Mining is always a good metaphor for seeking out the best investments. And when you mine for mining stocks, you turn up Brazil's top hardhat selection, Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE:RIO), also known as Rio Doce (or even more simply, CVRD). Despite the heights to which the mining and metals sector has ascended, the Motley Fool CAPS community says there are still plenty of rich veins for this stock to tap.

CVRD's recent acquisition of nickel-mining company Inco puts it at the top of the ingot heap in that metal. In addition, the attraction of the proposed merger between Alcan (NYSE:AL) and Alcoa (NYSE:AA) -- or even BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP) -- shows there's still gold to be found in its aluminum operations.

CAPS take
Nearly 1,300 professional and novice investors at Motley Fool CAPS have opined that CRVD will overwhelmingly outperform the market. More than a third of those bullish investors are CAPS All-Stars, top-rated players who consistently outperform their peers. It seems a lot of people have something to say about the Brazilian miner.

New CAPS investor cthree87 notes, "Steel is king and as long as the worldwide infrastructure buildout continues CVRD will be one of the primary players."

That's a view echoed by another newcomer, JimBart82, who simply says that CVRD is "(t)he classic must own stock for iron ore and recently nickel production."

A few more seasoned players like tarig concur, though there might be such tarnish in the future: "High growth, low p/e, leader in a growing industry-all look good. The only thing that gives me pause is the high PEG ratio."

My take
From new CAPS players to those who've been around for awhile, the community overwhelmingly feels that this is a company still has plenty of mettle. Short-sellers were recently beaten back in their attack on the stock, and with deals all around the globe, including China, Mozambique, Angola, Japan, and elsewhere in Latin America, I think Rio Doce can still surpass its nearly 50% year-to-date run-up . Rivals like Rio Tinto (NYSE:RTP) and soon-to-be focused Norsk Hydro (NYSE:NHY) might also benefit from the continued demand in metals.

Your take
Got a head for mining stocks? Do you agree with our CAPS community that Rio Doce can continue to undermine the competition? Make your voice heard and let us know.

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Fool contributor Rich Duprey does not have a financial position in any of the stocks mentioned in this article. You can see his holdings here. The Motley Fool's disclosure policy is worth its weight in ... well, you know.