Mr. Stephen Stares reports

BENTON EXECUTES AGREEMENTS TO SECURE ADDITIONAL STRATEGIC LAND PACKAGES AT THE GREAT BURNT COPPER-GOLD PROJECT IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND PROVIDES UPDATE

Benton Resources Inc. has entered into two separate agreements to acquire a 100-per-cent interest in six strategic mineral licences encompassing 52 claim units that are adjacent to or within Benton's current claim block at the Great Burnt copper-gold project located in Newfoundland. Portions of the newly acquired Property host interesting geophysical and geological targets that will be subject to investigation and exploration in the coming months. Additionally, the acquisition of the Property is viewed to be strategic in nature should future development require supporting infrastructure at the Great Burnt Copper-Gold project. The Property was optioned from Stephen Stockley Agriculture and Fabrication Inc. and its partners Stephen Stockley, Dylan Oram and Penny Boulos (collectively "SSAF") (40 mineral claims in four licenses) and an individual prospector, Mervin Quinlan ("Quinlan") (12 mineral claims in two licenses). Benton is very pleased to add this strategic land position as it prepares to commence its aggressive exploration season, including its Phase 3 diamond drilling program.

Terms - SSAF Option Agreement

The Company has the option to acquire a 100% interest in four licenses from SSAF by making payments and incurring expenditures as follows:

Pay to SSAF $10,000 upon signing the agreement and issue 100,000 common shares of the Company upon receipt of regulatory approval (the "Effective Date");

Pay to SSAF $10,000 and issue 100,000 common shares of the Company on the first anniversary of the Effective Date;

Pay to SSAF $10,000 and issue 100,000 common shares of the Company on the second anniversary of the Effective Date;

Pay to SSAF $10,000 and issue 100,000 common shares of the Company on the third anniversary of the Effective Date; and

Complete $100,000 in exploration expenditures on the licenses on or before the third anniversary of the Effective Date.

The SSAF licences will be subject to the grant of a 2% Net Smelter Return Royalty ("NSR") in favour of SSAF in which one-half (1%) of can be purchased by the Company by paying SSAF $1 million. The Company retains the right to elect to expedite the above payments and expenditures.

Angie Stockley, President of SSAF Inc. and President of the NL Minerals Collective, stated: "We are excited to extend our partnership with Benton Resources, reinforcing our joint commitment to uncovering the vast potential of Newfoundland's mineral resources. Benton's consistent high-grade copper findings and expanded exploration efforts at the Great Burnt Project promise to bring substantial benefits to stakeholders and the local community alike. As Benton builds on their proven track record of responsible development and impressive new findings, we look forward to the momentum they are helping drive for the future of mining in Central Newfoundland".

Terms - Quinlan Purchase Agreement

The Company has agreed to acquire a 100% interest in two licenses from Quinlan with terms set out as follows:

Pay to Quinlan $12,000 upon signing the agreement; and

Issue 100,000 common shares of the Company to Quinlan upon receipt of regulatory approval.

The Quinlan licences will be subject to the grant of a 2% NSR in favour of Quinlan in which one-half (1%) of can be purchased by the Company by paying Quinlan $1 million.

Great Burnt Copper-Gold Project

Benton is currently acquiring a 70% interest in the Great Burnt Project from Spruce Ridge Resources Inc. ("Spruce Ridge") by completing $2.5 million in exploration expenditures which is expected to be completed in the coming months. Upon completion of this expenditure milestone, Benton and Spruce Ridge will form a 70%-30% participating interest joint-venture with Benton being the operator.

To date, Benton has delineated exceptional exploration targets at the Great Burnt Project with drilling from 2016, 2018 and 2020 by Spruce Ridge, as well as recent drilling from 2023 and 2024 by Benton returning excellent results with selective highlights including:

GB-16-08: 7.50 m of 9.45% Cu, including 3.00 m of 19.30% Cu

GB-16-09: 5.75 m of 6.68% Cu, including 1.50 m of 11.70% Cu

GB-18-05: 20.94 m of 6.21% Cu, including 6.98 m of 10.71% Cu

GB-18-06: 9.97 m of 7.45% Cu, including 5.03 m of 11.42% Cu

GB-20-05: 27.20 m of 8.06% Cu, including 7.75 m of 16.88% Cu

GB-20-20: 22.75 m of 6.89% Cu, including 12.55 m of 10.59% Cu

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-23-07: 12.30 m of 7.20% Cu, incl 7.00 m 10.60% 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-23-16: 13.67 m of 5.80% Cu, incl 1.00 m of 20.60% Cu

GB-23-18: 8.17 m of 4.22% Cu, incl 7.05 m of 4.11% 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

GB-24-33: 20.92 m of 2.26% Cu, incl 4.70 m 3.71% Cu

GB-24-32: 11.29 m of 3.10% Cu, incl 2.82 m of 9.88% Cu

GB-24-37: 16.10 m of 2.23% Cu, incl 4.50 m of 7.25% Cu

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

SP-21-01: 1.69 g/t Au over 51.00 m, including 3.19g/t Au over 11.00 m, within 10 m of surface

SP-21-03: 2.36 g/t Au over 15.00 m, including 11.33g/t Au over 1.00 m

SP-21-08: 1.75 g/t Au over 21.20 m, including 2.82g/t Au over 10.20 m

SP-21-11: 1.34 g/t Au over 17.60 m, including 2.48g/t Au over 4.20 m

SP-21-14: 2.06 g/t Au over 21.00 m

SP-21-16: 1.72 g/t Au over 10.00 m

Note that widths quoted above are true core length, true widths are estimated at approximately 70% of core lengths.

Finally, further to the Company's January 19, 2024 news release, the Company wishes to provide further information and clarification regarding its agreement with Grove Corporate Services ("Grove"). Grove has been engaged to provide IR Services including, but not limited to, being the first point of contact for shareholder enquiries, investor email distribution, news release editing, set up and dissemination, and social media management. The Company further confirms that it has an arm's-length relationship with Grove and that Grove does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest.

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 analysed using Eastern's Au (Fire assay) @ 30g + ICP-34 method that delivers a 35-element package utilizing a 200mg subsample totally dissolved in four acids and analysed by ICP-OES analytical technique. Overlimits are analysed with Eastern's atomic absorption method, using a 0.200g to 2.00g 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 25km of strike and boasts six known Cu-Au-Ag zones over 15km 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. Phase 1 and 2 drill programs returned impressive results including 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 m of 8.31% Cu, and 1.00 m of 12.70% Cu.

We seek Safe Harbor.