擒数网 （随信APP) | 伦敦审判调查2015年巴西矿难

破裂的大坝释放出浓稠、红色有毒泥浆 - 版权归AFP ADEK BERRY所有

Lucie LEQUIER

周一在伦敦开庭审理澳大利亚矿业巨头必和必拓是否应对巴西历史上最严重的环境灾难之一承担责任，可能导致数十亿美元的赔偿将分给数十万人。

伦敦高等法院将在数个月内审查必和必拓是否部分责任2015年在巴西一个矿业废料场发生大坝溃坝事件。

这次破裂造成19人死亡，释放出大量浓稠有毒泥浆淹没村庄、田地、雨林、河流和海洋。

位于米纳斯吉拉斯州山区的铁矿矿山的Fundao尾矿坝由萨马尔科管理，该公司是必和必拓和巴西矿业公司淡水河谷的合资公司。

在灾难发生时，必和必拓在英国和澳大利亚均设有全球总部。

巴西的另一起案件中，淡水河谷和必和必拓提出近300亿美元的赔偿。在伦敦审判前夕，这个数字从近250亿美元增加到了近300亿。

在伦敦民事审判中寻求的赔偿金额估计为360亿英镑（470亿美元），代表了超过62万名原告，包括46个巴西市镇、公司和土著民族。

– ‘正义？’ –

“现在已经将近九年了，没有人被追究责任，”提起这起诉讼的波格斯特古德头律师事务所的汤姆古德头在法院外告诉法新社。

“虽然这不是一场刑事审判，但这是一种让公司承担责任和被追责的方式，”加入了受害者亲属的古德头补充说道。

“他们会得到正义吗？”一个横幅上写着，上面展示了遇难者的照片。

马里亚纳镇的悲剧释放了近4500万立方米高度有毒的矿产废渣，淹没了39个城镇，导致600多人无家可归。

洪水导致数千只动物丧生，破坏了受保护的热带雨林。

“过去的九年非常艰难，但我必须坚强，”盖尔瓦纳罗德里格斯在法庭外说道。她七岁的儿子蒂亚戈在大坝溃坝后去世。

“我希望在这里找到正义，在巴西，不可能。”

– 第一阶段 –

听证会预计将持续到3月，必须确定必和必拓是否有可能承担这场灾难的责任。

如果被判有责，那么从2026年10月将进行另一场审判以确定赔偿金额。

必和必拓表示，由于正在巴西进行的法律程序，伦敦的审判是不必要的。

在周一向法院提交的开庭陈词中，公司主要论点之一是“并未拥有或经营大坝或任何相关设施”。

公司估计伦敦案件中的逾20万名原告已经获得赔偿。

必和必拓补充说，管理赔偿和康复计划的雷诺瓦基金会已经支付了超过79亿美元的紧急援助。

这家澳大利亚矿业巨头表示，受到污染的河水质量已恢复到灾后水平。

然而，今年发表在法国-巴西地理评论Confins上的一篇科学论文称，大坝溃坝导致了对多西河及其沿海平原的“永久性污染影响”。

2019年，淡水河谷拥有的另一座尾矿坝在米纳斯吉拉斯州发生坍塌，导致270人死亡并给周围环境带来严重影响。

伦敦审判开庭之际，必和必拓正在考虑是否发起对英国竞争对手安哥洛美洲的新一轮收购要约。一份490亿美元的收购遭到了五月的拒绝。

根据英国规定，必和必拓将在六个月休息后于11月29日提出新的要约。

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The ruptured dam unleashed a deluge of thick, red toxic mud - Copyright AFP ADEK BERRY

Lucie LEQUIER

A trial to determine whether Australian mining giant BHP is liable for one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters opened Monday in London, potentially triggering billions of dollars in compensation to be shared among hundreds of thousands of people.

The High Court in the British capital will examine over several months whether BHP is partly liable for the 2015 collapse of a dam at a mining waste site in Brazil.

The rupture killed 19 people and unleashed a deluge of thick toxic mud into villages, fields, rainforest, rivers, and the ocean.

The Fundao tailings dam at an iron ore mine in the mountains of Minas Gerais state was managed by Samarco, co-owned by BHP and Brazilian miner Vale.

At the time of the disaster, BHP had global headquarters in Britain and Australia.

A separate case in Brazil has seen Vale and BHP offer to pay almost $30 billion in compensation. This was increased on the eve of the London trial from almost $25 billion.

The amount of damages sought in the London civil trial is estimated at £36 billion ($47 billion), on behalf of more than 620,000 plaintiffs, including 46 Brazilian municipalities, companies, and indigenous peoples.

- 'Justice?' -

"It's nearly nine years on now and no one has been held accountable," Tom Goodhead, of law firm Pogust Goodhead which brought the case, told AFP outside the court.

"Whilst this isn't a criminal trial, it acts as a way of holding the company liable and accountable," added Goodhead, who was joined by relatives of victims.

"Will they get justice?" read a banner which showed photos of those killed.

The tragedy in the town of Mariana unleashed almost 45 million cubic meters of highly toxic mining waste sludge, flooding 39 towns and leaving more than 600 people homeless.

The flood killed thousands of animals and devastated protected tropical rainforest.

"It's been really difficult these last nine years but I have to be strong," said Gelvana Rodrigues outside the court. Her seven-year-old son, Thiago, was killed following the dam's collapse.

"My hope is to find justice here. In Brazil, it is hopeless."

- First stage -

The hearing, set to last until March, must determine BHP's potential liability for the disaster.

If it is ruled liable, another trial would take place from October 2026 to determine the damages.

BHP has said the London case is unnecessary because of ongoing legal procedures in Brazil.

In opening submissions to the court Monday, the company laid out as a central argument that it "did not own or operate the dam or any related facilities".

The company estimated that more than 200,000 plaintiffs in the London case had already been compensated.

BHP added that the Renova Foundation, which manages compensation and rehabilitation programs, has already paid out more than $7.9 billion in emergency aid.

The Australian mining giant said the quality of river water contaminated by the fallout has returned to pre-disaster levels.

However, a scientific paper published this year in the Franco-Brazilian geography review Confins said the dam rupture had caused "permanent effects of pollution" on the river Doce and its coastal plain.

In 2019, another tailings dam owned by Vale collapsed in Minas Gerais, killing 270 people and devastating the surrounding environment.

The London trial opened as BHP weighs whether to mount a renewed bid for British rival Anglo American. One $49 billion takeover was rejected in May.

BHP is allowed to come back with a fresh offer on November 29 following a six-month break, according to UK rules.

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