provide  no  assurance  that,  either   coincidentally  or
specifically  in  response  to the  Company's  proposed  commencement  of mining
operations, Benton County will not promulgate land use restrictions prior to the
commencement of operations on the Tennessee Property.  Accordingly,  the Company
may be  substantially  delayed in obtaining,  or may have to expend  substantial
resources in order to obtain,  the permits,  licenses or approvals  necessary to
commence mining operations on the Tennessee Property or elsewhere.

         Environmental  Regulation and Liability.  Any proposed mining operation
of the Company on the Tennessee  Property or any other  property will be subject
to  environmental  regulation by federal,  state, and local  authorities.  Under
federal law and  applicable  state law, the Company may be jointly and severally
liable  with prior  property  owners for the  treatment,  cleanup,  remediation,
and/or removal of substances  discovered on the Tennessee  Property or any other
property  used by the  Company,  which are deemed by the  federal  and/or  state
government to be toxic or hazardous ("Hazardous  Substances").  Liability may be
imposed, among other things, for the improper release, discharge,  storage, use,
disposal,  or  transportation  of Hazardous  Substances.  The Company  might use
Hazardous  Substances and, although the Company intends to employ all reasonably
practicable  safeguards to prevent any liability under  applicable laws relating
to Hazardous  Substances,  mineral exploration and extraction by its very nature
will subject the Company to substantial risk that remediation will be required.

         Enforceability  of  Civil  Liabilities  Against  Foreign  Persons.  The
Company is an Ontario corporation,  a majority of its directors are residents of
Canada,   and  certain  of  the  Company's  experts   (including  its  principal
accountants and Canadian legal counsel) are located in Canada.  As a result,  it
may be difficult for  purchasers to effect  service of process within the United
States upon such persons or to enforce court judgments against such persons from
a court of the United States  predicated upon civil liability  provisions of the
federal  securities  laws.  It is uncertain  whether  Canadian  courts would (i)
enforce  judgments of United States courts obtained  against the Company or such
directors, officers or experts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of
United  States  securities  laws or (ii) impose  liability  in original  actions
against the  Company or its  directors,  officers,  or experts  predicated  upon
United States securities laws.

         Patents for the  Centrifugal  Jig.  Initial patents on the CJ have been
issued in the United  States,  South  Africa,  United  Kingdom,  Australia,  and
Canada. Patent applications are pending in Germany,  France, and Japan. A second
series of patents have been issued with  respect to a critical  component of the
CJ in the United States, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, General European, and
South Africa.  The Company filed an  application  in the United States seeking a
third  patent for a critical  component of the CJ on May 15, 1997 and intends to
file  applications  in Canada  and  certain  European  nations.  There can be no
assurance  that pending patent  applications  will be granted or that persons in
countries  in which the Company  has not  patented  the CJ, or certain  critical
components,  will not develop and market an infringing product. The cost of, and
other obstacles to, enforcing the Company's patents, especially outside of North
America,  may also limit the Company's  ability to prevent  infringing  products
from entering the market.

         Dependence on Key  Personnel.  The continued  success of the Company is
dependent  to a  significant  extent on the  services  of Dr.  William  P. Long,
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Mr. C. Patrick Costin,
Vice  President of the Company and  President of Fine Gold and Mineral  Recovery
Systems,  Inc., the Company's  subsidiaries.  The loss or  unavailability of Mr.
Long or Mr. Costin could have a material  adverse effect on the Company.  No key
man insurance is carried on the lives of such key  officers.  In addition to the
individuals  identified  above,  the Company  employs a Director  of Finance,  a
senior  process  engineer,  a technician,  a  metallurgist,  a geologist,  and a
part-time administrative assistant.  There are no other employees of the Company


                                        9

<PAGE>



or its  subsidiaries.  Aside  from Dr.  Long,  Mr.  Costin and the  Director  of
Finance,  the Company has no employment  agreements  with any of its  personnel.
Competition  for such  personnel is intense,  and there can be no assurance that
the Company will be able to attract and maintain all personnel necessary for the
development  and  operation  of its  business.  The loss of the  services of key
personnel or an inability to attract,  retain and motivate  qualified  personnel
could have a material  adverse  effect on the business,  financial  condition or
results of operations of the Company.

         Acquisition  Risks. The Company is currently  evaluating,  and plans to
continue to evaluate, additional opportunities for the license or acquisition of
additional  mining products or properties,  as well as the possible  acquisition
of, or development of strategic  relations  with,  other  companies who may have
products,  assets,  manufacturing  capabilities,  or  other  qualities  that are
compatible with the Company's business objectives.  The Company must compete for
attractive  acquisition  or strategic  alliance  candidates  with numerous other
companies,  many of whom have significantly  greater financial and technological
resources  than the Company.  There can be no assurance that the Company will be
able to  successfully  identify  attractive  acquisition  or strategic  alliance
opportunities.  Such acquisitions and alliances, if identified and completed, of
which there can be no  assurance,  could  involve the  incurrence  of additional
debt,  amortization  expenses  related to goodwill and intangible  assets or the
dilutive issuance of equity securities,  all of which could adversely affect the
Company's  operating  results  or  financial  condition.   Accordingly,   future
acquisitions and alliances may have an adverse effect on the Company's operating
results and financial condition, particularly in the fiscal quarters immediately
following the  consummation  of such  transactions,  while the operations of the
acquired  or  combined   business  are  being   integrated  into  the  Company's
operations.  There can be no  assurance  that  capital  sought by the Company to
pursue such opportunities can be obtained on terms favorable to the Company,  if
at all. The failure of the Company to obtain such  financing  could restrict its
ability  to  pursue  such  business  opportunities.  Further,  there  can  be no
assurance  that any  particular  acquisition  or alliance  will be  successfully
integrated into the Company's operations or will achieve profitability.

