Thunder Bay, ON February 13, 2025 – Benton Resources Inc. (“Benton” or the “Company”) (TSXV: BEX) is pleased to announce that it has successfully expanded the Great Burnt Main Zone (GBMZ) down plunge to 950 m in strike length. Recent drilling confirms this expansion down plunge including drill hole GB-25-53, a 100 m step out from GB-23-45, that intersected 7.2 m of heavy stringer and semi-massive copper mineralization.
Management believes the zone may be plunging slightly steeper than originally anticipated, so downhole geophysics will be completed to define the potential massive sulphide zone at depth for further drilling. Additionally, the Company reports that infill hole GB-25-54, which targets a large gap in Benton’s 2023-24 drilling in the GBMZ, has successfully intersected 10.43 m of stringer, semi-massive and massive sulphide mineralization reinforcing confidence in the continuity in the main deposit. GB-25-54 also intersected a second mineralized zone 8 m downhole from the above zone, which measures 10.76 m and consists of sulphide stringers and veins.
The current drill program, which totals 2,370 m to date, has also targeted several new areas and zones, including the North Stringer/Footwall zones, various shallow magnetic and geophysical anomalies, and areas where highly anomalous Copper and Gold mineralization was discovered at surface. Most drill holes have intersected weak to strong mineralization that will be followed up after assays are received and compiled.
Photo 1 : Drillhole GB-24-53, Main Zone
Photo 2 : Drillhole GB-25-54 Main Zone Massive Sulphide
Figure 1 : Great Burnt Copper Deposit Longitudinal Section
President and CEO Stephen Stares states, “This project continues to show its amazing potential with every drill hole we complete. We’re rapidly putting a geological picture together with each successive work program that we complete. Our team has done a tremendous job and our modelling continues to improve for further understanding and targeting. I’m confident that many more discoveries will be made as we continue to explore our vast land package of 25 km in strike length”
Benton has a 70% interest in the Great Burnt Copper-Gold Project with Homeland Nickel Inc. holding the remaining 30%, where they are funding their respective interest, with Benton as the project operator.
The Company would also like to express its appreciation to the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Government’s Junior Exploration Assistance program for financial grants supporting mineral exploration projects in the province. Benton has been fortunate to have received these grants, which are an important catalyst for mineral exploration in this highly favourable mining jurisdiction.
QA/QC Protocols
Core and rock samples, including standards, blanks and duplicates, are submitted to Eastern Analytical Ltd., Springdale, Newfoundland for preparation and analysis. All samples were acquired by saw-cut (channels/drill core) with one-half submitted for assay and one-half retained for reference, or hand (rocks) and delivered, by Benton personnel, in sealed bags, to the Springdale lab of Eastern Analytical, which is an accredited assay lab that conforms to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. Samples are analyzed using Eastern’s Au (Fire assay) @ 30g + ICP-34 method that delivers a 34-element package utilizing a 200 mg subsample totally dissolved in four acids and analyzed by ICP-OES analytical technique. Overlimits are analysed with Eastern’s atomic absorption method, using a 0.200 g to 2.00 g of sample, digested with three acids. All reported assays are uncut. Eastern Analytical Ltd. achieved ISO 17025 accreditation in February 2014 (for more details on the scope of accreditation visit the CALA website).
QP
Stephen House (P.Geo.), Vice President of Exploration for Benton Resources Inc., the ‘Qualified Person’ under National Instrument 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release and prepared or supervised its preparation.
About Benton Resources Inc.
Benton Resources is a well-financed mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BEX. Benton has a diversified, highly prospective property portfolio and holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets. Whenever possible, BEX retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow.
Benton is focused on advancing its high-grade Copper-Gold Great Burnt Project in central Newfoundland, which has a Mineral Resource estimate of 667,000 tonnes @ 3.21% Cu Indicated and 482,000 @ 2.35% Cu Inferred. The Project has an excellent geological setting covering 25 km of strike and boasts six known Cu-Au-Ag zones over 15 km that are all open for expansion. Further potential for discovery is excellent given the extensive number of untested geophysical targets and Cu-Au soil anomalies.
All drilling phases at Great Burnt to date have returned impressive results including: GB-23-02: 13.00 m of 8.31% Cu, incl 3.00 m of 12.80% Cu GB-23-04: 26.87 m of 7.18% Cu, incl 11.16 m of 10.28% Cu GB-23-12: 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu, incl 1.00 m of 8.77% Cu, 82.00g/t Ag, 4.43g/t Au GB-23-15: 22.59 m of 5.03% Cu, incl 0.50 m of 20.00% Cu GB-23-21: 24.00 m of 5.81% Cu, incl 7.00 m of 11.47% Cu GB-23-22: 21.68 m of 3.59% Cu, incl 2.00 m of 15.3% Cu.
Drilling at the South Pond Gold Zone, approximately 7.5 km north of the Great Burnt Copper-Gold Zone, has confirmed a robust gold-mineralized system over 2.5 km with robust results including: SP-24-03: 43.75 m of 1.62 g/t Au, SP-24-07: 74.20 m of 1.43g/t Au, SP-24-15: 22.50 m of 1.24 g/t Au and SP-24-32: 54.5 m of 1.88 g/t Au and is open for expansion in all directions.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,
“Stephen Stares”
Stephen Stares, President
Parties interested in seeking more information about properties available for option can contact Mr. Stares at the number below.
For further information, please contact:
Stephen Stares, President & CEO
Phone: 807-474-9020
Email: sstares@bentonresources.ca
Website: www.bentonresources.ca
Twitter: @BentonResources
Facebook: @BentonResourcesBEX
THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
The information contained herein contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be “forward-looking statements.”
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company’s expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company’s prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company’s disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company’s expectations or projections.