RELEASE

This Release is entered into knowingly and voluntarily on the date specified on the signature page hereto by William S. Hart (“Employee”), in favor of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. and its affiliates identified in Section II.A below (collectively, the “Company”).

A.Employee and the Company previously entered into that certain Severance Agreement (the “Severance Agreement”).

B.Employee’s employment as the Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer of the Company terminated effective as of March 25, 2014 (the “Termination Date”).

C.Employee is entitled to certain “Payments” and “Benefits” (as each such term is defined in the Severance Agreement) subject to, among other things, Employee’s execution and non-revocation of this Release.

D.Employee and the Company desire to settle fully and finally any and all differences between them which have arisen, or may arise, out of the employment relationship and/or the termination of that relationship in the future.

Employee understands, acknowledges and agrees that:

A.    Employee, for himself, and his marital community (if any), agents, heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, hereby knowingly and voluntarily fully releases and forever discharges from any and all agreements, debts, claims, demands, actions, judgments, causes of action, and liabilities of every kind or nature, known or unknown, that Employee, individually or as a member of a class, ever had or now has, the following (referred to collectively as the “Released Parties”):

Inc., or which is in the same affiliated service group or otherwise required to be aggregated with Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. under Sections 414 or 1563 of the Internal Revenue Code;

B.    Without limiting the generality of this Release, Employee acknowledges and agrees that this Release is intended to bar every claim, demand, and cause of action, including without limitation any and all claims arising under the following laws, as amended from time to time:

C.    Without limiting the generality of this Release, Employee further acknowledges and agrees that this Release is intended to bar all equitable claims and all common law claims, including without limitation claims of or for:

D.    Employee further understands, acknowledges and agrees that this Release is a general release, and that Employee further waives and assumes the risk of any and all claims which exist as of the date this Release is executed, including those of which Employee does not know or suspect to exist, whether through ignorance, oversight, error, negligence, or otherwise, and which, if known, would materially affect Employee’s decision to sign this Release.

E.    Employee further understands, acknowledges and agrees that this Release waives any right Employee has to recover damages in any lawsuit brought by Employee as well as in a lawsuit brought by any third party, including without limitation the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”) or any similar state agency. Employee is not, however, waiving the right to file a charge with the EEOC or any similar state agency.

F.    This Release shall not be interpreted to release or require the release of the Company or the Released Parties from any:

III.    REPRESENTATION OF UNDERSTANDING OF RELEASE

Employee acknowledges that Employee has had the opportunity to consult an attorney of Employee’s own choosing before entering into this Release. Employee represents and warrants that Employee has read all of the terms of this Release and that Employee fully understands and voluntarily accepts these terms. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that Employee has been given a reasonable period of time within which to consider this Release.

Employee understands and agrees that a waiver of claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (29 U.S.C. § 621, et seq.) (the “ADEA”), is not effective unless it is “knowing and voluntary,” and that the ADEA imposes certain minimum requirements for a waiver of ADEA claims to be knowing and voluntary. Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee is knowingly and voluntarily giving up any rights or claims for relief Employee may have under the ADEA regarding the Company’s conduct or the conduct of any Released Parties. However, Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee is not giving up the right to challenge the validity of this Release under the ADEA.

A.    Employee acknowledges that he has been provided at least twenty-one (21) calendar days from the receipt of this Release to decide whether to sign it and is advised to consult with an attorney before doing so. Employee is not to sign this Release unless Employee understands its provisions and is doing so voluntarily.

B.    This Release shall be signed and witnessed no earlier than the calendar day following the Termination Date, but no later than five (5) calendar days following the Termination Date. Further, this Release shall be delivered to (or postmarked for delivery to) Robert Fischer, Group Counsel, Labor & Employee Relations, Cliffs Natural Resources, 200 Public Square, Suite 3300, Cleveland, OH 44114, no later than five (5) calendar days after the Termination Date.

