The Ministerio Publico in the state of Minas Gerais (MPMG), a body of public prosecutors, has filed a request to a local court to prevent pellets producer Samarco, a 50/50 JV between Brazil’s Vale and BHP Billiton, to resume operations at its Alegria mine, in the city of Mariana, following a deadly iron ore waste dam burst that killed 19 people in November.
According to prosecutors, the mine is actually halted in administrative terms, however, MPMG wants to have a legal assurance that Samarco won’t resume operations until it shows its structure is safe.
A MPMG prosecutor said the request was filed as a result of the pressure there has been over Samarco, so it can restart operations, following an approval this week from the mayor of Mariana that would allow Samarco to resume operations in the city.
Despite Mariana city’s approval, Samarco still needs the approval of state and federal entities.
Earlier this week, Brazil’s environmental minister, Jose Sarney Filho, refused to sign a term that would commit the government to allow Samarco resume its operations in Brazil. The minister said coowners BHP Billiton and Brazil’s Vale won’t be allowed to restart Samarco’s operations without assuring the causes and damages of the deadly iron ore waste dam collapse are finally fixed.
Samarco was expected to restart activities in the state of Espirito Santo in June, but the start-up has been postponed for November.