First Point Doubles the Size of Baptiste Target at the Decar Nickel Alloy Property, Central BC

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Jan. 13, 2010) -

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First Point Minerals (TSX VENTURE:FPX) has more than doubled the size of the Baptiste Target on the Decar property in Central BC as a result of the 2009 field work. This target now measures 1,750 meters long by 800 to 1,300 meters wide. About 50% of this area is covered by overburden which masks the southern boundary of the Target. The current size of the Baptiste Target together with the adjacent Sidney target can be viewed on the First Point's web site at:

http://media3.marketwire.com/r/Decar-Sidney-Baptiste-Targets

where it is compared to the 2008 target size. The northwest end of the Baptiste Target is open and requires additional mapping and sampling which will be undertaken later this year to define additional extensions of the mineralization.

The widely disseminated coarse nickel-iron alloy grains at the Baptiste Target range in size from 100 microns to over 400 microns (or 0.1 mm to over 0.4 millimeters). The nickel-iron alloy grains average 75% nickel, 23% iron, minor amounts of cobalt and copper and contain no sulphur. They are strongly magnetic, very heavy and malleable, and these characteristics could provide a relatively simple mechanical separation process to recover the alloy in a form that can be sold directly to steel mills.

A helicopter supported airborne magnetic survey is anticipated to cover most of the Decar Property in the next few months. Grid controlled induced polarization, ground magnetic and detailed mapping and sampling on the Baptiste and Sidney Targets will be completed following spring breakup. The results of this work will help to design a drill program in the best areas of the Targets by testing the continuity, grain size and grade of the nickel-iron alloy mineralization and to provide samples for more extensive metallurgical tests.

As previously announced in November 2009, First Point entered into an option/joint venture agreement with Cliffs Natural Resources Exploration Inc. ("Cliffs"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (see Press Releases November 13 and December 2, 2009). Cliffs operates eight iron ore mines in North America and Australia and has extensive operating experience with large scale magnetic and gravity processing at these mines. Both these processes are directly applicable to recovery of the strongly magnetic and dense nickel-iron alloy mineral at First Point's Decar Property. The program on the Decar Property summarized above will be funded by Cliffs and managed by First Point.

Ron Britten, Ph.D., P.Eng., is responsible for the contents of this release.

First Point Minerals Corp is a Canadian base and precious metal exploration company focused on the Americas.

FIRST POINT MINERALS CORP.

Peter M D Bradshaw, President