         Possible  Issuance of Substantial  Amounts of Additional Shares Without
Stockholder  Approval.  The Company's  Articles of  Incorporation  authorize the
issuance of an unlimited  number of shares of Common Stock.  All such shares may
be issued  without  any action or  approval by the  Company's  stockholders.  In
addition,  the Company has a stock option plan which has  potential for dilution
of the ownership interests of the Company's  stockholders.  Any shares of Common
Stock issued would further dilute the  percentage  ownership of the Company held
by existing stockholders.

         Possible  Volatility of Stock Price. The Common Stock was listed on the
Alberta  Stock  Exchange  up through  April 23,  1998 and has been listed on the
Nasdaq  National  Market  since  January 26,  1998.  Between  March 24, 1997 and
January 23,  1998,  the Common Stock was listed on the Nasdaq  SmallCap  Market.
Trading  in  the  Common  Stock  has  been  characterized  by a high  degree  of
volatility.  See "Price Range of Common  Stock."  Trading in the Common Stock to
date has been  dominated  by a small number of firms which make a market in such
securities.  To the extent that the market for the Common Stock  continues to be
dominated  by a small  number of market  makers,  the  market  may  continue  to
experience a high degree of volatility. Such market dominance and volatility may
adversely  affect the price and liquidity of the Common Stock in the future.  In
addition,  the  trading  price of the Common  Stock  could  fluctuate  widely in
response to  variations in quarterly  financial  results,  announcements  by the
Company or its  competitors,  industry trends,  general  economic  conditions or
other events or factors. Among other factors, it is possible that in some future
quarters  the  Company's  operating  results will be below the  expectations  of
public market analysts and investors.  Regardless of the general outlook for the
Company's  business,  the  announcement of financial or research and development
results that differ from analyst and investor expectations could have a material
and adverse effect on the market price of the Common Stock.

         Shares   Eligible  for  Future   Sales.   The  resale  of   "restricted
securities,"  as well as  securities  held by  "affiliates"  of the Company,  is
generally subject to the provisions of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities
Act ("Rule 144").  In general,  under Rule 144 as currently in effect,  a person
(or persons whose shares are aggregated) who has  beneficially  owned restricted
securities  for at least one year  (including  the  holding  period of any prior
owner except an affiliate),  including persons who may be deemed "affiliates" of
the Company, would be entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of
shares  that does not exceed the greater of 1% of the number of shares of Common
Stock then  outstanding or the average weekly trading volume of the Common Stock
during the four calendar  weeks  preceding the filing of a Form 144 with respect
to such sale. In addition,  a person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate
of the  Company at any time  during the 90 days  preceding  a sale,  and who has
beneficially  owned  the  shares  proposed  to be sold  for at least  two  years
(including the holding period of any prior owners except an affiliate), would be
entitled  to  sell  such  shares  under  Rule  144(k)   without  regard  to  the
requirements  described  above. The Company is unable to predict the effect that
future  sales  under Rule 144 may have on the then  prevailing  market  price of
Common  Stock.  In  addition,  shares  issued upon  exercise of options  granted
pursuant to the Company's  employee  stock option plan are presently  registered
under the  Securities  Act and,  subject  to certain  restrictions  on resale by
affiliates, may be sold without restriction. It can be expected that the sale of
any substantial  number of shares of Common Stock will have a depressive  effect
on the market price of the Common Stock.

         Absence of Dividends.  The Company has never declared or paid dividends
on the Common  Stock.  Moreover,  the  Company  currently  intends to retain any
future  earnings for use in its business  and,  therefore,  does not  anticipate
paying dividends on the Common Stock in the foreseeable future.

                                       10

<PAGE>




                           PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK

     United States. In the United States,  from March 24, 1997 until January 23,
1998, the shares of Common Stock were quoted on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market under
the symbol  "ALTIF." The follow table sets forth in United States  dollars,  for
the periods  indicated,  the high and low sales prices for the Common Stock,  as
report by the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

Fiscal Year Ended                                        Low           High
December 31, 1997:
                                                       --------       -------

     1st Quarter (beginning March 24, 1997).....        $8.5625       $12.25
     2nd Quarter................................         4.75           9.625
     3rd Quarter................................         5.125          9.875
     4th Quarter................................         7.75          16.625

Fiscal 1998
     1st Quarter (through January 23, 1998).....       $13.75         $15.625



     Beginning on January 26, 1998, the Common Stock began trading on the Nasdaq
National  Market  under the  symbol  "ALTIF."  The last sale price of the Common
Stock, as reported on the Nasdaq National Market,  on May 5, 1998 was $8.875 per
share.  As of May 4, 1998, the number of shares of Common Stock  outstanding was
14,787,180  (excluding  shares  reserved for  issuance  upon  conversion  of the
Debentures and Exercise of the Warrants).  In addition, the Company has reserved
1,418,000 shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exercise of options that have
been, or may be,  granted under its employee  stock option plan and has reserved
an estimated  824,973 shares of Common Stock for issuance upon conversion of the
Debenture and exercise of the Warrants.

     Canada.  In Canada,  the Common Stock was publicly  traded under the symbol
"AIL" on the Alberta Stock  Exchange (the "ASE") up through April 23, 1998.  The
Company voluntarily delisted from the ASE on that date due to increased focus on
operations in the United States and  diminished  trading  volume on the ASE. The
following tables set forth, on a quarterly basis, the high and low closing sales
prices  during the last two fiscal  years for shares of the Common  Stock on the
ASE.  All  amounts  are stated in Canadian  dollars,  the  currency in which the
prices are quoted by the ASE.

