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Update - Incident at Samarco
BHP Billiton Plc
Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Share code: BIL
ISIN: GB0000566504
NEWS RELEASE
Release Time IMMEDIATE
Date 9 November 2015
Number 25/15
UPDATE: INCIDENT AT SAMARCO
This update provides further information on the incident at the Samarco Mineração S.A
(Samarco) iron ore operation in Minas Gerais, Brazil on Thursday, 5 November 2015. Each
of BHP Billiton and Vale holds a 50 percent interest in Samarco.
The Samarco operations include a three tiered tailings dam complex. Within this complex,
the Fundão dam failed and the downstream Santarém dam has been affected. This resulted
in a significant release of mine tailings, flooding the community of Bento Rodrigues and
impacting other communities downstream. The third dam in the complex, the Germano dam,
is being monitored by Samarco. At this time, there is no confirmation of the causes of the
tailings release.
BHP Billiton’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Mackenzie, will go to Brazil this week to
understand first-hand the human, environmental and operational impacts of the incident.
Meanwhile, BHP Billiton has offered its full support to help the immediate rescue efforts and
to assist with the investigation.
BHP Billiton’s immediate priority is the welfare of the Samarco workforce and the local
communities.
Details are still emerging in relation to the Samarco employees and contractors impacted by
the incident. At this stage, Samarco has advised that there is at least one confirmed fatality
with a further 13 members of the workforce missing.
The number of people in the communities impacted by the incident is yet to be confirmed,
but the local authorities have reported that, at this stage, there are at least 15 people from
the communities unaccounted for.
BHP Billiton will continue to work with Samarco (operator), Vale, the local communities, local
authorities, regulators and insurers to assess the full impact of this tragic incident. Further
updates will be provided as soon as more information becomes available.
The Samarco operations have the capacity to produce 30.5 Mtpa of iron ore pellets and to
process 32 Mtpa of concentrate. In the 2015 financial year, BHP Billiton’s share of
production was 14.5 Mt and the contribution from Samarco was approximately 3 per cent of
the BHP Billiton Group’s Underlying EBIT.
Following this incident, BHP Billiton’s iron ore production guidance for the 2016 financial year
is under review.
A media release issued by BHP Billiton on 8 November 2015 is attached.
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found at: www.bhpbilliton.com.
Media Relations Investor Relations
Australia Australia
Emily Perry Tara Dines
Tel: +61 3 9609 2800 Mobile: +61 477 325 803 Tel: +61 3 9609 2222 Mobile: +61 499 249 005
email: Emily.Perry@bhpbilliton.com email: Tara.Dines@bhpbilliton.com
Paul Hitchins Andrew Gunn
Tel: + 61 3 9609 2592 Mobile: + 61 419 315 001 Tel: +61 3 9609 3575 Mobile: +61 402 087 354
email: Paul.Hitchins@bhpbilliton.com email: Andrew.Gunn@bhpbilliton.com
Eleanor Nichols United Kingdom and South Africa
Tel: +61 3 9609 2360 Mobile: +61 407 064 748
email: Eleanor.Nichols@bhpbilliton.com Jonathan Price
Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 Mobile: +44 7990 527 726
United Kingdom and Americas email: Jonathan.H.Price@bhpbilliton.com
Ruban Yogarajah Dean Simon
Tel: +44 20 7802 4033 Mobile: +44 7827 082 022 Tel: +44 20 7802 7461 Mobile: +44 7717 511 193
email: Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com email: Dean.Simon@bhpbilliton.com
Jennifer White Americas
Tel: +44 20 7802 7462 Mobile: +44 7827 253 764
email: Jennifer.White@bhpbilliton.com
James Agar
Tel: +1 212 310 1421 Mobile: +1 347 882 3011
email: James.Agar@bhpbilliton.com
Joseph Suarez
Tel: +1 212 310 1422 Mobile: +1 646 400 3803
email: Joseph.Suarez@bhpbilliton.com
BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in Australia Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Level 16, 171 Collins Street Registered Office: Neathouse Place
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia London SW1V 1LH United Kingdom
Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +61 3 9609 3015 Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Fax +44 20 7802 4111
Members of the BHP Billiton Group which is headquartered in Australia
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NEWS RELEASE
Release Time IMMEDIATE
Date 8 November 2015
STATEMENT FROM THE BHP BILLITON BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
SAMARCO INCIDENT
The BHP Billiton Board of Directors extends its deepest sympathies to all who have been
affected by the tragic events at the Samarco iron ore operation in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
The Board emphasised the Company would continue to provide Samarco with all the
assistance necessary to support the response effort.
“Words cannot describe the impact of this tragedy on the employees and contractors of
Samarco, their families and the community,” said BHP Billiton Chairman, Jac Nasser.
“Our thoughts are with the people of Samarco, the affected community and with the people
of Brazil.”
BHP Billiton has extended immediate support to Samarco and continues to work closely with
Vale, which is also a 50 per cent shareholder in the joint venture company.
BHP Billiton CEO, Andrew Mackenzie, will visit the incident site this week to meet with the
Samarco response team, authorities and members of the community to understand first-
hand the human, environmental and operational effects of the incident.
“Our first priority is to assist Samarco in safely and effectively responding to this terrible
tragedy,” Mr Mackenzie said.
“BHP Billiton employees have been deeply affected by this tragic event and Samarco has
our full support as it continues with the response effort.”
Editor’s note - As operator, Samarco is providing updates on the response and the status of
operations. Further information is available at: http://www.samarco.com
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found at: www.bhpbilliton.com.
Media Relations Investor Relations
Australia Australia
Emily Perry Tara Dines
Tel: +61 3 9609 2800 Mobile: +61 477 325 803 Tel: +61 3 9609 2222 Mobile: +61 499 249 005
email: Emily.Perry@bhpbilliton.com email: Tara.Dines@bhpbilliton.com
Paul Hitchins Andrew Gunn
Tel: + 61 3 9609 2592 Mobile: + 61 419 315 001 Tel: +61 3 9609 3575 Mobile: +61 402 087 354
email: Paul.Hitchins@bhpbilliton.com email: Andrew.Gunn@bhpbilliton.com
Eleanor Nichols United Kingdom and South Africa
Tel: +61 3 9609 2360 Mobile: +61 407 064 748
email: Eleanor.Nichols@bhpbilliton.com Jonathan Price
Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 Mobile: +44 7990 527 726
United Kingdom and Americas email: Jonathan.H.Price@bhpbilliton.com
Ruban Yogarajah Dean Simon
Tel: +44 20 7802 4033 Mobile: +44 7827 082 022 Tel: +44 20 7802 7461 Mobile: +44 7717 511 193
email: Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com email: Dean.Simon@bhpbilliton.com
Jennifer White Americas
Tel: +44 20 7802 7462 Mobile: +44 7827 253 764
email: Jennifer.White@bhpbilliton.com
James Agar
Tel: +1 212 310 1421 Mobile: +1 347 882 3011
email: James.Agar@bhpbilliton.com
Joseph Suarez
Tel: +1 212 310 1422 Mobile: +1 646 400 3803
email: Joseph.Suarez@bhpbilliton.com
BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in Australia Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Level 16, 171 Collins Street Registered Office: Neathouse Place
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia London SW1V 1LH United Kingdom
Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +61 3 9609 3015 Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Fax +44 20 7802 4111
Members of the BHP Billiton Group which is headquartered in Australia
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