Benton Resources receives high-grade copper at Great Burnt Project, Newfoundland
Benton Resources Inc. [TSXV-BEX] reported that it 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 that cut 4.22% copperover 8.17m, including 7.05% copper over 4.17 metres. Hole GB-23-20 cut 3.05% copper over 17.12 metres, including 11.11% copper over 1.85 metres. Hole GB-23-21 cut 5.81% copper over 24.00 metres, including 11.47% copper over 7.00 metres. Hole GB-23-22 cut 3.59% copper over 21.68 metres, including 15.30% copper over 2.00 metres.
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.
Stephen Stares, President and CEO, 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.”
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.
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 of 2.50% Cu Indicated and 829,000 of 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 metres of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 m of 8.31% Cu, and 1.00 metre of 12.70% Cu from hole GB-23-12. Preparation for Phase 2 drilling is underway.