                                               Low                 High
                                            -----------         -----------

Fiscal Year Ended
December 31, 1997:

     1st Quarter.......................     $Cdn. 7.75          $Cdn. 16.55
     2nd Quarter.......................           6.90                13.00
     3rd Quarter.......................           7.40                13.50
     4th Quarter.......................          11.10                23.50

Fiscal Year Ended
December 31, 1996:
     1st Quarter.......................     $Cdn. 1.78          $Cdn. 4.25
     2nd Quarter.......................           2.70                6.50
     3rd Quarter.......................           3.98                6.20
     4th Quarter.......................           5.30               11.40




                            SELLING SECURITY HOLDERS

     The following table sets forth, as of the date of this Prospectus, the name
of each Selling Security Holder,  certain beneficial ownership  information with
respect to the Selling Security  Holders,  the number of Shares that may be sold
from time to time by each Selling  Security Holder pursuant to this  Prospectus,
and the amount (and, if one percent or more, the  percentage) of Common Stock to
be owned by each Selling Security Holder if all Shares are sold. There can be no
assurance that any of the Shares  offered  hereby will be sold. The  percentages
set forth below have been computed based on the number of outstanding  shares of
Common Stock as of May 5, 1998,  which was  15,612,153  shares of Common  Stock,
including 824,973 unissued Shares which represent the Company's  estimate of the
presently  indeterminate  number  of  Shares  issuable  upon  conversion  of the
Warrants and the Debentures. The Company believes the persons named in the table
have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock
shown as beneficially  owned by them,  subject to community property laws, where
applicable.

                                       11

<PAGE>




     For purposes of this Prospectus, the number of Shares beneficially owned by
the holders of the Debentures has been computed based on the Company's  estimate
of the number of Shares  issuable upon  conversion of the  Debentures,  assuming
conversion on May 5, 1998,  at a conversion  price of $7.889 per share of Common
Stock,  which price is approximately 92% of $8.575,  the average market price of
the  Common  Stock  on the  Nasdaq  National  Market  on the five  trading  days
immediately prior to May 5, 1998. The use of such hypothetical  conversion price
and date is not intended,  and should in not way be construed  to,  constitute a
prediction as to the future market price of the Common Stock or an indication of
any  Debenture  holder's  intention  to convert  Debentures  on such  date.  The
Registration   Statement  includes,  in  accordance  with  Rule  416  under  the
Securities  Act,  such  indeterminate  number  of  additional  Shares  as may be
issuable  upon  conversion of the  Debentures  (i) to prevent  dilution  thereof
resulting from stock splits,  stock dividends,  or similar transactions and (ii)
by  reason  of  changes  in the  conversion  price  or  conversion  rate  of the
Debentures.

     For purposes of this Prospectus, the Company has assumed that the number of
Shares  beneficially  owned under each of the Warrants is equal to the number of
Shares stated on the face  thereof.  The  Registration  Statement  includes,  in
accordance   with  Rule  416   promulgated   under  the  Securities   Act,  such
indeterminate number of additional shares of Common Stock as may become issuable
upon exercise of the Warrants (i) to prevent  dilution  thereof  resulting  from
stock splits,  stock  dividends,  or similar  transactions and (ii) by reason of
changes in the  exercise  price of the  Warrants  in  accordance  with the terms
thereof.



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        Shares Beneficially
                                                                                            Owned upon
                                                 Beneficial Ownership                     Completion of
                                                   Prior to Offering                       Offering (1)
                                               -------------------------                ------------------

                                                                           Number of
                                                 Number of                 Shares being  Number
              Beneficial Owner                    Shares       Percent (2)  Offered     of Shares Percent (2)
- ---------------------------------------------  -------------   ---------   ----------   -------   --------

<S>                                                  <C>           <C>        <C>             <C>    <C>   
Leonardo, L.P.(3)                                    431,984       2.8        431,984         0      --
GAM Arbitrage Investments Inc.(4)                     43,198       *           43,198         0      --
AG Supper Fund International Partners, L.P.(4)        43,198       *           43,198         0      --
Raphael, L.P.(4)                                      43,198       *           43,198         0      --
Ramius Fund, Ltd.(5)                                  71,998       *           71,998         0      --
Baldwin Enterprises, Inc.(6)                          86,397       *           86,397         0      --
Prudential Securities Incorporated(7)                105,000        *         105,000         0      --
MBRT Trust(8)                                        162,500       1.0        100,000    62,500      *
                                                   ---------                ---------    ------

All Selling Security Holders as a group              987,473       6.3        924,973    62,500      *
</TABLE>


 ---------------------------
*        Represents  less than one percent of the  outstanding  shares of Common
         Stock.
(1)      Assuming the sale by each Selling  Security Holder of all of the Shares
         offered  hereunder by such  Selling  Security  Holder.  There can be no
         assurance that any of the Shares offered hereby will be sold.
(2)      The  percentages  set forth have been computed  taking into account the
         824,973  unissued Shares issuable upon conversion of the Debentures and
         exercise of the Warrants.
(3)      Includes  386,984 Shares which represent the Company's  estimate of the
         presently  indeterminate  number of Shares  issuable upon conversion of
         Debentures  held by such  entity  and  45,000  Shares of  Common  Stock
         issuable by the Company upon exercise of Warrants held by such entity.
(4)      Includes  38,698 Shares which  represent the Company's  estimate of the
         presently  indeterminate  number of Shares  issuable upon conversion of
         Debentures  held by such  entity  and  4,500  Shares  of  Common  Stock
         issuable by the Company upon exercise of Warrants held by such entity.
(5)      Includes  64,498 Shares which  represent the Company's  estimate of the
         presently  indeterminate  number of Shares  issuable upon conversion of
         Debentures  held by such  entity  and  7,500  Shares  of  Common  Stock
         issuable by the Company upon exercise of Warrants held by such entity.
(6)      Includes  71,397 Shares which  represent the Company's  estimate of the
         presently  indeterminate  number of Shares  issuable upon conversion of
         Debentures  held by such  entity  and  9,000  Shares  of  Common  Stock
         issuable by the Company upon exercise of Warrants held by such entity.
(7)      Includes  105,000  Shares  issuable  by the  Company  upon  exercise of
         Warrants held by such entity.
(8)      The MBRT Trust is an irrevocable  trust established by William P. Long,
         President,  Chief Executive Officer, and a director of the Company, and
         is  administered  by an  independent  trustee  for the  benefit  of the
         children of Mr. Long. Mr. Long disclaims any beneficial interest in the
         shares of Common  Stock owned by the MBRT Trust.  Prior to the offering
         contemplated by this Prospectus, the MBRT Trust owned 162,500 shares of
         Common  Stock.  If all 100,00 Shares being offered by the MBRT Trust in
         connection  with this  Prospectus  are sold,  of which  there can be no
         assurance, the MBRT Trust will own 62,500 shares of Common Stock, which
         is less than one  percent of the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock,
         after completion of the offering.


