BENTON ACQUIRES NEW HIGH GRADE GOLD DISCOVERY

Thunder Bay, Ontario: Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) ('Benton' or 'the Company') is pleased to announce that the Company has signed a binding Letter of Intent ('LOI') to enter into an option agreement (the 'Option') with Traxxin Resources ('Traxxin'), a privately owned company, to acquire a 100% interest in their Bedivere Property located 130km west of Thunder Bay, Ontario and 18km north of Highway 11/17 accessible by new logging roads in the area. Recent prospecting by Traxxin resulted in a new high grade gold discovery where surface grab samples have returned assays ranging from trace up to 1281gpt gold (41 ounces), some of which contain impressive visible gold (see Company website for photos). These samples were taken from the Traxxin occurrence in a small pit that was dug on the west side of a large quartz vein system that ranges from 4m to at least 20m wide before being lost under shallow overburden. The Traxxin occurrence has been traced on surface for 250m. Benton completed limited due diligence surface sampling along the 250m long partially exposed quartz system and confirmed the presence of highly anomalous gold from trace to 2.5gpt gold. In addition the Company had previously identified gold in surface sampling 1.5km to the southwest along the same structure which graded from trace up to 3.4gpt gold indicating that the system could potentially have a substantial strike length. The new gold zone sits in the Marmion batholith and lies on a major northeast structural splay similar to that of the multi-million ounce Hammond Reef deposit (NI 43-101 Global M&I Resource: 196.4 Mt @ 0.86gpt Au, NI 43-101 Global Inferred Resource: 75.7 Mt @ 0.72gpt Au; currently owned by Yamana Gold and Agnico Eagle), lying parallel to the west in of the Traxxin discovery, also lying in the Marmion batholith. Recent government sampling from the Traxxin Zone also confirmed high grades up to 115gpt gold (3.7 ounces) and previous lake sediment sampling performed by the Ontario Geological Survey (Dyer, R.D. 1999. Lake Sediment and Water Geochemical Data from the Atikokan-Lumby Lake Area; Northwestern Ontario. Ontario Geological Survey, Miscellaneous Release - Data 43) exhibits some of the highest grades of gold in the survey sitting along the same structure which also hosts the Sandy Lake occurrence where grades of up to 1.57gpt gold in selective grab samples have been obtained. The structure is completely untested with Diamond drilling and has seen little historical exploration despite the 4km of intermittent gold mineralization.

Under the terms of the Option and subject to regulatory approval, Benton can earn a 100% interest in the Property which consists of 109 units in 12 claims by paying to Traxxin $450,000 and issuing 3,000,000 shares over a four year period on the following schedule:

• $45,000 and 300,000 Company common shares on signing the LOI;
• $85,000 and 600,000 Company common shares on first anniversary of signing the LOI;
• $95,000 and 600,000 Company common shares on second anniversary of signing the LOI
• $100,000 and 600,000 Company common shares on third anniversary of signing the LOI, and;
• $125,000 and 900,000 Company common shares on fourth anniversary of signing the LOI

The Property will be subject to a 3% NSR royalty in favour of Traxxin of which 1% can be purchased by Benton at the Company's election for $1 million. In addition, the Company must spend a total of $1 million in exploration expenditures over the four year period with a minimum of $250,000 expended within the first year from the date of the LOI. The Company will also grant to Traxxin a 1% NSR on surrounding ground staked by the Company as long as the Company or any of its affiliates holds an interest in the optioned claims.

Stephen Stares, Company President and CEO stated, 'Our team is extremely pleased to have executed an agreement on such a prospective new high grade gold discovery with many specimens containing impressive visible gold. Benton will commence systematic exploration work immediately and will initiate permitting for trenching and Diamond drilling as soon as possible'.

About Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX)

Benton Resources Inc is a well-funded Canadian-based junior with a diversified property portfolio in Gold-Silver, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements.

Clinton Barr, PGeo, Vice-President of Exploration for Alset, is the qualified person responsible for this release and has prepared, supervised and approved the preparation of the scientific and technical disclosure contained within the release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,

'Stephen Stares'

Stephen Stares, President

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be 'forward-looking statements.'
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections

For further information contact Stephen Stares @:
684 Squier Street,
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4A8
Phone (807)475-7474
Fax (807)475-7200
www.bentonresources.ca

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