VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Jan. 26, 2012) - VMS Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE:VMS.V - News) ("VMS") is pleased to announce an update on permits at the Reed Copper deposit. The Reed Copper deposit is located 120 kilometres from Flin Flon, Manitoba and is the subject of a Joint Venture with HudBay Minerals (TSX:HBM.TO - News)(NYSE:HBM.TO - News) ("HudBay"). VMS owns 30% of the Reed Joint Venture.

The Manitoba government has approved the Reed Copper Advanced Exploration Permit ("AEP") closure plan and issued the lease of park land property for the operation of the mine development activities. The AEP allows the extraction of a 10,000 tonne bulk sample and will provide confirmation of the mineralized widths, metal grades and the conditions of the ground. Testing of the extracted bulk sample will be done in the Flin Flon metallurgical complex. Site preparation will begin in Q1 and the decline will commence in the second half of 2012.

VMS CEO, Rick Mark states: "Now that the AEP has been approved, HudBay will commence site preparation for the removal of a 10,000 tonne bulk sample by late 2013. For VMS shareholders, this is an important milestone in developing the Reed Mine and bringing us ever closer to full production at Reed."

Additional details on the NI 43-101 geological resource or the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Reed Copper deposit are available at www.sedar.com.

Qualified Person

All technical information in this release has been reviewed by Dr. Mark Fedikow, P.Geo, who is the Qualified Person for the Company and Vice President of Exploration and Technical Services, VMS Ventures Inc.

About VMS Ventures Inc.

VMS Ventures Inc. is focused primarily on acquiring, exploring and developing copper-zinc-gold-silver massive sulphide deposits in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake VMS Belt of Manitoba. The Company's VMS project property portfolio consists of the Reed Copper Project, McClarty Lake Project, Sails Lake Project, Puella Bay Project and Morton Lake Project. Outside of the Snow Lake camp, the Company holds massive sulphide prospective properties near the past producing Fox Lake and Ruttan copper-zinc mines, near the communities of Lynn Lake and Leaf Rapids in northern Manitoba. These properties are located in the mining friendly province of Manitoba, Canada. The Company also has optioned three properties in the Sudbury mining camp. They are Terra Incognita, Golden Pine and Black Creek.

VMS Ventures owns approximately 45% of North American Nickel Inc. (TSX VENTURE:NAN.V - News). For more information on North American Nickel Inc., please visit www.northamericannickel.com.

Forward Looking Statement

Some of the statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: changes in the world wide price of mineral commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in mineral exploration, risks associated with development, construction and mining operations, the uncertainty of future profitability and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. VMS Ventures Inc. undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Roozendaal, B.Sc., President

VMS Ventures Inc.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts

John Roozendaal
VMS Ventures Inc.
President
(604) 986-2020 or Toll Free: 1-866-816-0118

Evan Sleeman
VMS Ventures Inc.
Director
(604) 986-2020 or Toll Free: 1-866-816-0118
www.vmsventures.com