Nov. 20, 2006 — Cliffs announced it will restart an idled pellet furnace at its Northshore mine pellet facility.

The furnace is expected to increase Cliffs' North American pellet production by approximately 800,000 tons annually. Production is scheduled to commence in early 2008.

President-North American Iron Ore and Chief Financial Officer Donald J. Gallagher commented: "This expanded pellet capacity will support our ability to satisfy customers' current and future requirements according to our long-term sales agreements."

Cliffs says it has received all required environmental permits from the State of Minnesota to restart additional concentrate and pellet capacity at the facility.

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is the largest producer of iron ore pellets in North America, selling the majority of its pellets to integrated steel companies in the United States and Canada. Cleveland-Cliffs Inc operates a total of six iron ore mines located in Michigan, Minnesota and Eastern Canada. The company is majority owner of Portman Limited, the third-largest iron ore mining company in Australia, serving the Asian iron ore markets with direct-shipping fines and lump ore.