Bonterra Intersects 1.8 g/t Au over 23.2 m and 2.5 g/t Au over 10.5 m at the Barry Open Pit Project and Provides Operational Update
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Val-d'Or, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - September 7, 2022) - Bonterra Resources Inc. (TSXV: BTR) (OTCQX: BONXF) (FSE: 9BR2) ("Bonterra" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from the drilling campaign at the Barry open pit project. The Company just completed a 25,000 metres ("m") definition drill campaign surrounding the near surface mineralization at the Barry gold deposit to further define extensions of the mineral resources. Today's results obtained from 54 drill holes are expected to be included in a new mineral resource estimate ("MRE") in preparation of the pre-feasibility study ("PFS") expected to be completed later this year. The Company has selected a group of experienced consultants, including BBA (BBA.ca) as lead consultant, and the PFS is now underway.
Bonterra is also pleased to announce that is has commenced 125,000 m of infill drilling on the underground portion of the Barry deposit, which contains 0.5 million ounces of Measured and Indicated Mineral resources and 0.7 million ounces of Inferred Mineral resources, as stated in the 2021 MRE ("2021 MRE"). The Company continues to execute on its strategy of moving toward the production re-start of the open pit at Barry while developing the higher-grade underground mineralization in parallel.
The Company is currently drilling at a rate of approximately 6,000 m per month, focused on infill drilling the underground portion of the Barry deposit highlighted within the 2021 MRE.
Highlights include:
1.8 g/t Au over 23.2 m, including 3.0 g/t Au over 4.0 m and 11.4 g/t Au over 1.5 m in hole MB-22-4342.5 g/t Au over 10.5, m including 7.3 g/t Au over 1.6 m in hole MB-22-452 1.0 g/t Au over 37.0, m including 3.2 g/t Au over 8.6 m in hole MB-22-4701.8 g/t Au over 15.5, m including 11.2 g/t Au over 1.0 m in hole MB-22-458 6.3 g/t Au over 4.1, m including 27.2 g/t Au over 0.7 m in hole MB-22-4955.9 g/t Au over 6.6, m including 20.1 g/t Au over 1.2 m in hole MB-22-460
Operational Updates
The Company also announces that is has elected to put the underground infrastructure at the Bachelor-Moroy deposit under long-term care and maintenance and expects to complete this process early in the fourth quarter. This decision was made after a detailed analysis of the economic potential of the Moroy deposit, considering the costs involved in maintaining the underground infrastructure de-watered and in good standing. It is important to note, that the status of the assay lab, camp, mill, and the tailings management area (the "Bachelor Mill Complex") remains unchanged, and that these assets are key components of the planned re-start of production at the Barry open pit project.
At the Bachelor Mill Complex, the permitting process for the mill and tailings management area expansion is still ongoing at the COMEX. Considering the abovementioned changes at the Bachelor-Moroy deposit, a scope change will be submitted shortly to the COMEX for their review.
At the Gladiator deposit, the Company has undertaken an exploration drill campaign on barges that was completed as scheduled at the end of July. The geological team at Bonterra will continue working on the mineral resources model and geological interpretation of the deposit as drill results from the campaign become available. The team is also planning a more focused drill program for next year.
Marc André Pelletier, President and CEO commented: "These recent drill results confirm the grade continuity of the near surface mineralization at the Barry deposit and will be used to further refine our geological model as part of the PFS that is expected to be completed by year end. The PFS is an important milestone in our renewed strategy of advancing the Company toward production, starting with the Barry open pit.
Bonterra expects that the decision to place the underground infrastructure at the Bachelor-Moroy deposit on long-term care and maintenance will reduce the annual maintenance costs by at least $3 million/year and will allow the Company to reallocate these financial resources toward advancing the development of the Barry deposit."
Figure 1 - Barry Project - Drill Hole Location Map, Plan View.
