Altius Implements Regular Dividend, Pays Down Debt, and Re-Establishes NCIB

ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND--(Marketwired - March 26, 2015) - Altius Minerals Corporation ("Altius") (TSX:ALS) is pleased to announce the implementation of a dividend policy and a starting annualized distribution of $0.08 per share payable as $0.02 per share on a quarterly basis on its common shares to all shareholders of record at the close of business on April 7, 2015 expected to be paid on or about April 20, 2015.

Concurrently, Altius announces that it has made a payment of $35 million on its term debt facility. This payment reduces term debt to $79 million (from $140 million less than a year ago) and, as per the terms of its credit agreement, results in a reduced effective interest rate from 7.8% to 6.5% annually. This payment therefore results in an estimated annual improvement to pre tax operating cash flows of $3.8 million.

Altius also announces that it has re-instated its Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB") and it may purchase at market price up to 1,617,841 common shares ("Shares"), being approximately 5% of its outstanding Shares of 32,356,826 as of March 17, 2015, by way of a normal course issuer bid ("NCIB") through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"). The bid is subject to regulatory approval. The NCIB will commence March 30, 2015 and will end no later than March 29, 2016. Any Shares purchased during the NCIB will be cancelled and returned to treasury.

The TSX rules permit Altius to purchase daily, through TSX facilities, a maximum of 16,088 Shares under Altius' NCIB. During the previous 12 months, Altius did not purchase any Shares as it did not have an active NCIB. The reason for the NCIB is that, in the opinion of the board of directors, the value of Altius, based on anticipated cash flows and underlying asset values, is from time to time, greater than the then aggregate market price of the Shares and accordingly, the acquisition of Shares under the NCIB represents an appropriate use of funds.

Ben Lewis, CFO of Altius, commented, "Following the recent monetization of its investment holding in Virginia Mines, which was recently combined with Osisko Gold Royalties, Altius gained the balance sheet flexibility to pay down debt related to the Prairies Royalties acquisition in April 2014 and thereby enhance the operating cash flows from our strong royalty portfolio. This in turn has allowed us to implement a dividend policy that we believe is not only sustainable but capable of growth going forward."

John Baker, Executive Chairman of the Company added, "For the first time in our 17 year history of growth we are in a position to provide our shareholders with a dividend. The decision by the Board on a starting dividend was balanced and optimized in light of the many growth opportunities that our sector continues to offer up in this cyclical industry, while maintaining prudent leverage levels and other forms of shareholder capital return such as share buybacks."

About Altius

Altius is a diversified mining royalty company with royalty interests in 12 producing mines located in Canada. The royalty interests include mining operations that produce thermal (electrical) and metallurgical coal, potash, nickel, copper and cobalt.

Altius holds other significant pre-development stage royalties and its project generation pipeline contains a diversified portfolio of exploration stage projects and royalties, many of which are being advanced through various partner-funding arrangements.

Altius has 32,356,826 shares issued and outstanding that are listed on Canada's Toronto Stock Exchange. It is a member of both the S&P/TSX Small Cap and S&P/TSX Global Mining Indices.