Brazil to sue mining companies BHP and Vale for $5bn over dam disaster

The collapse of a wastewater dam at an iron-ore mine left more than 13 dead and has triggered am environmental crisis in the River Doce basin

Brazil's government has announced it will sue mining giants BHP Billiton and Vale for $US5.2bn after the deadly collapse of a dam at an iron ore mine sent 60 million cubic meters of mud and mine waste cascading into the Atlantic ocean and left more than 13 people dead.

Environment minister Izabella Teixeira said a lawsuit would be filed demanding that the companies and the mine operator Samarco, which they co-own, create a fund of 20 billion reais to pay for environmental recovery and compensation for victims.