BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Brazilian iron ore miner Vale SA said on Monday that a 20 billion reais ($5.7 billion) civil lawsuit seeking environmental and property damages for last year’s deadly Samarco mine disaster has been dismissed.
The mine is operated by Samarco Mineração SA, a joint venture between Vale and the world’s largest mining company, BHP Billiton Ltd. Vale said the judge did not rule on the merits of the case.
A tailings dam burst at the mine in November and unleashed 60 million cubic meters of mud and mine waste that devastated a village, killed at least 13 people and polluted a major river valley.
