"BHP-Vale deal distances companies from $71.5b in dam collapse lawsuits", 18 November 2017

BHP Billiton, Vale and their Samarco joint venture managed to close a deal with prosecutors that distances the companies from 175 billion reais ([AUD]$71.5 billion) in lawsuits.

Their lawyers filed documents...requesting that the presiding judge suspend two civil suits. The judge had given the two sides until Thursday night to come to an agreement on how to move forward with the remaining clean-up efforts and reparations after a deadly tailings dam spill in 2015...