VANCOUVER, January 29, 2007 – (All figures in US dollars except where noted) – Northgate Minerals Corporation (TSX: NGX, AMEX: NXG) today reported its fourth quarter 2006 operating results and its 2007 production forecast for the Kemess South mine located in north-central British Columbia, as well as its 2007 exploration plan for the Young-Davidson property near Matachewan, Ontario.

Fourth Quarter 2006 Production Highlights

• Quarterly gold production of 81,747 ounces bringing total 2006 production to an annual record of 310,296 ounces;
• Quarterly copper production of 21.3 million pounds bringing total 2006 production to an annual record of 81.2 million pounds; and,
• Quarterly gold net cash cost of negative $90 per ounce and a record low annual net cash cost of negative $56 per ounce of gold for all of 2006.

2007 Production Forecast Highlights

• The Kemess mine is forecast to produce 285,000 ounces of gold and 74.5 million pounds of copper during 2007.
• The cash cost of production, net of by-product credits, is forecast to be negative $10 per ounce assuming a copper price of $2.50 per pound and an exchange rate of Cdn$/US$1.18.
• Exploration spending will increase to a total of $28 million, most of which will be devoted to the Young-Davidson property near Matachewan, Ontario.
• Approximately half of Northgate’s 2007 copper production has been hedged at $3.15 per pound.

Ken Stowe, President and CEO, remarked, "Strong fourth quarter production at a net cash cost of negative $90 per ounce capped off a record metal production year at Kemess South during which we produced 310,296 ounces of gold and over 81 million pounds of copper. In 2007, we look forward to another solid year of production from the Kemess mine in a robust copper price environment, which should allow us to produce 285,000 ounces of gold at a net cash cost of less than zero. Our exploration spending this year will increase dramatically as we move underground at Young-Davidson to begin definition drilling on the upper part of the 2.1 million resource ounces on the property while continuing to expand the total resource with 50,000 metres of surface diamond drilling. Equipped with an exceptional balance sheet and the prospect of continuing strong free cash flow in the coming year, we find ourselves in an excellent position to pursue our internal development projects and to take advantage of various growth opportunities that we are actively evaluating."

OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS FOR Q4 – 2006
The Kemess mine produced 81,747 ounces of gold and 21.3 million pounds of copper during the fourth quarter of 2006. Mill throughput during the quarter averaged 49,645 metric tonnes (mt) per day and consisted exclusively of hypogene ore with an average grade of 0.772 gr/mt gold and 0.243% copper. Over the course of 2006, quarterly metal production was relatively steady as mining was concentrated in the heart of the Kemess ore body in the western end of the open pit. For the full year, Kemess posted record gold and copper production of 310,296 ounces and 81.2 million pounds, respectively.

The cash cost of production at Kemess in the fourth quarter was negative $90 per ounce bringing the average 2006 cash cost to negative $56 per ounce. The record low cash cost set during the fourth quarter stemmed from strong copper production and robust copper prices, which averaged $3.21 per pound on the London Metal Exchange ("LME") during the quarter.

In order to fix the price for a portion of the copper already produced, Northgate entered into forward sales contracts during the fourth quarter, which locked in a price of $3.17 per pound for approximately 8.27 million pounds of the Corporation’s fourth quarter copper sales.

For the first time ever, Northgate entered into copper forward sales contracts to fix the price for a portion of its future copper production during the fourth quarter of 2006. A total of approximately 33 million pounds of the Corporation’s 2007 copper production was hedged at $3.15 per pound using LME contracts.

Northgate’s audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2006 are scheduled for release on March 1, 2007 and the Corporation’s year-end conference call and webcast for investors and analysts will be held at 10:00 am (Eastern Standard Time) on the following day.


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