SAINT ANDREWS, NEW BRUNSWICK--(Marketwire - Nov. 9, 2010) -

Highlights:

--  45 hole (8,400 m) diamond drill program completed; assay results from
    the balance of the holes expected to be released within the next 4 weeks

--  Portage to earn 60% interest by meeting $1.6 million expenditure by
    November 15, 2010 is on track 

--  Gold bearing alteration system expanded by 3 times to approx. 800 m
    length (up to 350 m width); new parallel gold trend discovered on the
    west 

--  Initial drill results yielded significant gold mineralization including
    1.29 g/t gold over 74.0 m and 1.21 g/t gold over 25.0 m in holes 37 and
    22 respectively 

--  Drilling is evaluating the project's large tonnage, open pit potential 

Portage Minerals Inc. ("Portage"), which has completed its amalgamation with Rockport Mining Corporation, today reported on behalf of the joint venture with Freewest Resources Canada Inc. ("Freewest") regarding the initial results from the 2010 diamond drilling completed on the Golden Ridge property (the "Golden Ridge Property"). The Golden Ridge Property comprising 3,386 hectares, is located 80 kilometres west of the City of Fredericton in York County, New Brunswick.

BACKGROUND: Rockport (now amalgamated into Portage Minerals Inc.) entered into a joint venture agreement dated November 15, 2007, with Freewest pursuant to which Rockport can earn a 60% interest in the Golden Ridge Property by spending $1,600,000 on exploration and development work by November 2010. Upon Rockport earning its 60% interest, a joint venture will be formed with further exploration and development costs shared by Rockport and Freewest on a 60%:40% basis, respectively. During the period from 1997 to 2004, Freewest discovered significant gold mineralization on the Golden Ridge Property. Highlight intercepts (core width) from the 20 holes completed in 1999 and 2004 include:

--  GR-99-005: 23.0 metres grading 1.13 g/t Au (75.4 ft @ 0.033 oz/ton) 
--  GR-99-010: 5.3 m grading 4.85 g/t Au (17.4 ft @ 0.141 oz/ton) 
--  GR-04-011: 19.9 m grading 2.26 g/t Au (65.3 ft @ 0.066 oz/ton) 
--  GR-04-013: 28.0 m grading 1.07 g/t Au (91.8 ft @ 0.031 oz/ton) 
--  GR-04-014: 33.2 m grading 1.43 g/t Au (108.9 ft @ 0.042 oz/ton) 
--  GR-04-015: 29.4 m grading 1.71 g/t Au (96.4 ft @ 0.050 oz/ton) 
--  GR-04-017: 14.3 m grading 1.35 g/t Au (47.1 ft @ 0.039 oz/ton) 

The previous exploration drilling identified extensive alteration over a strike length of approximately 250 metres and width of approximately 150 metres, with the gold system remaining open in all directions.

RECENT DRILLING: The 45-hole diamond drill program that commenced September 1, 2010, totaled approximately 8,400 metres to evaluate the project's large tonnage, open pit potential. Drilling has expanded the previously defined host gold bearing alteration system by three times, to an approximately length of 800 metres and width of up to 350 metres. The gold system remains open for further expansion.

Assay results have been received for five holes to date. Highlights from these results are:

--  1.29 g/t gold over 74.0 m including 3.39 g/t gold over 10.0 m and 35.00
    g/t gold over 1.0 m obtained in drill hole GR-10-37; 
--  Hole GR-10-22 which was drilled 50 meters south of GR-04-15 (1.71 g/t
    gold over 29.4 m) returned 1.21 g/t gold over 25.0 m including 1.95 g/t
    gold over 6.0 m. 

Furthermore, significant mineralization was encountered in holes GR-10-37 and GR-10-24 located approximately 225 metres west of hole GR-10-22 because these represent a new parallel mineralized trend along the western margin of the alteration system that has been defined to date.

The significant intercepts obtained to date from drilling on the Golden Ridge Property are as below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     GOLDEN RIDGE DRILL INTERSECTIONS(2)                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Interval         
                                           From       To   (metres)       Au
Hole No.    Coordinates  Dip  Azimuth  (metres) (metres)        (1) (g/t)(2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GR-10-20    L200N,       -45     Grid     55.00   104.00      49.00     0.64
            412.5W   degrees     East                                       
                                 (115 including    69.00      14.00     1.35
                             degrees)     55.00                           

                                            and    88.00       7.00     1.07
                                          81.00                             

                                            and   101.00       2.00    1.185
                                          99.00                             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GR-10-22    L050N,       -45     Grid including    24.00       2.00    1.825
            387.5W   degrees     East     22.00                             
                                 (115                                       
                             degrees)    112.00   148.00      36.00     0.97
                                         
                                             or   137.00      25.00     1.21
                                         112.00                             

                                      including   121.00       6.00     1.95
                                         115.00                             

                                            and   137.00       4.00     1.71
                                         133.00                             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GR-10-24    L050N,       -45     Grid    156.00   181.00      25.00     0.74
              600W   degrees     East                                       
                                 (115 including   158.00       2.00     1.45
                             degrees)    156.00                             
(i)Hole 24                            
 mineralization                             and   169.00       7.00     1.21
 represents a new,                       162.00                     
 parallel zone                                                              
                                         174.00   181.00       7.00     1.00

                                         195.00   198.00       3.00     1.40
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GR-10-25    L300N,       -45     Grid     12.00    19.00       7.00     2.07
            337.5W   degrees     East                                       
                                 (115     61.00    62.00       1.00     1.72
                             degrees)                                       
                                          70.00    72.00       2.00     0.94
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GR-10-37    L150N,       -45     Grid     70.00   144.00      74.00     1.29
              650W   degrees     East                                       
                                 (115    126.00   127.00       1.00    35.00
                             degrees)                                       
(i)the new,                              131.00   141.00      10.00     3.39
 parallel zone                                                              
 100m north of                                                              
 hole 24                          
                            ------------------------------------------------
                              Note: Hole 37 intersection includes a 35.0 g/t
                                  gold value over 1.0m, which is being check
                                                                     assayed
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
(1)Intervals are core length. True width will be defined with additional 
drilling
(2)Assays performed by Activation Laboratories Ltd, Ontario using the fire 
assay method (A3-50) on 50 grams of prepared sample and/or INAA 
(1H (Au+48)). All INAA assay results are greater than 500 ppb gold have been
also analyzed using the fire assay method. 

As part of the Company's Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) program the 35.0 g/t gold over 1.0 m in hole GR-10-37 is being check assayed.

Overall, the mineralization occurs in a sericite-carbonate +/- albite altered dacitic volcanic complex with zones of quartz veins, quartz stockwork and quartz breccias. Pyrite, arsenopyrite and minor to trace stibnite are associated with the mineralization.

Roger Dahn, P. Geo. (New Brunswick), Vice President - Exploration of Portage is designated as the Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release.

Portage is a mineral exploration corporation exploring for gold in Eastern Canada. Further information about Portage can be accessed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. The common shares of Portage will commence trading on the Canadian National Stock Exchange ("CNSX") as a mining issuer under the trading symbol "RKX" on November 11, 2010.