Document:

CLF-2012.12.31 EX 10.67

Exhibit 10.67 

EXHIBIT LABOR AGREEMENT
GRANT FOR PARTICIPANTS

In Santiago, Chile, effective as of March 12, 2012, between CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES EXPLORATION CHILE LIMITADA, tax payer identity number ____________, duly represented by _________________, American, ________, ________, hereinafter and indistinctly, the “Employer” or the “Company”, as one party and, as the other, xxxxxx, hereinafter referred to as the “Employee” or the “Participant”,have entered into this exhibit to the employment agreement signed on ________________, by and between the parties appearing hereto (hereinafter, the “Exhibit”); amendment which is set down, for all legal purposes, as an annex to the referred employment agreement:

First: Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., on behalf of the Company, hereby grants to Participant, xxx Performance Units and an additional xxx Retention Units, as both terms are defined in the Plan referred to under the Second Provision below, covering the incentive period commencing January 1, 2012 and ending December 31, 2014 (hereinafter, the “Incentive Period”), the terms and conditions of which are set forth below.

Second: The present grant for participants shall be governed by the provisions set forth below, and in absence thereof, the amended and restated Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. 2007 incentive equity plan (hereinafter the “Plan”) shall apply, a copy of which is hereby provided to the Participant, who declares having received it and fully comprehended the stipulations therein. 

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ARTICLE 1.
Definitions
All terms used herein with initial capital letters shall have the meanings assigned to them hereunder or in the Plan. In particular, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1.1    “Market Value Price” shall mean the latest available closing price of a Share, as defined in the Plan, of the Company or the latest available closing price per share of a common share of each of the entities in the Peer Group, as defined below, whichever the case may be, on the New York Stock Exchange or other recognized market if the stock does not trade on the New York Stock Exchange at the relevant time.
1.2    “Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans” shall mean the Company’s Voluntary Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan, its 2012 Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan, or any other similar non-qualified deferred compensation plan sponsored by the Company or its Subsidiaries, as defined in the Plan.
1.3    “Peer Group” shall mean the group of companies, as set forth on attached Exhibit A, against which the Relative Total Shareholder Return, as defined under Section 1.6 below, of the Company is measured over the Incentive Period.
1.4    “Performance Objectives” shall mean for the Incentive Period the predetermined objectives of the Company with respect to the goal for the Relative Total Shareholder Return, as defined under Section 1.6 below, established by the Compensation and Organization Committee of the Board of Directors of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (hereinafter, the “Committee”), and reported to the aforementioned Board, as set forth on attached Exhibit B.
1.5    “Performance Units Earned” shall mean the number of Units of the Company (or cash equivalent) earned by the Participant following the conclusion of an Incentive Period in which one or more of Company Performance Objectives was met at the “Threshold” level or a higher level, as determined under Section 2.3 below.

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1.6    “Relative Total Shareholder Return” shall mean for the Incentive Period, the Total Shareholder Return of the Company compared to the Total Shareholder Return of the Peer Group, as set forth on attached Exhibit C.
1.7    “Total Shareholder Return” or “TSR” shall mean for the Incentive Period the cumulative return to shareholders of the Company and to the shareholders of each of the entities in the Peer Group during the Incentive Period, measured by the change in Market Value Price per share of a Share of the Company plus dividends (or other distributions, excluding franking credits) reinvested over the Incentive Period and the change in the Market Value Price per share of the common share of each of the entities in the Peer Group plus dividends (or other distributions, excluding franking credits) reinvested over the Incentive Period, determined on the last business day of the Incentive Period compared to a base measured by the average Market Value Price per share of a Share of the Company and of a common share of each of the entities in the Peer Group on the last business day of the year immediately preceding the Incentive Period.  Dividends (or other distributions, excluding franking credits) per share are assumed to be reinvested in the applicable stock on the last business day of the quarter during which they are paid at the then Market Value Price per share, resulting in a fractionally higher number of shares owned at the market price.
1.8    “Cause” shall mean, for the purposes of this Exhibit, the grounds that justify termination by the Employer of the work relationship with the Employee, without any right whatsoever to compensation, in accordance with the applicable dispositions of Chilean Labor Code. By way of example, the above shall refer to cases of inappropriate behaviour; participation in negotiations within the Company’s business activities that have been explicitly forbidden in the Employee’s employment agreement; abandonment of the work place or unjustified absence for two consecutive days; acts, omissions or acts of negligence that affect the safety or operations of the work place, the safety or activity of the workers or the health of the latter; intentional harm 

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caused to the facilities or the machinery; serious breach of the obligations set forth under the employment agreement of the Employee; and all other cases set forth in accordance with the labor laws of Chile. 

ARTICLE 2.
Grant and Terms of Performance Units
2.1    Grant of Performance Units.  The Company has granted to the Participant the number of Performance Units, in the manner stipulated herein, without dividend equivalents, effective as of the date of this Exhibit.
2.2    Payment of Performance Units.  The Performance Units shall only result in the payment of cash (in CLP$ based on the average U.S. dollar exchange rate for the sixty (60) days ending on the date such amount would (if applicable) be subject to income tax in the Republic of Chile), if at all, only after the completion of the Incentive Period and only if such Performance Units are earned as provided in Section 2.3.
2.3    Performance Units Earned.  Performance Units Earned, if any, shall be determined in accordance with the degree of achievement of the Company Performance Objectives, as set forth in Exhibit B, , and as determined and certified by the Committee as of the end of the Incentive Period.  In no event, shall any Performance Units be earned with respect to achievement by the Company in excess of the allowable maximum as established under the Performance Objectives.
2.4    Calculation of Payout of Performance Units.  The Performance Units granted shall become Performance Units Earned determined in accordance with the degree of achievement of the Performance Objectives established for the Incentive Period.  The percentage level of achievement determined for the Performance Objective shall be multiplied by the number of Performance Units granted to determine the actual number of Performance Units Earned.  The 

