Mining
Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 5:41 pm EDT
Key Points
- Benton Resources Inc. reports positive assay results from the final five phase 1 drill holes at the Great Burnt copper deposit in south-central Newfoundland.
- Infill holes, including GB-23-18, GB-23-20, GB-23-21, and GB-23-22, reveal significant copper percentages, such as 4.22%, 3.05%, 5.81%, and 3.59%, respectively, over various lengths.
- The success of the Phase 1 drilling has expanded the limits of the deposit and increased grade and width, leading Benton to plan additional drilling in the current Mineral Resource area and expanding down plunge and along strike during the Phase 2 program.
Benton Resources Inc. has received assays from the final five phase 1 drill holes from the fall drill program at the Great Burnt copper deposit, located in south-central Newfoundland. The last five holes (GB-23-18 to GB-23-22) were drilled in the central and upper part of the deposit and returned exceptional results that both confirm and improve significantly on historic data. Highlights from these infill holes include:
Hole GB-23-18 cut 4.22% copper over 8.17m, including 7.05% copper over 4.17m
Hole GB-23-20 cut 3.05% copper over 17.12m, including 11.11% copper over 1.85m
Hole GB-23-21 cut 5.81% copper over 24.00m, including 11.47% copper over 7.00m
Hole GB-23-22 cut 3.59% copper over 21.68m, including 15.30% copper over 2.00m
Benton’s Phase 1 drilling at Great Burnt has been extremely successful in expanding the previously defined limits of the deposit through expansion drilling and increasing the grade and width of the deposit from infill and twin-hole drilling. With these latest results, the Company is extremely optimistic that the present Mineral Resource can be significantly improved. Additional drilling is being planned and will commence this winter.
The Company is encouraged by the results of these latest drill holes and plans to further test the deposit, both within the current Mineral Resource area and also by expanding the deposit down plunge and along strike during the Phase 2 program.
President and CEO Stephen Stares stated: “This has been the most successful drill campaign in the history of our Company, delivering exceptional grades and thicknesses. Our team is excited about the future of this excellent project and our ability to expand the deposit. Calibre Mining Corp.’s Valentine Gold project and New Found Gold Corp.’s Keats discovery are excellent analogs of historically underexplored projects in Newfoundland that now host significant resources resulting from completing the work required to expose their true size and value. We feel that the Great Burnt Project will benefit similarly as we advance this very prospective project.”
Note: Intervals reported for the Phase 1 2023 drilling are core lengths, estimated to be approximately 90-95% of true width for holes GB-23-11, 12, 13, 14, 22 and approximately 70% of true width for the remaining holes. Intercepts do not include stringer/disseminated mineralization.
In addition to drilling, prospecting and soil geochemical sampling completed by the Company have confirmed excellent potential to the north of the main Great Burnt deposit, where historical work has identified at least five additional occurrences/zones. The Company will conduct further detailed exploration in preparation for drilling these areas in the spring/summer of 2024. Figure 1 – Great Burnt Copper Deposit Long SectionTo view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3657/196071_427aa3c0142ad9e8_003full.jpg
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 either prepared it 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 highly prospective multi-mineral property portfolio. In addition, it holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets, and whenever possible, BEX retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow.
Benton is currently focused on advancing its high-grade Copper-Gold Great Burnt Project in central Newfoundland, which has a Mineral Resource estimate of 442,000 tonnes @ 2.50% Cu Indicated and 829,000 @ 2.11% 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. The Phase 1 drill program consisting of over 5,650 metres has just been wrapped and results include 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 m of 8.31% Cu, and 1.00 m of 12.70% Cu from hole GB-23-12. Preparation for Phase 2 drilling is underway.
We seek Safe Harbor.
