Brazil’s Samarco wins waste permits in small step toward resuming operations

RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 11 (Reuters) – Samarco Mineração SA , a joint venture between Brazilian miner Vale and Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton, on Monday received two waste system permits in a small step toward resuming operations halted after a November 2015 tailings mine dam collapsed, killing 19 people.

The permits issued by Minas Gerais state, where the mine is located, allow for the construction of a waste system in a depleted mine to receive tailings. Environmental authorities expect to analyze the operations permit and a corrective operations permit in the middle of 2018, after the waste disposal system has been built.

(Reporting by Marta Nogueira, writing by Alexandra Alper, editing by G Crosse)