Protesters block BHP, Vale JV's Samarco mine entrance over 2015 dam collapse

Demonstrators marked the sixth anniversary of the 2015 tailings dam collapse at the Samarco iron ore mine in Brazil's Minas Gerais state by barring the entrance to the mine, which is owned by Vale SA and BHP Group joint venture Samarco Mineração SA, Reuters reported Nov. 5.

According to the report, protesters posted signs at the mine's entrance with messages conveying the "impunity" of the company and its shareholders over the incident that resulted in 19 deaths. The tragedy also enveloped a nearby village in mud and mining waste, and polluted a major river.

Samarco Mineração and Brazil are renegotiating the prior settlement deal over the disaster. A study commissioned by Brazilian prosecutors into the dam collapse at Samarco estimated socio-environmental damage of between 37.6 billion Brazilian reais and 60.6 billion reais.

As of Nov. 5, US$1 was equivalent to 5.53 Brazilian reais.