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The infill drilling program was designed to fill gaps in the drill spacing inside and immediately around the pit shell from the 2021 MRE. The results confirmed the shape of the mineralization and the grades predicted by the bloc model from the 2021 MRE. Hole MB-22-434 returned 1.8 g/t Au over 23.2 m in zone D4 in the south-west pit (fig. 2), hole MB-22-470 returned 1.0 g/t Au over 37.0 m, including 3.2 g/t Au over 8.6 m from zone AB07 in the main pit (fig. 3) and hole MB-22-452 returned 2.5 g/t Au over 10.5 m just 10 m under the main pit in zone AB07 (fig. 4).
Figure 2 - Barry Project - Cross Section 30m, southwest pit (Hole MB-22-434, MB-22-436,
MB-22-505, MB-22-495, MB-22-434), Looking southwest.
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Figure 3 - Barry Project - Cross Section 25m, Main Pit, (Hole MB-22-470, MB-22-469, MB-22-463), Looking southwest.
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Figure 4 - Barry Project - Cross Section 25m, Main Pit, Hole (MB-22-452), Looking southwest.
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The expansion drilling program was aimed to better define the mineral resources surrounding the 2021 MRE. Hole MB-22-458 returned 1.8 g/t Au over 15.5 m and Hole MB-22-460 returned 5.9 g/t Au over 6.6 m in zone H6, 35 m below the surface and 45 m to the west of the southwest pit (fig. 5).
Figure 5 - Barry Project - Cross Section 25 m, southwest pit extension, (Hole BA-22-458, MB-22-460), Looking southwest.
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Barry Deposit Geology
The Barry gold deposit is characterized by three dominant sets of structures, all dipping to the southeast. The sub-vertical shear zones and the H-Series shear zones dipping 25 to 40 degrees are hosted within intermediate to mafic volcanics and tuffs with local felsic intrusions. Contact zones dip at 50-65 degrees along the lower and upper contacts of the D1, D2 and D3 felsic intrusions with mafic volcanics. Gold mineralization is associated with disseminated sulfides within shear zones and veins with local visible gold. The Barry deposit has been delineated over 1.4 kilometres along strike and 700 m vertical and remains open for expansion.
The following table shows the significant intersections of the drill holes presented in this press release.
| Program | Hole ID |
| From
(m) | To
(m) | Length
(m) | Grade
(g/t Au) | Zones | | Pit extension NE | MB-21-415 |
| 104.2 | 122.5 | 18.3 | 0.5 | Intrusion D3 | | Pit extension NE | MB-22-424 |
| 15.9 | 18.7 | 2.8 | 2.3 | AB08 | | Pit extension NE | MB-22-424 |
| 23.0 | 50.5 | 27.5 | 0.6 | Intrusion D3 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-430 |
| 44.8 | 61.2 | 16.4 | 1.8 | 802 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-430 | Including | 44.8 | 50.4 | 5.6 | 3.8 | 802 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-430 |
| 84.0 | 84.6 | 0.6 | 9.0 | New H | | Pit Infill | MB-22-430 |
| 103.6 | 107.7 | 4.1 | 2.0 | 800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-430 | Including | 105.2 | 106.5 | 1.3 | 5.2 | 800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-430 |
| 172.1 | 173.8 | 1.7 | 4.1 | New H | | Pit Infill | MB-22-430 | Including | 172.1 | 172.6 | 0.5 | 11.8 | New H | | Pit Infill | MB-22-432 |
| 110.9 | 122.3 | 11.4 | 0.9 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-433 |
| 37.7 | 40.5 | 2.8 | 2.2 | New H | | Pit Infill | MB-22-433 |
| 52.0 | 60.2 | 8.2 | 0.7 | AB15 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 |
| 49.5 | 72.7 | 23.2 | 1.8 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 | Including | 49.5 | 53.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 | And Including | 61.8 | 63.3 | 1.5 | 11.4 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 |
| 81.0 | 104.2 | 23.2 | 1.2 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 | Including | 94.0 | 95.1 | 1.1 | 8.3 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 | And Including | 97.5 | 98.3 | 0.8 | 14.8 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 |
| 111.6 | 132.2 | 20.6 | 0.9 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-434 | Including | 113.7 | 114.3 | 0.6 | 10.6 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-435 |
| 97.8 | 99.5 | 1.7 | 3.0 | AB17 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-435 |
| 121.0 | 131.3 | 10.3 | 1.2 | AB23 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-435 | Including | 130.0 | 130.5 | 0.5 | 11.2 | AB23 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-436 |
| 19.2 | 31.0 | 11.8 | 1.5 | H17 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-436 | Including | 26.3 | 29.8 | 3.5 | 2.9 | H17 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-436 |
