Common Contracts

Basic and Preliminary Agreement with Vale for the Purchase of Controlling Shares in USIMINAS

Minas Gerais • January 28th, 2009

• Jurisdiction
  Minas Gerais
• Filed
  January 28th, 2009

Nippon Steel Corporation (“NSC”) and Nippon Usiminas Co., Ltd. (“NU”), one of NSC’s affiliates, have reached a basic agreement with Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (“Vale”), one of the controlling shareholders in Usinas Siderúrgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. (“USIMINAS”), to purchase about 14.8 million shares of controlling sh are (5.9% of the total voting share) in the whole USIMINAS which are now in possession of Vale (subject to Vale’s Board approval).