Champion Iron Mines Limited Appoints William Harding as a Director

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/13/13 -- CHAMPION IRON MINES LIMITED (TSX: CHM)(OTCQX: CPMNF)(FRANKFURT: P02) ("Champion" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Mr. William Harding has been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors.

Mr. William Harding was previously appointed to the Company's Advisory Board last August. Mr. Harding has over 25 years of in-depth exposure to capital markets in both the public and private sectors and is experienced in international portfolio management and investment consultancy. Mr. Harding is currently the Chairman of Alpine Asset Advisors AG and has been a member of the Board of Governors of CI Investments Inc. since 2005. Mr. Harding began his career in Corporate Finance at Wood Gundy (CIBC World Markets) and worked in Institutional Equity Research and Sales at Gardiner Watson Ltd. (Morgan Stanley). Prior to founding Alpine Advisors AG, he was a Managing Partner of a Swiss-based Independent Financial Intermediary (Bruellan SA) specializing in Portfolio Management of Family Offices and High Net-Worth Individuals.

Thomas Larsen, Champion's President and C.E.O. stated, "We have appreciated the valuable contributions Mr. Harding has made in his capacity as Advisory Board member and we welcome his appointment to Champion's Board of Directors. We look forward to benefitting from Mr. Harding's broad experience as we proceed with the financing and development of the Company's wholly-owned Consolidated Fire Lake North Project."

About Champion Iron Mines Limited

Champion is an iron exploration and development company with offices in Montreal and Toronto, and is focused on developing its significant iron resources in the provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland & Labrador. Champion holds a 100% interest in the Fermont Iron Holdings and a 44% interest in the Attikamagen Iron Project located in both Quebec and Labrador. The Attikamagen Iron Project is under option to Labec Century Iron Ore Inc. ("Labec"), a subsidiary of Century Iron Mines Corporation, under which Labec can earn up to a 60% interest. Labec has requested a transfer of a further 4% to increase Labec's holding to 60% under its option agreement with Champion. Champion is undertaking its due diligence investigations with respect to the request.

Champion's Fermont Iron Holdings, including its flagship Consolidated Fire Lake North Project, are located in Canada's major iron ore producing district, in close proximity to five producing iron mines, existing transportation and power infrastructure. Consolidated Fire Lake North is located immediately north of Arcelor Mittal's operating Fire Lake Mine and 60 km south of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.'s Bloom Lake Mine in northeastern Quebec. Champion's management and advisory board includes mining and exploration professionals with the mine development and operations experience to build, commission, and operate the future Consolidated Fire Lake North mine.

For additional information on Champion, please visit our website at www.championironmines.com.

This news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements about planned operations at the Company's projects, including its Consolidated Fire Lake North Project. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including the risks identified in Champion's annual information forms, management discussion and analysis and other securities regulatory filings by Champion on SEDAR (including under the heading "Risk Factors" therein). There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the information available to management as at the date hereof. Champion disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

This press release has been prepared by Champion Iron Mines Limited and no regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

Contacts:

Champion Iron Mines Limited

Thomas G. Larsen

President and CEO

(416) 866-2200


Champion Iron Mines Limited

Jorge Estepa

Vice President

(416) 866-2200
www.championironmines.com