Mariana Dam Compensation Deal Expanded

A Brazilian court announced that 19 additional municipalities, including Brazil — Mariana, Minas Gerais, the epicenter of the 2015 Samarco dam collapse, have joined the compensation agreement with BHP, Vale, and Samarco. The deal, ratified in October 2024, now includes 45 of 49 eligible cities. The agreement provides 170 billion reais ($32.74 billion) in compensation and reparation, with 6 billion reais earmarked for affected cities. The 2015 collapse killed 19 people, displaced hundreds, and polluted the Doce River. The expansion follows earlier resistance from cities that deemed the amount insufficient, partly due to ongoing legal action against BHP in London. In November, London's High Court ruled BHP responsible under Brazilian law, with a damages trial expected in April 2027. Brazil — Mariana, Minas Gerais's mayor called the move a historic victory, while four cities remain outside the agreement.