Brazil dam disaster: firm knew of potential impact months in advance

Unreported documents show mining company was aware of threat before country's worst environmental disaster - but firm failed to take action, prosecutors allegeSix months before a dam containing millions of litres of mining waste collapsed, killing 19 people in Brazil's worst environmental disaster, the company operating the mine accurately predicted the potential impact of such a disaster in a worst-case risk assessment.But federal prosecutors claim the company - a joint venture between the Brazilian mining giant Vale and the Anglo-Australian multinational BHP Billiton - failed to take actions that they say could have prevented the disaster. The prosecutors instead claim the company focused on cutting costs and increasing production. Continue reading...