News Release
Cliffs Chromite Project – Federal Funding Allocated to Participate in the Environmental Assessment

OTTAWA – March 1, 2012 – The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) has allocated a total of $13,800 to two applicants to support their participation in the federal environmental assessment of the proposed Cliffs Chromite Project located in Ontario. The recipients are: MiningWatch Canada and the Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal People.

This funding is allocated through the Participant Funding Program administered by the Agency and is intended to support public participation in upcoming steps of the comprehensive study process, including the review of the Comprehensive Study Report.

A funding review committee, independent of the environmental assessment process, was established to assess the funding requests. The Funding Review Committee's report, along with further information on the Project, is available on the Agency's website (registry number 11-03-63927).

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.'s project consists of constructing, operating and eventually decommissioning an open pit/underground chromite ore mine (30 year mine life at a predicted extraction rate of 6,000 to 12,000 tonnes per day) and an ore processing facility. The proposal also includes an integrated transportation system consisting of a new north-south all-weather road corridor and a new ferrochrome production facility, which would be located at a different location than the mine site.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.

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For more information, media may contact:

Céline Legault
Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: 613-957-0278