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NOTE 6 – ACQUISITIONS

Acquisitions

We allocate the cost of acquisitions to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values. Any excess of cost over the fair value of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill.

Consolidated Thompson

On May��12, 2011, we completed our acquisition of Consolidated Thompson by acquiring all of the outstanding common shares of Consolidated Thompson for C$17.25 per share in an all-cash transaction, including net debt, pursuant to the terms of an arrangement agreement dated as of January��11, 2011. Upon the acquisition: (a)��each outstanding Consolidated Thompson common share was acquired for a cash payment of C$17.25; (b)��each outstanding option and warrant that was “in the money” was acquired for cancellation for a cash payment of C$17.25 less the exercise price per underlying Consolidated Thompson common share; (c)��each outstanding performance share unit was acquired for cancellation for a cash payment of C$17.25; (d)��all outstanding Quinto Mining Corporation rights to acquire common shares of Consolidated Thompson were acquired for cancellation for a cash payment of C$17.25 per underlying Consolidated Thompson common share; and (e)��certain Consolidated Thompson management contracts were eliminated that contained certain change of control provisions for contingent payments upon termination. The acquisition date fair value of the consideration transferred totaled $4.6 billion. Our full ownership of Consolidated Thompson has been included in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements since the acquisition date, and the subsidiary is reported as a component of our Eastern Canadian Iron Ore segment.

The acquisition of Consolidated Thompson reflects our strategy to build scale by owning expandable and exportable steelmaking raw material assets serving international markets. Through our acquisition of Consolidated Thompson, we now own and operate an iron ore mine and processing facility near Bloom Lake in Quebec, Canada that produces iron ore concentrate of high quality. WISCO is a 25 percent partner in the Bloom Lake mine. We also own additional development properties, primarily Lamêlée and Peppler Lake, in Quebec. All of these properties are in proximity to our existing Canadian operations and will allow us to leverage our port facilities and supply this iron ore to the seaborne market. The acquisition also is expected to further diversify our existing customer base.

The following table summarizes the consideration paid for Consolidated Thompson and the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date. We finalized the purchase price allocation for the acquisition of Consolidated Thompson during the second quarter of 2012.

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Included in the changes to the initial purchase price allocation for Consolidated Thompson, which was performed during the second quarter of 2011, are changes recorded in the first quarter of 2012, when we further refined the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The acquisition date fair value was adjusted to record a $16.4 million increase related to pre-acquisition date Quebec mining duties tax. We recorded $6.1 million and $10.3 million as increases to current and long-term liabilities, respectively. This resulted in a reduction of our calculated minimum distribution payable to the minority partner by $2.6 million. These adjustments resulted in a net $13.8 million increase to our goodwill during the period. As our fair value estimates remained materially unchanged from December��31, 2011, the immaterial adjustments made to the initial purchase price allocation during the first quarter of 2012 were recorded in that period. All other changes to the initial allocation were recorded retrospectively to the acquisition date. During the second quarter of 2012, no further adjustments were recorded.

During 2011, subsequent to the initial purchase price allocation for Consolidated Thompson, we adjusted the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Based on this process, the acquisition date fair value of the Consolidated Thompson mineral rights, deferred tax liability and noncontrolling interest in Bloom Lake were adjusted to $4,825.6 million, $1,041.8 million and $1,075.4 million, respectively, in the revised purchase price allocation during the fourth quarter of 2011. The change in mineral rights was caused by further refinements to the valuation model, most specifically as it related to potential tax structures that have value from a market participant standpoint and the risk premium used in determining the discount rate. The change in the deferred tax liability primarily was a result of the movement in the mineral rights value and obtaining additional detail of the acquired tax basis in the acquired assets and liabilities. Finally, the change in the noncontrolling interest in Bloom Lake was due to the change in mineral rights and a downward adjustment to the discount for lack of control being used in the valuation. A complete comparison of the initial and revised final purchase price allocation has been provided in the table above.

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The fair value of the noncontrolling interest in the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in Bloom Lake has been allocated proportionately, based upon WISCO’s 25 percent interest in Bloom Lake.��We then reduced the allocated fair value of WISCO’s ownership interest in Bloom Lake to reflect the noncontrolling interest discount.

The $997.3 million of goodwill resulting from the acquisition has been assigned to our Eastern Canadian Iron Ore business segment through the CQIM reporting unit. Management believes the goodwill recognized primarily is attributable to the proximity to our existing Canadian operations and potential for future expansion in Eastern Canada, which will allow us to leverage our port facilities and supply iron ore to the seaborne market. None of the goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes. Refer to NOTE 7 – GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND LIABILITIES for further information.

The following unaudited consolidated pro forma information summarizes the results of operations for the three and six months ended June��30, 2011 as if the Consolidated Thompson acquisition and the related financing had been completed as of January��1, 2010. The pro forma information gives effect to actual operating results prior to the acquisition. The unaudited consolidated pro forma information does not purport to be indicative of the results that actually would have been obtained if the acquisition of Consolidated Thompson had occurred as of the beginning of the periods presented or that may be obtained in the future.

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