The History of Focus Minerals Ltd
On Formation in 2001, Focus had 110 square kilometres of tenements, which included some Mount Mine, and the Norris tenements including the Historic Nepean Nickel Mine, 25 kilometres south of Coolgardie. Chuck McCormick, one of the founding directors, is still with the company today as the Business Development Manager. In 2002 Don Taig joined the private company as Chairman.
Since these early days the company has grown from a small land holding south of Coolgardie to being the largest landholder in the Coolgardie region.
In 2003 Focus was merged into the publicly listed company called Austminex. In 2004 the company acquired Dreadnought just south of Tindals. In 2005 the company name was changed back to Focus Minerals and it entered into a Joint Venture with a Canadian listed exploration company. The Joint Venture bought the Coolgardie Gold Project (110 square kilometres) and the Three Mile Hill gold processing plant which was placed on care maintenance from the Herald and Leviathan Resources Joint Venture.
In 2006 the Joint Venture consolidated all of the historic data and began drilling the high grade Perseverance gold deposit. Soon after, feasibility studies on the Perseverance Gold mine and Nepean Nickel Mine were carried out.
Focus acquired 100% ownership of the Coolgardie and Mount Gold Projects in May 2008. The first gold bar was poured in April under a toll treating agreement with the adjacent Greenfields Gold Plant.
In 2009 Campbell Baird joined the Focus team and is currently Chief Executive Officer. During the year Focus refurbished the Three Mile Hill under the Management of Peter Williams as Chief Operating Officer.
After initially treating its ore at the Higginsville Mining-owned Greenfields plant, Focus now produces gold on a continuous basis at its own facility, Three Mile Hill Mill gold plant.
Focus has over two million ounces in Resources and is presently mining gold at the Tindals Mining Centre underground operation, The Mount underground operation, and will soon commence production at the Tindals mining Centre open pits.
