UK High Court Finds BHP Liable for 2015 Mariana Dam Collapse

Overview

• Justice Finola O’Farrell found that continuing to raise the dam despite warning signs was a direct and immediate cause of the collapse.
• No monetary awards were set, with a second phase to quantify collective harms slated to start in October 2026 and hearings on Dec. 17–18 to set the next procedural steps.
• BHP said it will appeal and maintains the UK action duplicates Brazil’s reparations programs, as the court upheld Brazilian releases that are expected to reduce the size and value of claims.
• Vale said it will book an estimated additional provision of about US$500 million under a 2024 agreement to share any liabilities tied to the UK case.
• The action covers roughly 620,000 claimants seeking up to £36 billion, and the court applied Brazilian environmental and civil law in finding BHP responsible as a polluter with direct involvement in Samarco’s risk decisions.