Cambior Inc.: Announcement.

Business Editors

LONGUEUIL, Quebec--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 2003

Cambior (AMEX:CBJ) (TSX:CBJ) reports that a breakdown of the production hoist occurred during the weekend at the Doyon mine located in northwestern Quebec. The hoist is now being dismantled in order to evaluate potential damage to the bearings and the central shaft as well as the temporary impact on gold production from the mine. Repairs to the production hoist could last between 2 to 6 weeks depending on the results of such evaluation.

It is anticipated that the Doyon mill will continue its activities at full capacity by processing 1,600 tonnes per day from the Mouska and Doyon underground mines and 2,000 tonnes per day from the low-grade ore surface stockpile (1 g Au/t) located near the Doyon mill. Cambior will use the service hoist to raise ore to the surface and supplement this by truck haulage to the surface using the Doyon mine's ramp system.

The Doyon mine will re-evaluate its manpower needs as a result of this incident. A temporary layoff of manpower may be required during the repair period. The Company's insurers have been advised of this incident. Further details will be publicly disclosed once the full extent of the damage to the production hoist is known.

Cambior Inc. is an international gold producer with operations, development projects and exploration activities throughout the Americas. Cambior's shares trade on the Toronto (TSX) and American (AMEX) stock exchanges under the symbol "CBJ". Cambior's warrants, "CBJ.WT.B", trade on the TSX.

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements", including, but not limited to, the statements regarding the potential damage to the hoist, the necessary period of time for repairs and the upkeeping of milling activities at full capacity. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and there can be no guarantee that forward-looking statements in this press-release will materialize. In particular, damages could be more significant, repair time could take longer and milling could be performed at a reduced capacity, than anticipated. Factors that could cause results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include, among other things, the risk factors referred in Cambior's 2001 Annual Information Form filed with the Securities Commission of all provinces in Canada, and with the United Stated Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the TSX and the AMEX.