FOCUS MINERALS LTD — Capital/Financing Update 2011

May 18, 2011

ASX ANNOUNCEMENT

19 May 2011

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FOCUS COMMENCES PRODUCTION AT TINDALS OPEN PITS

• Business on track to produce 100,000oz in CY2011

• Three operating mines now underpinning strong growth forecast

Australian gold producer Focus Minerals (ASX: FML) is pleased to announce that it has started ore production at its new open pit operations at the Tindals Mining Centre in Coolgardie, Western Australia, putting the Company on track to deliver 100,000oz in calendar 2011.

Ore mining has commenced at the Empress open pit (see Figure 1) which has a reserve grade of 2.2g/t, enabling Focus to immediately replace its low grade stockpile mill feed with higher-grade material from the open pits.

The open pits at the Tindals Mining Centre form the third leg of Focus’ growing production strategy, joining its existing underground mining operations at the Tindals Mining Centre and its recently opened mine at The Mount, 85km to the south.

The commencement of production will see Focus ramp up the open pit operations with the goal of adding 30,000oz per annum.

“This is another key step in our growing production story,” said Focus Chief Executive Campbell Baird. “We now have three operating mines, two of which are new, and are well set to build our production profile strongly in the second half of the calendar year.

“The real attraction of the open pits is the relatively high-grade, shallow mineralisation on offer which will help increase our overall grades going through the mill.”

The open pit operations have probable reserves of 505,000t at 2.14g/t for 34,700oz (Table 1) and are located less than 5km from Focus’ Three Mile Hill treatment plant.

ENDS

Campbell Baird, CEO Focus Minerals Ltd Phone: +61 (0)8 9215 7888

Paul Armstrong / Nicholas Read Read Corporate Phone: +61 (0)8 9388 1474

BACKGROUND INFORMATION – FOCUS MINERALS LTD

Focus Minerals Ltd (ASX: FML) is a gold producer based in Western Australia‟s Eastern Goldfields. The company holds the mineral rights to more than 420km[2] of tenements and is the largest landholder in the Coolgardie Gold Belt located 560km east of Perth and 35km west of the „Super Pit‟ in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Focus is currently in production from underground mining at its flagship Tindals Mining Centre operation in Coolgardie, adjacent to its 1.3Mtpa Three Mile Hill processing plant. In March 2011 it opened The Mount, a new high-grade underground mine, located 85km to the south of the processing plant. In addition Focus recently acquired 100% ownership in the highly prospective Treasure Island Gold Project, situated at Lake Cowan at the southern end of the Boulder-Lefroy fault.

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Figure 1 : Empress long section showing planned pit development

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Table 1 : Tindals Mining Centre Open Pit Probable Reserves.

Location:	Tonnes:	Grade:	Ounces:	% Increase (Au ounces):	Strip Ratio:
Big Blow:	123,000	2.26	8,900	99%	12:1
Dreadnought Nth:	54,000	1.79	3,100	0%	4:1
Empress:	152,000	2.23	10,900	15%	11:1
Alicia:	160,000	2.05	10,600	13%	13:1
Cookes:	16,055	2.34	1,208	NA	11:1
Total:	505,000	2.14	34,700	31%	11:1

COMPETENT PERSON’S STATEMENT

The information in this report that relates to Exploration Results and Minerals Resources is based on information compiled by Dr Garry Adams who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Dr Adams is a full time employee of Focus Minerals and has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the “Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves”. Dr Adams consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on the information in the form and content in which it appears.

The information in this report that relates to Surface Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Mr Mark Sampson, who is a Member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Sampson is a full time consultant to Focus Minerals and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the „Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves‟. Mr Sampson consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

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