Companhia Vale do Rio Doce announced that the proposal of merger of Vale’s wholly-owned subsidiary Mineracao Onça Puma SA into Vale, was approved today by Vale’s shareholders gathered in Extraordinary Shareholder Meeting.

With the merger, Vale unconditionally assumes all properties, rights and obligations of Mineracao Onca Puma under the terms of current legislation. At the same time, it abides by the undertakings with respect to the management of the nickel business that were assumed vis-à-vis the Canadian Government pursuant to the Investment Canada Act upon the occasion of the acquisition of Inco Ltd.