Richmont Mines Inc. and Patricia Mining Corp. reported Thursday start up of the 650 tonnes per day carbon-in-pulp mill at the Island Gold project. The mill will initially begin operations, at a rate of 500 tonnes per day to process a surface stockpile of approximately 30,000 tonnes of mineralized material from underground development and test mining. Technical parameters and metallurgical results as to gold recovery, gold grade reconciliation, milling costs and production rate will be integrated in a NI 43-101 compliant technical report anticipated to be filed at the end of November 2006.

The underground definition drilling program on the Island Zone is ongoing. The surface exploration program to be included in the NI 43-101 report has been completed. Results of these programs are currently being compiled.

The Island Gold Joint Venture (Richmont Mines 55% – Patricia Mining 45%) is an advanced underground exploration and development project located 15 km from Dubreuilville (90 km from Wawa) in Northern Ontario.

Richmont Mines is a gold producer focusing its activities in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland. The Company has no long-term debt and has no hedging contracts on gold or currency. The Company has 24.2 million shares outstanding.

Patricia Mining Corp. is a Canadian exploration and development company about to become Canada's newest gold producer. Patricia's main asset is the Island Gold Project. Bankruptcy