CLEVELAND, Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLF) (Paris: CLF) today announced that William Calfee, executive vice president, commercial, North American Iron Ore, will retire effective July 1, 2011. The Company said Mr. Calfee will assume a one year consultancy role with Cliffs after his retirement.

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"We are grateful to Bill for his leadership in the organization over the past 39 years," said Joseph Carrabba, Cliffs' chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Bill's selfless dedication and commitment to Cliffs over the course of the years is unique in today's business environment. Bill has accomplished a great deal during his tenure, including being instrumental in our transition from primarily a North American mine management company to an international diversified mining and natural resources company."

Mr. Calfee was named to his current position in July 2006, where he oversees the North American business unit's sales and marketing activities.  He joined Cliffs in 1972 as an iron ore sales representative. During his career at Cliffs, he assumed key management positions in the commercial area, including various roles of increasing responsibility.

Prior to joining Cliffs, Mr. Calfee was an officer in the U.S. Navy.  He received his Bachelor of Arts from Williams College and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Graduate School of Business at Harvard University.

Donald J. Gallagher, executive vice president, president – global commercial stated, "It has been professionally rewarding and an honor to work with Bill and witness his personal drive, integrity and passion for this organization.  He is an astute business leader who guided the Company through some of the most difficult junctures in the U.S. steel industry's history. This included acting as a stabilizing force throughout customer negotiations and customer bankruptcies. We look forward to continuing to work with him during this transition and during his future advisory role with Cliffs."

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About Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. is an international mining and natural resources company. A member of the S&P 500 Index, we are the largest producer of iron ore pellets in North America, a major supplier of direct-shipping lump and fines iron ore out of Australia and a significant producer of high and low volatile metallurgical coal. With core values of environmental and capital stewardship, our colleagues across the globe endeavor to provide all stakeholders operating and financial transparency as embodied in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework. Our Company is organized through three geographic business units:

The North American business unit is comprised of six iron ore mines owned or managed in Michigan, Minnesota and Canada and six coal mines located in West Virginia and Alabama. The Asia Pacific business unit is comprised of two iron ore mining complexes in Western Australia and a 45% economic interest in a coking and thermal coal mine in Queensland, Australia. The Latin American business unit includes a 30% interest in the Amapa Project, an iron ore project in the state of Amapa in Brazil.

Other projects under development include a biomass production plant in Michigan and Ring of Fire chromite properties in Ontario, Canada. Over recent years, Cliffs has been executing a strategy designed to achieve scale in the mining industry and focused on serving the world's largest and fastest growing steel markets.

News releases and other information on the Company are available on the Internet at:

http://www.cliffsnaturalresources.com or

www.cliffsnaturalresources.com/Investors/Pages/default.aspx?b=1041&1=1

SOURCE Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.