Cambior Inc.: Omai Resumes Operations.

Business Editors

LONGUEUIL, Quebec--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 2003

Cambior Inc. (AMEX:CBJ) (TSX:CBJ) is pleased to announce that mining activities at the Omai mine in Guyana are back to normal after the reopening of the road between the town of Linden and Brazil following intensive discussions between the Government of Guyana, major road users and the protesters. The first trucks transporting fuel and supplies took the road yesterday and all the mining activities resumed gradually. The 600 employees laid off earlier this week are gradually returning to work. Milling operations resumed at mid-day on April 16th.

Due to the excellent performance of its operations since the beginning of the year, the Company is confident that the Omai mine will meet its original 2003 gold production target of 273,000 ounces.

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.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements", including, but not limited to, the statements regarding the targeted gold production at the Omai mine. Forward-looking statements express, as of the date of this press release, the Company's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events or results. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, uncertainties as to calculation of mineral reserves, factors associated with fluctuations in the market price of precious metals and the risks referred to in Cambior's 2001 Annual Information Form filed with the Securities Commissions of all provinces in Canada, and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the Toronto Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange.