Latest news with #Samarco
NDTV
3 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Ten Years After Brazil Mine Disaster, Pollution Persists
A decade after a dam collapsed in Brazil, sending a deluge of toxic mud into villages and waterways, residents complain of an inadequate cleanup and compensation by international mining firms. The 2015 dam collapse which killed 19 people was one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters, with survivors saying the Doce River region north of Rio de Janeiro remains heavily polluted. "The entire ecosystem around the river was destroyed," Marcelo Krenak, a leader of the Krenak Indigenous people, told AFP on the sidelines of a hearing in London held this week. The hearing is part of a large-scale legal action brought by claimants seeking compensation from Australian mining giant BHP -- which, at the time of the disaster, had one of its global headquarters in the UK. "My people, the culture, has always been linked to the river," Krenak said, wearing a traditional headdress with striking blue feathers. "The medicinal plants that only existed in the river are contaminated, the soil is contaminated, so you cannot plant, you cannot use the river water for animals," he added. Following a mega-trial that concluded in March, the claimants now await a decision from the British High Court in the coming weeks regarding BHP's liability for the disaster. The Fundao tailings dam at an iron ore mine in Minas Gerais state was managed by Samarco, co-owned by BHP and Brazilian miner Vale. The High Court is already preparing the second phase of the case to determine potential damages and compensation, which could begin in October 2026 if BHP is found liable. 'Terrible tragedy' The company told AFP that "the recovery of the Doce River, the water quality of which had already returned to pre-dam failure levels, remained a focus". Acknowledging the "terrible tragedy", BHP said it is "committed to supporting Samarco to do what's right by the Brazilian people, communities, organisations, and environments affected by the dam failure". BHP maintains that the compensation agreement it reached last year in Brazil -- worth around $31 billion -- provides a resolution. However, a majority of the 620,000 claimants, including 46 municipalities, argue that they are not sufficiently covered by the deal and are instead seeking around £35 billion ($49 billion) in damages. Krenak said the claimants will at a potential future hearing present "visual evidence, photos and videos of what was done, what caused it, and the damage it is causing to this day". The city of Mariana, one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster, is seeking 28 billion Brazilian real ($5 billion) in compensation. "Our hope is that here in London, the municipality will be heard because, in Brazil, we were not heard," Mayor of Mariana, Juliano Duarte, told AFP. Duarte said he believes the British legal system will hold BHP accountable, which could pressure the company to negotiate directly with the claimants. He said the municipality is "open" to negotiation but "will not accept crumbs like those that were offered in Brazil".
France 24
3 days ago
- Business
- France 24
Ten years after Brazil mine disaster, pollution persists
The 2015 dam collapse which killed 19 people was one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters, with survivors saying the Doce River region north of Rio de Janeiro remains heavily polluted. "The entire ecosystem around the river was destroyed," Marcelo Krenak, a leader of the Krenak Indigenous people, told AFP on the sidelines of a hearing in London held this week. The hearing is part of a large-scale legal action brought by claimants seeking compensation from Australian mining giant BHP -- which, at the time of the disaster, had one of its global headquarters in the UK. "My people, the culture, has always been linked to the river," Krenak said, wearing a traditional headdress with striking blue feathers. "The medicinal plants that only existed in the river are contaminated, the soil is contaminated, so you cannot plant, you cannot use the river water for animals," he added. Following a mega-trial that concluded in March, the claimants now await a decision from the British High Court in the coming weeks regarding BHP's liability for the disaster. The Fundao tailings dam at an iron ore mine in Minas Gerais state was managed by Samarco, co-owned by BHP and Brazilian miner Vale. The High Court is already preparing the second phase of the case to determine potential damages and compensation, which could begin in October 2026 if BHP is found liable. 'Terrible tragedy' The company told AFP that "the recovery of the Doce River, the water quality of which had already returned to pre-dam failure levels, remained a focus". Acknowledging the "terrible tragedy", BHP said it is "committed to supporting Samarco to do what's right by the Brazilian people, communities, organisations, and environments affected by the dam failure". BHP maintains that the compensation agreement it reached last year in Brazil -- worth around $31 billion -- provides a resolution. However, a majority of the 620,000 claimants, including 46 municipalities, argue that they are not sufficiently covered by the deal and are instead seeking around £35 billion ($49 billion) in damages. Krenak said the claimants will at a potential future hearing present "visual evidence, photos and videos of what was done, what caused it, and the damage it is causing to this day". The city of Mariana, one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster, is seeking 28 billion Brazilian real ($5 billion) in compensation. "Our hope is that here in London, the municipality will be heard because, in Brazil, we were not heard," Mayor of Mariana, Juliano Duarte, told AFP. Duarte said he believes the British legal system will hold BHP accountable, which could pressure the company to negotiate directly with the claimants. He said the municipality is "open" to negotiation but "will not accept crumbs like those that were offered in Brazil".
