Benchmark Drills 4.82 Metres of 20.48 g/t Gold Equivalent at Cliff Creek North Zone, Expanding Mineralization at Depth
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Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2021) - Benchmark Metals Inc. (TSXV: BNCH) (OTCQX: BNCHF) (WKN: A2JM2X) (the "Company" or "Benchmark") is pleased to announce new results from a series of drill holes at the northern portion of the Cliff Creek deposit that demonstrate the exceptional continuity of high grade and bulk-tonnage mineralization from surface to over 500 metres (m) vertical depth. Benchmark's flagship Lawyers Gold-Silver Project is road accessible and located within the Golden Horseshoe area of north-central British Columbia, Canada.
John Williamson, CEO, commented, "The Cliff Creek North area continues to provide long intervals of bulk-tonnage material and narrower high-grade results. The northern portion of Cliff Creek is yielding high-grade gold and silver at surface, offering a starter-pit opportunity that could deliver robust economic returns. The drilling is demonstrating strong gold and silver continuity from surface to over 500 metres vertical depth. The recent results have provided more evidence of both open-pit and underground high-grade potential. The Project is exhibiting world-class mining potential with three zones to be included in a near-term mineral resource estimate and potential for more discoveries during the 2021 exploration program."
Figure 1 - Cliff Creek North Zone long section, see Figure 2 for section window.
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Continuity of Mineralization
Drill holes 20CCDD079 and 20CCDD106 were designed to test the continuity of the mineralization down dip and along strike. Hole 20CCDD079 was drilled to the northwest and returned from surface 54.72 m of 2.86 g/t gold (Au) and 152.18 g/t silver (Ag) or 4.76 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq), including 4.00 m of 13.64 g/t Au and 649.13 g/t Ag or 21.76 g/t AuEq. This zone of high-grade mineralization demonstrates excellent continuity extending over 150 metres along strike (Figure 1) and to depth from surface. Drill hole 20CCDD106 was drilled to the southwest, down-dip, and returned 112.62 m of 1.02 g/t Au and 67.91 g/t Ag or 1.87 g/t AuEq, including 5.92 m of 7.64 g/t Au and 577.67 g/t Ag or 14.86 g/t AuEq. This hole again demonstrates the continuity of mineralization from near surface to depth with both bulk-tonnage and high-grade intervals.
Expansion Potential
Drill holes 20CCDD101 and 20CCDD048 were drilled below the modelled pit outline (Figure 1) and returned 58.25 m of 1.18 g/t Au and 30.58 g/t Ag or 1.56 g/t AuEq and 4.82 m of 11.58 g/t Au and 711.85 g/t Ag or 20.48 g/t AuEq respectively. Both holes have extended mineralization to the southeast, where there is no historical drilling, demonstrating significant potential for discovering additional gold and silver ounces to the Cliff Creek deposit during the upcoming 2021 drill program. The entire Cliff Creek Zone remains open in all directions and shows strong potential for more expansion at depth in high-grade material.
Table #1: New results from the Cliff Creek Zone.