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calculation as to whether the Company has met or exceeded the Performance Objectives shall be determined and certified by the Committee in accordance with this Exhibit.
2.5    Payment of Performance Units.
(a)    The Payment of Performance Units Earned shall be made in the form of cash (in CLP$ based on the average U.S. dollar exchange rate for the sixty (60) days ending on the date such amount would (if applicable) be subject to income tax in the Republic of Chile), and shall be paid after the determination and certification by the Committee of the level of attainment of the Performance Objectives (the calculation of which shall have been previously reviewed by an independent accounting professional), but in any event no later than 21⁄2 months after the end of the Incentive Period, unless the date of payment is deferred by the Participant pursuant to, and in compliance with, the terms of the Company’s Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans.  The determination of the cash value of the Performance Units Earned shall be based on the Market Value Price of a Share of the Company on the last day of the Incentive Period.
(b)    Any payment of Performance Units Earned to a deceased Participant shall be paid to the beneficiary according to the laws of the Republic of Chile governing the succession upon death.
(c)    Prior to payment, the Company shall only have an unfunded and unsecured obligation to make payment of Performance Units Earned to the Participant.  The Performance Units granted by virtue of this Exhibit that have not yet been earned as Performance Units Earned, and any interests of the Participant with respect thereto, are not transferable other than pursuant to the laws of the Republic of Chile governing descent and distribution.
2.6        Death, Disability, Retirement, or Other.
(a)    With respect to Performance Units granted to the Participant whose employment is terminated because of the his death or Disability, as defined in the Plan, the Participant (or his beneficiary or estate in the case of death) shall vest 100% at target performance 

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level in the Performance Units so granted and shall be paid at the time specified in Section 2.5(a).  If employment is terminated because of Retirement, as defined in the Plan, or terminated by the Company without Cause, the Participant shall receive at the time specified in Section 2.5(a) as Performance Units Earned the number of Performance Units as is determined after the end of the Incentive Period under Sections 2.3 and 2.4, prorated based upon the number of full months between January 1, 2012 and the date the Participant ceased to be employed by the Company compared to the thirty-six (36) months in the Incentive Period.
(b)    The Participant will only be entitled to this benefit provided that he does not voluntarily terminate its employment contract with the Company prior to December 31, 2014, and that his work contract is not terminated with Cause by the Company prior to the payment of the benefit granted herein. In the event the Participant voluntarily terminates employment prior to December 31, 2014 or is terminated by the Company with Cause prior to the date of payment of Performance Units Earned, the Participant shall forfeit all right to any Performance Units that would have been earned under this Exhibit.

ARTICLE 3.
Grant and Terms of Retention Units
3.1    Grant of Retention Units.  Pursuant to this Exhibit, the Company has granted to the Participant the number of Retention Units, without dividend equivalents, effective as of the date of the present instrument.
3.2    Condition of Payment.  Subject to the following Section 3.5 , the Retention Units covered by this Exhibit shall only result in the payment in cash of the value of the Retention Units if the Participant remains in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary throughout the Incentive Period.

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3.3    Calculation of Cash Payout.  To determine the amount of the cash payout of the Retention Units, the number of Retention Units covered by this Exhibit shall be multiplied by the Market Value Price of a Share of the Company on the last day of the Incentive Period.  
3.4    Payment of Retention Units.
(d)    Payment of Retention Units shall be made in cash (in CLP$ based on the average U.S. dollar exchange rate for the sixty (60) days ending on the date such amount would (if applicable) be subject to  income tax in Chile) and shall be paid at the same time as the payment of Performance Units Earned pursuant to Section 2.5(a), provided, however, in the event no Performance Units are earned, then the Retention Units shall be paid in cash at the time the Performance Units would normally have been paid.  
(e)    Any payment of Retention Units to a deceased Participant shall be paid to the beneficiary according to the laws of the Republic of Chile governing the succession upon death.
(f)    Prior to payment, the Company shall only have an unfunded and unsecured obligation to make payment of Retention Units to the Participant.  The Retention Units granted under this Exhibit that have not yet been earned, and any interests of the Participant with respect thereto, shall not be transferable other than pursuant to the laws of the Republic of Chile governing descent and distribution.
3.5    Death, Disability, Retirement or Other.  
(a)    With respect to Retention Units granted to the Participant whose employment is terminated because of his death or Disability during the Incentive Period, the Participant (or his beneficiary or estate in the case of death) shall vest 100% in the number of Retention Units as calculated in Section 3.3, which shall be paid at the time specified in Section 3.4(a).  If employment is terminated because of Retirement or terminated by the Company without Cause during the Incentive Period, the Participant shall receive at the time specified in Section 3.4(a) the number of Retention Units as calculated in Section 3.3, prorated based upon the number 

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of full months between January 1, 2012 and the date the Participant ceased to be employed by the Company compared to the thirty-six (36) months in the Incentive Period.
(b)    The Participant will only be entitled to this benefit provided that he does not voluntarily terminate its employment contract with the Company prior to December 31, 2014 and that his work contract is not terminated with Cause by the Company prior to the payment of the benefit granted in accordance with this Exhibit. In the event the Participant voluntarily terminates employment prior to December 31, 2014 or is terminated by the Company with Cause prior to December 31, 2014, the Participant shall forfeit all right to any Retention Units that were granted hereunder.

