-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 P9a65HDLHoDPrrbm2lbL8NR+8n811kSmKNkMeXLIXy39AWhpxsxTew2nAZ3xFLzQ
 tAeLx3Cw+jEzgFEGDTcjqA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-08-030629.txt : 20080515
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-08-030629.hdr.sgml : 20080515
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080515201007
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-08-030629
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080513
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080515
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080515

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CLEVELAND CLIFFS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000764065
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	METAL MINING [1000]
		IRS NUMBER:				341464672
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1100 SUPERIOR AVE 18TH FLR
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44114
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2166945700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 SUPERIOR AVE
		STREET 2:		18TH FLOOR
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44114

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			IRELAND JAMES D III
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001221381

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08944
		FILM NUMBER:		08840132

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1801 EAST 9TH ST
		STREET 2:		STE 1200
		CITY:			CLEVELAND
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44114
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-05-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000764065</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CLEVELAND CLIFFS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CLF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001221381</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>IRELAND JAMES D III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1801 EAST 9TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CLEVELAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44114</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-05-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>402</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>186.79</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11547</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23094</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>349592</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Co-Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>22906.5011</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22906.502</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects the number of restricted shares granted to the Reporting Person as an Annual Equity Grant pursuant to the Nonemployee Directors' Compensation Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Total ownership amount reflects the Company's 2-for-1 stock split on May 15, 2008, which resulted in the reporting person's receiving 11,547 additional shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Total ownership reflects the Company's 2-for-1 stock split on May 15, 2008, which resulted in the reporting person's receiving 174,796 additional shares.  The shares represented are held in five trusts for the benefit of siblings and the Reporting Person who is a co-trustee of the trusts.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of 255,894 of these shares.  The Reporting Person has an interest in the income or corpus with respect to 93,698 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Convertible into Common Shares on a 1-for-1 basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Stock Units reflect Common Shares underlying deferred compensation credited to the account of the Reporting Person under the Nonemployee Directors' Compensation Plan.  Each Stock Unit is generally distributable following termination of service as a Director.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The total includes dividend reinvestment pursuant to the Plan. The number of deferred dividend reinvestment equivalent shares earned in the Plan is calculated using the closing market price at the end of each quarter for shares held in the Plan.  The reporting person was credited with an aggregate amount of 47.0756 dividend reinvestment shares for the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008.
The total ownership amount also reflects the 2-for-1 stock split on May 15, 2008, which resulted in the reporting person's receiving 11,453.251 additional shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Traci L. Forrester by
Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----