| 41.0 | 96.7 | 55.7 | 0.5 | Intrusion D2 / D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-436 | Including | 95.5 | 96.7 | 1.2 | 8.2 | Intrusion D2 / D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-437 |
| 6.6 | 18.0 | 11.4 | 0.5 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-438 |
| 42.6 | 56.6 | 14.0 | 1.3 | AB14/800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-438 | Including | 51.2 | 54.4 | 3.2 | 4.8 | AB14/800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-438 |
| 129.6 | 137.5 | 7.9 | 0.7 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-440 |
| 100.3 | 110.4 | 10.1 | 0.7 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-442 |
| 59.0 | 65.0 | 6.0 | 1.5 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-442 | Including | 59.0 | 60.7 | 1.7 | 4.2 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-442 |
| 73.2 | 75.0 | 1.8 | 2.8 |
| | Pit Extension S | MB-22-443 |
| 38.4 | 40.0 | 1.6 | 3.4 | New H | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-443 |
| 102.2 | 103.0 | 0.8 | 10.9 | AB10 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-447 |
| 44.7 | 54.0 | 9.3 | 0.7 | New H | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-447 |
| 67.6 | 72.5 | 4.9 | 1.3 | AB07 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-449 |
| 25.8 | 48.8 | 23.0 | 0.8 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-449 |
| 151.0 | 156.2 | 5.2 | 2.1 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-451 |
| 49.5 | 54.2 | 4.7 | 1.4 | H17 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-451 | Including | 53.3 | 54.2 | 0.9 | 5.8 | H17 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-452 |
| 14.1 | 17.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-452 | Including | 15.5 | 16.5 | 1.0 | 6.4 | 800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-452 |
| 54.5 | 65.0 | 10.5 | 2.5 | D3/AB07 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-452 | Including | 57.4 | 59.0 | 1.6 | 7.3 | D3/AB07 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-452 |
| 73.4 | 80.0 | 6.6 | 1.4 | AB08 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-453 |
| 19.3 | 21.0 | 1.7 | 4.3 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-454 |
| 16.7 | 25.9 | 9.2 | 1.3 | H17 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-455 |
| 83.7 | 92.0 | 8.3 | 0.9 | 800 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-455 |
| 99.0 | 102.3 | 3.3 | 1.7 | AB09 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-456 |
| 46.4 | 51.3 | 4.9 | 1.5 | H6 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-456 | Including | 47.7 | 49.5 | 1.8 | 3.7 | H6 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-457 |
| 7.2 | 7.7 | 0.5 | 11.9 | New | | Pit Infill | MB-22-457 | Including | 153.0 | 154.5 | 1.5 | 4.3 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-458 |
| 38.8 | 54.3 | 15.5 | 1.8 | H6 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-458 | Including | 48.5 | 49.5 | 1.0 | 11.2 | H6 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-459 |
| 12.5 | 18.5 | 6.0 | 1.1 | New | | Pit Infill | MB-22-459 |
| 44.2 | 49.4 | 5.2 | 4.1 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-459 | Including | 48.8 | 49.4 | 0.6 | 22.3 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-459 | Including | 56.1 | 57.0 | 0.9 | 5.7 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-460 |
| 33.3 | 36.3 | 3.0 | 3.5 | New H | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-460 | Including | 33.3 | 34.5 | 1.2 | 6.4 | New H | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-460 |
| 69.5 | 76.1 | 6.6 | 5.9 | H6 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-460 | Including | 74.4 | 75.6 | 1.2 | 20.1 | H6 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-461 |
| 100.5 | 101.0 | 0.5 | 11.4 | Intrusion D1 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-462 |
| 159.0 | 176.2 | 17.2 | 0.5 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-462 |
| 179.8 | 185.1 | 5.3 | 1.5 | D2 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-463 |
| 98.8 | 186.7 | 87.9 | 0.6 | 801/AB09/AB20 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-463 | Including | 106.2 | 106.7 | 0.5 | 36.4 | 801 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-463 | Including | 136.7 | 137.7 | 1.0 | 12.0 | 800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-464 |
| 19.1 | 42.2 | 23.1 | 1.0 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-464 | Including | 26.8 | 29.7 | 2.9 | 3.0 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-464 | Including | 87.2 | 88.1 | 0.9 | 6.1 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-464 |
