Benton Partners with Metals Creek to Acquire 6 Projects with Natural Hydrogen Potential in Newfoundland

Rhea-AI Summary

Benton Resources (BNTRF) and Metals Creek jointly staked 763 claim units on March 25, 2026 to acquire six prospective natural (white) hydrogen projects on Newfoundland's west coast.

Three projects have historical gas shows; Parson's Pond drill logs report up to 72% C1 methane in two holes. The companies caution that further studies are required to confirm hydrogen or helium.

Positive

• 763 claim units staked to acquire six projects
• 3 of 6 projects have historical gas shows
• 72% C1 methane recorded in Parson's Pond drill logs

Negative

• Presence of gas does not guarantee hydrogen or helium discovery; further validation required
• Projects are at an early exploration stage with no binding commercial terms or resource estimates

News Market Reaction – MCREF

-6.25%

1 alert

-6.25% News Effect

On the day this news was published, MCREF declined 6.25%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Natural hydrogen projects: 6 projects Projects with gas: 3 of 6 projects Claim units: 763 claim units +5 more

8 metrics

Natural hydrogen projects 6 projects Number of potential natural white hydrogen projects staked in Newfoundland

Projects with gas 3 of 6 projects Projects with identified gas from historical drill holes or surface venting

Claim units 763 claim units Total claim units staked for the Newfoundland hydrogen-targeted projects

Methane concentration 72% C1 methane C1 methane gas levels observed in historical drill logs at Parson's Pond

Hole spacing 14.2 km apart Distance between two historical drill holes at Parson's Pond

Share price $0.02716 Price before this news, up 23.64% over 24 hours

24h price change 23.64% Pre-news 24-hour move in MCREF shares

Today’s volume 340 shares Trading volume versus 20-day average of 33,220 shares

Market Reality Check

Price: $0.0237 Vol: Volume 340 is far below t...

low vol

$0.0237 Last Close

Volume Volume 340 is far below the 20-day average of 33,220, limiting confirmation of the price move. low

Technical Price at 0.02716 is trading above the 200-day MA of 0.02.

Peers on Argus

MCREF gained 23.64% while key peers were mixed: SVMFF up 18.64%, SPODF down 7.89...

MCREF gained 23.64% while key peers were mixed: SVMFF up 18.64%, SPODF down 7.89%, others flat. This points to a stock-specific move rather than a broad sector rotation.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Mar 20 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Mar 20	AI marketing deal	Neutral	+23.6%	Launched 12-month cashless AI marketing and investor forum program.
Feb 10	Property payment	Positive	-0.7%	Received Yellow Fox payment and expanded property with additional claims.
Jan 27	Exploration update	Positive	+8.3%	Outlined fully funded Q1 2026 drill program at Ogden Gold Project.
Jan 22	Asset sale	Positive	+16.4%	Sold Tillex Copper Project interest for cash, shares, milestones, and royalty.
Jan 20	Management change	Neutral	-8.2%	CFO/director retired and new CPA-qualified CFO/director appointed.

Pattern Detected

Recent news has mostly seen positive alignment, with strong gains on exploration and asset sale updates and one divergence on a property payment announcement.

Recent Company History

Over recent months, Metals Creek reported several corporate and project milestones. An AI-focused marketing program on Mar 20, 2026 coincided with a 23.64% gain. Earlier, a Yellow Fox property payment on Feb 10, 2026 saw a mild decline despite added claims. Exploration plans at Ogden on Jan 27, 2026 and the Tillex Copper Project sale on Jan 22, 2026 both aligned with double-digit percentage gains. A management change on Jan 20, 2026 preceded a moderate drop. Today’s hydrogen-focused project staking extends this pattern of portfolio evolution.

Market Pulse Summary

The stock moved -6.3% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite the new hydrog...

Analysis

The stock moved -6.3% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite the new hydrogen-focused staking could echo past divergence, such as the mild decline after the Yellow Fox payment despite fundamentally constructive terms. The stock traded above its 200-day MA of 0.02 at 0.02716 beforehand, and recent history showed sharp swings around corporate updates. Limited liquidity, with just 340 shares traded versus a 33,220 average, may have amplified downside moves following the announcement.

Key Terms

serpentinized, ultramafic, glauconite, C1 methane, +4 more

8 terms

serpentinized technical

"A large serpentinized ultramafic unit near documented structures and faults."

Serpentinized describes rock that has been chemically altered by hot water so its original minerals transform into soft, often greenish serpentine minerals. For investors, this matters because serpentinization changes a deposit’s physical and chemical behavior—altering how metals, groundwater, and gas are concentrated, how easy the rock is to mine, and what environmental or engineering challenges (like stability, acid/base reactions, or asbestos presence) a project may face.

ultramafic technical

"A large serpentinized ultramafic unit near documented structures and faults."

Ultramafic describes a class of very dark, dense igneous rocks that are low in silica and high in iron and magnesium; think of them as the “mineral-rich” end of the rock spectrum. They matter to investors because these rocks are common hosts for economically important metals—such as nickel, chromium, cobalt and some platinum-group elements—so finding ultramafic geology can point to potential mining targets, development costs and environmental considerations.

glauconite technical

"gas noted in historical drill holes near serpentine and glauconite mineralization."

