Cautionary Statement
Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors: Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources - The terms "mineral reserve", "proven mineral reserve" and "probable mineral reserve" referred to in the Company's disclosure are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on August 20, 2000 as may be amended from time to time by the CIM.
These definitions differ from the definitions in the United States Securities & Exchange Commission ("SEC") Guide 7. Under SEC Guide 7 standards, a “final” or “bankable” feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historic average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. The terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource", "inferred mineral resource" used in the Company's disclosure are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the CIM Standards. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. While the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource," "indicated mineral resource", and "inferred mineral resource" are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, they are not defined terms under standards in the United States and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC.
As such, information contained in the Company's disclosure concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources under Canadian standards may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S companies in SEC filings. With respect to "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" there is a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and a great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It can not be assumed that all or any part of an "indicated mineral resource" or "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves.