VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jul 28, 2014) - Focus Ventures Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:FCV) is pleased to announce it has received assay results from the remaining four holes drilled during the first phase drill program at the Bayovar 12 phosphate project near Piura, northern Peru. Holes JPQ-14-18 and JPQ-14-17 were drilled furthest west on Sections 2 and 3 respectively (refer to drill hole plan below). Holes JPQ-14-19 and JPQ-14-20 were infill holes drilled off section in the eastern part of the drill grid. All holes intersected horizontal phosphate beds with grades and thicknesses in line with previous holes (see press releases dated May 20, 2014, June 16, 2014, and June 24, 2014). Drilling continues to demonstrate a remarkable consistency in phosphate grades within individual beds over long distances, with phosphate intersected in all holes drilled to date.

These results will be included in the upcoming maiden resource calculation currently being undertaken by Golder Associates. Permitting for a second phase drill hole program is underway for both infill drilling and expansion of the potential resource area.

Summary of Drilling

Three 4km sections have now been grid drilled at 800m spacings over an area of approximately 640 hectares in the western part of the 12,500 hectare property. All holes were drilled vertically to between 80m - 110m depth targeting phosphate beds hosted within a sequence of diatomites and sandstones. The horizontal nature of the beds and lack of faulting has allowed for easy correlation of individual beds hole to hole and the construction of coherent geological cross sections.

• Average grade of the upper 5 main phosphate beds over all 3 sections is 15.9% P₂O₅ over 0.5m, with Bed 3 averaging the highest grade of 20.4% P₂O₅ over 0.49m.
• Average grade of the lower 6 main phosphate beds over the 3 sections is 13.4% P₂O₅ over 0.54m.
• Shallowing of the phosphate beds occurs in the eastern part of the grid, less than 26m below surface in some holes. This will be an area of focus for the second phase drilling program.
• Mineralization is open in all directions outside of the drill grid.

A drill collar plan with location of sections is shown below. Geological cross sections, updated results tables and full set of assays are posted on Focus's website www.focusventuresltd.com.

All holes were drilled vertically to between 80m - 110m depth targeting phosphate beds within the Diana Formation, a sequence of phosphoric diatomites and sandstones approximately 40 meters thick. The phosphate beds comprise up to 40% apatite pellets, ooliths and fossil debris consisting of mainly fish teeth, bones and scales representing the remains of marine organisms that accumulated on the sea floor.

Flat-lying deposits such as sedimentary phosphates and other bulk commodities such as bauxite and gypsum may be amenable to precision mechanized strip mining using continuous surface miners, which can efficiently mine beds down to as little as 10cm in thickness.

Table Showing Average Grades and Thicknesses of the Main Beds calculated across Drill holes Sections 1, 2 & 3

To view the Drill Hole Plan and Location of Sections image, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/959469_fig.pdf

Sampling Quality Analysis and Quality Control

Logging and sampling are undertaken at site in Bayovar under a QA/QC protocol developed by Focus in conjunction with Golder Associates. Due to the friable nature of the diatomite, the core cannot be split by Diamond saw or mechanical splitter, and has to be split by hand. Once logged and sampled, the core is bagged and transported in sealed plastic drums by Focus personnel to Certimin laboratories in Lima for analysis. Phosphorous (P₂0₅) is determined by gravimetric methods. Major oxides are determined by ICPOES and silica by gravimetric analysis. Certimin is an affiliated ISO 9001 laboratory and uses standards for phosphate and silica from the Association of Fertilizer and Phosphate Chemists. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material and replicate samples. Quality control is further assured by Focus's QA/QC program which involves the insertion by Focus personnel of blind certified standards, blanks and core duplicates into the sample stream at regular intervals in order to independently assess analytical precision and accuracy of each batch of samples as they are received from the laboratory.

Background

The Bayovar 12 concession shows potential to host a large sedimentary phosphate deposit. The Bayovar district is situated in the Sechura Desert, a north-trending basin approximately 22,000 square kilometres in area comprising Miocene-aged sedimentary rocks. Phosphate was discovered in the 1950s during drilling for petroleum. It occurs as beds of pelletal phosphate within the Zapallal formation, a thick sequence of diatomites and sandstones. The phosphate layers are remarkably regular in P₂O₅ content over long distances, a typical characteristic of marine phosphate deposits. At Vale's Bayovar mine, the soft and friable nature of the phosphate rock and diatomite permits mining by conventional truck and shovel without the use of explosives.

On January 14, 2014, the Company's Peruvian subsidiary, Agrifos Peru SAC, signed a formal option agreement for the acquisition of shares in Juan Paulo Quay SAC, the titleholder of the Bayovar 12 non-metallic mining concession. Agrifos can earn a 70 per cent interest of the issued share capital of JPQ by investing in exploration and making a series of cash payments up to the completion of a positive prefeasibility study, after which Agrifos will have the first right of refusal to purchase the remaining 30 per cent of JPQ.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this release were prepared under the supervision of 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 National Instrument 43-101.

About Focus

Phosphate rock is a raw material for fertilizers and vital to world food production. Focus is acquiring and developing quality phosphate projects in Latin America where the discovery and development of new deposits is becoming increasingly important given the growing demand and limited local supply of phosphate for fertilizer production. For further information, please call 604-630-5544 or visit our web site www.focusventuresltd.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Ralph Rushton, Director & Vice-President, Corporate Development

Symbol: TSXV-FCV

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 Statements

This news release may include certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include actual exploration and development results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required approvals, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the documents filed by the Company from time to time on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.