ARTICLE 4.
Other Terms Common to Performance Units and Retention Units
4.1    Non-Compete and Confidentiality.
(a)    The Participant shall not render services for any organization or engage directly or indirectly in any business which is a competitor of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or which organization or business is or plans to become prejudicial to or in conflict with the business interests of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or distribute any secret or confidential information belonging to the Company or any Subsidiary thereof.
(b)    Failure to comply with subsection (a) above will cause the Participant to forfeit the right to Performance Units and Retention Units and require the Participant to reimburse the Company for the taxable income received or deferred on Performance Units and Retention Units that have been paid out in cash within the 90-day period preceding the Participant’s termination of employment.
(c)    Failure of the Participant to repay to the Company the amount to be reimbursed in subsection (b) above within three days of termination of employment will result in 

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the offset of said amount from the Participant’s account balance in the Company’s Non‐Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans, if applicable (at the time that the amounts owed under the Company’s Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans), and/or from any accrued salary or vacation pay owed at the date of termination of employment or from future earnings payable by the Participant’s next employer.  If applicable, such offset shall be deemed to constitute the payment due to him under the Company’s Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans in accordance with the time and form of payment specified under such plan and the immediate repayment to the Company of the amounts owed under this Exhibit.
4.2    Change in Control. Notwithstanding the provisions set forth above, in the event of a Change in Control, as defined in the Plan,, all Performance Units granted to the Participant for Incentive Periods which have not ended before the Change in Control shall immediately become Performance Units Earned at target performance level on a one-to-one basis regardless of the actual achievement of the Performance Objectives.  All Performance Units, if any, granted to the Participant for an Incentive Period which ended before the Change in Control, and which have not been paid in accordance with Section 2.5, will be deemed to be Performance Units Earned to the extent that they became Performance Units Earned as of the end of the Incentive Period based upon the Performance Objectives for the Incentive Period.  The value of all Performance Units Earned, including ones for Incentive Periods which have already ended, shall be paid in cash based on the Market Value of an equivalent number of Shares determined on the date the Change in Control occurs.  Also, in the event of a Change in Control, all Retention Units granted for all periods shall become nonforfeitable and shall be paid in cash based on the Market Value of an equivalent number of Shares determined on the date the Change in Control occurs.  All payments with respect to Performance Units and Retention Units shall be made within 10 days of the Change in Control.

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ARTICLE 5.
General Provisions
5.1    Compliance with Law.  The Company shall comply with all the applicable laws of the Republic of Chile.
5.2    Withholding Taxes.  To the extent that the Company is required to withhold taxes in connection with any payment of Performance Units Earned or Retention Units to the Participant under this Exhibit, the Company shall withhold the minimum amount of taxes which it determines it is required by law or required by the terms of the Exhibit or the Plan to withhold in connection with any recognition of income incident to this Exhibit payable to the Participant or his beneficiary.  
5.3    Continuous Employment.  For purposes of this Exhibit, the continuous employment of the Participant with the Company shall not be deemed to have been interrupted, and the Participant shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an employee of the Company, by reason of his transfer from the Company to its Subsidiaries, or related companies, or an approved leave of absence to the extent authorized by the Plan.
5.4    Relation to Other Benefits.  Any economic or other benefit to the Participant under this Exhibit or the Plan shall not be taken into account in determining any benefits to which the Participant may be entitled under any profit-sharing, retirement or other benefit or compensation plan maintained by the Company or a Subsidiary and shall not affect the amount of any life insurance coverage available to any beneficiary under any life insurance plan covering employees of the Company or a Subsidiary.  
5.5    Prevalence of Terms and Conditions under the Exhibit.  The Retention Units and Performance Units granted under this Exhibit shall prevail over the terms and conditions of the Plan, in the event of conflict between both instruments. 
5.6    Amendments.  The Plan and this Exhibit may be amended at any time by the Company. Any amendment to the Plan shall be deemed to be an amendment to this  Exhibit to the 

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extent that the amendment is applicable hereto in accordance with Article 5.5 above.  Except for amendments necessary to bring the Plan and this Exhibit into compliance with current law including all applicable tax laws of the Republic of Chile, no amendment to either the Plan or this Exhibit shall materially and adversely affect the rights of the Participant under the Plan and this Exhibit without the Participant’s consent.
5.7    Severability.  In the event that one or more of the provisions of this Exhibit is invalidated for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions hereof shall continue to be valid and fully enforceable.
5.8    Governing Law.   This Exhibit shall be construed and governed in accordance with the laws of Chile.
5.9    Governing Language. This Exhibit is signed in two versions, one in Spanish and one in English. Nevertheless, in the case of disagreement between the two, the Spanish version will prevail.  
    
	
	
	 

	Name

	p.o.a.

	CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES EXPLORATION CHILE LTDA

	Taxpayer Identification No.:_______________

	 

	 

	 

	 

	Participant Signature

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EXHIBITS

Exhibit A        Peer Group
Exhibit B        Performance Objectives
Exhibit C        Relative Total Shareholder Return

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Exhibit A
PEER GROUP 
(2012-2014)
The Peer Group will be the constituents as defined by the S&P Metals and Mining ETF Index on the last day of trading of the Incentive Period.  Any constituent that underwent a restructuring or similar structural change or event resulting in a significant distortion of performance results for the Incentive Period will be excluded from the Peer Group.  

