MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rupture of dam in Brazil compensation could reach US$ 5,3bn

The rupture of the Vale dam in Brumadinho on Jan. 25, 2019 left about 270 dead

The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais is hoping to win at least 28 billion reais (US$ 5.3 billion) from a compensation deal with miner Vale SA after the 2019 Brumadinho deadly dam burst, a senior state official said on Thursday.

State and Vale officials are scheduled to meet when it is expected talks on compensation will begin, ahead of a court-mediated hearing expected later in January, said state secretary general Mateus Simões.

“The idea is that we end the text discussion this week and start the value discussion,” Simoes said. “Certainly the floor for the beginning of the negotiations has to be 28 billion reais.”

The government of Minas Gerais has requested in court total damages of approximately 54 billion reais for the material and moral damages related to the rupture of the Vale dam in Brumadinho on Jan. 25, 2019. The disaster left about 270 dead.

Vale said that “there is still no definition of values.” It said “it remains committed to fully repairing the affected and the impacted communities.”