| Hole ID | FROM | TO | INTERVAL | Au (ppm) | Ag (ppm) | AuEq (ppm) | |
| 20CCRC039 | 67.06 | 76.20 | 9.14 | 0.57 | 7.49 | 0.66 | |
| 100.58 | 123.44 | 22.86 | 0.77 | 9.10 | 0.88 | ||
| incl | 117.35 | 118.87 | 1.52 | 5.78 | 14.20 | 5.96 | |
| 20CCRC078 | 47.24 | 91.44 | 44.20 | 1.15 | 28.73 | 1.51 | |
| 47.24 | 82.30 | 35.06 | 1.36 | 34.70 | 1.80 | ||
| 79.25 | 80.77 | 1.52 | 6.43 | 245.00 | 9.49 | ||
| 86.87 | 91.44 | 4.57 | 0.62 | 11.67 | 0.77 | ||
| 103.63 | 129.54 | 25.91 | 0.83 | 67.28 | 1.67 | ||
| 124.97 | 126.49 | 1.52 | 3.39 | 458.00 | 9.12 | ||
| 20CCRC079 | 131.06 | 137.16 | 6.10 | 0.71 | 15.56 | 0.91 | |
| 150.88 | 153.92 | 3.04 | 4.23 | 250.90 | 7.36 | ||
| 185.93 | 187.45 | 1.52 | 6.57 | 181.00 | 8.83 | ||
| 20CCRC080 | 27.43 | 38.10 | 10.67 | 1.69 | 92.78 | 2.85 | |
| 30.48 | 32.00 | 1.52 | 3.88 | 268.00 | 7.23 | ||
| 20CCDD007 | 217.00 | 225.38 | 8.38 | 0.58 | 23.69 | 0.87 | |
| incl | 217.00 | 217.74 | 0.74 | 2.20 | 24.10 | 2.50 | |
| incl | 224.24 | 225.38 | 1.14 | 2.04 | 107.00 | 3.38 | |
| 276.00 | 282.00 | 6.00 | 1.84 | 49.13 | 2.45 | ||
| incl | 281.00 | 282.00 | 1.00 | 6.19 | 158.00 | 8.17 | |
| 20CCDD013 | 59.00 | 79.95 | 20.95 | 0.85 | 22.10 | 1.13 | |
| 146.71 | 150.00 | 3.29 | 1.16 | 43.00 | 1.70 | ||
| 195.00 | 212.19 | 17.19 | 0.98 | 31.72 | 1.38 | ||
| 20CCDD016 | 96.45 | 105.00 | 8.55 | 1.27 | 45.08 | 1.84 | |
| incl | 101.00 | 102.00 | 1.00 | 3.54 | 173.00 | 5.70 | |
| 20CCDD017 | 115.87 | 135.00 | 19.13 | 0.26 | 6.21 | 0.34 | |
| 232.00 | 264.00 | 32.00 | 0.76 | 14.09 | 0.93 | ||
| incl | 259.00 | 260.00 | 1.00 | 5.01 | 33.80 | 5.43 | |
| 20CCDD037 | 164.00 | 172.00 | 8.00 | 0.78 | 9.94 | 0.90 | |
| 188.00 | 193.05 | 5.05 | 4.53 | 184.89 | 6.84 | ||
| incl | 190.40 | 191.00 | 0.60 | 24.60 | 1025.00 | 37.41 | |
| 253.00 | 278.00 | 25.00 | 0.45 | 12.77 | 0.61 | ||
| 255.08 | 259.00 | 3.92 | 1.47 | 43.08 | 2.01 | ||
| incl | 255.08 | 256.00 | 0.92 | 4.98 | 117.00 | 6.44 | |
| 20CCDD040 | 169.12 | 176.00 | 6.88 | 0.52 | 6.35 | 0.60 | |
| 214.84 | 233.00 | 18.16 | 0.78 | 14.31 | 0.96 | ||
| incl | 216.00 | 217.00 | 1.00 | 6.43 | 58.00 | 7.15 | |
| 246.00 | 250.00 | 4.00 | 1.73 | 127.20 | 3.32 | ||
| 20CCDD048 | 394.00 | 409.00 | 15.00 | 0.48 | 10.28 | 0.61 | |
| 491.00 | 495.82 | 4.82 | 11.58 | 711.85 | 20.48 | ||
| 491.00 | 494.41 | 3.41 | 15.29 | 978.91 | 27.53 | ||
| 20CCDD058 | 45.00 | 58.00 | 13.00 | 0.44 | 15.72 | 0.64 | |
| 73.00 | 175.89 | 102.89 | 0.52 | 11.00 | 0.66 | ||
| incl | 81.00 | 88.00 | 7.00 | 2.45 | 55.37 | 3.14 | |
| 20CCDD059 | 123.00 | 151.80 | 28.80 | 0.49 | 8.09 | 0.59 | |
| 211.00 | 245.45 | 34.45 | 0.93 | 25.22 | 1.25 | ||
| 20CCDD060 | 105.00 | 106.00 | 1.00 | 1.43 | 3.41 | 1.47 | |
| 146.89 | 148.68 | 1.79 | 1.29 | 2.83 | 1.32 | ||
| 183.85 | 188.74 | 4.89 | 1.02 | 6.72 | 1.10 | ||
| 202.96 | 205.00 | 2.04 | 3.53 | 213.33 | 6.20 | ||