The value of the stock of a Peer Group company will be determined in accordance with the following:

		
	1.
	If the stock is listed on an exchange in the U.S. or Canada, then the value on such exchange will be used;

		
	2.
	Otherwise, if the stock is traded in the U.S. as an American Depositary Receipt, then the value of the ADR will be used; or

		
	3.
	Otherwise, the value on the exchange in the country where the company is headquartered will be used.

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Exhibit B
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES 
(2012-2014)
The Performance Objective of the Company is based on Relative Total Shareholder Return (share price plus reinvested dividends) over the three-year Incentive Period from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014.  Achievement of the Relative Total Shareholder Return objective shall be determined by the Total Shareholder Return of the Company relative to the Peer Group.  Achievement shall be determined against the scale set forth in the Table Below: 
	
				
	 
	Performance Level

	Performance Factor
	Threshold
	Target
	Maximum

	 
	 
	 
	 

	Relative TSR
	35th percentile
	55th percentile
	75th percentile

	Payout For Relative TSR
	50%
	100%
	200%

	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 

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Exhibit C
RELATIVE TOTAL SHAREHOLDER RETURN 
(2012-2014)
Relative Total Shareholder Return for the Incentive Period is calculated as follows:
		
	1.
	The Total Shareholder Return as defined in Section 1.6 of these Terms and Conditions for the Incentive Period for the Company shall be compared to the Total Shareholder Return for each of the entities within the Peer Group for the Incentive Period.  The results shall be ranked to determine the Company’s Relative Total Shareholder Return percentile ranking compared to the Peer Group.

		
	2.
	The Company’s Relative Total Shareholder Return for the Incentive Period shall be compared to the Relative Total Shareholder Return Performance target range established for the Incentive Period.

		
	3.
	The Relative Total Shareholder Return performance target range has been established for the 2012-2014 Incentive Period as follows:

	
			
	Performance Level
	 
	2012-2014 
Relative Total Shareholder Return Percentile Ranking

	Maximum
	 
	75th Percentile

	Target
	 
	55th Percentile

	Threshold
	 
	35th Percentile

- 15 -CLF-2012.12.31 EX 10.68

Exhibit 10.68 
CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INC. [AUSTRALIA]

2012 PARTICIPANT GRANT
UNDER THE 
AMENDED AND RESTATED CLIFFS 2007 INCENTIVE EQUITY PLAN 

Effective March 12, 2012 (“Date of Grant”), the Compensation and Organization Committee (“Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (“Company”) hereby offers to grant to _____________________ (“Participant”), an employee of the Company or of a Subsidiary of the Company,                          (        ) Performance Shares and an additional                      (        ) Restricted Share Units covering the incentive period commencing January 1, 2012 and ending December 31, 2014 (“Incentive Period”) under the Amended and Restated Cliffs 2007 Incentive Equity Plan, as amended (“Plan”) of the Company.
Such Grant shall be subject to the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Participant Grants under the Plan approved by the Committee at its March 12, 2012 meeting (“Terms and Conditions”) and provided to the Participant.
To accept this grant of Performance Shares and Restricted Share Units, you must sign this letter and return it to the Company at [insert delivery address] by no later than 5:00 pm (Perth time) on the date that is 28 days from the date of this letter. You will not receive any Performance Shares or Restricted Share Units unless your signed copy of this letter is received by the Company by this time (or any later time the Company allows).  Please keep a signed copy for your records.
Failure to return your signed copy of this letter by the time stipulated will be treated as declining this offer unless the Company, in its absolute discretion, determines to extend the time for returning your signed copy of this letter. 
At any time from the date of this letter until the time specified above by which you are required to return your signed copy of this letter, you may request the Australian dollar equivalent of the Market Value Price (as defined in the Terms and Conditions) of shares in the Company by contacting Cliffs’ Director, Global Compensation, Erica Regan, on + 216-694-5276 or by email at 

Erica.Regan@CliffsNR.com.  The Director, Global Compensation will provide to you in writing (preferably by email) the Australian dollar equivalent of the Market Value Price of Shares as at the date of your request.  The Australian dollar equivalent of the Market Value Price will be based on the exchange rate published by Oanda Corporation as of the date of the request. The Company, and Cliffs Natural Resources Pty Ltd, undertakes to provide this information to you within three business days of your request.
	
	
	CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INC.

	(“Company”)

	 

	 

	 

	Joseph A. Carrabba

	Chairman, President & CEO

The undersigned Participant hereby acknowledges receipt of the Terms and Conditions, hereby declares that he/she has read the Terms and Conditions, agrees to the Terms and Conditions, and accepts the Performance Shares and Restricted Share Units granted hereunder subject to the Terms and Conditions and the Plan.
	
	
	 

	 

	Name of Participant

	 

	 

	Date

Return a signed copy of this 2012 Participant Grant to the Company indicating receipt and acceptance of the 2012 Participant Grant and the Terms and Conditions of the 2012  Participant Grants under the Amended and Restated Cliffs 2007 Incentive Equity Plan, as amended. 

CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INC.  [AUSTRALIA]

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF
THE 2012 PARTICIPANT GRANTS
UNDER THE 
AMENDED AND RESTATED CLIFFS 2007 INCENTIVE EQUITY PLAN

The Compensation and Organization Committee of the Board of Directors of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (the “Company”) hereby establishes the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Participant Grants (“Grants” or individually “Grant”) under the Amended and Restated Cliffs 2007 Incentive Equity Plan, as amended (“Plan”) as follows:  

ARTICLE 1.
Definitions
All terms used herein with initial capital letters shall have the meanings assigned to them in a Grant or the Plan and the following additional terms, when used herein with initial capital letters, shall have the following meanings:
1.1    “Market Value Price” shall mean the latest available closing price of a Share of the Company or the latest available closing price per share of a common share of each of the entities in the Peer Group, as the case may be, on the New York Stock Exchange or other recognized market if the stock does not trade on the New York Stock Exchange at the relevant time.
1.1    “Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans” shall mean the Company’s Voluntary Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan, its 2012 Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan, or any other similar non-qualified deferred compensation plan sponsored by the Company or its Subsidiaries.

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1.2    “Peer Group” shall mean the group of companies, as more particularly set forth on attached Exhibit A, against which the Relative Total Shareholder Return of the Company is measured over the Incentive Period.
1.3    “Performance Objectives” shall mean for the Incentive Period the predetermined objectives of the Company with respect to the Relative Total Shareholder Return goal established by the Committee and reported to the Board, as more particularly set forth on attached Exhibit B.
1.4    “Performance Shares Earned” shall mean the number of Shares of the Company (or cash equivalent) earned by a Participant following the conclusion of an Incentive Period in which one or more of Company Performance Objectives was met at the “Threshold” level or a higher level, as determined under Section 2.3.
1.5    “Relative Total Shareholder Return” shall mean for the Incentive Period the Total Shareholder Return of the Company compared to the Total Shareholder Return of the Peer Group, as more particularly set forth on attached Exhibit C.
1.6    “Share Ownership Guidelines” shall mean the Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. Directors’ and Officers’ Share Ownership Guidelines, as amended from time to time, which encourage such Directors and Officers to hold a meaningful stake in the Company.
1.7    “Total Shareholder Return” or “TSR” shall mean for the Incentive Period the cumulative return to shareholders of the Company and to the shareholders of each of the entities in the Peer Group during the Incentive Period, measured by the change in Market Value Price per share of a Share of the Company plus dividends (or other distributions, excluding franking credits) reinvested over the Incentive Period and the change in the Market Value Price per share of the common share of each of the entities in the Peer Group plus dividends (or other distributions, excluding franking credits) reinvested over the Incentive Period, determined on the 

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last business day of the Incentive Period compared to a base measured by the average Market Value Price per share of a Share of the Company and of a common share of each of the entities in the Peer Group on the last business day of the year immediately preceding the Incentive Period.  Dividends (or other distributions, excluding franking credits) per share are assumed to be reinvested in the applicable stock on the last business day of the quarter during which they are paid at the then Market Value Price per share, resulting in a fractionally higher number of shares owned at the market price.

ARTICLE 2.
Grant and Terms of Performance Shares
2.1    Grant of Performance Shares.  Pursuant to the Plan, the Company, by action of the Committee, has granted to the Participant the number of Performance Shares as specified in the Grant, without dividend equivalents, effective as of the Date of Grant.  
2.2    Issuance of Performance Shares.  The Performance Shares covered by the Grant and these Terms and Conditions shall only result in the issuance of Shares (or cash or a combination of Shares and cash, as decided by the Committee in its sole discretion), if at all, only after the completion of the Incentive Period and only if such Performance Shares are earned as provided in Section 2.3 of this Article 2.
2.3    Performance Shares Earned.  Performance Shares Earned, if any, shall be based upon the degree of achievement of the Company Performance Objectives, all as more particularly set forth in Exhibit B, with actual Performance Shares Earned interpolated between the performance levels shown on Exhibit B, as determined and certified by the Committee as of the end of the Incentive Period.  In no event, shall any Performance Shares be earned with 

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respect to achievement by the Company in excess of the allowable maximum as established under the Performance Objectives.
2.4    Calculation of Payout of Performance Shares.  The Performance Shares granted shall be earned as Performance Shares Earned based on the degree of achievement of the Performance Objectives established for the Incentive Period.  The percentage level of achievement determined for each Performance Objective shall be multiplied by the number of Performance Shares granted to determine the actual number of Performance Shares Earned.  The calculation as to whether the Company has met or exceeded the Performance Objectives shall be determined and certified by the Committee in accordance with the Grant and these Terms and Conditions.
2.5    Payment of Performance Shares.
(a)    The Payment of Performance Shares Earned shall be made in the form of Shares (or cash or a combination of Shares and cash, as decided by the Committee in its sole discretion), and shall be paid after the determination and certification by the Committee of the level of attainment of the Performance Objectives (the calculation of which shall have been previously reviewed by an independent accounting professional), but in any event no later than 2-1/2 months after the end of the Incentive Period, unless the date of payment is deferred by the Participant pursuant to, and in compliance with, the terms of the Company’s Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans.  In the event that all or any portion of the Performance Shares Earned shall be paid in cash, the cash equivalent of one Performance Share Earned shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the one share of common stock of the Company on the last trading day of the Incentive Period ends.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Performance Shares granted hereunder, may be paid in cash in lieu of Shares to any Participant who is subject to the Share Ownership Guidelines unless and until such Participant is either in 

