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Satellite assessments showed about 32 million cubic meters of
sludge was released into the Rio Doce river, BHP said, citing
information from mine operator Samarco, its joint venture with
Brazil's Vale <VALE5.SA>.
"The amount of tailings released is therefore significantly less
than some initial estimates which were in excess of 50 million
cubic meters," BHP said. The early estimates suggested the mine
tailings could have filled more than 20,000 Olympic-sized
swimming pools.
The dam burst left hundreds homeless in Brazil's worst
environmental disaster for which the government is seeking 20
billion reais ($5 billion) in damages and seeking to hold BHP
and Vale responsible for any amount that Samarco cannot pay.
The latest Samarco report showed about 85 percent of the sludge
stayed within 85 km (53 miles) of the burst dam, while the
recovery effort has found fish alive in the Rio Doce in a 670 km
(416 mile) stretch of the river out to where it flows into the
Atlantic Ocean.
"They were able to detect fish living in areas affected by the
turbidity plume as well as in unaffected tributaries of the Rio
Doce," BHP said.
Companies in charge of water supply have also been able to treat
water from the river up to drinking standards and for use in
industry and on farms, while Samarco and other companies are
working to limit harm from sediment in the river at
hydroelectric plants.
(Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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