                                       12

<PAGE>



     Placement of Debentures  and  Warrants.  The  Debentures  and Warrants were
acquired in a private placement  completed on December 29, 1997, pursuant to the
terms of a  Securities  Purchase  Agreement  dated as of December  24, 1997 (the
"Purchase Agreement"). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and related documents,
the  Company  placed  the  Debentures  and  Warrants  with  a  small  number  of
institutional   investors  in  a  transaction   exempt  from  the   registration
requirements under the Securities Act. The following descriptions do not purport
to be complete and are  qualified by  reference  to the  definitive  agreements,
Debentures,  and Warrants  filed as exhibits to the Company's  Current Report on
Form 8-K filed with the  Commission on January 13, 1998, as amended by Amendment
No. 1 to Current Report on Form 8-K/A, filed on January 21, 1998.

     The Debentures have an aggregate face value and "issue price" of $5,000,000
and bear interest at a rate of five percent per annum, payable in cash or shares
of Common Stock, at the Company's option. The Debentures are subordinated to the
present  and  future  senior   indebtedness  of  the  Company,   which  includes
indebtedness  related to loans from financial  institutions,  the acquisition of
property or assets, or letters of credit.  The Company may redeem the Debentures
at a price equal to 110% of the unpaid principal amount to be redeemed, plus any
accrued interest and other charges,  provided that, among other conditions,  the
Registration  Statement  is  effective  and the market price per share of Common
Stock is less than $6.50 per share.

     Subject to certain restrictions set forth in the Debentures, the Debentures
are each  convertible  into the  number of shares of Common  Stock  equal to the
quotient  of (a) the sum of the  principal  amount  of  such  Debenture  and all
accrued but unpaid  interest  and  charges,  divided by (b) the lesser of (i) an
amount  equal to 92% of the average  market  price for one share of Common Stock
for the five preceding  trading days and (ii) $14.36875  (subject to an increase
of $.50 on each of December 29, 1999 and December 29,  2000).  In addition,  the
Company may require  conversion of all or part of the Debentures if, among other
conditions,  the  Registration  Statement is effective  and the market price per
share of Common Stock equals or exceeds $18.679  (subject to an increase of $.65
on each of December 29, 1999 and December 29, 2000).  In the  preparation of its
financial  statements,  the Company has determined  that the Debentures  contain
both debt and equity components. The Company has accounted for the present value
of the  interest  portion as a  liability,  which  amounted  to  $828,031  as of
December  31,  1997.  The  present  value  of the  principal  and  the  holders'
conversion  option have been classified as a component of  shareholders'  equity
and was $4,171,969 as of December 31, 1997.

     The number of Shares being  offered for resale  hereunder by holders of the
Debentures  is based  upon an  estimate  by the  Company of the number of Shares
issuable upon conversion of the Debentures assuming conversion on May 5, 1998 at
a conversion  price of $7.889.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  due to certain
limitations on conversion and the variable nature of the conversion  price,  the
actual  number of Shares to be offered for resale by holders of  Debentures  may
materially  differ from the number of Shares indicated in this  Prospectus.  The
use of such hypothetical conversion price and date is not intended and should in
no way be construed to  constitute a prediction as to the future market price of
the Common Stock or an indication of the intent of the holders of the Debentures
to convert on such date.

     As part of the placement of the  Debentures,  each purchaser of a Debenture
received  its pro rata share of  warrants  ("Debenture  Warrants")  to  purchase
75,000  shares of the Common  Stock on or before  December  29,  1999 at a price
equal to $16.7188 per share.  The Company also issued to Prudential  Securities,
Incorporated,   the  placement   agent  which  arranged  the  placement  of  the
Debentures, warrants (the "Placement Warrants") to purchase 105,000 Shares on or
before December 29, 1999, at a price equal to $16.7188 per share. (The Debenture
Warrants and Placement  Warrants  collectively  constitute the "Warrants").  For
purposes of this  Prospectus,  the Company has assumed that the number of Shares
issuable  upon exercise of each of the Warrants is the number stated on the face
thereof.  Nonetheless,  the number of Shares  issuable  upon  conversion  of the
Warrants, and available for resale hereunder, is subject to adjustment and could
materially differ from the estimated amount depending on the future market price
of the Common Stock and the  occurrence  of a stock split,  stock  dividend,  or
similar  transaction  resulting in an adjustment in the number of Shares subject
to the terms of the Warrants.

