Vale do Aço means steel valley in Portuguese. This region is also known as "a Região de Siderurgia" (the Region of ironcasting), which holds a great number of iron and steel processing companies along the course of the Rio Doce. It is located east of the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, Sete Lagoas and Contagem.

Other industrial valleys

• silicon valley
• Food valley, external link: [www.foodvalley.nl]