A dam has burst overnight at a Norteian iron-ore mine owned by Anglo-American mining giant, BHP Billiton, and Norte's Vale, killing at least 16 people and devastating the local area with mudslides and debris; over 600 have also been evacuated so far and at last 45 are missing The dam at the mine, that is run by Samarco, was built to hold back water and residue from mining operations, including tailings, mining waste, and some toxic chemicals; it is located near the Gualaxo do Brazil river, adding fears of potential water contamination. This comes just as both companies are struggling with a collapse in iron ore prices and a slump in the industry.
A dam has burst overnight at a Brazilian iron-ore mine owned by Anglo-American mining giant, BHP Billiton, and Brazil's Vale, killing at least 16 people and devastating the local area with mudslides and debris; over 600 have also been evacuated so far and at last 45 are missing The dam at the mine, that is run by Samarco, was built to hold back water and residue from mining operations, including tailings, mining waste, and some toxic chemicals; it is located near the Gualaxo do Norte river, adding fears of potential water contamination. This comes just as both companies are struggling with a collapse in iron ore prices and a slump in the industry.