Benton Resources Recovers 92.3% Gold in Leach Testing at the Staghorn Property
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Apr 27, 2015) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:BEX) ("Benton" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the results of bottle roll leaching on the recently discovered gold-bearing granitic boulder train termed Ryan's Hammer on the Staghorn Gold Property. The property is under option from Metals Creek Resources Corp. ("Metals Creek") (see Benton PR November 18, 2014). The sample was a composite of reject material totaling 1.182 kg from 3 grab samples collected late last fall and represented arsenopyrite-rich mineralization. The sample had a calculated head grade of 2.24 ppm gold and results of the cyanide bottle roll test include recoveries of 82.6%, 89.3% and 92.3% gold after 24, 48, and 72 hours respectively.
The sample was submitted to Activation Laboratories Ltd. of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Approximately 1000g was representatively split and ball milled to 80% passing 75µm and leached for a total of 72 hours with solution samples collected and assayed at 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours. Assays were completed using fire assay with atomic absorption finish.
Stephen Stares, Company President and CEO stated "the leach testing result is extremely encouraging providing us with confidence that the Staghorn property possesses potential for significant gold discoveries. The relatively high recoveries indicate that the new mineralization is not refractory in nature and should be free milling which greatly improves the projects potential".
In addition, Benton plans to complete similar testing on the Woods Lake zone located 8km southwest of the Ryan's Hammer showing where previous diamond drilling completed by Metals Creek included results of 2.14gpt Au over 16.1m including 6.18gpt Au over 5.11m. Benton's upcoming Phase 1 exploration program for the Staghorn Property includes grid establishment, prospecting, ground geophysics and stratigraphic mapping. A diamond drill program will follow to test defined targets.
The Cape Ray regional fault hosts a number of gold deposits including Marathon Gold's Valentine Lake deposit, located 30 km to the northeast of the Ryan's Hammer showing, the Woods Lake gold zone (part of the Staghorn Property) and Benton's Cape Ray Gold deposits to the southwest. The Staghorn Property covers a 29 km strike length of the gold trend and previous work had outlined a number of gold showings in the central and southwestern part of the property as well as the identification of a gold zone over a 1km strike length.
Under the Option/Joint Venture agreement with Metals Creek, Benton can earn an initial 60% interest in the Staghorn Gold Property by making staged payments totaling $50,000, issue 500,000 shares and incur work expenditures of $500,000 over 3 years. Benton will be the operator during the earn-in period. Once a 60% interest is earned by Benton, either a 60/40 joint venture will be formed, or Benton may elect to earn an additional 10% interest to bring its total property interest to 70% by completing a cash payment of $50,000 and issue 500,000 Benton shares within 60 days of the 3rd anniversary date and incurring an additional $500,000 in exploration expenditures by the 5th anniversary.
About Benton Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:BEX)
Benton Resources Inc. is a Canadian-based junior with a diversified property portfolio in Gold-Silver, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements. The Company is well funded with approximately $5.3 million in cash and $0.5 million in marketable securities.
Clinton Barr (P.Geo.), V.P. Exploration for Benton Resources Inc., is the qualified person responsible for this release.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,
Stephen Stares, President
THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
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Contact
Benton Resources Inc.
Stephen Stares
President
(807) 475-7474
(807) 475-7200
www.bentonresources.ca