| incl | 204.00 | 205.00 | 1.00 | 6.40 | 404.00 | 11.45 | |
| 212.00 | 218.00 | 6.00 | 0.43 | 46.87 | 1.02 | ||
| 241.73 | 340.50 | 98.77 | 1.10 | 23.17 | 1.39 | ||
| 279.50 | 280.28 | 0.78 | 15.35 | 3.87 | 15.40 | ||
| 321.47 | 322.22 | 0.75 | 11.95 | 545.00 | 18.76 | ||
| 324.00 | 325.00 | 1.00 | 13.90 | 402.00 | 1.36 | ||
| 373.00 | 374.00 | 1.00 | 5.78 | 13.05 | 5.94 | ||
| 432.21 | 437.00 | 4.79 | 1.70 | 137.78 | 3.42 | ||
| 435.22 | 436.00 | 0.78 | 8.09 | 460.00 | 13.84 | ||
| 20CCDD079*** | 3.00 | 57.72 | 54.72 | 2.86 | 152.18 | 4.76 | |
| incl | 5.00 | 7.00 | 2.00 | 5.81 | 484.50 | 11.86 | |
| and | 9.00 | 12.00 | 3.00 | 5.52 | 273.33 | 8.93 | |
| and | 24.00 | 28.00 | 4.00 | 13.64 | 649.13 | 21.76 | |
| incl | 27.00 | 28.00 | 1.00 | 39.80 | 1960.00 | 64.30 | |
| 109.08 | 128.30 | 19.22 | 1.59 | 51.95 | 2.24 | ||
| incl | 122.58 | 124.00 | 1.42 | 13.95 | 414.00 | 19.13 | |
| 20CCDD080 | 155.00 | 186.00 | 31.00 | 0.34 | 11.22 | 0.48 | |
| or | 164.00 | 167.00 | 3.00 | 0.69 | 29.13 | 1.06 | |
| 172.50 | 181.00 | 8.50 | 0.61 | 19.76 | 0.85 | ||
| 184.30 | 186.00 | 1.70 | 0.55 | 25.44 | 0.87 | ||
| 201.10 | 240.13 | 39.03 | 0.70 | 22.78 | 0.99 | ||
| 219.00 | 229.21 | 10.21 | 1.57 | 59.08 | 2.31 | ||
| 20CCDD085 | 47.00 | 56.00 | 9.00 | 0.81 | 34.49 | 1.24 | |
| 108.00 | 114.00 | 6.00 | 0.88 | 30.17 | 1.26 | ||
| 138.08 | 156.00 | 17.92 | 0.91 | 19.59 | 1.16 | ||
| 20CCDD091 | 69.00 | 71.00 | 2.00 | 0.76 | 1.12 | 0.77 | |
| 144.00 | 144.91 | 0.91 | 0.43 | 62.30 | 1.21 | ||
| 319.00 | 329.23 | 10.23 | 1.02 | 28.69 | 1.38 | ||
| including | 327.00 | 328.40 | 1.40 | 4.95 | 125.39 | 6.52 | |
| 350.00 | 365.20 | 15.20 | 0.59 | 15.45 | 0.78 | ||
| 20CCDD101 | 148.00 | 149.00 | 1.00 | 0.84 | 133.00 | 2.50 | |
| 220.00 | 221.00 | 1.00 | 21.30 | 593.00 | 28.71 | ||
| 252.00 | 262.00 | 10.00 | 0.38 | 34.19 | 0.80 | ||
| 296.75 | 355.00 | 58.25 | 0.81 | 26.75 | 1.15 | ||
| 309.80 | 317.55 | 7.75 | 2.19 | 120.87 | 3.70 | ||
| 309.80 | 310.55 | 0.75 | 9.74 | 319.00 | 13.73 | ||
| 20CCDD103 | 21.32 | 80.00 | 58.68 | 1.18 | 30.58 | 1.56 | |
| incl | 43.00 | 55.69 | 12.69 | 1.63 | 30.38 | 2.01 | |
| and | 68.00 | 76.91 | 8.91 | 3.53 | 122.58 | 5.06 | |
| incl | 69.00 | 71.00 | 2.00 | 9.13 | 274.00 | 12.55 | |
| 100.00 | 110.87 | 10.87 | 0.50 | 33.02 | 0.91 | ||
| 20CCDD105 | 11.00 | 16.00 | 5.00 | 3.36 | 35.99 | 3.81 | |
| 21.85 | 24.22 | 2.37 | 1.48 | 3.41 | 1.52 | ||
| 66.00 | 94.58 | 28.58 | 1.17 | 32.15 | 1.58 | ||
| incl | 88.05 | 89.00 | 0.95 | 6.93 | 312.00 | 10.83 | |
| 114.39 | 117.83 | 3.44 | 0.38 | 13.92 | 0.56 | ||
| 20CCDD106*** | 12.00 | 22.00 | 10.00 | 1.32 | 3.93 | 1.37 | |
| 133.00 | 134.00 | 1.00 | 1.25 | 82.60 | 2.28 | ||
| 182.00 | 294.62 | 112.62 | 1.02 | 67.91 | 1.87 | ||
| 247.00 | 255.71 | 8.71 | 3.27 | 98.56 | 4.50 | ||
| incl | 247.00 | 248.00 | 1.00 | 12.55 | 90.90 | 13.69 | |