A green, clay-like mineral formed on ancient seafloors that is rich in iron and potassium and typically appears as small pellets or grains. Investors pay attention to glauconite because its presence can signal promising geological conditions for mineral or fossil fuel exploration, serve as a local source of potassium for fertilizers, and influence soil and commodity values—like finding a particular plant that hints at what's growing underground.

C1 methane technical

"historical drill logs from two holes 14.2 km apart has observed C1 methane gas levels reaching 72%."

C1 methane denotes the simplest hydrocarbon molecule containing one carbon atom and four hydrogens — commonly called methane — and is the primary component of natural gas. For investors, C1 volumes and purity matter because they determine how much sellable fuel a company produces, influence commodity prices and revenue, and carry regulatory and emissions implications similar to tracking the basic unit of a product line in manufacturing.

sedimentary basin technical

"A large sedimentary basin in a thrust fault system, with gas noted in historical drill holes"

A sedimentary basin is a large, bowl-like region of the Earth where sediments have accumulated over millions of years, forming thick stacked layers like a layered cake. For investors, these basins matter because they often host concentrated deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, minerals and groundwater; their size, depth and history help determine how likely and costly it is to find and extract those resources, so they directly affect exploration risk and asset value.

thrust fault technical

"A large sedimentary basin in a thrust fault system, with gas noted in historical drill holes"

A thrust fault is a break in the Earth’s crust where older rock layers have been pushed up and over younger layers, much like a rug that buckles and folds when you push it from one end. For investors, it matters because these underground offsets can create traps where oil, gas, or mineral deposits collect, influence where companies drill or mine, and affect exploration risk, expected recovery and development costs.

serpentinite technical

"A large serpentinite-bearing ultramafic unit near documented structures and faults."

A greenish, often shiny rock formed when mantle minerals are altered by water; it’s made mostly of serpentine-group minerals and can look like a slick, fibrous stone. For investors, serpentinite matters because it often marks ground that hosts valuable metals such as nickel, chromium and cobalt, can contain asbestos-like fibers that raise environmental and regulatory costs, and influences mineability and reclamation expenses—like a neighborhood sign that hints at what’s buried below.

natural white hydrogen technical

"6 potential natural white hydrogen projects located in Newfoundland, Canada"

Natural white hydrogen is hydrogen gas that occurs naturally in the Earth’s subsurface and can be captured directly from underground reservoirs rather than produced by industrial processes. For investors it matters because it represents a potentially lower-cost, lower-emission supply source and a new exploration opportunity, like discovering a natural gas deposit, but it also carries geological, extraction and regulatory risks that affect project economics and long-term value.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 25, 2026) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) (the "Companies" or "Benton") and Metals Creek Resources Corp. (TSXV: MEK) (OTC Pink: MCREF) (FSE: M1C1) (the "Companies" or "Metals Creek") are pleased to announce that they have jointly acquired through staking 6 potential natural white hydrogen projects located in Newfoundland, Canada (the "Projects").

The Projects (see Figure 2) were selected and staked after extensive research of historical data in areas of comparable geological settings to those that current hydrogen companies across the USA and Canada are targeting.

Of particular interest is that 3 of the 6 projects have identified gas from historical drill holes or the surface venting of gas. The Projects, all located on the west coast of Newfoundland, are hosted in geological environments considered prospective for natural white hydrogen. A total of 763 claim units were staked to acquire the mineral lands with geological characteristics that support the targeting potential.

Stephen Stares, President and CEO of Benton, stated, "While Benton is primarily focused on advancing its Copper-Gold assets, there are times when unique opportunities allow management to act decisively as an early mover. Partnering with Metals Creek enables the Companies to share relatively low-cost exploration risk while maintaining meaningful upside, should even one of these projects lead to a significant discovery of hydrogen or helium. In neighboring Nova Scotia, companies such as Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. are already demonstrating success in exploring for natural hydrogen. We believe Newfoundland's geological setting offers comparable potential for these emerging and highly prospective discoveries."

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3657/289811_43f07ae4c48dfbb0_002full.jpg

Source: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/aas-infographic-hydrogen-factories

Listed below are brief descriptions of the 6 projects acquired through staking.

Parson's Pond
A large sedimentary basin in a thrust fault system, with gas noted in historical drill holes near serpentine and glauconite mineralization. In addition, gas venting at surface is documented in Newfoundland government files. See:
https://gis.gov.nl.ca/mods/ModsCard.asp?NMINOString?temp=n&NMINOString=012I/04/Btm002

Cape St. Gregory
A large serpentinized ultramafic unit near documented structures and faults.

Bond Pond
15 historical drill holes noted, intensely sheared and serpentinized ultramafic intrusions and likely in contact with fault structures within a sedimentary basin environment.

Deer Lake Basin
Explosive gas encountered in historical hole that flowed for a minimum of 12 months in uranium-thorium rich basin environment. See:
https://gis.gov.nl.ca/mods/ModsCard.asp?NMINOString?temp=n&NMINOString=012H/03/Btm002

Bay St George
Gas noted in historical drilling. See:
https://www.gov.nl.ca/em/files/publications-energy-fwr-port-au-port-no-1-final-well-report-volume-2.pdf

Bay of Islands
A large serpentinite-bearing ultramafic unit near documented structures and faults.

