RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – The “socio-enviromental” damage brought about by the 2015 rupture of a tailings dam in Brazil owned by miner Samarco is between 37.6 billion reais ($6.73 billion) and 60.6 billion reais, according to a study done by a company contracted by prosecutors to measure the costs of the disaster.
The study, carried out by consultancy Lactec at the request of Brazilian federal prosecutors, was seen by Reuters this week. Its conclusions come as Brazilian authorities, Samarco and Samarco co-owners BHP Group and Vale SA enter the final phases of a re-negotiation of a 2016 settlement related to the disaster.
(Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Writing by Gram Slattery)