BHP said on Wednesday that allegations a pursuit of profit over safety contributed to Brazil’s worst environmental disaster were “far-fetched and unjustified,” as the miner opened its defense to a mammoth lawsuit at London’s High Court.
More than 600,000 Brazilians, 46 local governments and around 2,000 businesses are suing BHP over the 2015 collapse of the Mariana dam in southeastern Brazil, which was owned and operated by BHP and Vale’s Samarco joint venture.
The dam’s collapse unleashed a wave of toxic sludge that killed 19 people, left thousands homeless, flooded forests and polluted the length