1.   Australian coal miners are tough, better paid than the iron miners and well organized.

2.   Brazilian stocks rose even though the auction of a controlling stake in iron ore miner Cia. Vale do Rio Doce was suspended.

3.   Brazil sold banks, electric utilities, iron ore miner Cia. Vale do Rio Doce and licenses to run mobile telephone operations.

4.   Brazilian officials yesterday detailed plans to sell the state-controlled iron ore miner in three stages, starting in February.

5.   Iron ore miner Cia. Vale do Rio Doce and telephone companies led the rise.

6.   Other decliners included iron ore miner Cia. Vale do Rio Doce and pulp and paper maker Votorantim Celulose e Papel SA.

7.   Reports of significant asbestos illness among New York talc miners and taconite iron miners along the Iron Range in Minnesota and Michigan prompted McAteer to order increased mine surveillance.

8.   Shareholders with voting rights can sell their shares in CVRD at the same time that the government sells its controlling stake in the iron ore miner.

9.   Terms of the sale offering state that only groups of three or more companies can bid for the iron ore miner.

10.   The company is the second-largest Brazilian exporter after iron ore miner Cia Vale do Rio Doce.