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compliance with, or no longer subject to, such Share Ownership Guidelines, provided, however, that the Committee may withhold Shares to the extent necessary to satisfy federal, state, local or foreign income tax withholding requirements, as described in Section 5.2.  In addition, the Committee may restrict 50% of the Shares to be issued in satisfaction of the total Performance Shares Earned, before income tax withholding, so that they cannot be sold by Participant unless immediately after such sale the Participant is in compliance with the Share Ownership Guidelines that are applicable to the Participant at the time of sale.
(b)    Any payment of Performance Shares Earned to a deceased Participant shall be paid to the beneficiary designated by the Participant on the Designation of Death Beneficiary attached as Exhibit D and filed with the Company.  If no such beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the estate of a Participant.  A beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time, provided the change or revocation is filed with the Company.
(c)    Prior to payment, the Company shall only have an unfunded and unsecured obligation to make payment of Performance Shares Earned to the Participant.  The Performance Shares covered by the Grant and these Terms and Conditions that have not yet been earned as Performance Shares Earned, and any interests of the Participant with respect thereto, are not transferable other than by completion of the Designation of Death Beneficiary attached as Exhibit D or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution.
2.6    Death, Disability, Retirement, or Other.
(a)    With respect to Performance Shares granted to a Participant whose employment is terminated because of the Participant’s death or Disability during the Incentive Period, the Performance Shares shall Vest 100% at target performance level in the event of the death or Disability of the Participant and delivery of Performance Shares Earned shall be made 

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to the Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary or estate in the case of death) at the time specified in Section 2.5(a).
(b)    With respect to Performance Shares granted to a Participant whose employment is terminated because of the Participant’s Retirement or termination by the Company not for Cause during the Incentive Period, the Performance Shares shall Vest pro-rata upon the Retirement of such Participant or termination of the Participant’s employment by the Company not for Cause.  The Participant shall receive at the time specified in Section 2.5(a) as Performance Shares Earned, the number of Performance Shares as is determined after the end of the Incentive Period under Sections 2.3 and 2.4, prorated based upon the number of full months between January 1, 2012 and the date the Participant ceased to be employed by the Company compared to the thirty-six (36) months in the Incentive Period.
(c)    In the event a Participant voluntarily terminates employment prior to December 31, 2014 for a reason other than those specified in Sections 2.6(a) or (b), or is terminated by the Company for Cause prior to the date of payment of Performance Shares Earned, the Participant shall forfeit all right to any Performance Shares that would have been earned under the Grant and these Terms and Conditions.

ARTICLE 3.
Grant and Terms of Restricted Share Units
3.1    Grant of Restricted Share Units.  Pursuant to the Plan, the Company has granted to the Participant the number of Restricted Share Units as specified in the Grant, without dividend equivalents, effective as of the Date of Grant.
3.2    Condition of Payment.  The Restricted Share Units covered by the Grant and these Terms and Conditions shall only result in the payment in Shares of the Company equal in 

6

number to the Restricted Share Units if the Participant remains in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary throughout the Incentive Period.
3.3    Payment of Restricted Share Units.
(a)    Payment of Restricted Share Units shall be made in the form of Shares and shall be paid at the same time as the payment of Performance Shares Earned pursuant to Section 2.5(a), provided, however, in the event no Performance Shares are earned, then the Restricted Share Units shall be paid in Shares at the time the Performance Shares would normally have been paid.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of Retirement or termination not for Cause, the restrictions on a number of Restricted Share Units equal to the tax payable by the Participant in relation to the Grant arising as a result of Retirement or termination not for Cause shall be removed at the time of Retirement or termination not for Cause (enabling that number of the Restricted Share Units to be paid within one month of Retirement or termination not for Cause) and the remaining amount paid at the same time as the payment of Performance Shares Earned pursuant to Section 2.5(a).  The Committee may restrict 50% of the Shares to be issued in satisfaction of the total Restricted Share Units, before income tax withholding, so that they cannot be sold by Participant unless immediately after such sale the Participant is in compliance with the Share Ownership Guidelines that are applicable to the Participant at the time of sale.
(b)    Any payment of Restricted Share Units to a deceased Participant shall be paid to the beneficiary designated by the Participant on the Designation of Death Beneficiary attached as Exhibit D and filed with the Company.  If no such beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the estate of a Participant.  A beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time, provided the change or revocation is filed with the Company.

7

(c)    Prior to payment, the Company shall only have an unfunded and unsecured obligation to make payment of Restricted Share Units to the Participant.  The Restricted Share Units covered by the Grant and these Terms and Conditions that have not yet been earned, and any interests of the Participant with respect thereto, are not transferable other than by completion of the Designation of Death Beneficiary attached as Exhibit D or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution.
3.4    Death, Disability, Retirement or Other.  
(a)    With respect to Restricted Share Units granted to a Participant whose employment is terminated because of the Participant’s death or Disability during the Incentive Period, the Restricted Share Units shall Vest 100% in the event of death or Disability of the Participant and delivery of the Restricted Share Units shall be made to the Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary or estate in the case of death) at the time specified in Section 3.3(a).
(b)    With respect to Restricted Share Units granted to a Participant whose employment is terminated because of the Participant’s Retirement, or termination by the Company not for Cause during the Incentive Period, the Restricted Share Units shall Vest pro-rata and Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary or estate in the case of death) shall receive at the time specified in Section 3.3(a) the number of Shares as calculated in Section 3.2, prorated based upon the number of full months between January 1, 2012 and the date the Participant ceased to be employed by the Company compared to the thirty-six (36) months in the Incentive Period.
(c)    In the event a Participant voluntarily terminates employment, for any reason other than those specified in Section 3.4(a), prior to December 31, 2014 or is terminated by the Company for Cause prior to December 31, 2014, all Restricted Share Units (or portions 

8

thereof) which have not been paid in cash or distributed in the form of Shares, whether Vested or not, are automatically forfeited immediately upon termination of employment.

