Benton Announces Initial Results from Metallurgical Testwork and Provides Exploration Update on Cape Ray Project

THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec 3, 2013) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:BEX) ("Benton" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the results of the first phase of metallurgical test work on the 51 Zone gold deposit located on the Cape Ray property in southwest Newfoundland.

In August 2013, the Company collected a 150 kilogram mini bulk sample from a trench over the 51 deposit and contracted Met-Solve Laboratories in Langley, B.C. to complete the metallurgical testing to determine if a high value precious and base metal concentrate could be produced by Dense Media Separation (DMS) and gravity concentration. The production of a high value concentrate would greatly reduce processing costs and eliminate the need for an on-site conventional milling operation at the Cape Ray property.

Highlights of the Initial results are shown in tables below:

The Company is very encouraged by these results and additional work to optimize concentrate recoveries is ongoing. These tests include testing finer crush sizes for the DMS feed (the above results were achieved using a maximum crush size of 1.9cm) and testing a finer grind of feed for the falcon concentrator. A flow sheet of the process can be viewed on the Company's web site.

Exploration Update:

The Company has completed the amalgamation of 6 gold deposits that include the historic Cape Ray gold deposits, located in southwest Newfoundland. Benton now controls a 100% interest in 60km of strike length along the Cape Ray Fault, a significant regional gold-bearing structure that hosts the Cape Ray deposits as well as Marathon Gold's Valentine Lake deposit located 120 km to the northeast of Benton's claim block.

The Company is currently compiling more than $15 million dollars of historical exploration and development data from the 6 deposits and surrounding ground including 427 diamond drill holes, assay data, trenching, geophysical surveys, geochemical surveys, underground development on the 41 deposit and historical feasibility studies completed during the 1980's and 1990's.

Recently the Company completed additional soil sampling along strike from our previously announced (see Benton PR dated October 11, 2013) 600m long by 150m wide gold-lead-zinc-silver soil anomaly (trace to 801ppb Au, 2 to 561gpt Pb, 3 to 326gpt Zn, trace to 4.1gpt Ag). The anomaly is associated with a distinct magnetic low signature similar to that associated with the 51 deposit situated 600m along strike to the north east. Very little historical drilling has ever been completed in this new geochemically anomalous area which remains open along strike to the southwest. Additional prospecting has returned selective grab sample gold assays of 1.0gpt and 39gpt gold near, and along strike from, the PW zone and compliments previously announced results which returned 69.8gpt, 9.4gpt, 5.0gpt and 8.9gpt in the area. The grab samples are associated with a distinct chargeability and resistivity Induced Polarization (IP) anomaly and are believed to represent the strike extension of the Windowglass Hill (WGH) granite which hosts the WGH gold deposit 1.2km to the southwest. A map exhibiting the anomalous soil geochemical area and coincident magnetic low can be viewed on the Company's website.

Highlights of current advancements and near-term plans:

• First metallurgical test exhibit excellent results and further testing is underway to further enhance recoveries
• Coincidental geophysical IP and geochemical anomalies along strike to the SW from the 51 deposit with no previous drilling
• High grade surface samples ranging from 1gpt to 69gpt gold associated with a coincident IP anomaly, possibly linking the PW zone and Window Glass Hill deposit which are 1.2km apart
• Multiple new grab sample and gold-in-soil showings on Cape Ray East property, located 3km east of the Isle Aux Morts deposit
• Drilling to start on new targets in early 2014
• Additional work to be completed on the 4 newly acquired deposits to upgrade to NI 43-101 compliance status
• Results pending from recently completed soil geochemical survey to be compiled and released soon
• Further ground geophysics and soil geochemistry to be conducted over the winter

About Benton Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:BEX)

Benton Resources Inc. is a newly listed Canadian based junior with multiple joint ventures and a diversified property portfolio in Gold-Silver, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements. The Company is well funded with approximately $7.2 million in cash and $1.0 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.

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.