Samarco unlikely to reopen this year, job cuts planned – BHP Billiton

The Samarco iron-ore operation, in Brazil, was unlikely to reopen this calendar year and the workforce would be adjusted to reflect reduced production, 50%-owner BHP Billiton reported on Thursday. The company, which owned Samarco in a partnership with fellow iron-ore major Vale, reported that clean-up activities continued following the November 2015 fatal dam collapse, which killed 19 people and left BHP and Vale with a major civil claim.