     Pursuant to a Registration  Rights  Agreement dated as of December 24, 1997
(the  "Registration  Rights  Agreement")  entered into in  conjunction  with the
Purchase Agreement, the Company is obligated to cause to be effective within 150
days,  of December  29, 1997 a  registration  statement  covering  the resale of
shares of Common Stock  issuable upon  conversion of the Debentures and exercise
of the Warrants.  Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement,  the holders of
the  Debentures  and Warrants  have the right,  at their own expense,  to select
investment  bankers or managers to administer  their interest in such registered
offering.  However, the Selling Security Holders have represented to the Company
that none  intends  at this time to  commission  an  underwriter  or  manager to
facilitate  the  offering  or  sale  of its  Shares  offered  hereunder.  If the
registration  statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement is not
declared  effective  within 150 days of December 29, 1997,  the Company shall be
obligated  to pay each holder of the  Debentures  or Warrants an amount equal to
two percent (2%) of the principal amount of the relevant Debentures per month.

     In addition, subject to the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement,
the Company has the right to cause the initial  purchasers of the  Debentures to
purchase  up  to an  additional  $5,000,000  aggregate  principal  amount  of 5%
Convertible  Subordinated Debentures (the "Put Debentures").  If issued, the Put


                                       13

<PAGE>



Debentures  will be accompanied  by warrants to purchase an aggregate  number of
shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (i) 75,000 multiplied by (ii) the
quotient of the  principal  amount of all Put  Debentures  divided by $5,000,000
(the "Put Warrants"). The exercise price for the Put Warrants shall be an amount
equal to 125% of the closing price per share of Common Stock on the Nasdaq Small
Cap Market or the Nasdaq National Market, as applicable, on the date immediately
prior to the date the Put Warrants are issued. As of the date of the Prospectus,
the Company has not issued the Put  Debentures or issued the Put  Warrants,  and
this  Prospectus  does not  relate to any  shares of Common  Stock  issuable  in
relation thereto.

                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

     All proceeds from any sale of the Shares offered hereby,  less  commissions
and other  customary  fees and  expenses,  will be paid  directly to the Selling
Security Holders selling such Shares.  The Company will not receive any proceeds
from the sale of any of the Shares offered hereby.

                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     The  Company  has  not  retained  any  underwriter,  broker  or  dealer  to
facilitate  the offer or sale of the  Shares  offered  hereby.  No  underwriting
commissions  or discounts  will be paid by the Company in connection  therewith.
Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the holders of the Debentures and
the  Warrants  have the right,  at their own  expense,  to select an  investment
banker or bankers and  manager or manager to  administer  their  interest in the
offering. The Selling Security Holders have represented to the Company that none
intends at this time to commission an  underwriter  or manager to facilitate the
offering or sale its Shares offered hereunder. It is the Company's understanding
that those Selling  Security Holders electing to offer or sell the Shares intend
to  do  so  in   transactions  on  the  Nasdaq  National  Market  in  negotiated
transactions  or in a combination  of such methods of sale, at prices related to
the  prevailing  market prices or at  negotiated  prices.  The Selling  Security
Holders  may  effect  such  transactions  by  selling  the  Shares to or through
broker-dealers,  and such broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of
discounts or commissions from the Selling Security Holders and/or the purchasers
of the  Shares  for whom such  broker-dealers  may act as agents or to whom they
sell as principal, or both (which compensation as to a particular  broker-dealer
may be in excess of customary commissions). The Company will receive no proceeds
from the sale of any of the Shares.

     In  order  to  comply  with  the  securities  laws of  certain  states,  if
applicable,  the  Shares  will  be  sold  in  such  jurisdictions  only  through
registered or licensed  brokers or dealers.  In addition,  in certain states the
Shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in
the applicable  state or an exemption  from the  registration  or  qualification
requirement is available.

                                 INDEMNIFICATION

     The Company's By-laws, as amended,  provide that, subject to the provisions
of the Business Corporation Act, Ontario (the "Act"), every director and officer
of the Company and his heirs, executors, administrators and other legal personal
representatives  shall,  from time to time, be indemnified and saved harmless by
the Company from and against any liability and all costs,  charges, and expenses
that such director or officer sustains or incurs in respect of any action,  suit
or  proceeding  that is proposed or  commenced  against him for or in respect of
anything  done or permitted by him in respect of the  execution of the duties of
his office and all other costs, charges, and expenses that he sustains or incurs
in respect  of the  affairs of the  Company,  except  such  costs,  charges,  or
expenses as are  occasioned by his own wilful  neglect or default.  In addition,
the board of directors of the Company has passed, and the Company's shareholders
have  confirmed,  several  special  By-laws  authorizing the board of directors,
among other things,  to borrow money and issue bonds or debentures and to secure
any such  borrowing  by  mortgaging  or  pledging  all or part of the  Company's
assets. The special By-laws further authorize the board of directors to delegate
the foregoing  powers to any director or officer and to give  indemnities to any
such director or other person acting on behalf of the  registrant and secure any
such person  against  loss by giving him by way of security a mortgage or charge
upon all of the currently owned or subsequently acquired property, undertakings,
and rights of the Company.

     Pursuant to an employment agreement with William P. Long, President,  Chief
Executive  Officer  and a director  of the  Company,  the  Company has agreed to
assume all  liability  for and to  indemnify,  protect,  save and hold Dr.  Long
harmless from and against any and all losses, costs, expenses,  attorneys' fees,
claims, demands, liability, suits, and actions of every kind and character which
may be imposed upon or incurred by Dr. Long on account of,  arising  directly or
indirectly  from,  or in any  way  connected  with  or  related  to  Dr.  Long's
activities  as an officer or  director  of the  Company.  In  addition,  Mineral
Recovery Systems,  Inc. ("MRS"), a wholly-owned  subsidiary of the Company,  has
agreed to assume all  liability for and to indemnify,  protect,  save,  and hold
harmless  Patrick  Costin (Vice  President of the Company and  President of MRS)
from and against any and all losses, costs,  expenses,  attorneys' fees, claims,
demands, liabilities, suits and actions of every kind and character which may be
imposed  on or  incurred  by Mr.  Costin on  account  of,  arising  directly  or
indirectly  from,  or in any way  connected  with  Mr.  Costin's  activities  as
manager, officer or director of MRS or the Company.


