Northgate Minerals Intersects Two Major Intervals in the YD West Zone at Young-Davidson

Hole YD11-242 Intersects 5.30 g/t gold over 44.1 m and
Hole YD11-240A Intersects 2.67 g/t gold over 193.0 m

VANCOUVER, Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Northgate Minerals Corporation (TSX: NGX) (NYSE Amex: NXG) is pleased to report that Hole YD11-242 in the YD West zone intersected 5.30 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold over 44.1 metres (m) (estimated true thickness is 30.0 m), including 6.49 g/t over 27.5 m. Hole YD11-240A, an oblique hole drilled at an approximate 45°angle to the zone, returned 2.67 g/t over 193.0 m (estimated true thickness is 48.3 m). The YD West zone is located just west of the currently known 2.8 million ounce reserve¹ at Young-Davidson in northern Ontario. Production of the Young-Davidson mine is scheduled to commence in 2012.

The YD West zone continues to expand since Discovery Hole YD10-198 intersected 3.46 g/t over 79.5 m last year.  Additional intersections have returned some of the highest-grade intervals ever drilled on the property, including Hole YD11-234B, which returned 4.31 g/t gold over 79.6 m (see press release dated June 7, 2011).  The most recent intervals, YD11-242 and 240A, confirm the highly prospective YD West zone hosting a thick auriferous horizon.

Holes YD11-242 and 240A Highlights

• Hole YD11-242 returned 5.30 g/t gold over 44.1 m (estimated 30.0 m true thickness).
• The hole contains a higher grade section of 6.49 g/t over 27.5 m.
• The hole is located about 65 m below and 50 m east of Hole YD11-234B.
• Hole YD11-240A, an oblique hole, returned 2.67 g/t gold over 193.0 m.
• The hole contains two higher grade sections of 4.32 g/t over 9.0 m and 5.08 g/t over 6.8 m.
• The hole includes a 21 m section of a post-mineral diabase dyke. The entire intersection (with the dyke removed) grades 2.99 g/t gold over 172.0 m.
• This new intersection is oblique to the zone as the hole was designed to test both the attitude of the post mineral dykes and the continuity of the zone between the dykes.  The intersection suggests the zone is continuous for at least 190 m down dip.
• Holes YD11-240A and YD11-242 are both very significant intersections and will be utilized to perform a resource estimation in the fall. These reported holes also demonstrate the continuity of the YD West zone, which remains open down dip and to the west.
• Two diamond drills continue to explore in this area. An additional underground exploration drill has been mobilized to the property to test below the UBZ zone, located both below and east of current reserves.

"With the most recent drill results, we are confident the YD West zone will add significant resources to the property, as many of the holes have returned higher than average reserve grade" commented Richard Hall, President and CEO of Northgate. "As production from the Young-Davidson mine is scheduled to commence in 2012, we look forward to completing a resource estimation of this new zone, which could increase the mine's average annual production or extend the initial 15-year mine-life."

Diamond Drill Program
The purpose of the 2011 diamond drill program on the west flank of the Young-Davidson deposit is to explore for new resources west of a major north-south trending diabase dyke that appeared to have truncated and displaced the zone.  Northgate resolved the fault displacement with Discovery Hole YD10-198. To date, nine holes have intersected the YD West zone and all but one has returned ore-grade intersections (see Figures 1 & 2 and Tables 1 & 2).

In order to perform a geologically accurate resource estimation, Northgate drilled a perpendicular (oblique) hole, YD11-240A, relative to the exploration holes in the zone to resolve the location and correlation of the north-south trending post-mineral diabase dyke. The hole traversed the post-mineral dyke approximately midway through the YD West zone. The geological information from this hole will be very useful in modeling both the dykes and the zone itself.

Hole YD11-242 was completed in an area where we required a pierce point in the zone between a thick intersection in YD11-234B and hole YD11-234A (1.22 g/t over 13.4 m), which appeared to have a significant portion of mineralization replaced by a post-mineral dyke. Hole YD11-242 intercepted mineralization midway between 234B and 234A and returned 5.30 g/t gold over 44.1 m. This hole confirms the continuity of the YD West zone and suggests that a significant portion of mineralization in hole 234A was indeed replaced by a post-mineral dyke.

The new YD West intersections are considered significant and confirm the continuity of the zone. The YD West zone has excellent potential to add significant gold resources to the project. Two diamond drills will continue to focus in this area until the end of the year.

Overview of Young-Davidson Exploration Area
Gold mineralization on the Young-Davidson property is present primarily in an intrusive syenite host rock dipping at approximately 70 degrees to the south. Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal view of the YD West zone with current reserves illustrated in dark red to the east.

Figure 1 - YD West Zone-Longitudinal Section

http://www.northgateminerals.com/Theme/Northgate/files/Releases/2011/YDFig1-Aug2011.jpg

Figure 2 - 9300m Level Plan

http://www.northgateminerals.com/Theme/Northgate/files/Releases/2011/YDFig2-Aug2011.jpg

Figure 2 presents a level plan (horizontal slice) of the property's geology immediately adjacent to the main Young-Davidson reserves. The currently defined reserves terminate against the brown diabase dyke that was the western limit of the reserve. The holes shown on the level plan are projected either 75 m up dip or 225 m down dip to the 9300 m level and clearly demonstrate that the younger diabase dyke occupies a fault with an apparent offset of 50 m to 100 m to the north on the western side of the dyke. The actual displacement on the fault is to the north, downwards or a combination of the two.

Table 1: Assay Results from YD West Zone

Table 2: Previous Assay Results from YD West Zone

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Quality Control - Analyses and Sample Location
Details of quality assurance/quality control procedures for sample analysis and drill hole survey methodology are reported in detail in the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects  ("NI 43-101") compliant Technical Report filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) on August 21, 2009.

Qualified Persons
The program design, implementation, quality assurance/quality control and interpretation of the results are under the control of Northgate's geological staff, which includes a number of individuals who are qualified persons as defined under NI 43-101. Carl Edmunds, PGeo, Northgate's Exploration Manager, is responsible for the overall supervision of the program.

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Note to Investors:
The terms "Qualified Person", "Mineral Reserve", "Proven Mineral Reserve", "Probable Mineral Reserve", "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource", and "Inferred Mineral Resource" used in this news release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101.

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Northgate Minerals Corporation is a gold and copper producer with mining operations, development projects and exploration properties in Canada and Australia.  Our vision is to be the leading intermediate gold producer by identifying, acquiring, developing and operating profitable, long-life mining properties.

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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information:

This Northgate press release contains "forward-looking information", as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning Northgate's future financial or operating performance and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "believes", "anticipates", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "plans" and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "will", "could", "would" or "might", "be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which Northgate operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Northgate cautions that forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Northgate's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information, including, but not limited to gold and copper price volatility; fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and interest rates; the impact of any hedging activities; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated reserves and resources or between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; costs of production; capital expenditure requirements; the costs and timing of construction and development of new deposits; and the success of exploration and permitting activities. In addition, the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Northgate's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2010 or under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in Northgate's 2010 Annual Report, both of which are available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this press release. Although Northgate has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information in this press release is made as of the date of this press release, and Northgate disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law.

Cautionary Note to US Investors Regarding Mineral Reporting Standards:

Northgate prepares its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of US securities laws. Terms relating to mineral resources in this press release are defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101-Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. The Corporation uses certain terms, such as, "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources", "inferred mineral resources" and "probable mineral reserves", that the SEC does not recognize (these terms may be used in this press release and are included in the Corporation's public filings which have been filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada).

¹ See press release dated January 25, 2010.

SOURCE Northgate Minerals Corporation