environmental cleanup News

Brazil Charges 21 with Homicide for Failing to Avert Samarco Mine Disaster

Brazilian prosecutors charged 21 people with qualified homicide on Thursday for their roles in the collapse of a tailings dam at the Samarco Mineração SA iron ore mine last November that killed 19 people. The charges follow what is now …

Brazil’s Prosecutor Expected to Seek Criminal Charges over Samarco Mine Disaster

Brazilian prosecutors are finalizing a criminal investigation into the Samarco mine disaster and expect to ask a judge by the end of September to charge employees, one of the prosecutors heading the case said. The investigation is looking into alleged …

Brazil Mine Disaster Caused by Poor Drainage & Design of Tailings Dam: Report

The deadly collapse of a tailings dam last November at the Samarco mine, owned by Vale SA and BHP Billiton, was caused by drainage and design flaws, a report into Brazil’s worst-ever environmental disaster showed on Monday. The 76-page report …

BHP to Fight $6B Civil Claim over Brazil Mining Disaster

BHP Billiton on Friday said it would appeal against the decision by a Brazilian court to reinstate a $6 billion public civil claim over last year’s Samarco iron ore mine disaster. BHP and 50-50 joint-venture partner Vale had agreed on …

Samarco, BHP & Vale Agree to Pay $5B in Damages for Brazil Mining Disaster

Mining company Samarco and its owners, BHP Billiton and Vale SA , reached a deal with the Brazilian government on Wednesday to pay an estimated 20 billion reais ($5.1 billion) in damages over 15 years for a deadly dam spill …

Brazil & Samarco Close to Agreeing on Damages from Mining Disaster

Brazil’s government and Samarco Mineracao SA are meeting on Friday to finalize the settlement of a lawsuit for damages caused by a deadly dam spill at a mine in November, with the attorney general’s office saying the accord was 95 …

Brazil Police Accuse Vale, Samarco of Environmental Crime for Mine Disaster

Brazil’s Federal Police accused Vale SA and its Brazilian joint venture with BHP Billiton Ltd of environmental crime related to a November dam collapse that destroyed a city in the country’s southeast and sent waves of toxic mud downstream into …

Brazil Mine Disaster Shows Value (and Harm) of Public Relations Responses

Within hours of a deadly mining spill in November that would become Brazil’s worst environmental disaster, BHP Chief Executive Andrew Mackenzie was in front of a camera offering his sympathies to those affected. Meanwhile, his counterpart at joint venture partner …

ARCO Counter-Sues in Ongoing Legal Battle with Montana Residents

An oil company has counter-sued residents of the Montana communities of Opportunity and Crackerville who are seeking an environmental cleanup. The Montana Standard reported that the Atlantic Richfield Co. filed a lawsuit against 97 residents, claiming their long legal fight …

Brazil to Sue BHP and Vale for $5.24B in Damages Caused by Burst Dam Disaster

Brazil’s federal and state governments plan to sue the owners of the Samarco iron ore miner for 20 billion reais ($5.24 billion) in damages caused by the burst of a tailings dam, Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira told reporters on Friday …