| 103.9 | 116.6 | 12.7 | 2.1 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-464 | Including | 112.8 | 113.3 | 0.5 | 44.9 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-465 |
| 35.0 | 45.1 | 10.1 | 0.6 | AB14 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-467 |
| 20.0 | 27.8 | 7.8 | 1.6 | AB14 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-468 |
| 97.0 | 101.8 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 800 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-469 |
| 12.0 | 65.4 | 53.4 | 0.8 | AB07/D5 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-469 | Including | 52.5 | 57.1 | 4.6 | 6.7 | D5 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-470 |
| 16.0 | 53.0 | 37.0 | 1.0 | AB07/D5 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-470 | Including | 28.5 | 37.1 | 8.6 | 3.2 | AB07 | | Pit extension N | MB-22-473 |
| 6.8 | 23.8 | 17.0 | 0.9 | D2 | | Pit extension N | MB-22-473 | Including | 11.0 | 12.5 | 1.5 | 6.1 | D2 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-474 |
| 137.8 | 161.7 | 23.9 | 1.2 | 800 | | Pit Extension S | MB-22-474 | Including | 137.8 | 142.5 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 800 | | Pit extension N | MB-22-475 |
| 32.0 | 33.9 | 1.9 | 4.3 | H8 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-476 |
| 35.5 | 39.0 | 3.5 | 4.6 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-476 | Including | 35.5 | 36.0 | 0.5 | 28.1 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-478 |
| 9.0 | 35.8 | 26.8 | 0.5 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-478 |
| 73.0 | 82.4 | 9.4 | 1.0 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-478 | Including | 76.8 | 78.6 | 1.8 | 4.7 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-481 |
| 101.7 | 103.3 | 1.6 | 4.0 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-482 |
| 11.2 | 14.0 | 2.8 | 7.7 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-482 | Including | 11.2 | 12.0 | 0.8 | 26.0 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-484 |
| 67.0 | 73.8 | 6.8 | 1.0 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-485 |
| 11.4 | 15.2 | 3.8 | 2.9 | New vertical | | Pit Infill | MB-22-485 | Including | 13.3 | 15.2 | 1.9 | 5.4 | New vertical | | Pit Infill | MB-22-485 |
| 30.3 | 44.6 | 14.3 | 0.7 | New vertical | | Pit extension N | MB-22-488 |
| 52.8 | 57.6 | 4.8 | 6.4 | H8 | | Pit extension N | MB-22-488 | Including | 55.6 | 56.1 | 0.5 | 58.1 | H8 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-491 |
| 70.5 | 74.0 | 3.5 | 1.8 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-492 |
| 84.8 | 89.2 | 4.4 | 5.4 | D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-492 | Including | 86.5 | 87.6 | 1.1 | 17.7 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-493 |
| 82.5 | 90.0 | 7.5 | 4.5 | H6 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-493 | Including | 86.0 | 89.4 | 3.4 | 7.5 | H6 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-494 |
| 110.8 | 121.6 | 10.8 | 0.5 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-495 |
| 69.8 | 72.7 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| | Pit extension SW | MB-22-495 |
| 76.6 | 84.0 | 7.4 | 1.3 | H17 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-495 | Including | 81.0 | 82.0 | 1.0 | 7.1 | H17 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-495 |
| 106.6 | 110.7 | 4.1 | 6.3 | H6 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-495 | Including | 109.3 | 110.0 | 0.7 | 27.2 | H6 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-495 |
| 117.0 | 119.4 | 2.4 | 4.3 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-495 | Including | 117.0 | 118.4 | 1.4 | 7.3 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-496 |
| 78.0 | 91.0 | 13.0 | 1.4 | New H | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-496 | Including | 78.8 | 81.7 | 2.9 | 5.2 | New H | | Pit Infill | MB-22-499 |
| 102.0 | 103.0 | 1.0 | 9.8 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-501 |
| 4.6 | 24.5 | 19.9 | 0.5 | D4 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-501 |
| 49.1 | 53.1 | 4.0 | 2.1 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-501 | Including | 49.7 | 50.2 | 0.5 | 10.9 | Intrusion D2 | | Pit Infill | MB-22-501 |
| 72.0 | 80.4 | 8.4 | 0.7 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-505 |
| 33.3 | 36.3 | 3.0 | 7.9 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-505 | Including | 33.3 | 34.3 | 1.0 | 22.8 | D2 | | Pit extension SW | MB-22-507 |
| 12.7 | 17.4 | 4.7 | 2.5 | H6 |
Notes:
1) The meterage represents the length of the drilled lengths.
