Benton Makes New Gold Discovery of 2.15g/t Over 7.70 m including 5.46g/t over 2.75 m and Cuts Several Zones of Copper-Rich Semi-Massive and Massive Sulphides at Great Burnt Main Zone and Footwall Zone
Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 3, 2025) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) ("Benton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has made a significant new gold discovery approximately 150 metres ("m") north of the Great Burnt Copper deposit in drill hole GB-25-63. Early assay results for gold returned 2.15 g/t over 7.70 m, including 5.46 g/t over 2.75 m and this section of core also contains visible chalcopyrite (copper) with assays for base metals forthcoming.
The Company is pleased with this new intercept of gold, which may represent an extension of the mineralization intersected in hole GB-25-59 located 50 m to the south. In GB-25-59, an upper zone contained gold mineralization grading 0.67g/t Au and 0.69% Cu over 14.40 m including 2.16 g/t Au and 1.09% Cu over 3.00 m, while a lower zone in the same hole cut 0.89% Cu over 6.48 m including 1.11% Cu over 5.09 m.
The Company also tested the Footwall Zone ("FZ") with another hole, GB-25-65, from west to east. This hole was designed as an infill hole to test the Great Burnt Main Zone ("GBMZ") and also intersect the FZ located ~150 m east of the GBMZ. Both zones were successfully intersected in hole GB-25-65, with a massive sulphide section cut in the GBMZ and several sections of heavy chalcopyrite cut in the FZ, including one section of semi-massive sulphide over 1.8 m. The FZ horizon has tremendous upside potential and has received very little drilling to date.
The Company has completed 5,090 m of drilling as part of its phase 5 program, bringing the total to over 23,300 metres drilled since acquiring the project in late 2023. The Company has sent 357 samples of core for assay and results are expected over the coming weeks. Drilling is currently paused until results are received and compiled, along with the evaluation of recent downhole geophysics which will provide targeting for the restart of drilling.
The Company has also completed its planned 5.9 km long surface pulse Electro Magnetic ("EM") survey along the South Pond ("SP") trend on the Great Burnt Property. The EM survey has identified excellent conductive trends that coincide with known mineralized zones at SP, in addition to multiple new targets, which will be subject to summer follow-up with prospecting, trenching and diamond drilling. The SP trend has been drill-tested at shallow depths over a strike length of approximately 2.3 km with impressive results.
Benton holds a 70% interest in the Great Burnt Copper-Gold Project and Homeland Nickel holds the remaining 30%, where they are funding their respective interest, with Benton as the project operator.
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.
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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.
