Benton and Metals Creek Acquire an Additional 262 Claim Units at Smoking Gun Hydrogen-Helium in Newfoundland, Await Final Result from Soil Gas Sampling Program

Metals Creek Resources Corp. and Benton Resources Inc. have acquired an additional 262 claim units via staking, expanding the Smoking Gun Hydrogen/Helium Project in the Deer Lake Basin, Newfoundland. The companies are currently awaiting results from a recently completed regional soil gas sampling program conducted at the Parson's Pond and Smoking Gun projects.

An inaugural drill program is planned to test favorable targets for Hydrogen (H2) and Helium (He) once the soil gas results are compiled. The basins are interpreted as highly prospective due to porous sandstones and conglomerates capped by mudstones and shales, with geological mechanisms for hydrogen production including chrome, serpentine, and associated groundwater. The release reiterates that the presence of gas or methane does not guarantee the presence of hydrogen or helium and that further studies are required.

Metals Creek Resources Corp. (MEK) has acquired 262 claim units, an incremental step following the staking of 214 units in June 2026 and the start of soil gas sampling in July 2026. The announcement introduces no new financial commitments, operational milestones, or unexpected geological discoveries. It aligns with the company’s previously announced exploration roadmap and does not alter the near-term catalyst timeline. The market has already priced in the hydrogen play, and this routine land expansion is unlikely to drive significant price movement without the pending soil gas results.

Metals Creek Resources Corp. is a TSX Venture Exchange-listed junior exploration company focused on precious metals and emerging clean energy commodities. Its flagship asset is the Ogden Gold Project in Timmins, Ontario, which operates as a 50/50 joint venture with Discovery Silver Corp., with Metals Creek serving as the operator. The project is situated on the Porcupine-Destor Fault, featuring an 8km strike length. Recent drilling has returned high-grade gold intercepts, including 115.51 g/t Au over 9.85m.

The company also holds Newfoundland Hydrogen/Helium Projects jointly with Benton Resources. These assets, which include Smoking Gun and Parson's Pond, are in the early stages of exploration targeting natural white hydrogen and helium, leveraging historical gas data and thrust-fault geology. Additionally, Metals Creek holds the Yellow Fox Critical Metals Property, which has been optioned to Lomiko Metals. The company recently reported highly anomalous Rare Earth Element (REE) soil samples from this property, including heavy rare earths such as Dysprosium and Neodymium.

In Ontario, the company also holds the Flint North Project, which contains multiple gold occurrences and showings. Regarding divested assets, Metals Creek sold the Tillex Copper-Silver Project to Aruma Resources Ltd. in early 2026.