VANCOUVER, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- (All figures in Canadian dollars) Rimfire Minerals Corporation, TSX-V:RFM, is pleased to announce that in partnership with Northgate Minerals Corporation, TSX:NGX, drilling has commenced at its new gold discovery on the Boulevard Property. The Boulevard Property is located approximately 135 kilometres south of Dawson City, Yukon. Gold bearing mineralization, including 7.04 g/t gold over 6.0 metres, was discovered in two of three trenches over a 300 metre trend (see Rimfire news release PR08-12, August 20, 2008). The diamond drilling program will consist of 4 to 6 holes averaging 150 metres in length and is expected to be completed by mid-October. The current program was initiated after this summer's discovery of gold-bearing mineralization in trenches testing anomalous arsenic-antimony-gold soil geochemistry at the Boulevard. Chip sampling from the first trench (TRBV08-01) yielded 7.04 g/t gold over 6.0 metres. One hundred metres southeast, trench TRBV08-02 returned 6.43 g/t gold over 2.0 metres. Gold mineralization is hosted in strongly sericite-clay altered schists with disseminated pyrite, arsenopyrite, stibnite and specular hematite that envelopes quartz and massive stibnite veins. Additional soil sampling undertaken in conjunction with trenching has now expanded the target to an area of 2.0 by 0.4 kilometres. Drilling will aim to test mineralization encountered in the trenches at depth. Soil sampling and a reconnaissance IP geophysical survey has commenced to help expand the target, as well as refine drill hole locations along trend. This program is being conducted under an exploration alliance agreement with Northgate Minerals signed in December, 2005. The Boulevard Property is held jointly by Rimfire and Northgate, with each company having funded the initial $330,000 in targeting and exploration that led to staking of the property. To date, Northgate has funded approximately $435,000 of the required $1.5 million in exploration expenditures to earn an additional 10% interest (for a total of 60%) in the property. This news release has been reviewed by Mark Baknes, M.Sc., P.Geo., VP Exploration of Rimfire Minerals, a Qualified Person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. Rimfire Minerals Corporation is an aggressive, well-financed mineral exploration company with a portfolio of highly prospective gold and copper properties in western North America and Australia. Rimfire currently has in excess of two years of operating capital, and finances approximately 80% of its exploration through option and joint venture agreements. Current and former partners include AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Barrick Gold Corporation, Newmont Mining Company, Inmet Mining Corporation, Northgate Minerals Corporation, Fronteer Development Group Inc., Rubicon Minerals Corporation, American Creek Resources Ltd., Island Arc Exploration Corporation, Jaguar Minerals Limited and BWG. Northgate Minerals Corporation is a mid-tier gold and copper producer with mining operations, development projects and exploration properties in Canada and Australia. The company is forecasting 385,000 ounces of unhedged gold production in 2008 and is targeting growth through further acquisitions in stable mining jurisdictions around the world. 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 contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. 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 on a number of estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Certain of the statements made herein, including any information as to the future activities of and developments related to the business activities of Northgate Minerals Corporation (Northgate) and its subsidiaries, the market position, and future financial or operating performance of Northgate, are forward-looking and subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the corporations' ability to control or predict. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: gold price volatility; impact of any hedging activities, including margin limits and margin calls; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated reserves and resources and between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of construction and the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities and permitting time lines; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in any of the countries in which either corporation does or may carry out business in the future; risks of sovereign investment; the speculative nature of gold exploration, development and mining, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; dilution; competition; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements; and defective title to mineral claims or property. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks), as well as the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Northgate's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2006 or under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in Northgate's 2006 annual report, both of which are available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com/, and which should be reviewed in conjunction with this document. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither corporation undertakes any obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except in each case as required by law. DATASOURCE: Northgate Minerals Corporation CONTACT: Ms. Keren R. Yun, Director, Investor Relations, Tel: (416) 216-2781, Email: , Website: http://www.northgateminerals.com/

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