This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36199607
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brazil files $43.5bn claim over fatal dam disaster | Brazil files $43.5bn claim over fatal dam disaster |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Federal prosecutors in Brazil have filed a $43.5bn (£30bn) civil lawsuit against iron miner Samarco, and its owners BHP Billiton and Vale. | Federal prosecutors in Brazil have filed a $43.5bn (£30bn) civil lawsuit against iron miner Samarco, and its owners BHP Billiton and Vale. |
| It follows the collapse of a dam they owned that caused a huge mudslide, polluted a river, and killed 19 people. | It follows the collapse of a dam they owned that caused a huge mudslide, polluted a river, and killed 19 people. |
| Anglo-Australian BHP and Brazil's Vale said they had yet to receive formal notice of the claim. | |
| BHP's Australia-listed shares had fallen more than 9% by the end of the trading session. | |
| In a statement, BHP said: "BHP Billiton remains committed to helping Samarco to rebuild the community and restore the environment affected by the failure of the dam." | In a statement, BHP said: "BHP Billiton remains committed to helping Samarco to rebuild the community and restore the environment affected by the failure of the dam." |
| In their 359-page lawsuit, prosecutors said they used the BP oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico to help assess the likely costs and compensation. | In their 359-page lawsuit, prosecutors said they used the BP oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico to help assess the likely costs and compensation. |
| BP's total pre-tax charge for that spill has reached more than $55bn. | BP's total pre-tax charge for that spill has reached more than $55bn. |
| The civil action is separate from a lawsuit that Samarco, Vale and BHP settled with Brazil's government in March, in which the companies agreed to pay an estimated 20bn Brazilian reais (£3.86bn) for the damage. | The civil action is separate from a lawsuit that Samarco, Vale and BHP settled with Brazil's government in March, in which the companies agreed to pay an estimated 20bn Brazilian reais (£3.86bn) for the damage. |
| Federal and state prosecutors did not form part of that settlement. | Federal and state prosecutors did not form part of that settlement. |
| The Bloomberg news agency, which first reported the lawsuit, said prosecutors were demanding an initial payment of 7.8bn reais within 30 days. |