UK Court Holds BHP Liable for 2015 Mariana Dam Collapse

Overview

• Judge Finola O’Farrell found BHP’s continued raising of the Fundão dam was a direct and immediate cause of the collapse under Brazilian law.
• BHP said it will seek permission to appeal within 21 days and argues the UK case duplicates Brazil’s reparations framework.
• The damages phase is scheduled to begin in October 2026, with claimants seeking about £36 billion across roughly 620,000 plaintiffs.
• The court validated releases signed by people already compensated in Brazil, which is expected to reduce the size and value of the UK claims.
• Vale says it will share any liabilities under prior agreements and flagged an additional US$500 million provision, as Brazil’s R$170 billion repactuation continues with more than 610,000 people compensated.