VANCOUVER, June 27, 2011 /CNW/ - Focus Ventures Ltd. (TSXV: FCV.V) is pleased to report it has received its Category II drill permit from the Peruvian authorities for its Santa Rosa Ag-Pb-Zn project, 100km north of Lima, Peru. The Company has contracted a drill rig for a minimum of 2,000m of Diamond drilling. Preparations are underway to mobilize the rig to site and drilling will commence around mid-July. The drill program will be the first ever on the Santa Rosa property.
Drilling will test the depth and strike extensions of the vein and stockwork Ag-Zn-Pb mineralization exposed in the Santa Rosa and Milagros-Sally underground workings. Several additional targets will also be drilled, including the Santa Rosa Sur and Zona Oxidos targets.
Highlights of Focus's work to date include (refer to press releases dated March 10, April 19, and June 6, 2011):
- Definition of broad widths of vein and stockwork mineralization in underground workings that could potentially be amenable to bulk mining,
e.g. |
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- 53.6m @ 32 g/t Ag, 1% Pb, 4% Zn (Santa Rosa Mine, Level 4267) |
- 27.6m @ 43 g/t Ag, 1.8% Pb, 3.6% Zn (Santa Rosa Mine, Level 4280) |
- 11.3m @ 76 g/t Ag, 3.2% Pb, 14.6% Zn (Milagros-Sally, Level 4380) |
- 15.1m @ 43 g/t Ag, 2.6% Pb, 7.8% Zn (Milagros-Sally, Level 4340) |
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- Sampling of bonanza silver grades associated with massive sulphide lead and zinc veins
e.g. |
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- 5.9m @ 389 g/t Ag, 24.3% Pb, 15.5% Zn, including |
2m @ 807 g/t Ag, 51.3% Pb, 15.8% Zn (Santa Rosa Mine, Level 4267) |
- 1.5m @ 525 g/t Ag, 8.7% Pb, 6.9% Zn (Yanapata Mine) |
David Cass, President of Focus, commented: "With our Santa Rosa permit now in hand and drill permitting in the final stages at our Minas Chancas silver project, we look forward to drills turning on both projects during the months ahead."
Background
The Santa Rosa property is located within the prolific Central Peru Polymetallic Belt, at an altitude of between 4,000m and 4,500m above sea level. Several world class silver, lead and zinc mines owned by major operators such as Pan American Silver, Buenaventura, Glencore and Volcan lie within a 50km radius of the property. Volcan, the world's fourth biggest silver and zinc producer, operates the high-grade Shalca Ag-Pb-Zn Mine which borders the Santa Rosa property on the northern end of the mineralized corridor.
The property underwent some small scale production in 2008, where ore grading 6 oz/t Ag, 8.75% Zn and 6.6% Pb was mined exclusively from the Santa Rosa and Milagros zones.
Focus can earn 100% of the property by making cash payments totaling US$9 million over 4 years to a local Peruvian company. For resources defined in Measured and Indicated categories in excess of 5 million tonnes, a royalty of US$1.19 per tonne will be payable.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information in this release was prepared under the supervision of Mr. David Cass, Focus's President, who is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia, and a "Qualified Person" in accordance with NI 43-101.
Samples were analyzed by ALS Chemex Laboratories in Lima. Gold was assayed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with fire assay gravimetric finish. Silver was determined by multi-acid digestion and ICP-AES with Atomic Absorption finish. Lead and zinc were determined by ICP with Atomic Absorption with volumetric finish. ALS Chemex's quality control system complies with International Standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025:2005. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material and replicate samples. Focus's own blanks and duplicates were included in the sample stream.
About Focus Ventures
Focus Ventures is acquiring advanced, drill-ready projects in Peru. Backed by an experienced technical team of geologists and consultants, Focus's strategy is to identify and acquire former producing mines or untested gold and silver and base metal properties that show potential to become new mines. For further information, please call 604-688-5288 or visit our web site www.focusventuresltd.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"David Cass"
David Cass, President
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statement
Some of the statements in this news release contain forward-looking information that involves inherent risk and uncertainty affecting the business of Focus Ventures Ltd. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statement.