Benton Resources Inc. [TSXV: BEX] has discovered additional new areas at the Dominion Project, Newfoundland, containing gold values from grab samples returning < 5 ppm up to 10.8 g/t gold, along with multiple occurrences of massive sulphides in local float and bedrock with high anomalous gold up to 0.63 g/t Au.
These new findings indicate an elevated precious metal endowment in the massive sulphides similar to other massive sulphide deposits within the Tulks Volcanic Belt of the Victoria Lake Supergroup. Base metal values for the latest sampling are expected in the next two weeks as further prospecting, sampling and mapping continues over the large property. These new results compliment the company’s recent releases, including: Rickirb gold zone with grab samples up to 6.41 g/t Au.
The Trinity Base Metal Zone with grab samples returning assays up to 14.6% Zn (zinc), 1.31% Pb (lead), 2.53% Cu (copper) and 68.7 g/t Ag (silver) and 0.17 g/t Au.
The company is permitting for trenching work to expose any new zones and areas of interest for mapping and channel sampling in preparation for drilling later in the season.
Benton acquired the Dominion Project in 2024 after a large parcel of land became available for staking and is pleased to announce that it has now entered a fourth purchase agreement with local prospectors to increase its prospective land position.
Subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, the company will acquire one claim encompassing 11 units by making a one-time payment to arm’s-length vendors of $10,000 cash and 240,000 company common shares for a 100% interest in the property subject to a 2% NSR (net smelter royalty) whereby Benton can buy back one-half (1%) for $1 million at anytime. No finder’s fees were paid by the company for the acquisition of the Property described above.
In addition, Benton amended the recently announced purchase agreement with Puddle Pond Resources whereby one of the claims purchased had a previous undisclosed outstanding NSR agreement with Alexander and Margret Duffitt on claim licence number 27481M. The agreement was amended so that the Duffitt’s will retain a 1.5% NSR and Puddle Pond will retain a 0.5% net smelter royalty on the Duffitt Claim. Benton shall have the right to purchase from Puddle Pond, one-half of Puddle Pond’s NSR (0.25% of the 0.5%) and one-half (0.5% of the 1% NSR) on the original claims by paying the Puddle Pond $500,000. All other terms remain the same.
Benton also has started a large soil sampling program to cover the southern 12 km of trend on the Great Burnt Project. The program will consist of 3,000 samples covering excellent geology that is similar to that of the company’s Great Burnt Copper deposit and South Pond Copper Gold deposit. Prospecting and Mapping will also be conducted throughout the summer and drilling on the project is expected to recommence it the next few weeks. Updates from the exploration efforts will be released when received and compiled.
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 at 3.21% Cu Indicated and 482,000 at 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 metres of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 metres of 8.31% Cu and 1.00 metre of 12.70% 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 results of 74.20 m of 1.43 g/t Au and 43.75 metres of 1.62 g/t Au and is open for expansion in all directions.
