RELEASE

This Release (the “Release”) is entered into knowingly and voluntarily on the date specified on the signature page hereto by David B. Blake (“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 have previously entered into that certain Severance Agreement, dated August 21, 2013 (the “Severance Agreement”).

B.    Employee’s employment with the Company as the Senior Vice President of Eastern Canadian Operations terminated as of October 31, 2013 (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 as the “Released Parties”):

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:

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 this date, 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 any lawsuit brought on his behalf by any other person or entity, including without limitation by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (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 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 and agrees that he has been given a period of 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 notarized 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) James R. Michaud, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., 200 Public Square, Suite 3300, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, no later than five (5) calendar days after the Termination Date.

C.    After Employee has signed this Release, Employee has seven (7) calendar days to change his mind and notify the Company in writing that Employee has canceled this Release. If Employee so cancels 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: James R. Michaud, Executive Vice President Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., 200 Public Square, Suite 3300, Cleveland, Ohio 44114.

D.    If Employee (1) signs, notarizes and delivers this Release within the time frames and in accordance with the provisions of Section V.B; and (2) does not cancel or revoke the Release within the time frames and in accordance with the provisions of Section V.C, this Release shall become effective on the eighth calendar day after Employee signed it (the “Effective Date”).

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

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 documents required to effectuate such resignations as may be requested by the Company at any time.    

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 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 he will not retain any documents or other property belonging to Company.

B.    By signing this Release, Employee affirms that Employee either (1) has no Company property remaining in his possession or control or, (2) 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.

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/her benefit, but such waiver shall in no way excuse the other from the performance of any of its/his/her other obligations under this Release.

This Release shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio, 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 this Release. No oral agreement may modify any term of this Release.

The Severance Agreement and this Release constitute the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes 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 in this Release and the Severance Agreement.

This Section XIV shall not apply to any litigation arising out of a challenge to the validity of the Release under the ADEA, or any litigation in which the validity of the 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.

On this 8 day of November, 2013, before me personally appeared David B. Blake, to me known to be the person described in and who executed the Severance Agreement and acknowledged that he executed the same as his free act and deed.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal in the County and State aforesaid, the day and year first above written.