ARTICLE 4.
Other Terms Common to Performance Shares and Restricted Share Units
4.1    Non-Compete and Confidentiality.
(a)    A Participant shall not render services for any organization or engage directly or indirectly in any business which is a competitor of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, or which organization or business is or plans to become prejudicial to or in conflict with the business interests of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company or distribute any secret or confidential information belonging to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company.
(b)    Failure to comply with subsection (a) above will cause a Participant to forfeit the right to Performance Shares and Restricted Share Units and require the Participant to reimburse the Company for the taxable income received or deferred on Performance Shares that become payable to the Participant and on Restricted Share Units that have been paid out in Shares within the 90-day period preceding the Participant’s termination of employment.
(c)    Failure of the Participant to repay to the Company the amount to be reimbursed in subsection (b) above within three days of termination of employment will result in the offset of said amount from the Participant’s account balance in the Company’s Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans, if applicable (at the time that the amounts owed under the  Company’s Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans are scheduled for payment), and/or from any accrued salary or vacation pay owed at the date of termination of employment or from future earnings payable by the Participant’s next employer.  If applicable, such offset shall be deemed to constitute the payment due to him or her under the Company’s Non-Qualified 

9

Deferred Compensation Plans in accordance with the time and form of payment specified under such plan and the immediate repayment to the Company of the amounts owed under these Terms and Conditions.
4.2    Change in Control.  In the event a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) occurs, all Performance Shares granted to a Participant for Incentive Periods which have not ended before the Change in Control shall, notwithstanding any preceding provisions of these Terms and Conditions to the contrary, immediately become Performance Shares Earned valued at the target performance level specified in Exhibit B on a one-to-one basis regardless of the actual achievement of the Performance Objectives.  All Performance Shares, if any, granted to a Participant for an Incentive Period which ended before the Change in Control, and which have not been paid in accordance with Section 2.5, will be deemed to be Performance Shares Earned to the extent and only to the extent that they became Performance Shares Earned as of the end of the Incentive Period based upon the Performance Objectives for the Incentive Period.  The value of all Performance Shares Earned, including ones for Incentive Periods which have already ended, shall be paid in cash based on the Fair Market Value of the Shares determined on the date the Change in Control occurs.  Also, in the event of a Change in Control, all Restricted Share Units granted for all periods shall become nonforfeitable and shall be paid in cash based on the Fair Market Value of an equivalent number of Shares determined on the date the Change in Control occurs.  All payments with respect to Performance Shares and Restricted Share Units shall be made within 10 days of the Change in Control.

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ARTICLE 5.
General Provisions
5.1    Compliance with Law.  The Company shall make reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws; provided, however, notwithstanding any other provision of the Grant and these Terms and Conditions, the Company shall not be obligated to issue any Shares pursuant to the Grant and these Terms and Conditions if the issuance or payment thereof would result in a violation of any such law; provided, however, that the Shares will be issued at the earliest date at which the Company reasonably anticipates that the issuance of the Shares will not cause such violation.  
5.2    Withholding Taxes.  To the extent that the Company is required to withhold federal, state, local or foreign taxes in connection with any payment of Performance Shares Earned or Restricted Share Units to a Participant under the Plan, the Company shall withhold the minimum amount of taxes which it determines it is required by law or required by the terms of the Plan to withhold in connection with any recognition of income incident to this Plan payable in cash or Shares to a Participant or beneficiary.  In the event of a taxable event occurring with regard to Shares on or after the date that the Shares become nonforfeitable, the Company shall reduce the Shares owed to the Participant or beneficiary by the fewest number of such Shares owed to the Participant or beneficiary such that the Fair Market Value of such Shares shall equal (or exceed by not more than the Fair Market Value of a single Share) the Participant’s or other person’s “Minimum Withholding Tax Liability” resulting from such recognition of income.  The Company shall pay cash equal to such Fair Market Value to the appropriate taxing authority for purposes of satisfying such withholding responsibility.  If a distribution or other event does not result in any withholding tax liability as a result of the Participant’s election to be taxed at an earlier date or for any other reason, the Company shall not reduce the Shares owed to the 

11

Participant or beneficiary.  For purposes of this paragraph, a person’s “Minimum Withholding Tax Liability” is the product of: (a) the aggregate minimum applicable federal and applicable state and local income withholding tax rates on the date of a recognition of income incident to the Plan; and (b) the Fair Market Value of the Shares recognized as income to the Participant or other person determined as of the date of recognition of income, or other taxable amount under applicable statutes. 
5.3    Continuous Employment.  For purposes of the Grant and these Terms and Conditions, the continuous employment of the Participant with the Company shall not be deemed to have been interrupted, and the Participant shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an employee of the Company, by reason of the transfer of his employment among the Company and its Subsidiaries or an approved leave of absence to the extent authorized by the Plan.
5.4    Relation to Other Benefits.  Any economic or other benefit to the Participant under the Grant and these Terms and Conditions or the Plan shall not be taken into account in determining any benefits to which the Participant may be entitled under any profit-sharing, retirement or other benefit or compensation plan maintained by the Company or a Subsidiary and shall not affect the amount of any life insurance coverage available to any beneficiary under any life insurance plan covering employees of the Company or a Subsidiary.
5.5    These Terms and Conditions Subject to Plan.  The Performance Shares and Restricted Share Units granted under the Grant and these Terms and Conditions and all of the terms and conditions hereof are subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Plan, a copy of which is available upon request.
5.6    Amendments.  The Plan, the Grant and these Terms and Conditions can be amended at any time by the Company.  Any amendment to the Plan shall be deemed to be an amendment to the Grant and these Terms and Conditions to the extent that the amendment is 

