Samarco
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mining |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Belo Horizonte , Brazil |
Area served | Brazil |
Key people | Kleber Terra (operations and infrastructure director) |
| Owner | Vale (50%), BHP (50%) |
Samarco Mineração S.A. is a mining enterprise from Brazil established in 1977. It functions as a joint-venture equally controlled by the Brazilian corporation Vale and the Australian company BHP, with each partner owning half of the shares.
Structure
The company's main office is located in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Samarco oversees mining operations and administrative offices situated in Mariana and Ouro Preto, both in Minas Gerais, as well as in Espírito Santo, including the Ponta Ubu facility in Anchieta.
Environmental disaster
On November 5, 2015, two dams owned by Samarco near Mariana failed, releasing iron mining waste and resulting in 19 fatalities within Bento Rodrigues and surrounding communities. The pollution extended along the Rio Doce river, an essential water source for southeastern Brazil, causing interruptions to water supply services across multiple municipalities. This incident stands as the most severe environmental catastrophe ever recorded in Minas Gerais.
In response to the accident, Brazilian authorities halted Samarco's activities. Kleber Terra, who serves as Samarco's operations and infrastructure director, expressed regret over the incident while stressing the importance of understanding its causes.
During Brazil's 2014 general elections, Samarco and Vale collectively donated around R$80 million to political campaigns; some of these beneficiaries are currently involved in investigating the disaster and establishing penalties.
By June 2016, Samarco had not fulfilled any of the 11 compulsory emergency measures imposed by IBAMA aimed at reducing environmental harm. Four measures were partially implemented, while seven remained pending. IBAMA criticized the absence of a cohesive strategic plan to manage emergency responses appropriate to the disaster’s magnitude and consequences.