VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Jan. 17, 2012) -Full Metal Zinc (TSX VENTURE:FZ) is pleased to announce the 2011 drilling results from the Company's 3,509 meter core drilling program from the Fortymile Silver-Lead-Zinc Property in Eastern Alaska. Drilling at LWM succeeded in extending the strike length of mineralization to the southwest to 970m and extending down-dip mineralization to the northeast. The LWM Deposit is open to the southeast along strike and downdip. A 3000 meter drill program is planned for 2012 to expand and further delineate the LWM Deposit, several regional targets will also be drill tested at Fortymile. Following this year's drill program, Full Metal Zinc intends to complete a NI-43-101 Resource Calculation.

The 2011 Full Metal Zinc Fortymile exploration program completed 3,229 meters of diamond drilling on LWM and 280 meter on West LWM, another prospective CRD-style deposit 3,500 meters to the southwest of LWM. Additional soil sampling and geological mapping was also completed at Fortymile. Several exploratory holes (LWM11-81, 83-87) were drilled in the LWM area to test targets generated from soil anomalies.

Highlights from the 2011 drilling include hole LWM11-88, which intersected multiple zinc rich mineralized zones approximately 100 meters down-dip from a previous intercept, including 1.90 meters of 14.91% Pb+Zn and 26.4 g/t Ag from 232.80 meters within a 7.50 meter interval averaging 6.36% Pb+ Zn and 10.0 g/t Ag, as well as 1.97 meters averaging 22.72% Pb+Zn and 55.1 g/t Ag within a 6.22 meter interval averaging 9.94% Pb+Zn and 26.4 g/t Ag. Drill holes LW11-89 and 90, drilled down-dip and along strike to the northeast from LWM11-88 also intersected high grade mineralization. Thick permafrost further to the northeast has prevented further drilling of the northwest strike extent. Full Metal Zinc intends to mobilize a larger drill rig to test this prospective area.

Drilling also expanded the known strike length of LWM to the southwest, where drill holes LWM79, 80 and 82 all intersected lead/zinc/silver mineralization, including LWM11-80, which intersected 1.69 meters true width of 5.49% Pb+Zn and 51.1 g/t Ag. These results suggest that mineralization remains open to expansion to the southwest.

Drill holes LWM-81 and 83-87 targeted anomalous soil values to the east of LWM. Encouraging silver mineralization was locally encountered, however thicker sequences of the host marble unit were not observed in this area. Additionally, two drill holes were completed at the West LWM target area, approximately 3,500 meters west of LWM. These holes 'scissored' a lead-zinc-silver soil anomaly, but did not return significant results.

Complete drill results are as follows:

Since discovery of the LWM deposit in 2006, step-out drilling has been completed on 50 meter centers along strike and down-dip. At least two subparallel zones of mineralization have been encountered within dolomitized marble host rock, with the primary zone located adjacent to the Ketchumstuck fault zone. In the southwestern area of LWM, surface oxidation is locally variable in the upper zone. In some areas, it extends to over 200 meters below surface; the lower zone is typically less oxidized, with primary sulphide commonly located at surface. In the northeast, surface oxidation is much shallower. The thickness of mineralization can vary dramatically in CRD systems, with this variability common at LWM. A plan map with drill hole collar locations, as well as a drill hole collar table can be viewed at [ www.fullmetalzinc.com ].

The LWM discovery and the Fish oxide zinc-silver discovery (See FMM NR 2007 #21), as well as the Oscar, Eva, Drumstick, and West Eva prospects and numerous other showings and anomalies all occur within a 20 kilometer long trend of CRD-style prospects.

Full Metal Zinc has options to earn numerous 100% leasehold interests within 117,760 acres of lands selected by Doyon, Limited, an Alaska Native Regional Corporation (See FMM 2006 NR #9, dated May 23, 2006).

Full Metal Zinc's 2011 exploration program at Fortymile was performed under the supervision of Robert McLeod, P.Geo, Director for Full Metal Zinc, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Drill cores were cut in half using a diamond saw, with one-half placed in sealed bags. Core samples were delivered by Full Metal personnel to ALS-Chemex Labs facility in Fairbanks, Alaska. A sample quality control/quality assurance program was implemented. Mr. McLeod prepared and approved the information contained in this release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steve Hayes, President and CEO

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information, including without limitation statements as to planned expenditures and exploration programs. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include without limitation the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programs on schedule and the success of exploration programs.

Contributing Sources

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