The Brazilian Federal Public Prosecution Service has launched a A$43-billion legal proceeding against joint venture (JV) partners BHP Billiton and Vale following a 2015 tailings dam failure at the Samarco iron-ore project, which claimed the lives of 19 people.
BHP told shareholders on Wednesday that while the company had not received a formal notice of the claim, it was understood it related to social, environmental and economic compensation for the failure of a tailings dam at the Samarco project.
