Benton Resources Corp. ("Benton" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE:BTC) is pleased
to announce that it has been advised by Coro Mining Corp. ("Coro") (TSX:COP)
that the San Jorge project Environmental Impact Study ("EIS") has been approved
by the Provincial Government of Mendoza, and that the resulting Environmental
Impact Declaration ("EID") will be submitted to the Provincial Legislature for
ratification.


The EID is conditional, inter alia, upon Coro's Argentinean subsidiary, Minera
San Jorge ("MSJ"), complying with the highest standards of environmental
protection, control and monitoring prior to, and during the construction and
operation of the project, including the requirement for the paste tailings
deposit to be made impermeable with a liner. In addition, MSJ will be required
to contribute 0.5% of metal sales on an annual basis to an environmental
remediation fund, to be recovered upon satisfactory closure of the mine.
Finally, MSJ will be required to negotiate the terms of an agreement with the
Provincial Government and the Department of Las Heras, where the project is
located, whereby MSJ will contribute to a social development fund to benefit the
local community. A translated version of the EID will be posted on Coro's
website in due course.


Alan Stephens, President and CEO of Coro commented, "We are delighted that,
after an exhaustive and thorough process, the Provincial Government has approved
our EIS. We are also pleased that we will have the opportunity to directly fund
the social development of the local community of Uspallata and the rest of Las
Heras. This satisfactory outcome is the result of more than 2 years of hard work
by the Company's South American team, led by Fabian Gregorio, President of MSJ
and Marcelo Cortes, Coro's VP of Project Development, and we now look forward to
the Provincial Legislature ratifying the Government's decision. Upon
ratification, the Company will recommence engineering studies aimed at
demonstrating the full potential of San Jorge at industry standard metal
prices."


Stephen Stares, President and CEO of Benton stated, "We are extremely pleased to
hear that the San Jorge Project has received EIS approval and anxiously await
ratification. The Coro and MSJ teams have done an outstanding job in advancing
San Jorge closer to development with environmental responsibility being at the
forefront."


About San Jorge:

The San Jorge copper-gold project is located in Mendoza, Argentina. Coro
completed an independent Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"), in April 2008
which contemplated production of 39,500 tonnes of copper per annum and 39,000
ounces of gold per annum over a 16 year mine life. The deposit remains open at
depth and using a $2.00 per pound copper and $600 per ounce gold price returned
an after tax NPV of $220 million, with a capital expenditure of $277 million.


Coro is fully committed to developing San Jorge in such a way that no water
resources would be affected by contamination, as required by local and national
laws and regulations, and by international best practices. Coro, through its
subsidiary, Minera San Jorge, continues to follow a policy of complete
transparency and frankness, and has stressed the economic and employment
benefits of the project to Argentina, as well as a commitment to exacting
industry standards in environmental management, and has invited citizen
participation in the environmental monitoring of the operation. Coro has
demonstrated its commitment to water conservation through the proposed use of
paste tailings, which minimises water usage through recycling. It has committed
to train as many local residents as possible for employment in the future
operations at San Jorge.


About Benton:

Benton is a Canadian based junior with multiple joint ventures and a diversified
property portfolio in Gold, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements. The
Company currently has approximately $17.2 million in cash, owns approximately
55.37 million shares and 2.43 million warrants in Coro Mining Corp. (TSX:COP),
holds approximately 348,000 shares of Stillwater Mining Company (NYSE:SWC),
holds 782,500 million shares in Marathon Gold Corp. (TSX:MOZ), holds 1.6 million
shares in Puget Ventures (TSX VENTURE:PVS), holds 4 million shares of Mineral
Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MMV), and holds 815,000 shares of Bell
Copper Corporation (TSX VENTURE:BCU).


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

Stephen Stares, President

Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform act of 1995. Investors
are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties.