BHP Billiton waiting on more details of Brazilian dam disaster

A dam has burst at an iron ore mine part-owned by mining giant BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) in south-eastern Brazil. Reports indicate that at least 15 people have died in the incident, which caused mud slides that devastated a town nearby, while the flood had also reached another village further down the hill. Forty-five people were still missing after the disaster at the Germano mine near the town of Mariana in Minas Gerais state, according to reports.  A city hall official confirmed one death and 16 injuries. BHP Billiton owns a 50% interest in the mine, which is operated by Samarco Mineração . BHP said it is in the process of obtaining more details from Samarco Mineração  and will provide more details when it has them. For its part, Samarco Mineração said it presently has no idea why the dam broke. BHP Billiton is concerned for the safety of employees and the local community, the Anglo-Australian mining major said in a stock market statement. “Most of what happened there has been under the cloak of darkness,” The Guardian newspaper quoted Andrew Mackenzie, BHP's chief executive, as saying. “At daybreak, clearly we will do an awful lot more and give you further updates,” Mackenzie added. Shares in BHP Billiton were down 4% at 992.9p in early deals.

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