                                       14

<PAGE>



     In addition, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has
agreed to indemnify the holders of the Warrants and Debentures, and such persons
have  agreed  to  indemnify  the  Company  and  its  officers,   directors,  and
controlling  persons,  for  certain  liabilities  which  might  arise  under the
Securities Act or state law in connection  with the  Registration  Statement and
related offering.

     Indemnification  may be granted pursuant to any other agreement,  bylaw, or
vote of the Company's  shareholders or directors.  In addition to the foregoing,
the Company  maintains  insurance  through a commercial  carrier against certain
liabilities  which may be incurred by its directors and officers.  The foregoing
description is necessarily  general and does not describe all details  regarding
the  indemnification  of  officers,  directors  or  controlling  persons  of the
Company.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of the Company
pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Company has been informed
that in the opinion of the  Commission  such  indemnification  is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In
the event that a claim for indemnification  against such liabilities (other than
the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director,  officer,
or controlling  person of the Company in the  successful  defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered,  the Company will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit  to a  court  of  appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  whether  such
indemnification  by it is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                  LEGAL MATTERS

     The validity of the Shares being  offered  hereby are being passed upon for
the Company by Beach, Hepburn, Ontario, Canada.

                                     EXPERTS

     The  financial  statements  and  schedules  of the Company  included in the
Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 1997, and
incorporated by reference in this Registration  Statement,  have been audited by
McGovern,  Hurley, Cunningham,  independent public accountants,  as indicated in
their reports with respect thereto, and are incorporated herein in reliance upon
the  authority of said firm as experts in giving  accounting  and auditing  said
reports.

     Future  financial  statements  of the Company  and the  reports  thereon by
McGovern,  Hurley,  Cunningham  also will be  incorporated  by  reference in the
Registration Statement in reliance upon the authority of that firm as experts in
accounting and auditing in giving those reports; provided,  however, only to the
extent that said firm has audited those  financial  statements  and consented to
the use of their reports thereon.











                                       15

<PAGE>



========================================     ===================================



No person  has been  authorized  to give
any     information    or    make    any              924,973 Shares     
representation    other    than    those                                 
contained   in,   or   incorporated   by                                 
reference into, this Prospectus, and, if                                 
given  or  made,  such   information  or                                 
representations  must not be relied upon              
as having been authorized by the Company              
or any  Selling  Security  Holder.  This              
Prospectus  does not constitute an offer              
to sell or  solicitation of any offer to                                 
buy,  nor shall there be any sale of the                                 
Shares by anyone,  in any state in which                                 
such offer,  solicitation  or sale would                                 
be  unlawful  prior to  registration  or                                 
qualification  of the  Shares  under the                                 
securities  laws  of  any  state,  or in                  ALTAIR           
which the  person  making  such offer or            INTERNATIONAL INC.       
solicitation  is not qualified to do so,                                     
or to any person to whom it is  unlawful               COMMON STOCK          
to  make  such  offer  or  solicitation.                  
Neither  delivery of this Prospectus nor                  
any sale made hereunder shall, under any                                 
circumstances,  create  any  implication                                 
that  there  has been no  change  in the                                 
information herein or the affairs of the                                 
Company since the date hereof.                                           
                                                                         
                                                                         
                                                      _______________     
                                                                    
         -----------------------                        PROSPECTUS   
                                                      _______________ 
                                                                      
                                                                         
            TABLE OF CONTENTS                                            
                                                                         
                                    Page                                 
                                    ----                                 
Available Information..................2                                 
Incorporation of Certain Documents                      
  by Reference.........................2                                 
Enforceability of Civil Liabilities                                      
  Against Foreign Persons..............3                                 
Prospectus Summary.....................4                                 
Forward-Looking Statements.............6          
Risk Factors...........................6                       
Price Range of Common Stock...........11
Selling Security Holders..............11
Use of Proceeds.......................14
Plan of Distribution..................14
Indemnification.......................14
Legal Matters.........................15
Experts...............................15




          --------------------

                                                    ________ __, 1998 








=======================================      ===================================




<PAGE>



                                     PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.   Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

     The following table sets forth the various  expenses of the offering,  sale
and  distribution of the Shares being registered  pursuant to this  registration
statement (the "Registration Statement").  All of the expenses listed below will
be borne by the Company. All of the amounts shown are estimates,  except the SEC
and NASD registration fees.

                                                             Amount
                                                             ------

SEC registration fees................................. $         2,829.00

NASD registration fees................................           1,471.00

Accounting fees and expenses..........................           1,500.00

Legal fees and expenses...............................          10,000.00

Blue sky fees and expenses............................           1,000.00

Miscellaneous expenses................................           8,200.00
                                                      --------------------

     Total............................................ $        25,000.00
                                                      ====================


Item 15.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     Subsection  136(1) of the  Business  Corporation  Act,  Ontario (the "Act")
provides  that  a  corporation  may  indemnify  a  director  or  officer  of the
corporation,  a former  director or officer of the  corporation  or a person who
acts or acted at the  corporation's  request as a director  or officer of a body
corporate of which the corporation is or was a shareholder or creditor,  and his
heirs and legal  representatives,  against  all  costs,  charges  and  expenses,
including  an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment,  reasonably
incurred  by him or her in  respect  of any civil,  criminal  or  administrative
action  or  proceeding  to which he is made a party by reason of being or having
been a director or officer of such corporation or body corporation, if,

     (a)  he acted  honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests
          of the corporation; and

     (b)  in the case of a criminal or administrative  action or proceeding that
          is  enforced  by a monetary  penalty,  he had  reasonable  grounds for
          believing that his or her conduct was lawful.