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Ten Years After Brazil Mine Disaster, Pollution Persists
A decade after a dam collapsed in Brazil, sending a deluge of toxic mud into villages and waterways, residents complain of an inadequate cleanup and compensation by international mining firms. The 2015 dam collapse which killed 19 people was one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters, with survivors saying the Doce River region north of Rio de Janeiro remains heavily polluted. "The entire ecosystem around the river was destroyed," Marcelo Krenak, a leader of the Krenak Indigenous people, told AFP on the sidelines of a hearing in London held this week. The hearing is part of a large-scale legal action brought by claimants seeking compensation from Australian mining giant BHP -- which, at the time of the disaster, had one of its global headquarters in the UK. "My people, the culture, has always been linked to the river," Krenak said, wearing a traditional headdress with striking blue feathers. "The medicinal plants that only existed in the river are contaminated, the soil is contaminated, so you cannot plant, you cannot use the river water for animals," he added. Following a mega-trial that concluded in March, the claimants now await a decision from the British High Court in the coming weeks regarding BHP's liability for the disaster. The Fundao tailings dam at an iron ore mine in Minas Gerais state was managed by Samarco, co-owned by BHP and Brazilian miner Vale. The High Court is already preparing the second phase of the case to determine potential damages and compensation, which could begin in October 2026 if BHP is found liable. The company told AFP that "the recovery of the Doce River, the water quality of which had already returned to pre-dam failure levels, remained a focus". Acknowledging the "terrible tragedy", BHP said it is "committed to supporting Samarco to do what's right by the Brazilian people, communities, organisations, and environments affected by the dam failure". BHP maintains that the compensation agreement it reached last year in Brazil -- worth around $31 billion -- provides a resolution. However, a majority of the 620,000 claimants, including 46 municipalities, argue that they are not sufficiently covered by the deal and are instead seeking around GBP35 billion ($49 billion) in damages. Krenak said the claimants will at a potential future hearing present "visual evidence, photos and videos of what was done, what caused it, and the damage it is causing to this day". The city of Mariana, one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster, is seeking 28 billion Brazilian real ($5 billion) in compensation. "Our hope is that here in London, the municipality will be heard because, in Brazil, we were not heard," Mayor of Mariana, Juliano Duarte, told AFP. Duarte said he believes the British legal system will hold BHP accountable, which could pressure the company to negotiate directly with the claimants. He said the municipality is "open" to negotiation but "will not accept crumbs like those that were offered in Brazil". The city of Mariana, one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster, which is seeking around $5 billion in compensation AFP The 2015 dam collapse killed 19 people and unleashed a deluge of thick toxic mud into villages, fields, rainforest, rivers and the ocean AFP
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BHP faces UK contempt charge for funding case over Brazil dam collapse
LONDON (Reuters) -BHP faces a full contempt of court hearing in Britain for funding litigation to try to prevent some Brazilian municipalities suing the mining giant over one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters, London's High Court ruled on Thursday. Thursday's ruling is the latest development in long-running litigation over the collapse in 2015 of the Mariana dam in southeastern Brazil that was owned and operated by BHP and Vale's Samarco joint venture. Judge Adam Constable said it was arguable that BHP, the world's biggest miner by market value, funded Brazilian litigation to stop the municipalities suing in London "with the purpose ... of interfering with the administration of justice". It is not yet known when the contempt hearing will take place. BHP, meanwhile, awaits judgment in a London lawsuit that the claimants' lawyers have valued at up to 36 billion pounds ($49.3 billion). A BHP spokesperson said the ruling did not determine the merits of the contempt application made by the municipalities that it "will continue to vigorously defend". Lawyers representing the claimants suing BHP – which include more than 600,000 Brazilians, 46 local governments and around 2,000 businesses – welcomed the decision as "a significant step forward in holding BHP to account". The dam burst and unleashed a wave of toxic sludge that killed 19 people, left thousands homeless, flooded forests, polluted the length of the Doce River – and led to one of the largest lawsuits in English legal history. The trial began in October and finished in March. Judgment on whether BHP can be held liable for the collapse is pending. BHP denies liability and says the case duplicates legal proceedings and reparation and repair programs in Brazil. In the trial's first week, Brazil signed a 170 billion reais ($30.6 billion) compensation agreement with BHP, Vale and Samarco.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BHP faces UK contempt charge for funding case over Brazil dam collapse
LONDON (Reuters) -BHP faces a full contempt of court hearing in Britain for funding litigation to try to prevent some Brazilian municipalities suing the mining giant over one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters, London's High Court ruled on Thursday. Thursday's ruling is the latest development in long-running litigation over the collapse in 2015 of the Mariana dam in southeastern Brazil that was owned and operated by BHP and Vale's Samarco joint venture. Judge Adam Constable said it was arguable that BHP, the world's biggest miner by market value, funded Brazilian litigation to stop the municipalities suing in London "with the purpose ... of interfering with the administration of justice". It is not yet known when the contempt hearing will take place. BHP, meanwhile, awaits judgment in a London lawsuit that the claimants' lawyers have valued at up to 36 billion pounds ($49.3 billion). A BHP spokesperson said the ruling did not determine the merits of the contempt application made by the municipalities that it "will continue to vigorously defend". Lawyers representing the claimants suing BHP – which include more than 600,000 Brazilians, 46 local governments and around 2,000 businesses – welcomed the decision as "a significant step forward in holding BHP to account". The dam burst and unleashed a wave of toxic sludge that killed 19 people, left thousands homeless, flooded forests, polluted the length of the Doce River – and led to one of the largest lawsuits in English legal history. The trial began in October and finished in March. Judgment on whether BHP can be held liable for the collapse is pending. BHP denies liability and says the case duplicates legal proceedings and reparation and repair programs in Brazil. In the trial's first week, Brazil signed a 170 billion reais ($30.6 billion) compensation agreement with BHP, Vale and Samarco. Sign in to access your portfolio
