ISS PROXY ADVISORY SERVICES AND GLASS LEWIS & CO. RECOMMEND CONSOLIDATED THOMPSON IRON MINES LIMITED SHAREHOLDERS VOTE IN FAVOUR OF THE ACQUISITION BY CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INC.

MONTRÉAL, Feb. 18 /CNW/ --
TSX:CLM

MONTRÉAL, Feb. 18 /CNW/ - Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Limited (TSX: CLM) ('CLM' or the 'Corporation') today announced that ISS Proxy
Advisory Services (formerly Riskmetrics) and Glass Lewis & Co., leading
independent providers of proxy research and voting recommendations,
have each published a report recommending that their subscribers vote
'FOR' the special resolution approving the acquisition by Cliffs
Natural Resources Inc. ('Cliffs') of all of the outstanding common
shares of the Corporation by way of plan of arrangement (the
'Arrangement') for cash consideration of $17.25 per common share.

The Arrangement will be considered by shareholders of the Corporation at
a special meeting (the 'Meeting') to be held on February 25, 2011 at
10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) at the Toronto Board of Trade, 1 First
Canadian Place, 77 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, ON M5X 1C1.  The
completion of the Arrangement is subject, among other things, to the
approval of at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast at the Meeting. 
Shareholders are urged to carefully read the information circular
mailed to them in connection with the proposed Arrangement.  A copy of
the information circular and the form of proxy are available at www.sedar.com.  Regardless of the number of shares that a shareholder holds, each
vote is important. Proxies must be received no later than 10:00 a.m.
(Eastern Time) on February 23, 2011.

For further information, please contact Georgeson Shareholder
Communications Canada Inc., the Corporation's proxy solicitation agent,
by (i) telephone (toll-free in North America) at 1-866-374-9879, or
(ii) email to askus@georgeson.com.

About Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Limited

Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Limited is a mining company with
mineral exploration and development activities focused on iron ore.
Based in Montréal, Canada, it has iron ore rich mining properties in
the well known Labrador Trough that spans North-Eastern Québec and
Western Newfoundland and Labrador. It is currently operating the Bloom
Lake mine and moving towards an initial production rate of 8.0 million
tonnes per year of high quality iron ore concentrate. CLM is listed on
the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol 'CLM' and is part of
several S&P/TSX indices including the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

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, Cliffs is 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, Cliffs' personnel
across the globe endeavor to provide all stakeholders operating and
financial transparency as embodied in the Global Reporting Initiative
(GRI) framework.  Cliffs 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 Amapá Project, an iron ore project in the state of Amapá 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.

Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Notice

Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Corporation,
certain information contained herein constitutes ''forward-looking
information'' under Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking
information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to
the transactions referred to above, the receipt of all necessary
approvals and the expected time of closing. Generally, forward-looking
information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology
such as ''plans'', ''expects'' or ''does not expect'', ''is expected'',
''budget'', ''scheduled'', ''estimates'', ''forecasts'', ''intends'',
''anticipates'' or ''does not anticipate'', or ''believes'', or
variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain
actions, events or results ''may'', ''could'', ''would'', ''might'' or
''will be taken'', ''occur'' or ''be achieved''. Forward-looking
statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of
the date such statements are made. Forward-looking information is
subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or
achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but
not limited to the time required to consummate the proposed
transactions, the satisfaction or waiver of conditions in the
Arrangement Agreement, material adverse changes in the affairs of
Consolidated Thompson, any actions or omissions by Consolidated
Thompson or its board of directors, any necessary actions to obtain
required regulatory or other third-party approvals and consents, and
other risks described in the Corporation's Annual Information Form
posted under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although Management has attempted to identify important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in
forward-looking information, there may be other factors that could
cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There
can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as
actual results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place
undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Corporation does not
undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in
accordance with applicable securities laws.

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François Laurin, Chief Financial Officer Tel: 514-396-6345