Champion Iron Mines Limited Appoints William Harding as a Director

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 13, 2013) - 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 Québec 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 Québec 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 Québec. 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.