"Brazilian settlement for Mariana dam disaster rejected", 12 March 2025.

Thirty-one out of 46 municipalities have rejected BHP’s deal to compensate the victims of the Mariana dam disaster. These municipalities include many of the largest and most affected, like the city of Mariana.

Furthermore, 64% of those affected and represented in the claim bought to English courts are not eligible for the Brazilian deal.

The Brazilian deal is being rejected as the English courts are concluding final submissions this week, in a case that seeks to hold BHP responsible for the disaster that killed 19 people, left hundreds homeless and polluted the length of the Doce River.

On 5 November 2015, the Fundão Dam near the city of Mariana in Southeast Brazil collapsed, unleashing 60 million m3 of tailings, the by-products of iron-ore mining operations in the area.