Altius to Increase Shareholdings in Alderon

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alderon Iron Ore Corp. (TSX:IRON) ("Alderon" or the “Company”) announces that it has been notified by Altius Minerals Corporation (“Altius”) that Altius has agreed to acquire 18,797,454 common shares (“Common Shares”) of Alderon, from Liberty Metals & Mining Holdings, LLC (“Liberty”). After the conclusion of the transaction, Altius will own a total of 51,838,916 Common Shares, or approximately 39% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. The shares will be acquired at a purchase price of $0.27 per share.

“I am pleased that Altius has decided to increase its stake in Alderon by acquiring the Liberty share position,” stated Tayfun Eldem, President & CEO of Alderon. “Altius clearly recognizes the opportunity at the Kami Project with the high-grade, low deleterious element iron ore that will be produced at Kami. Stricter environmental regulation has driven demand for superior quality iron ore, as it allows end users to improve productivity, reduce costs, and meet more stringent environmental standards. Altius has also recently made other investments in the Labrador Trough.”

Altius will acquire the Common Shares, through a private placement between Altius and Liberty, for investment purposes and may, from time to time, acquire additional Common Shares, dispose of some or all of the Common Shares, or continue to hold the Common Shares.

The Kami Project has been successfully released from both Federal and Provincial environmental assessment processes, exhibits robust economics, and will produce a premium product in high demand; these specifications highlight the project as a rare development opportunity in the iron ore mining industry.

About Alderon Iron Ore Corp.

Alderon is a leading iron ore development company in Canada.  The Kami Project, owned 75% by Alderon and 25% by HBIS Group Co. Ltd. (formerly Hebei Iron & Steel Group Co. Ltd.) (“HBIS”) through The Kami Mine Limited Partnership, is located within Canada’s premier iron ore district, the Labrador Trough, and is surrounded by two producing iron ore mines. Its port handling facilities are located in Sept-Îles, the leading iron ore port in North America. HBIS is Alderon’s strategic partner in the development of the Kami Project and China’s second largest steel producer.

For more information on Alderon, please visit our website at www.alderonironore.com

ALDERON IRON ORE CORP.
On behalf of the Board
"Tayfun Eldem"
Director & CEO

Alderon is part of the King & Bay group of companies. King & Bay is a merchant bank that specializes in identifying, funding, developing and supporting growth opportunities in the resource, aviation, and technology sectors.

For further information please call:

Olen Aasen
1-604-681-8030 ext 242
info@alderonironore.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act and Canadian securities laws concerning anticipated developments and events that may occur in the future. Forward-looking information contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to (i) production from the Kami Project; (ii) future demand for production from the Kami Project; and (iii) the next steps in the development of the Kami Project

In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words 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 state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, receipt of governmental and other approvals,  the estimation of mineral resources, the realization of resource estimates, iron ore and other metal prices, the timing and amount of future development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials to continue to explore and develop the Kami Project in the short and long-term, the progress of exploration and development activities, the ability of the Company to use the multi-user terminal facility at the Port of Sept-Îles,  the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, the estimation of insurance coverage, assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations and exchange rates, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined including the possibility that mining operations may not commence at the Kami Project, risks relating to variations in mineral resources, grade or recovery rates resulting from current exploration and development activities, risks relating to the ability to access rail transportation, sources of power and port facilities, risks relating to changes in iron ore prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of iron ore and related products, risks related to increased competition in the market for iron ore and related products and in the mining industry generally, risks related to current global financial conditions, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, including the risk of accidents, labour disputes, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the development process, regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licences and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, including the risk that the financing necessary to fund the exploration and development activities at the Kami Project may not be available on satisfactory terms, or at all, risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interest, risks related to disputes with Aboriginal groups, risks related to insufficient capacity being available for the Company to access the multi-user terminal facility at the Port of Sept-Îles, environmental risks and the additional risks identified in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Information Form for the most recently completed financial year, or other reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information.