United States
Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of

February 2006

Companhia Vale do Rio Doce

Avenida Graça Aranha, No. 26
20005-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
(Address of principal executive office)

(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)

(Check One) Form 20-F þ  Form 40-F o

(Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1))

(Check One) Yes o  No þ

(Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7))

(Check One) Yes o  No þ

(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.)

(Check One) Yes o  No þ

(If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b). 82-___.)

 

 

CVRD concludes acquisition of Canico

Rio de Janeiro, February 10, 2006 — Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) announces that it has concluded the acquisition of the outstanding common shares of Canico Resource Corp. (Canico) not acquired under the take-over bid that expired on December 8, 2005, pursuant to a statutory compulsory acquisition. CVRD acquired the remaining 354,978 common shares of Canico, 0.8% of its total capital, for CAD$20.80 in cash per Canico share. Therefore, CVRD now owns 100% of Canico.

Canico will be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) effective at the close of business today.

Canico owns the Onça Puma nickel laterite project, a ferronickel deposit located in the Brazilian state of Pará. According to the feasibility study, the plant will have a nominal capacity to produce 57,000 tons of nickel per year and its development will demand investments of US$1.1 billion.

CVRD is reviewing the Canico Onça Puma nickel laterite project in order to maximize the synergies with its current and future operations, and, therefore the return to its shareholders.

The acquisition of Canico and the Onça Puma project is an important step taken by CVRD to become one of the global leading players in the non-ferrous metals business in the future. At the same time, it is consistent with Company’s strategic goal of continuous shareholder value creation.

For further information, please contact:
Roberto Castello Branco: roberto.castello.branco@cvrd.com.br +55-21-3814-4540
Alessandra Gadelha: alessandra.gadelha@cvrd.com.br +55-21-3814-4053
Barbara Geluda: barbara.geluda@cvrd.com.br +55-21-3814-4557
Daniela Tinoco: daniela.tinoco@cvrd.com.br +55-21-3814-4946
Fabio Lima: fabio.lima@cvrd.com.br +55-21-3814-4271
Pedro Gibbon: pedro.gibbon@cvrd.com.br +55-21-3814-6026

This press release may contain statements that express management’s expectations about future events or results rather than historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements, and CVRD cannot give assurance that such statements will prove correct. These risks and uncertainties include factors: relating to the Brazilian economy and securities markets, which exhibit volatility and can be adversely affected by developments in other countries; relating to the iron ore business and its dependence on the global steel industry, which is cyclical in nature; and relating to the highly competitive industries in which CVRD operates. For additional information on factors that could cause CVRD’s actual results to differ from expectations reflected in forward-looking statements, please see CVRD’s reports filed with the Brazilian Comissão de Valores Mobiliários and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.