Criminal charges against mining companies involved in major waste spill in Brazil

Friday, January 15th 2016 - 12:24 UTC

Full article 5 comments

Police in Brazil said Thursday they have brought criminal charges against two mining companies and seven executives over a mine waste spill that buried a village and killed 17 people.Federal police accuse Brazilian iron ore giant Vale, mine operator Samarco and company officials including Samarco's chief executive, Ricardo Vescovi, of violating Brazil's environmental crimes law in connection with the disastrous November 5 collapse of a waste reservoir. Read full article

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ChrisR
If I were the Police Officer who brought the charges I would like to see the Engineer's mandate and the report before I decided if ANY charges were to be filed.

On the face of it, particularly as the cause of the failure has not, even now. been determined just WHY were charges filed?
Jan 16th, 2016 - 02:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Don Alberto
No doubt it was “an act of God”, as is the standar excuse from mining companies, which are too greedy to ensure the safety of their dams.

“Officials of Pittston Coal claimed the flood was ”an act of God“, as they argued that there was nothing wrong with the dam except that it couldn’t hold all of the water ”God poured into it.“”
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/buffalo.html#Problem

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“The disaster killed 123 people, injured 1,000, and left 4000 homeless. Pittston Coal claimed it was ”an act of god“.”
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/buffalo.html#Problem

“In memory of thos who died in The Buffalo Creek Flood February 26 1972”
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/buffalo.html#Problem
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Hydro-Quebec officials refused to accept responsibility, callously calling the deaths “mainly an act of God”
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/buffalo.html#Problem

“Martin County Coal Corp. claimed on Nov. 29, 2000, in a court document that the massive spill was ”an act of God“, the occurrence of which was not within the control of the company.”
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/buffalo.html#Problem

2012, Manila, Philippines – 20 million tons of mine waste was released into the environment after a dam failure. The Balog river was left biologically dead. Philex mining corporation claimed they had not breached environmental regulations. The abnormally heavy rains, they claim, were an ‘act of God.’
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/buffalo.html#Problem

Any judge with personal integrity will order the company to bring this Mr. God to court. If the person doesn't show up and assume responsibility, the claimants must be charged with perjury and blasphemy.
Jan 16th, 2016 - 02:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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yankeeboy
Criminal should be a very high bar.
Sometimes things happen that are no fault to anyone.
Jan 18th, 2016 - 05:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Don Alberto
So if you construct a dam, a house or a bridge, which collapses, or a ship that sinks in calm weather, it is either somebody elses or nobody's fault? very Argentine thinking.
Jan 18th, 2016 - 06:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ChrisR
@ 3 yankeeboy

When it comes to engineering of any kind the risks for established designs are well know and if a failure occurs someone has made a mistake.

When earth dams are used in developed countries they undergo routine substrate integrity examinations to ensure continued safety.

That is why I stated the engineer's remit should be examined and compliance with it, and the suitability of it assessed, but there will be a scientific reason for the failure.

I love it when people say they have had an 'accident' in their cars. Now apart from pissing themselves when this so called accident happens the Aussies have the correct term: they are SMASHES, nothing accidental about them.
Jan 18th, 2016 - 07:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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