Northgate Minerals Appoints Conrad A. Pinette to its Board of Directors.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Northgate Minerals Corporation (TSX:NGX)(AMEX:NXG) -

WARREN ARMSTRONG RETIRES AFTER 42 YEARS OF SERVICE

Northgate Minerals Corporation is pleased to announce that Mr. Conrad A. Pinette, of Vancouver, B.C., has been appointed to the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee of Northgate. Mr. Pinette has been an Officer and Director of a number of private and public forest products and mining companies during his business career. He is a Director of the British Columbia Business Council and is the alternate Director for the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) and the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC). He is an active participant in fundraising for the Cariboo Foundation based in Williams Lake and the United Way of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Currently, Mr. Pinette is Director and Chairman of the Board of Finning International Inc., Director of A&W Revenue Royalty Income Fund and Director of Timberwest Forest Corporation.

Coincident with the appointment of Mr. Pinette, it is with great regret that the Corporation announces the retirement of Mr. G. Warren Armstrong from the Board of Directors after forty-two distinguished years. Mr. Armstrong's leadership and wise counsel through Northgate's extensive history will be missed and his tremendous contributions are greatly appreciated by the directors, management and Northgate's shareholders.

Terry Lyons, Chairman of Northgate Minerals Corporation, commented: "Northgate is very pleased to welcome Mr. Pinette to its Board of Directors. Conrad's solid reputation in the Canadian business community and his high corporate governance standards will be great assets to Northgate and our Board will benefit greatly from his experience and strategic advice as Northgate executes its growth strategy."

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 South mine in north-central British Columbia, the adjacent Kemess North deposit, which contains a Proven and Probable Reserve of 4.1 million ounces of gold and the Young-Davidson property in northern Ontario with a total resource base of 1.5 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 and Uncertainties" in Northgate's 2004 Annual Report and under the heading "Risk Factors" in Northgate's 2004 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.

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