Privacy Policy

1) Who we are

Benton Resources Inc. (“Benton”, “we”, “our”, “us”) is a Canadian mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: BEX). We operate an investor-facing Website to provide corporate and project information and receive inquiries from investors, media, and other stakeholders. TMX Money+1

2) Scope and legal basis (PIPEDA)

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information under Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). We collect, use, and disclose personal information with your consent or as otherwise reasonable for the purposes described below, and we limit collection and retention to what is necessary for those purposes. Where we rely on your consent (e.g., for marketing emails in the future), you may withdraw it at any time.

3) What we collect

• Contact form submissions (Webflow): name, email, phone (optional), organization (optional), and your message.
• Email correspondence: messages you send to @bentonresources.ca or to our investor relations contact (Grove Corp).
• Server logs & basic diagnostics: IP address, device/browser information, pages visited, timestamp, and referrer, collected automatically by our hosting and security tools.
• Cookies & analytics (future): if enabled later, we may use cookies and Google Analytics (or similar) to understand Website usage (e.g., page views, session duration, approximate geolocation based on IP).
• Newsletter (future): if we launch a newsletter, we may collect your email address and optional profile fields (e.g., name), managed via an email service provider.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive categories of data, nor do we target children. If you believe a child under 14 has provided personal information, contact us and we’ll delete it.

4) How we use personal information (purposes)

• Respond to and manage inquiries received via the Website or email (investor, media, community, vendor).
• Investor relations support: triage and respond to investor questions, arrange calls/meetings, and share requested corporate materials.
• Website operations and security: operate, troubleshoot, and secure the Website (e.g., load balancing, abuse detection, fraud prevention).
• Analytics (future): understand aggregate Website usage (most/least visited pages, time on site) to improve navigation and content.
• Communications (future): send you a newsletter or updates only if you subscribe and consent (you can unsubscribe anytime).
• Legal/compliance: comply with applicable laws, enforce our rights, and maintain records.

5) Sharing and disclosures

We do not sell your personal information. We may disclose personal information to:

• Service providers (“processors”) who support our Website and communications, strictly for our purposes and under confidentiality obligations—for example, our Website platform/hosting (Webflow), email and security providers, and—if enabled—Google Analytics. Some of these providers may be located outside Canada (e.g., the United States).
• Investor relations contact: Nick Konkin (Grove Corp) receives certain investor inquiries routed by email to assist us with IR communications.
• Professional advisors and counterparties as needed for audits, financing, or transactions.
• Authorities where required or permitted by law (e.g., to comply with legal process or protect security).

If we transfer personal information outside Canada, we will use reasonable measures to ensure a comparable level of protection, and your information may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions.

6) Cookies, analytics, and similar technologies

• Current state: the Website may use only essential cookies and server-side logging required for performance and security.
• Future analytics: if we enable Google Analytics (or similar), we will provide a notice and, where applicable, controls to manage non-essential cookies. Analytics tools collect usage data (e.g., IP address truncated/pseudonymized where configured), which vendors process to provide aggregated statistics. You can also use your browser settings to block cookies.

7) Email marketing

If we launch a newsletter or other subscription communications, we will:

• Obtain your express consent to receive marketing emails;
• Identify ourselves in each email and include an unsubscribe link;
• Honour opt-out requests promptly;
• Use a reputable email service provider and limit access to those who need it.

(If you’re in Canada, this also aligns with good-practice obligations under Canada’s anti-spam rules.)

8) Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes above, then delete or anonymize it. Default periods:

• Contact form submissions & routine email inquiries: 24 months from last correspondence.
• Server logs and security telemetry: 12 months (shorter if feasible for security).
• Investor-relations correspondence related to transactions, complaints, or disclosure matters: up to 7 years where reasonably required for legal/regulatory purposes; otherwise 24 months.
• Analytics data (future): per vendor controls (e.g., 14–26 months), or shorter if configured.
  Legal holds override the above.

9) Safeguards

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including access controls, encryption in transit, least-privilege access, and vendor due diligence. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; we continually assess and improve our measures.

10) Your rights (access, correction, withdrawal of consent)

Under PIPEDA, you may request to access and correct your personal information in our custody or control, and you may withdraw consent to our use of your information (subject to legal or contractual restrictions). We will respond within a reasonable timeframe. If you withdraw consent, some Website features or responses may be limited.

To exercise your rights, contact our Privacy Officer (details below). If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC).

11) Third-party links

The Website may link to third-party sites (including social media or investor-relations sites). Those sites are governed by their own privacy policies; we are not responsible for their practices.

12) Cross-border transfers

Our service providers and email routing may operate outside Canada (e.g., in the United States). By interacting with the Website or corresponding with us, you understand that your information may be processed in those jurisdictions. We take steps to ensure a comparable level of protection.

13) Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to our practices or applicable laws. We will revise the “Effective date” and, where required, provide more prominent notice.

14) Contact us

Stephen Stares
Benton Resources Inc.
Email: sstares@bentonresources.ca
Mailing Address: 2110 – 650 West Georgia St., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 4N8, Canada