south central Brazil, rising on the western slopes of the Serra da Mata da Corda and flowing west-southwestward for about 600 mi (1,000 km); it collects eight sizable tributaries along its course to join the Grande River and form the Paraná River. The river constitutes the border between Minas Gerais and Goiás states and briefly separates Minas Gerais from Mato Grosso do Sul state. Diamond washings are along its course. In the late 1970s, the Brazilian government began irrigation projects in the Paranaíba River Valley for cattle raising and cultivation of sugarcane, rice, corn (maize), cassava (for alcohol production), vegetables, feijão (beans), peanuts (groundnuts), bananas, and cotton. A hydroelectric plant was built at São Simão, about 60 mi north of the junction of the Paranaíba and Araguaia rivers.