Vale, the world's largest iron ore exporter, co-owns Samarco in a 50:50 joint venture with BHP. Vale , the world ’s largest iron - ore exporter , co - owns Samarco in a 50 - 50 joint venture with BHP Billiton , but Brazilian police have not pressed charges against the Anglo - Australian mining In a statement , Samarco said : " Vale does not agree with the indictment of its professionals as so far there is no technical expert conclusion about the causes of the incident"Samarco is the owner of the Fundao tailings dam that collapsed on May 5 last year , causing an avalanche of flood water that buried several hamlets in the south - eastern state of Minas Gerais , 17 dead and two missing with contamination over a 300 km stretch of the Amazon River and a section of the Atlantic coastline .
Vale , the world ’s largest iron - ore exporter , co - owns Samarco in a 50 - 50 joint venture with BHP Billiton , but Brazilian police have not pressed charges against the Anglo - Australian mining In a statement , Samarco said : " Vale does not agree with the indictment of its professionals as so far there is no technical expert conclusion about the causes of the incident"Samarco is the owner of the Fundao tailings dam that collapsed on May 5 last year , causing an avalanche of flood water that buried several hamlets in the south - eastern state of Minas Gerais , 17 dead and two missing with contamination over a 300 km stretch of the Amazon River and a section of the Atlantic coastline .