Samarco is said to be nearing settlement with Brazil prosecutors

After a year of back and forth, the owners of the idle Samarco iron-ore mine are close to signing a definitive settlement with Brazilian prosecutors that will clear the way for restart preparations and debt talks to begin, according to people briefed on the matter. Joint venture partners Vale SA and BHP Billiton have already secured four court extensions to negotiate the settlement of a multibillion-dollar claim stemming from a fatal tailings dam disaster in 2015.