An aerial photograph of the destruction following the dam collapse in January 2019.
Photo:
douglas magno / Agence France-Presse / Getty Images
SÃO PAULO – Brazilian miner Vale agreed to pay $ 7 billion in compensation to the state of Minas Gerais, where the dam collapse two years ago killed 270 people, polluted rivers and destroyed the surrounding landscape.
Thursday’s deal, the largest court settlement in Brazilian history, prosecutors say is intended to compensate the state for the socio-economic damage caused by the disaster, but it will not affect a slew of pending homicide and environmental costs in the U.S. matter.
When the Vale Dam burst in Brumadinho in January 2019, it unleashed a tsunami of mining tailings in the valley at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, wiping out the on-site canteen, as many workers were having lunch, and nearby houses and a guesthouse.
“Vale is committed to fully recovering and compensating for the damage caused by the tragedy in Brumadinho and to increasingly contribute to the betterment and development of the communities in which we operate,” said Chief Executive Officer Eduardo Bartolomeo in a statement. “We know we have work to do and we remain committed to that goal.”
270 people were killed in the Brumadinho dam disaster in Brazil. This video shows how the disaster started. Photo: AP / Globo TV (Originally published Feb 1, 2019)
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