Mr. Stephen Stares reports

BENTON RECEIVES EXPLORATION PERMITS FOR GREAT BURNT COPPER-GOLD PROJECT AND INITIATES FIRST PHASE DRILL PROGRAM

Benton Resources Inc. is in receipt of all requisite permits for exploration on the Great Burnt copper-gold project, which was recently optioned from Spruce Ridge Resources Ltd. (see news release dated Aug. 16, 2023). The permits received cover prospecting, geophysics, trenching, geochemical sampling and diamond drilling. The company has initiated the mobilization of an aggressive exploration program this fall and that a 10-person camp is nearly complete. It is anticipated that prospecting, mapping and diamond drilling could start as early as Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The company plans to conduct a minimum 3,000 metres (m) of drilling in this first phase of work, which will target infill and expansion of the Great Burnt main zone and South Pond deposits, along with testing various new targets identified by the current and continuing compilation of historical data. Highlights from drilling conducted by Spruce is summarized below.

Great Burnt copper-gold project

The Great Burnt main zone has a National Instrument 43-101-compliant resource prepared in 2022 for Spruce by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. of 667,000 tonnes (47.2 million pounds (lb)) copper (Cu) at 3.21 per cent (indicated) and 482,000 tonnes (25.0 million lb) Cu at 2.35 per cent (inferred) contained within mining lease 211(10210M). The copper resource remains open to the south and at depth. Highlights of the drill programs to date include:

• GB20-05: 27.20 m of 8.06 per cent Cu, including 7.75 m of 16.88 per cent Cu;
• GB20-20: 22.75 m of 6.89 per cent Cu, including 12.55 m of 10.59 per cent Cu;
• GB18-05: 20.94 m of 6.21 per cent Cu, including 6.98 m of 10.71 per cent Cu;
• GB18-06: 9.97 m of 7.45 per cent Cu, including 5.03 m of 11.42 per cent Cu;
• GB16-08: 7.50 m of 9.45 per cent Cu, including 3.00 m of 19.30 per cent Cu;
• GB16-09: 5.75 m of 6.68 per cent Cu, including 1.50 m of 11.70 per cent Cu.

Exploration at the South Pond zone has identified potential for both copper and gold along several kilometres of strike. Highlights of the 2021 drill program include:

• SP21-01: 1.69 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) over 51.00 m, including 3.19 g/t Au over 11.00 m, within 10 m of surface;
• SP21-03: 2.36 g/t Au over 15.00 m, including 11.33 g/t Au over 1.00 m;
• SP21-08: 1.75 g/t Au over 21.20 m, including 2.82 g/t Au over 10.20 m;
• SP21-11: 1.34 g/t Au over 17.60 m, including 2.48 g/t Au over 4.20 m;
• SP21-14: 2.06 g/t Au over 21.00 m;
• SP21-16: 1.72 g/t Au over 10.00 m.

Note that widths quoted are true core length and true widths are estimated at approximately 70 per cent of core lengths.

Qualified person

Stephen House (PGeo), vice-president of exploration for Benton Resources, 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 is a well-financed mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BEX. Following a project generation business model, Benton has a diversified, highly prospective property portfolio of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum group elements, and, most recently, lithium and cesium assets. In addition, it currently holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets. Whenever possible, Benton retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow.

Benton is also a 50/50 partner in a strategic alliance with Sokoman Minerals Corp. through three large-scale joint venture properties, including the Grey River gold property, the Golden Hope property and the Kepenkeck property in Newfoundland.

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