FACTBOX-Brazil miner Vale's involvement in steel projects

Oct 19 (Reuters) - The chief executive of Brazilian miner Vale met with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva following harsh government criticism that the company was not doing enough to advance the country's steel sector.

Vale (VALE.N)(VALE5.SA) has in recent months boosted steel investments following government pressure. But the company insists it wants remain a minority shareholder in those projects to avoid competing with its steelmaker clients.

The following are Vale's principal investments in the steel industry:

* ThyssenKrupp CSA - The joint venture between Vale and German steel-giant ThyssenKrupp, under construction outside of Rio de Janeiro with start-up slated for 2010, would produce 5 million tonnes a year of steel slab.

Vale in July agreed to boost its stake to 27 percent from 10 percent after ThyssenKrupp (TKAG.DE) struggled to find financing for the project, estimated to cost at least $8 billion.

* Companhia Siderurgica de Pecem (CSP) - A planned 3 million to 6 million tonne-per-year facility in northern Brazil expected to be a joint venture between Vale and Korea's Dongkuk (001230.KS) that will begin operations in 2013.

Vale says it still has not decided its stake in the operation. It estimates the first phase of the project at $4 billion. The local government of the state of Ceara, where it will be built, puts the total cost at around twice that.

* Acos Laminados do Para (ALPA) - In 2008 Vale said it was conducting a feasibility study for a plant in Brazil's northern state of Para with production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per year of semi-finished steel production capacity.

The company estimates investments of $3.3 billion with start-up in 2013.

* Companhia Siderurgica de Ubu (CSU) - Originally conceived as a joint venture with China's Baosteel, Vale was later left as the only investor after Baosteel pulled out of the 5 million tonne-per-annum integrated steel slab plant.

Vale has not determined its stake in CSU but hopes to find a majority partner to take the helm while retaining only 20 percent of the operation. Start-up is expected in 2014.

* California Steel Industries (CSI) - Vale holds a 50 percent stake in a flat-rolled steel producer California Steel Industries (CSI) based in Fontana, California. Japan's JFE Steel holds the remaining stake.

(Reporting by Brian Ellsworth and Denise Luna)