Northgate Minerals Corporation: Kemess North Infill and Nugget Zone-20

    News Editors

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2005--Northgate Minerals Corporation (TSX:NGX)(AMEX:NXG) (All figures in US dollars except where noted)

    Northgate Minerals Corporation today released final results of its 2004 exploration activities within the Kemess camp.

    Highlights

    - A significant area of near-surface mineralization has been identified in the Nugget Zone.

    - The high grade core at the Kemess North deposit has been extended 50-70 metres to the east.

    - The exploration budget at Kemess has been increased to $2 million in 2005.

    - Drilling on the Bear Claims just to the south of the existing Kemess infrastructure is underway.

    - Drilling will commence in the summer of 2005 in search of the fault-offset high-grade mineralization at Kemess North.

    Ken Stowe, Northgate's President and CEO commented "Our continued focus on exploration programs within the highly prospective, Kemess camp is consistent with our strategy of maximizing the value of the existing infrastructure at Kemess. The positive results at the Nugget Zone and Kemess North in 2004 will be integrated into the Kemess North mine plan and become part of the final Kemess North development. We are currently drilling geophysical targets on the Bear claims immediately south of the Kemess mill and when the snow melts we will begin the search for the fault-offset portion of the core, high-grade mineralization at Kemess North."

    2004 Nugget Zone (West Cirque) Drill Program

    The Nugget Zone is located is located approximately 0.5 km southwest of the Kemess North deposit and has been the subject of drilling over the past two exploration seasons. The 2004 program at the Nugget Zone was designed to follow-up on hole KN-03-12 from 2003 which intersected very shallow mineralization similar in grade to the Kemess North deposit.

    At total of seven holes were drilled at the Nugget Zone during the 2004 exploration season and each intersected wide intercepts of Kemess North grade mineralization beginning between 3 and 43 meters below the surface (Table 1). The new drill data is being evaluated and will be included as part of Northgate's annual reserve and resource statement in the Corporation's Annual Report. The area in which this resource sits is shown in Figure 1.

    During 2005, a small pit will be designed around these new Nugget drill holes to determine if this mineralization will become a reserve that may be mined as a starter pit for the Kemess North project.

    Table 1 - 2004 Nugget Zone (West Cirque) Drill Results

---------------------------------------------------- Thickness Au Cu Hole ID From To (metres) (g/t) (%) ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-04 18.3 356.6 338.3 0.373 0.095 ---------------------------------------------------- Including 18.3 160.0 141.7 0.566 0.110 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-11 32.4 155.7 123.3 0.499 0.091 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-12 13.4 168.0 154.6 0.445 0.100 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-13 42.7 112.0 69.3 0.363 0.085 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-14 7.6 132.0 124.4 0.335 0.049 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-15 3.0 156.0 153.0 0.402 0.082 ---------------------------------------------------- 201.3 238.0 36.7 1.087 0.247 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-16 6.5 88.0 81.5 0.392 0.057 ----------------------------------------------------

    Figure 1 - Nugget Zone (West Cirque) Plan View

    To view the attached map please click on the following link: http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/database/fax/2000/NGX1.gif

    Kemess North Infill Drilling Program

    During the fall of 2004, Northgate completed a seven-hole diamond drilling program in the north-east corner of the proposed Kemess North open pit to confirm the exact location of the high-grade core of the deposit which is bounded by east-west and north-south faults. The drill results indicate that the high-grade core of the deposit extends 50-70 meters further to the east than was originally thought. This is illustrated in Figure 2 which shows a plan map of the 1,400 meter level of the proposed pit with the original and new interpretation of the limits to the high-grade mineralization.

    Figure 2 - Plan View of Proposed Kemess North Pit (north-east region)

    To view the attached map please click on the following link: http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/database/fax/2000/NGX2.gif

    The assay results and intercept thicknesses for the infill drilling at Kemess North are shown in Table 2 and the coordinates for each hole are listed in Appendix 1. Not all holes were expected to have long intersections of high-grade mineralization as the aim of the drill program was to better define the location of the bounding faults at different elevations.