     Subsection  136(2) of the Act provides  that a  corporation  may,  with the
approval of the court,  indemnify a person  referred to in subsection  136(1) of
the Act in  respect  of an action by or on  behalf  of the  corporation  or body
corporate  to  procure a judgment  in its  favor,  to which the person is made a
party  by  reason  of being or  having  been a  director  or an  officer  of the
corporation  or  body  corporate,   against  all  costs,  charges  and  expenses
reasonably  incurred by the person in connection with such action if he fulfills
the conditions set out in clauses 136(1)(a) and 136(1))(b) of the Act.

     Subsection  136(3) of the Act provides that despite anything in section 136
of the Act, a person referred to in subsection  136(1) of the Act is entitled to
indemnity  from the  corporation  in respect of all costs,  charges and expenses
reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense of any civil, criminal
or administrative  action or proceeding to which he is made a party by reason of
being or having been a director or officer of the corporation or body corporate,
if the person seeking indemnity,

     (a)  was  substantially  successful  on the  merits in his  defense  of the
          action or proceeding; and

     (b)  fulfills the conditions set out in clauses  136(1)(a) and 136(1)(b) of
          the Act.

     Subsection  136(4) of the Act provides that a corporation  may purchase and
maintain  insurance  for the  benefit of any person  referred  to in  subsection
136(1) of the Act against any liability incurred by the person,

     (a)  in his  capacity as a director or officer of the  corporation,  except
          where the  liability  relates to the person's  failure to act honestly
          and  in  good  faith  with  a  view  to  the  best  interests  of  the
          corporation; or

                                      II-1

<PAGE>




     (b)  in his  capacity  as a director or officer of another  body  corporate
          where the person acts or acted in that  capacity at the  corporation's
          request, except where the liability relates to the person's failure to
          act  honestly  and in good faith with a view to the best  interests of
          the body corporate.

     Subsection  136(5)  of the Act  provides  that a  corporation  or a  person
referred to in subsection  136(1) of the Act may apply to the court for an order
approving an indemnity  under  section 136 of the Act and the court may so order
and make any further order it thinks fit.

     Subsection  136(6)  of the Act  provides  that  upon an  application  under
subsection  136(5) of the Act,  the  court  may order  notice to be given to any
interested  person and such  person is entitled to appear and be heard in person
or by counsel.

     The Company's By-laws, as amended,  provide that, subject to the provisions
of the Act, every director and officer of the Company and his heirs,  executors,
administrators  and other legal  personal  representatives  shall,  from time to
time,  be  indemnified  and saved  harmless by the Company  from and against any
liability  and all costs,  charges and  expenses  that such  director or officer
sustains or incurs in respect of any action, suit or proceeding that is proposed
or commenced  against him for or in respect of anything done or permitted by him
in respect  of the  execution  of the duties of his office and all other  costs,
charges and expenses that he sustains or incurs in respect of the affairs of the
Company,  except such costs,  charges or expenses as are  occasioned  by his own
wilful  neglect or default.  In addition,  the board of directors of the Company
has  passed,  and the  shareholders  have  confirmed,  several  special  By-laws
authorizing  the board of  directors,  among other  things,  to borrow money and
issue bonds or  debentures  and to secure any such  borrowing by  mortgaging  or
pledging  all or part of the  Company's  assets.  The  special  By-laws  further
authorize  the  board of  directors  to  delegate  the  foregoing  powers to any
director or officer and to give indemnities to any such director or other person
acting on behalf of the  Company  and secure  any such  person  against  loss by
giving him by way of  security a mortgage  or charge  upon all of the  currently
owned  or  subsequently  acquired  property,  undertakings,  and  rights  of the
Company.

     Pursuant to an employment agreement with William P. Long, President,  Chief
Executive  Officer  and a director  of the  Company,  the  Company has agreed to
assume all  liability  for and to  indemnify,  protect,  save and hold Dr.  Long
harmless from and against any and all losses, costs, expenses,  attorneys' fees,
claims, demands,  liability, suits and actions of every kind and character which
may be imposed upon or incurred by Dr. Long on account of,  arising  directly or
indirectly  from,  or in any  way  connected  with  or  related  to  Dr.  Long's
activities  as an officer and  director of the  Company.  In  addition,  MRS has
agreed to assume all  liability for and to indemnify,  protect,  save,  and hold
harmless  Patrick  Costin (Vice  President of the Company and  President of MRS)
from and against any and all losses, costs,  expenses,  attorneys' fees, claims,
demands, liabilities, suits and actions of every kind and character which may be
imposed  on or  incurred  by Mr.  Costin on  account  of,  arising  directly  or
indirectly  from,  or in any way  connected  with  Mr.  Costin's  activities  as
manager, officer or director of MRS or the Company.

     In addition, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has
agreed to indemnify the initial holders of the Debentures and Warrants, and such
persons have agreed to indemnify  the Company and its officers,  directors,  and
controlling  persons,  for  certain  liabilities  which  might  arise  under the
Securities Act or state law in connection  with the  Registration  Statement and
related offering.

     Indemnification  may be granted pursuant to any other agreement,  bylaw, or
vote of the Company's  shareholders or directors.  In addition to the foregoing,
the Company  maintains  insurance  through a commercial  carrier against certain
liabilities  which may be incurred by its directors and officers.  The foregoing
description is necessarily  general and does not describe all details  regarding
the  indemnification  of  officers,  directors  or  controlling  persons  of the
Company.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of the Company
pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Company has been informed
that in the opinion of the  Commission  such  indemnification  is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In
the event that a claim for indemnification  against such liabilities (other than
the payment by the Company of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer
or controlling  person of the Company in the  successful  defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered,  the Company will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit  to a  court  of  appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  whether  such
indemnification  by it is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                      II-2

<PAGE>



Item 16.   Exhibits.

