A Brazilian federal court has ruled that mining companies Vale, BHP Group, and their joint venture Samarco are not criminally liable for the 2015 Fundao tailings dam collapse that resulted in 19 fatalities and significant environmental damage. Judge Patricia de Carvalho stated that there was insufficient evidence to establish direct criminal responsibility among the companies and individuals involved. The Federal Prosecutors Office plans to appeal the ruling. This decision comes shortly after the announcement of a $31.7 billion civil settlement related to the disaster, which aims to resolve over a hundred lawsuits against the companies.