    Table 2 - Kemess North Drilling

---------------------------------------------------- Thickness Au Cu Hole ID From To (metres) (g/t) (%) ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-03 155.0 430.0 275.0 0.86 0.36 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-05 201.6 273.3 71.7 1.269 0.514 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-06 168.6 196.3 27.7 0.631 0.199 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-07 148.0 426.5 278.5 0.910 0.360 ---------------------------------------------------- Including 306.0 426.5 120.5 1.550 0.530 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-08 108.0 350.5 242.5 0.323 0.215 ---------------------------------------------------- Including 306.0 350.5 44.5 0.572 0.395 ---------------------------------------------------- KN_04-09 201.0 307.0 106.0 0.482 0.241 ---------------------------------------------------- Including 257.0 293.0 36.0 0.643 0.344 ---------------------------------------------------- KN-04-10 146.0 323.1 177.1 0.385 0.272 ---------------------------------------------------- Including 244.0 318.0 74.0 0.547 0.386 ----------------------------------------------------

    2005 Kemess Area Exploration Program

    Northgate's Board of Directors has approved a 2005 exploration budget of $2 million for the Kemess claims. The primary drilling targets will be the Bear claims and the Kemess North Offset target.

    The Bear claims are a virtually unexplored set of claims located directly south of the Kemess mill. A number of drill targets were identified in 2004 using a deep penetrating geophysical survey. Diamond drilling of these targets commenced earlier this month in search of porphyry gold-copper targets similar to Kemess South and Kemess North.

    When the high-grade core of the Kemess North deposit was delineated in 2002, Northgate geologists postulated the existence of an extension to this mineralization on the north and east sides of the boundary faults. In 2005, approximately 7,000 meters of diamond drilling will be devoted to the search for this target which was displaced from the main Kemess North ore body after its formation.

    The results of Northgate's 2004 exploration program were reviewed, verified and compiled by Northgate's geological staff that includes a qualified person, Carl Edmunds, P. Geo. for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. Northgate employs a rigorous quality control, quality assurance program. Assays for the program were completed at ALS Chemex in North Vancouver, BC.

    Northgate Minerals Corporation is a Gold and copper mining company focused on operations and opportunities in the Americas. The Corporation's principal assets are the 300,000-ounce per year Kemess mine in north-central British Columbia and the adjacent Kemess North deposit, which contains a Proven and Probable Reserve of 4.1 million ounces of gold. Northgate is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NGX and on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol NXG.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements include estimates, forecasts, and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, among other things, future metal production and production costs, potential mineralization and reserves, exploration results, progress in the development of mineral properties, demand and market outlook for commodities and future plans and objectives of Northgate Minerals Corporation (Northgate). Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", or "continue" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Northgate's expectations are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Northgate's 2003 Annual Report and under the heading "Trends, Risks and Uncertainties" in Northgate's 2003 Annual Information Form (AIF) both of which are filed with Canadian regulators on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov). Northgate expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    APPENDIX 1

    Table of Drill-Hole Collar Co-ordinates

------------------------------------------------------------ Total Hole_ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-03 10578 16279 1649 360 -75 440.0 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-04 8962 15400 1715 0 -90 356.6 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-05 10667 16356 1599 356 -82 329.3 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-06 10711 16361 1585 0 -90 228.6 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-07 10618 16315 1621 360 -85 481.6 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-08 10711 16358 1585 180 -75 350.5 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-09 10618 16315 1621 359 -74 339.0 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-10 10713 16359 1585 138 -75 323.1 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-11 8862 15434 1723 1 -75 387.1 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-12 9152 15385 1733 0 -90 350.5 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-13 9061 15486 1699 0 -90 374.9 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-14 8956 15482 1688 0 -90 298.7 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-15 8765 15396 1790 0 -90 353.6 ------------------------------------------------------------ KN-04-16 8657 15500 1763 0 -90 301.8 ------------------------------------------------------------

    Northgate Minerals Corporation (TSX:NGX) (AMEX:NXG)

--30--CCN/na*

CONTACT: Northgate Minerals Corporation Mr. Ken G. Stowe President and Chief Executive Officer (416) 216-2772 OR Northgate Minerals Corporation Mr. Jon A. Douglas Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (416) 216-2774 Website: www.northgateminerals.com

KEYWORD: NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MINING/METALS SOURCE: Northgate Minerals Corporation

Copyright Business Wire 2005