Benton Resources (TSXV: BEX) announced the identification of an off-hole electromagnetic conductor situated just below its deepest and southernmost drill hole, GB 24-48. The company could substantially extend the Great Burnt copper deposit strike length from its current 850 metres to 1,050 metres if drilling its program successfully intersects copper-rich massive sulphides. Benon plans immediate follow up drilling in the coming weeks to test the new anomaly.
Benton announced drilling has extended the South Pond gold zone and South Pond copper zone mineralization in drilling to over 1.7 km strike length, with the zone remaining open to the north and south.
Located approximately 8 km north of the Great Burnt copper deposit, the South Pond copper zone lies within a 3 km gold horizon which continues to yield wide gold intervals over substantial strike lengths. The company remains optimistic about the area and is currently evaluating whether the large gold-bearing structure represents a continuous unit or a series of shallow plunging lenses. This will continue to be tested with several short drill holes.
Highlights from the South Pond copper zone include 19.75 metres grading 1.42 g/t gold including 4 metres of 3.08 g/t gold in SP 24-13 and 22.50 metres of 1.24 g/t gold in SP 24-15. New higher grades from the far north at South Pond mineralization zone indicate potential for higher grade lenses such as SP 24-23 which cut 3 metres grading 6.42 g/t gold including 1 metre of 15.72 g/t gold.
Results for SP 24-24 to SP 24-30 are expected shortly which could extend the South Pond gold zone horizon to >2.3 km in strike.
Benton has developed a robust exploration model to guide ongoing work at the copper deposit and the gold zone deposits. The new geological and geophysical model indicates that the mineralized sequence is structurally thickened due to folding and/or faulting. This result has created a near-surface zone of thicker mineralization that may be amenable to shallow open pit mining methods. Notably, all intersections to date at South Pond gold zone have been shallow and less than 100 metres from surface. All holes have intersected significant mineralization and thicknesses with drill core being cut and delivered to Eastern Analytical on a regular basis.
Futhermore, Benton also reported it has identified a large nickel anomaly that could be similar to that of First Atlantic Nickel, located 6 km east of the Great Burnt project. Soil sampling completed by Benton has identified a large nickel anomaly associated with a magnetic high, that continues for approximately 8 km. Limited rock sampling has identified a large ultramafic rock unit that graded from 0.13% nickel to 0.23% nickel. The magnetic anomaly is also in proximity to various electromagnetic conductors which are of interest to the company. Benton will plan diamond drilling on a few selected targets to evaluate its potential.
The Great Burnt project has a geological setting covering 25 km of strike and has six known copper-gold-silver zones over 15 km that are all open for expansion. More information is posted on www.BentonResources.ca.
