Colonial Coal International Corp.: Update on Huguenot Coal Project

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - May 23, 2013) - Colonial Coal International Corp. (TSX VENTURE:CAD) (the "Company" or "Colonial Coal").

David Austin, Colonial Coal's President and CEO, is pleased to report that, with a view to characterizing the nature of a potential coal product from the Company's Huguenot Coal Project (located in northeastern British Columbia), Colonial Coal has recently commissioned Kobie Koornhof Associates Inc. ("KKAI") to undertake a review of coal quality and carbonization data derived from core samples.

This review was carried out by KKAI's principal, Kobie Koornhof, who is an authority on Canadian metallurgical coal, particularly with respect to coal quality, marketability and pricing.

Mr. Koornhof's comments are based upon a preliminary review of coal quality data from drilling programs, washability results and coke tests undertaken in 2008 and from 2011 to date. A synopsis of Mr. Koornhof's findings is reproduced immediately hereinbelow:

"Huguenot coal quality has been assessed on the basis of the full set of quality parameters used for the classification of metallurgical coals for use by the steel industry, in particular:

• coking and caking properties;
• rheological properties;
• chemical characteristics; and
• petrography of the coal.

"The Huguenot coals are in the same geological formation (Gates Formation) as hard coking coals from NEBC which are currently being exported to steel mills on a worldwide basis. These hard coking coals fall within the suite of high quality Canadian coking coals which have gained market acceptance and have come to play an important part in coke oven blends over the last 40 years.

"Huguenot coal quality is similar to that of the hard coking coals currently exported from NEBC and, based on the information available, meets the requirements for classification as a hard coking coal.

"Steel mills worldwide have a long history of importing Canadian coking coals, and today Canadian coals play an important role in the production of coke with favourable ash, sulphur and strength characteristics.

"Based on the quality data reviewed to date, coals from Huguenot will find a place among the hard coking coals delivered to those steel mills."

Mr. Austin adds: "We are very pleased that Mr. Koornhof and his team haves been able to confirm our Company's opinion that Huguenot coal would meet current and globally accepted hard coking coal standards."

As at January 31, 2013, the Company reported working capital of $6.2 million, including cash of $5.8 million. With these funds in place, the Company intends to advance the exploration and development of the Huguenot Coal Project and, subject to receipt of coal licenses and permit approval, the Flatbed Coal Project, and to fund the current ongoing feasibility investigation of the development of the proposed Watson Island bulk shipping terminal.

This press release has been reviewed by John Perry, a director of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

About Colonial Coal International Corp.

Colonial is a publicly traded pure-play coking coal company in British Columbia. The northeast Coal Block of British Columbia, within which our Company's projects are located, hosts a number of proven deposits and has been the subject of M&A activities by Xstrata, Walter Energy, Anglo-American and others.

Additional information can be found on the Company's website www.ccoal.ca or by viewing the Company's filings at www.sedar.com.

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