At Parson's Pond (see Figure 1) research of the historical drill logs from two holes 14.2 km apart has observed C1 methane gas levels reaching 72%. The area is underlain by thrust faulted rocks of the Humber Arm Supergroup. Drill logs indicate unique sedimentary units composed of shales along with sandstones, containing fragments of serpentine and chrome. Of particular interest is the presence of mineral glauconite, which, combined with these geological indicators, suggests a highly prospective environment for the potential formation white hydrogen (natural hydrogen) to form within the basin. The presence of such high concentrations of methane alongside hydrogen indicators suggests a potentially active gas system within the basin. In addition, surface areas have been noted to vent gas within the project boundaries.

(Ref NALCOR ENERGY - OIL AND GAS INC FINAL HOLE REPORT For Nalcor Energy et al SEAMUS #1 https://www.gov.nl.ca/em/files/publications-energy-nalcorseamusfwr.pdf and NALCOR ENERGY - OIL AND GAS INC FINAL HOLE REPORT For Nalcor Energy et al Finnegan #1 https://www.gov.nl.ca/em/files/FinniganFWR.pdf).

Figure 1: Parson's Pond Regional Cross Section/Geology and Hole Location (Seamus & Finnigan)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3657/289811_43f07ae4c48dfbb0_003full.jpg

Source: NALCO Energy - Oil and Gas Inc. Final Well Report for Nalcor Energy et al FINNIGAN #1 & NALCO Energy - Oil and Gas Inc. Final Well Report for Nalcor Energy et al SEAMUS #1.

Figure 2: Project Location Map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3657/289811_43f07ae4c48dfbb0_004full.jpg

Source: Newfoundland. Geological Survey of Canada, "A" Series Map, 1678A. https://doi.org/10.4095/126990.

Please note that the presence of gas or methane on these staked projects or gas discovered on adjacent properties does not guarantee the presence of hydrogen or helium. Further studies are required to validate their presence.

About Benton Resources Inc.

Benton Resources is a well-financed mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BEX. Benton has a diversified, highly prospective property portfolio and holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets. Whenever possible, BEX retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow.

Benton is focused on advancing its high-grade Copper-Gold Great Burnt Project in central Newfoundland, which has a Mineral Resource estimate of 667,000 tonnes @ 3.21% Cu Indicated and 482,000 @ 2.35% Cu Inferred. The Project has an excellent geological setting covering 25km of strike and boasts six known Cu-Au-Ag zones over 15 km that are all open for expansion. Further potential for discovery is excellent given the extensive number of untested geophysical targets and Cu-Au soil anomalies. Phase 1 and 2 drill programs returned impressive results including 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 m of 8.31% Cu, and 1.00 m of 12.70% Cu. Drilling at the South Pond Gold Zone, approximately 7.5 km north of the Great Burnt Copper-Gold Zone, has confirmed a robust gold-mineralized system over 2.5 km with results of 74.20 m of 1.43g/t Au and 43.75 m of 1.62g/t Au and is open for expansion in all directions.

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

"Stephen Stares"

Stephen Stares, President

Parties interested in seeking more information about properties available for option can contact Mr. Stares at the number below.

For further information, please contact:

Stephen Stares, President & CEO
Phone: 807-474-9020
Email: sstares@bentonresources.ca

Nick Konkin, Investor Relations
Phone: 647-249-9298 ext. 322
Email: nick@grovecorp.ca

Website: www.bentonresources.ca
Twitter: @BentonResources
Facebook: @BentonResourcesBEX

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289811

FAQ

What did Benton (BNTRF) and Metals Creek announce on March 25, 2026?

They announced a joint staking of 763 claim units for six prospective natural hydrogen projects in Newfoundland. According to the companies, three projects show historical gas and require further study to confirm hydrogen.

Which BNTRF project reported high methane levels and what was measured?

Parson's Pond reported historical hole data with up to 72% C1 methane in two holes. According to the companies, this observation suggests an active gas system but does not confirm hydrogen presence.

How many of the six BNTRF projects have documented gas shows?

Three of the six projects have identified gas from historical drill holes or surface venting. According to the companies, those gas shows informed the selection but need follow-up testing for hydrogen.

What geological settings are BNTRF and Metals Creek targeting in Newfoundland?

They targeted thrust-faulted sedimentary basins and serpentinized ultramafic units near faults and structures. According to the companies, these settings are considered prospective for natural white hydrogen and helium.

Does the BNTRF announcement guarantee discovery of natural hydrogen or helium?

No, the announcement expressly cautions that presence of gas or methane does not guarantee hydrogen or helium discoveries. According to the companies, further studies and validation are required.

What are the near-term steps for BNTRF and Metals Creek after staking these projects?

Near-term steps include further geological review and validation studies of historical gas shows and venting. According to the companies, follow-up work is needed to assess hydrogen or helium potential before exploration commitments.