Mr. Stephen Stares reports

BENTON ACQUIRES HIGHLY STRATEGIC LAND POSITION AROUND THE SOUTH POND DEPOSITS IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE GREAT BURNT COPPER-GOLD PROJECT AND CONTINUES TO INTERSECT COPPER-RICH MASSIVE SULPHIDES IN DRILLING

Benton Resources Inc. has entered into an option agreement to acquire a 100-per-cent interest in a strategic mineral licence (the property) encompassing 27 claim units that surrounds the northern portion of Benton's recently acquired Great Burnt copper-gold project. The property was optioned from Stephen Stockley Agriculture and Fabrication Inc. (SSAF) and surrounds the South Pond, South Pond A and South Pond B deposits. The SSAF ground also hosts strong untested electromagnetic (EM) anomalies that sit on the flank of a magnetic high, indicative of a system that could host volcanic massive sulphides (VMS) or copper-nickel magmatic sulphides.

Benton is excited to add this strategic land position as it continues with its drilling effort 14 kilometres to the south on the Great Burnt Main deposit. Benton has now completed 2,236 metres of drilling in nine holes with all holes intersecting semi-massive and massive sulphides containing significant chalcopyrite (copper) mineralization. The company's priority is expansion of the Great Burnt high-grade core in the Main deposit which has been extremely successful to date. Holes GB-23-01 through GB-23-09 were completed over a 295 m strike length. Hole GB-23-01 was an infill hole to test the zone 12 m up dip from GB-18-05 and 20 m down dip from GB-20-20 and intersected a combined 12.30 m of semi-massive/massive sulphides in four separate zones (from 69.05 to 72.30 m, 82.75 to 87.10m, 90 to 94.05 m and 95.05 to 95.70 m). GB-23-02 intersected the zone 20 m up dip from GB-20-05 which cut 12.91 m of semi-massive/massive sulphides between 162.89 and 175.80 m. GB-23-03 intersected the zone 30 m up dip from GB-20-05 and cut a combined 1.3 m of semi-massive/massive sulphides from 154.80 to 155.50 m and 158 to 158.60 m. GB-23-04 intersected the zone 12 m south of historical drill hole GB-86 and cut a combined total of 16.6 m of semi-massive/massive sulphides from 186.60 to 193.20 m and 200 to 210 m. GB-23-05, drilled from this same set-up, intersected the zone 15 m up dip and cut a total of 2.6 m of semi-massive/massive sulphides from 186.73 to 189.28 m. GB-23-06 and GB-23-07 were collared a further 40 m south of GB-23-04 and 05 and both cut semi-massive/massive sulphides from 196.72 to 203.46 m (GB-23-06), 202.07 to 206.35 m and 220.39 to 231.54 m (GB-23-07). GB-23-08 and GB-23-09 were collared 25 m south of GB-23-06 and 07 and both holes intersected the down-plunge extension of the semi-massive/massive sulphides.

Stephen Stares, president and chief executive officer of the company, commented: "The Great Burnt project continues to deliver exceptional drill intercepts and I'm very excited about the overall potential of this large copper-gold system. We are also excited about the prospects of the new SSAF option, contiguous with the main project claim package, and we are delighted to work with the SSAF team in the mining-friendly province of Newfoundland."

"We are pleased to partner with Benton, a reputable company with strong ties to central Newfoundland, on this promising copper-gold project. The SSAF property complements Benton's claim package and offers significant exploration potential. This partnership aligns with our strategy of developing quality assets and building long-term collaborations. We are impressed by the drill results announced today and look forward to exploring more opportunities with Benton in the future," said Angie Stockley, chief commercial officer of SSAF, president of the NL Minerals Collective.

Great Burnt copper-gold project

The Great Burnt Main zone has a National Instrument 43-101 compliant resource prepared in 2022 for Spruce Ridge Resources Ltd. by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. of 667,000 tonnes (47.2 million pounds) Cu at 3.21 per cent (indicated) and 482,000 tonnes (25 Mlb) 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 three 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 Au over 51 m, including 3.19 g/t Au over 11 m, within 10 m of surface;
• SP21-03: 2.36 g/t Au over 15 m, including 11.33 g/t Au over one 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 m;
• SP21-16: 1.72 g/t Au over 10 m.

Note: Widths quoted are true core length, 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 Resources 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 Grey River Gold, and Kepenkeck in Newfoundland.

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