Brazilian prosecutors have reinstated a BRL 155 billion ($27.3 billion) lawsuit against pellets producer Samarco, a 50/50 joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton.
The prosecutors, which include Minas Gerais state and federal prosecutors, as well as Minas Gerais state and Brazil's Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU), said Samarco should fully pay for the socio-environmental and socio-economic damages it caused.
As previously reported by SteelOrbis, a federal court had suspended the multi-billion-dollar lawsuit in August 2018, following a multi-institution settlement, which involved Espirito santo and Minas Gerais states, prosecutors, Vale, BHP Billiton and Samarco.
The re-instated lawsuit aims to “prevent Samarco, Vale and BHP Billiton to avoid meetings its responsibilities as a result of the (Mariana) … disaster,” the prosecutors said in a statement on Thursday.