Benton Makes Second High-Grade Gold Discovery of 37.87 g/t Au at the Quinlan Zone and Discovers Visible Gold Assaying 79.1 g/t Au at the Rickirb Zone, Dominion Project

Benton reports high-grade gold channel and grab samples, with a $15M spin-out in progress.

What the company is saying

Benton Resources Inc. is highlighting strong initial channel sample results from its Quinlan trenches at the Dominion Project, emphasizing grades such as 6.59 g/t Au over 6.0 m and 37.87 g/t Au over 1.0 m on Line 2, and 3.84 g/t Au over 5.0 m including 18.28 g/t Au over 1.0 m on Line 1. The company frames these results as highly encouraging and positions the Quinlan Gold discovery as a significant advancement, though it does not provide resource estimates or economic studies. Additional high-grade grab samples from Rickirb #3 trench (79.1 g/t Au and 15.2 g/t Au) are cited to underscore the project's potential. Benton also draws attention to the ongoing spin-out of the Great Burnt Project, stating a planned $15.0 million value distribution to shareholders, backed by a $10.0 million financing. The tone is confident, with both Rickirb and Quinlan described as drill-ready and targeting in progress, and the company stresses the scale and prospectivity of its land position assembled since November 2023. Technical oversight is attributed to Stephen House, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, who is named as the Qualified Person.

What the data suggests

The disclosed channel sample results from Quinlan include 6.59 g/t Au over 6.0 m (with a subinterval of 37.87 g/t Au over 1.0 m) and 3.84 g/t Au over 5.0 m (including 18.28 g/t Au over 1.0 m), which are high-grade for early-stage surface exploration. The 10 Grammer trench returned 1.95 g/t Au over 0.8 m and 396 ppb Au over 0.8 m, with sampling limited by topography. Rickirb #3 trench grab samples assayed 79.1 g/t Au and 15.2 g/t Au, indicating the presence of visible gold but not providing volume or continuity data. A total of 159 channel sample results remain outstanding, so the dataset is incomplete. The Rickirb gold zone, previously reported at 1.80 g/t Au over 11.2 m, 6.36 g/t Au over 3.0 m, and 10.58 g/t Au over 1.0 m, remains open in all directions. Both Rickirb and Quinlan are described as drill-ready, but no drill permits, contracts, or mobilization dates are disclosed. The planned $15.0 million value distribution for the Great Burnt Project, backed by $10.0 million in financing, is a forward-looking transaction and not yet realized. All assays were performed by an ISO 17025-accredited lab using industry-standard methods. The results confirm high-grade mineralization at surface but do not yet establish scale, continuity, or economic viability.

Analysis

The announcement is generally positive in tone, highlighting new channel and grab sample results with specific grades and intervals, which are credible and well-supported by the disclosed assay data. However, the claim that the Quinlan Gold discovery is a 'significant advancement' is not substantiated with comparative or resource-scale evidence, and the assertion that both Rickirb and Quinlan are 'drill-ready' lacks detail on permitting or concrete drill plans. The forward-looking elements, such as the ongoing spin-out of the Great Burnt Project and the statement that Rickirb remains open in all directions, are not yet realised and depend on future exploration and corporate actions. The planned $15.0 million value distribution, backed by $10.0 million financing, is a large capital signal but is not yet completed, and its benefits are long-dated and contingent. Overall, while the technical disclosure is strong for an exploration-stage company, the narrative slightly overstates the immediate significance and readiness of the projects.

Risk flags

• ●The results are from surface channel and grab samples, which demonstrate high-grade mineralization but do not establish continuity or resource scale; further drilling is needed to confirm economic potential.
• ●The company describes both Rickirb and Quinlan as drill-ready, but there is no disclosure of drill permits, contracts, or mobilization dates, raising uncertainty about the timeline and regulatory progress toward drilling.
• ●The $15.0 million value distribution and $10.0 million financing for the Great Burnt Project spin-out are forward-looking and contingent on successful execution; delays or failure to close the financing would materially impact the anticipated benefit to shareholders.

Bottom line

Benton Resources has delivered high-grade gold channel and grab sample results at its Dominion Project, with Quinlan and Rickirb zones showing promising early-stage grades. The technical data is credible and assays were performed by an accredited lab, but the results are limited to surface sampling and do not yet confirm resource continuity or economic scale. The narrative around drill-readiness and project advancement is not matched by concrete drill plans or permits. The planned $15.0 million spin-out of the Great Burnt Project, backed by $10.0 million in financing, is a potential catalyst but remains incomplete and subject to execution risk. Investors should watch for the return of the 159 outstanding channel samples, confirmation of drill program commencement, and progress on the Great Burnt spin-out. The most important takeaway is that while the grades are encouraging, the project remains at an early exploration stage and the timeline to value realization is still long.

Announcement summary

(TSXV:BEX) Benton Resources Inc. announced receipt of the first channel sample results from its Quinlan trenches at the Dominion Project. Highlights from Line 2 include 6.59 g/t Au over 6.0 m, with a subinterval of 37.87 g/t Au over 1.0 m. On Line 1, results include 3.84 g/t Au over 5.0 m, including 18.28 g/t Au over 1.0 m. The Quinlan #1 trench is located approximately 100 m west of the 2025 prospecting area, where surface samples previously returned up to 10.8 g/t Au. At the 10 Grammer trench, channel sampling returned 1.95 g/t Au over 0.8 m and 396 ppb Au over 0.8 m, though sampling was limited by local topography. Further sampling at the Rickirb #3 trench produced high-grade visible gold-bearing grab samples assaying 79.1 g/t Au and 15.2 g/t Au. Benton reports that 159 channel sample results remain outstanding at the Ellie, Rickirb, and Quinlan areas. The Quinlan Gold discovery is described as a significant advancement for the Dominion Project, which is located in the Tulks Volcanic Belt in Central Newfoundland. Quinlan is approximately 6.4 km from the Rickirb Gold Zone and 20 km by road from Equinox Gold's Valentine Gold Mine. A previous news release on September 10, 2026, reported Rickirb gold zone channel sampling highlights of 1.80 g/t Au over 11.2 m including 6.36 g/t Au over 3.0 m and 10.58 g/t Au over 1.0 m, 8.00 g/t Au over 2.0 m including 30.53 g/t Au over 0.5 m, and 4.20 g/t Au over 3.7 m including 15.29 g/t Au over 0.9 m. The Rickirb gold zone remains open in all directions, and both Rickirb and Quinlan are described as drill-ready with targeting in progress. Benton began assembling the Dominion Project in November 2023 through staking, option agreements, and claim purchases, and has since made new discoveries. The company also reminds shareholders that the spin-out of the Great Burnt Project is progressing, with a planned distribution of $15.0 million in value to Benton shareholders, backed by a $10.0 million financing. Stephen House, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical content of the release. All samples were analyzed by Eastern Analytical Ltd. using Au Fire assay @ 30 g + ICP-34 method, with overlimits analyzed by atomic absorption. Eastern Analytical Ltd. achieved ISO 17025 accreditation in February 2014.

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