Benton Resources Corp. (TSX VENTURE:BTC) ("Benton" or "the Company") is pleased
to announce that the Company has commenced diamond drilling on its 100% owned
Abernethy gold project located 10km southwest of Kenora, Ontario. The property
covers several historically defined electromagnetic responses associated with
gold in soils geochemistry. One of these zones has a strike length of at least
640 metres and up to 210 metres wide and was tested with 3 historical drill
holes returning grades up to 17.8 gpt gold over 1.52 metres and 6.30 gpt gold
over 6.1 metres associated with heavy pyrrhotite and pyrite mineralization (see
Benton's PR dated April 18.2011). The current drill program will consist of
approximately 1000 metres in 6-7 holes to test the zone over a 200-250 meter
strike length. The first hole (ABE-11-01) is located approximately 100 meters
east of the historical drilling. Although currently still in progress, the top
of this hole intersected 39m of massive sulphide (60% pyrrhotite, 5% pyrite)
from 1.5m to 40.5m, just below the casing. The core is currently being split
with the samples being submitted to the lab for assay as soon as possible.
Pictures of the core can be seen on the company's website. Recent forestry
logging operations have opened entry to several areas within the claim group
providing excellent access to the known mineralization. 


In addition, diamond drilling continues on the Company's 100%-owned RIM
copper-nickel project located 100km south of the world class Voisey's Bay nickel
deposit. To date 3 drill holes have been completed of the 5-6 holes proposed.
The program was designed to test a series of east-west trending conductive
anomalies located within the mapped outline of the main Suture Zone. The Company
believes that the conductors may represent magmatic sulphide deposited along an
east-west trending structural conduit cutting through the Suture Zone similar to
the emplacement of the Voisey's Bay deposit. Results of the drilling will be
released after they have been received and compiled by the Company. The Company
would like to acknowledge and thank the government of Newfoundland for $150,000
JCEP grant to assist in this current program.


Benton is also pleased to announce the appointment of Nathan Sims, PGeo, as the
Operations Manager for Benton's Thunder Bay office. Nathan obtained an HBSc in
geosciences from Lakehead University and is a certified GIS Applications
Specialist. His role with Benton will be to generate new projects and provide
expertise to advance Benton's properties effectively and efficiently.


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 $11.8 million in cash, owns approximately
57.9 million shares in Coro Mining Corp. (TSX:COP), holds approximately 348,000
shares of Stillwater Mining Company (NYSE:SWC), holds 782,500 shares in Marathon
Gold Corp. (TSX:MOZ), holds 1.6 million shares in Puget Ventures (TSX
VENTURE:PVS), holds 6.5 million shares of Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSX
VENTURE:MMV), and holds 815,000 shares of Bell Copper Corporation (TSX
VENTURE:BCU) holds 1.2 million shares of Trillium North Minerals (TSX
VENTURE:TNM), holds 1.5 million shares of Golden Dory Resources (TSX
VENTURE:GDR) and 3.0 million shares Parkside Resources (currently private)
Benton is currently in the process of spinning out the majority of its assets by
a plan of arrangement into a new listed company in order to separate its 41.6%
investment in Coro Mining from its cash, equities and exploration assets. Benton
shareholders will receive a pro-rata interest in this new company on a
one-for-one share basis and pursuant to regulatory approval.


Clinton Barr (P.Geo.), V.P. Exploration for Benton Resources Corp., is the
qualified person responsible for this release.


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.