Brazil shows PNG how it should have dealt with BHP over the Ok Tedi disaster…

A combination photograph shows windows of damaged houses in Bento Rodrigues district after a dam, owned by Vale SA and BHP Billiton Ltd, burst in Mariana, Brazil, November 9, 2015. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

Lisandra Paraguassu | Reuters

Brazil‘s federal and state governments plan to sue the owners of the Samarco iron ore miner for 20 billion reais ($5.24 billion/£3.5 billion)in damages caused by the burst of a tailings dam, Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira told reporters on Friday.

Samarco is a joint venture between the world’s largest mining company, BHP Billiton Ltd, and the biggest iron ore miner, Vale SA.

The dam burst earlier this month unleashed 60 million cubic meters of mud and mine waste that devastated a village, killed at least 13 people and polluted a major river valley.

Teixeira said the suit will be…