2) Estimated true widths for the Barry deposit interpreted zones are as follows: D series, AB series, H series 70% to 90% of core length, 800 series 50% to 70% of core length
3) The mineralized intervals listed are above 0.5 g/t Au and with metal factor (grades x thickness) above 5.
Quality Control and Reporting Protocols
The Barry project's drill core gold analyses are performed at the Company's Bachelor Mine analytical laboratory (the "Laboratory") and at AGAT Laboratories, located in Val-d'Or. The Company employs a rigorous QA-QC analysis program that meets industry standards. The analyses are carried out by fire assay (A.A.) with atomic absorption finish at the Laboratory and with gravimetric finish for assay above 10 g/t Au at AGAT laboratories. Blanks, duplicates, and certified reference standards are inserted into the sample stream to monitor the Laboratory's performance. The Company's QA-QC program requires that at least 10% of samples be analyzed by an independent laboratory. These verification samples are sent to ALS Minerals laboratory facility located in Val-d'Or, Quebec. The verifications show a high degree of correlation with the Laboratory's results.
Qualified Persons
Boris Artinian, P.Geo., (OGQ # 1546) Chief Geologist of the Company oversees all exploration activities on the Barry property and has compiled and approved the information contained in this press release. Mr. Artinian is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI-43-101").
About Bonterra Resources Inc.
Bonterra is a Canadian gold exploration company with a large portfolio of advanced exploration assets anchored by a central milling facility in Quebec, Canada. The Company has four main assets, Gladiator, Barry, Moroy, and Bachelor that collectively have a total of 1.24 million ounces in Measured and Indicated categories, and 1.78 million ounces in Inferred category. Importantly, the Company owns the only permitted and operational gold mill in the region. Bonterra is focused on graduating from advanced exploration to a development company to deliver shareholder value.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Marc-Andre Pelletier, President & CEO
ir@btrgold.com
2872 Sullivan Road, Suite 2, Val d'Or, Quebec J9P 0B9
819-825-8678 | Website: www.btrgold.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking information" that is based on Bonterra's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements with respect to Bonterra's exploration and development plans and placing the Bachelor-Moroy deposit under long-term care and maintenance. The words "will", "anticipated", "plans" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information includes namely information with respect to the planned exploration programs and the potential growth in mineral resources. Exploration results that include drill results on wide spacings may not be indicative of the occurrence of a mineral deposit and such results do not provide assurance that further work will establish sufficient grade, continuity, metallurgical characteristics and economic potential to be classed as a category of mineral resource. The potential quantities and grades of drilling targets are conceptual in nature and, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the targets being delineated as mineral resources. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Bonterra's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include but are not limited to: uncertainties related exploration and development; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund exploration and development; changes in economic conditions or financial markets, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological or operational difficulties or inability to obtain permits encountered in connection with exploration activities; and labour relations matters. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect our forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. |
