Bens Creek Regulatory News (BEN)

10 January 2022

Bens Creek Group plc

("Bens Creek" or the "Company")

Result of coal quality analysis - Hi Vol B product

Bens Creek (AIM:BEN), the owner of a recently re-opened metallurgical coal mine in North America supplying the steel industry, is pleased to announce the results of the initial quality analysis of its stock of metallurgical coal following the commencement of production in December 2021 at the Company's site in West Virginia. The metallurgical coal samples tested are within the quality margins required by the recently signed offtake agreement with Integrity Coal and confirm its characteristics are in line with Ben's Creek's benchmark metallurgical coal specification.

The Gallagher Coal Research Center, Inc., established in 1994 and a provider of  qualitative analysis of metallurgical coal and lignite, has been engaged by the Company to undertake a full analysis of the metallurgical coal samples taken from the Upper Cedar Grove seam at the Bens Creek property. Seven test samples, consisting of solid seams and augured seams, were delivered to The Gallagher Coal Research Center during December 2021, with the ash and sulphur content from these samples analysed. Following the analysis, the quality of the metallurgical sample is considered to be Hi Vol B.

The results of the analysis of the four solid seams showed:

a) the ash content having an average of 5.64%;

b) the average volatile matter was 36.01%;

c) the average sulphur content was 0.72%;

d) the average Arnu Dilatometer test (a test of the swelling properties of coal when heated under standard conditions) was 146;

e) the fluidity average was +29,500; and

f) the carbon content was c.58% (using 1.60 gravity).

Adam Wilson, CEO of Bens Creek, said: "We are delighted with these initial test results. The Gallagher Research Center tested the ash and sulphur from seven coal samples from the Highwall Mined coal. The samples from the solid seams either exceeded or were within the quality margins required under the terms of the offtake agreement with Integrity Coal, as previously announced in October 2021.

"Gallagher will be conducting further tests and we have every expectation that these tests also will yield similar positive results. We intend to test the Eagle Seam in late January / beginning of February and are confident that the results of these tests will be positive."

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