| and | 288.70 | 294.62 | 5.92 | 7.64 | 577.67 | 14.86 | |
| incl | 289.70 | 290.22 | 0.52 | 13.35 | 1955.00 | 37.79 | |
| 392.36 | 394.00 | 1.64 | 2.39 | 128.00 | 3.99 |
* Gold equivalent (AuEq) calculated using 80:1 silver to gold ratio.
** Intervals are core-length. True width is estimated between 80 to 90% of core length.
*** Intervals are core-length. True width is unknown.
Figure 2 - Cliff Creek Gold Silver Deposit Drillhole Collars and Map
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Quality Assurance and Control
Results from samples were analyzed at ALS Global Laboratories (Geochemistry Division) in Vancouver, Canada (an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited facility). The sampling program was undertaken by Company personnel under the direction of Rob L'Heureux, P.Geol. A secure chain of custody is maintained in transporting and storing of all samples. Gold was assayed using a fire assay with atomic emission spectrometry and gravimetric finish when required (+10 g/t Au). Analysis by four acid digestion with 48 element ICP-MS analysis was conducted on all samples with silver and base metal over- limits being re-analyzed by atomic absorption or emission spectrometry. Rock chip samples from outcrop/bedrock are selective by nature and may not be representative of the mineralization hosted on the project.
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc, P.Geol., P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Benchmark Metals
Benchmark Metals Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on proving and developing the substantial resource potential of the Lawyer's Gold-Silver Project, located in the prolific Golden Horseshoe of northern British Columbia, Canada. The Company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the OTCQX Best Market in the United States, and the Tradegate Exchange in Europe. Benchmark is managed by proven resource sector professionals, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from grassroots scenarios through to production.
Benchmark is part of the Metals Group of companies, managed by an award-winning team of professionals who stand for technical excellence, painstaking project selection and uncompromising corporate governance, with a proven ability to capitalize on investment opportunities and deliver shareholder returns.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
s/ "John Williamson"
John Williamson, Chief Executive Officer
For further information, please contact:
Jim Greig
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +1 604 260 6977
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This news release may contain certain "forward looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.
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