12

applicable hereto.  Except for amendments necessary to bring the Plan, the Grant and these Terms and Conditions into compliance with current law including all applicable tax laws, no amendment to either the Plan, the Grant or these Terms and Conditions shall adversely affect the rights of the Participant under the Grant and the Grant and these Terms and Conditions without the Participant’s consent.
5.7    Severability.  In the event that one or more of the provisions of the Grant and these Terms and Conditions shall be invalidated for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, any provision so invalidated shall be deemed to be separable from the other provisions hereof, and the remaining provisions hereof shall continue to be valid and fully enforceable.
5.8    Governing Law.  The Grant and these Terms and Conditions shall be construed and governed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio.
These Terms and Conditions are hereby adopted this 12th  day of March, 2012 by the members of the Compensation and Organization Committee of the Board of Directors of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. 

	
	
	/s/ James Kirsch

	James Kirsch

	 

	/s/ Francis McAllister

	Francis McAllister

	 

	/s/ Barry J. Eldridge

	Barry J. Eldridge

	 

	/s/ Janice K. Henry

	Janice K. Henry

	 

	/s/ Roger Phillips

	Roger Phillips

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EXHIBITS

Exhibit A        Peer Group
Exhibit B        Performance Objectives
Exhibit C        Relative Total Shareholder Return
Exhibit D        Beneficiary Designation

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Exhibit A
PEER GROUP 
(2012 - 2014)
The Peer Group will be the constituents as defined by the S&P Metals and Mining ETF Index on the last day of trading of the Incentive Period. Any constituent that underwent a restructuring or similar structural change or event resulting in a significant distortion of performance results for the Incentive Period will be excluded from the Peer Group.  
    
The value of the stock of a Peer Group company will be determined in accordance with the following:

		
	1.
	If the stock is listed on an exchange in the U.S. or Canada, then the value on such exchange will be used;

		
	2.
	Otherwise, if the stock is traded in the U.S. as an American Depositary Receipt, then the value of the ADR will be used; or

		
	3.
	Otherwise, the value on the exchange in the country where the company is headquartered will be used.

15

Exhibit B
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES  
(2012 - 2014)
The Performance Objective of the Company is based on Relative Total Shareholder Return (share price plus reinvested dividends) over the three-year Incentive Period from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014. Achievement of the Relative Total Shareholder Return objective shall be determined by the Total Shareholder Return of the Company relative to the Peer Group.  Achievement shall be determined against the scale set forth in the Table Below: 
	
				
	 
	Performance Level

	Performance Factor
	Threshold
	Target
	Maximum

	 
	 
	 
	 

	Relative TSR
	35th percentile
	55th percentile
	75th percentile

	Payout For Relative TSR
	50%
	100%
	200%

	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	 

16

Exhibit C
RELATIVE TOTAL SHAREHOLDER RETURN  
(2012 - 2014)
Relative Total Shareholder Return for the Incentive Period is calculated as follows:
		
	1.
	The Total Shareholder Return as defined in Section 1.8 of these Terms and Conditions for the Incentive Period for the Company shall be compared to the Total Shareholder Return for each of the entities within the Peer Group for the Incentive Period. The results shall be ranked to determine the Company’s Relative Total Shareholder Return percentile ranking compared to the Peer Group.

		
	2.
	The Company’s Relative Total Shareholder Return for the Incentive Period shall be compared to the Relative Total Shareholder Return Performance target range established for the Incentive Period.

		
	3.
	The Relative Total Shareholder Return performance target range has been established for the 2012-2014 Incentive Period as follows:

	
			
	Performance Level
	 
	2012-2014 
Relative Total Shareholder Return Percentile Ranking

	Maximum
	 
	75th Percentile

	Target
	 
	55th Percentile

	Threshold
	 
	35th Percentile

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GRANT YEAR 2012

Exhibit D

BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION 

In accordance with the Amended and Restated Cliffs  2007 Incentive Equity Plan, as amended (“Plan”), my 2012 Participant Grant (“Grant”), and the 2012 Terms and Conditions (“Terms and Conditions”), I hereby designate the person(s) indicated below as my beneficiary(ies) to receive any payments under the Plan, Grant, and Terms and Conditions after my death.

	
		
	Name:
	 

	Address:
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 

	
		
	Social Sec. Nos. of Beneficiary(ies)
	 

	Relationship(s)
	 

	Date(s) of Birth
	 

In the event that the above-named beneficiary(ies) predecease(s) me, I hereby designate the following person(s) as beneficiary(ies):

	
		
	Name:
	 

	Address:
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 

	
		
	Social Sec. Nos. of Beneficiary(ies)
	 

	Relationship(s)
	 

	Date(s) of Birth
	 

I hereby expressly revoke all prior designations of beneficiary(ies), reserve the right to change the beneficiary(ies) herein designated and agree that the rights of said beneficiary(ies) shall be subject to the terms of the Plan, Grant, and these Terms and Conditions.  In the event that there is no beneficiary living at the time of my death, I understand that the payments under the Plan, Grant, and these Terms and Conditions will be paid to my estate.
	
			
	 
	 
	 

	Date
	 
	(Signature)

	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	(Print or type name)

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