     The following  exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulations S-K promulgated
under  the  Securities  Act have  been  included  herewith  or have  been  filed
previously with the Commission as indicated below.

       Regulation S-K                          Description
        Exhibit No.
       --------------   --------------------------------------------------------

            4.1         Articles of Incorporation  of the Company  (incorporated
                        by  reference  to  Registration  Statement on Form 10-SB
                        filed with the Commission on November 25, 1996).

            4.2         Amendment  to Articles of  Incorporation  of the Company
                        dated  November 6, 1996  (incorporated  by  reference to
                        Amendment  No. 1 to  Registration  Statement  on Form 10
                        filed with the Commission on December 23, 1996).

            4.3         By-laws of the Company  (incorporated  by  reference  to
                        Registration  Statement  on Form  10-SB  filed  with the
                        Commission of November 25, 1996).

            4.4         Form  of  Common  Stock  Certificate   (incorporated  by
                        reference to Registration  Statement on Form 10-SB filed
                        with the Commission on November 25, 1996).

             5          Opinion  of Beach,  Hepburn  as to the  legality  of the
                        securities offered.+

           23.1         Consent of Beach, Hepburn (included in Exhibit No. 5).+

           23.2         Consent of McGovern, Hurley, Cunningham.+

            24          Powers  of  Attorney  (included  on  page  II-5  of  the
                        Registration Statement).+


+    Previously filed.

Item 17.   Undertakings

     (a)   The undersigned Company hereby undertakes:

           (1) To file,  during  any  period in which  offers or sales are being
     made of the securities  registered  hereby, a  post-effective  amendment to
     this Registration Statement:

              (i) To include any prospectus  required by section 10(a)(3) of the
           Securities Act;

              (ii) To  reflect  in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising
           after the effective date of this Registration  Statement (or the most
           recent  post-effective  amendment thereof) which,  individually or in
           the aggregate,  represent a fundamental change in the information set
           forth in this Registration Statement;

              (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
           of  distribution  not  previously   disclosed  in  this  Registration
           Statement  or  any  material  change  to  such  information  in  this
           Registration Statement;


     provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
     the information  required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment by
     those  paragraphs  is  contained in periodic  reports  filed by the Company
     pursuant  to  Section  13 or  Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that are
     incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

           (2) That,  for the purpose of  determining  any  liability  under the
     Securities Act, each such post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a
     new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
     the  offering  of such  securities  at that time  shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

           (3)  To  remove  from  registration  by  means  of  a  post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.


                                                          II-3

<PAGE>




     (b) The  undersigned  Company  hereby  undertakes  that,  for  purposes  of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company's
annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section  15(d) of the Exchange Act
that is incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement shall be deemed
to be a new Registration  Statement  relating to the securities offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be  permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the
Company,  the Company has been  informed  that in the opinion of the  Commission
such  indemnification  is against  public policy as expressed in the  Securities
Act,  and  is,  therefore,   unenforceable.  In  the  event  that  a  claim  for
indemnification  against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company
of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted
by  such  director,  officer  or  controlling  person  in  connection  with  the
securities  being  registered,  the Company  will,  unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,  submit to a court
of appropriate  jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by
the final adjudication of such issue.


















                                      II-4

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of
the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Amendment No. 2
to the  Registration  Statement  on Form S-3 to be signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in the City of Cody, State of Wyoming,
on May 8, 1998.

                            ALTAIR INTERNATIONAL INC.


                                       By     /s/ William P. Long
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           William P. Long
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer




     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,
this  Registration  Statement  has been signed by the  following  persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Signature                                       Title                                 Date
         ---------                                       -----                                 ----

<S>                                    <C>                                                   <C>
 /s/ William P. Long                   President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director      May 8, 1998
- ------------------------------------   (Principal Executive Officer and authorized         
William P. Long                        representative of the Company in the United States) 
                                       


 /s/ C. Patrick Costin                 Vice President and Chief Financial Officer            May 8, 1998
- -----------------------------------    (Principal Financial Officer and Principal 
C. Patrick Costin                      Accounting Officer)                        
                                       


/s/ James I. Golla*                    Secretary and Director                                May 8, 1998
- ------------------------------------
James I. Golla


/s/ George E. Hartman*                 Director                                              May 8, 1998
- ------------------------------------
George E. Hartman


/s/ Robert Sheldon*                    Director                                              May 8, 1998
Robert Sheldon

</TABLE>

*  By:      /s/ William P. Long
         ---------------------------------
         William P. Long, Attorney-in-Fact


                                      II-5

<PAGE>


<TABLE>
                            ALTAIR INTERNATIONAL INC.

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
<CAPTION>


 Regulation S-K                                   Description                                   Sequential System
  Exhibit No.                                                                                        Page No.
- ----------------     ---------------------------------------------------------------------     --------------------

<S>                  <C>                                                                                <C>   
      4.1            Articles of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to
                     Registration Statement on Form 10-SB filed with the Commission on
                     November 25, 1996).                                                                --

      4.2            Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of the Company dated
                     November 6, 1996 (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to
                     Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the Commission on
                     December 23, 1996).                                                                --

      4.3            By-laws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Registration
                     Statement on Form 10-SB filed with the Commission of November 25,
                     1996).
                                                                                                        --

      4.4            Form of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to
                     Registration Statement on Form 10-SB filed with the Commission on
                     November 25, 1996).                                                                --

       5             Opinion of Beach, Hepburn as to the legality of the securities offered.            *

      23.1           Consent of Beach, Hepburn (included in Exhibit No. 5)                              *

      23.2           Consent of McGovern, Hurley, Cunningham                                            *

       24            Powers of Attorney (included on page II-5 of the Registration                      *
                     Statement)
</TABLE>

- --------------------

* Previously filed.


                                      II-6



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