C.    After Employee has signed this Release, Employee has seven (7) days to change his/her mind and notify the Company in writing that Employee has revoked this Release. If Employee so revokes this Release, this Release will be null and void, and will have no force or effect. Written notice of a cancellation of this Release must actually be received by the Company at the following address and must be postmarked within the time frame described above in order to be effective: Robert Fischer, Group Counsel, Labor & Employee Relations, Cliffs Natural Resources, 200 Public Square, Suite 3300, Cleveland, OH 44114.

D.    If Employee (i) signs and delivers the Severance Agreement; (ii) signs and delivers this Release within the time frames and in accordance with the provisions of Section V.B; and (iii) does not revoke this Release within the time frames and in accordance with the provisions of Section V.C., this Release shall become effective on the eighth day after Employee signed it (the “Effective Date”).

E.    Employee understands that if he or she revokes this Release, it shall not be effective or enforceable and Employee will not receive any Payments or Benefits under the Severance Agreement.

VI.    RESIGNATION AND RE-EMPLOYMENT

A.    Employee represents that he has irrevocably resigned from any and all corporate offices with Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. or any of the Released Parties which he held in his capacity as an employee of the Company including without limitation positions as an officer, director, member, manager, agent, or partner of any such entities. Employee further agrees to execute any further documents required to effectuate such resignations as may be requested by the Company.

B.    Employee hereby forever gives up, waives and releases any right to be hired, employed, recalled or reinstated by the Company or any affiliate of the Company.

A.    Employee agrees to return to the Company within five (5) calendar days following the Termination Date all originals and copies of the Company’s property, documents and information in Employee’s possession, regardless of the form on which such information has been maintained or stored, including without limitation, computer disks, tapes or other forms of electronic storage, Company credit cards (including telephone credit cards), tools, equipment, keys, identification, software, computer access codes, disks and instructional manuals, and all other property prepared by, or for, or belonging to the Company. Employee further agrees that, as of the fifth (5^th) calendar day following the Termination Date, he will not retain any documents or other property belonging to Company. For the avoidance of doubt, Employee shall not be required to return to the Company items not material to the business of the Company or its affiliates that are of nominal or sentimental value.

B.    By signing this Release, Employee affirms that Employee either (i) has no Company property remaining in his possession or control or, (ii) if Employee does have any such property in his possession or control, Employee has provided the Company a list of such property, the reason why Employee has been unable to return it to the Company, and the date by which Employee intends to return such property to the Company.

C.    Employee must comply fully with this Section VII before the Company is obligated to perform under Section I of the Severance Agreement.

In the event that any provision(s) of this Release is found to be unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, the unenforceable provision shall be considered to be severable, and the remainder of this Release shall continue in full force and effect.

This Release shall be binding upon and operate to the benefit of Employee, the Company, the Released Parties, and their successors and assigns.

No waiver of any of the terms of this Release shall constitute a waiver of any other terms, whether or not similar, nor shall any waiver be a continuing waiver. No waiver shall be binding unless executed in writing by the Party making the waiver. The Company or Employee may waive any provision of this Release intended for its/his benefit, but such waiver shall in no way excuse the other Party from the performance of any of its/his other obligations under this Release.

This Release shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Western Australia, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent those laws are preempted by federal law.

The terms of this Release may be altered or amended, in whole or in part, only upon the signed written agreement of all Parties to the Severance Agreement. No oral agreement may modify any term of this Release.

The Severance Agreement and this Release constitute the sole and entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersede any and all prior and contemporaneous agreements, promises, representations, negotiations, and understandings of the Parties, whether written or oral. There are no agreements of any nature whatsoever among the Parties except as expressly stated herein.

This Section XIV shall not apply to any litigation arising out of a challenge to the validity of this Release under the ADEA, or any litigation in which the validity of this Release under the ADEA is an issue. In the event of litigation arising out of any other alleged breach of this Release, the prevailing Party shall be entitled to an award of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.