Ladies and Gentlemen:

Northgate Minerals Corporation (the "Company"), pursuant to Rule 477 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, hereby requests that the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") consent to the withdrawal of the Company's Registration Statement on Form F-8 (File No. 333-134643), which was initially filed with the Commission on June 1, 2006, together with all amendments and exhibits thereto (the "Registration Statement"). The Registration Statement registered certain of the Company's common shares that were being offered in exchange (the "Offer") for all of the outstanding common shares of Aurizon Mines Ltd. Concurrently with the filing of the Registration Statement, the Company also filed a Schedule 14D-1F (File No. 005-78974) with respect to the Offer. On June 30, 2006, the Supreme Court of British Columbia granted a permanent injunction preventing the Company from pursuing the Offer until October 19, 2006. On July 6, 2006, the British Columbia Court of Appeal upheld this ruling. As a result, the Company is forced to withdraw the Offer. None of the Company's common shares has been or will be issued or sold under the Registration Statement.