Nineteen more Brazilian municipalities have signed onto the Novo Acordo do Rio Doce, the agreement that governs compensation for the 2015 Mariana dam disaster, bringing total adherents to 45 of the 49 eligible cities.
The accord, homologated by Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) at the end of 2024, settles liability for the rupture of the Fundão dam, operated by Samarco—a joint venture of BHP and Vale—which killed 19 people and polluted the Rio Doce basin.
Under the deal, signatories will receive more than 100 billion reais (roughly USD 18 billion) in addition to the 70 billion reais (about USD 13 billion) already paid over the past eleven years, with 2.6 billion reais (around USD 0.5 billion) earmarked for municipal public policies of repair and compensation.
By accepting the agreement, municipalities waive any right to seek indemnities in foreign courts, notably the ongoing collective action in London against BHP, which lawyers from Pogust Goodhead had estimated could yield up to 50 billion reais (approximately USD 9 billion) for the cities.
The move weakens the English lawsuit, even though the UK Supreme Court has already recognized BHP's responsibility; a final indemnity ruling is expected next year. Pogust Goodhead stated that the Brazilian adesões do not alter the progress of the English action nor should be read as advice for individuals or companies to abandon the process.
Only four eligible municipalities remain outside the accord—Resplendor and Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais, and Colatina and Governor Valadares in Espírito Santo.
The new adhesions followed the same criteria and values as the original 2024 agreement, mediated by the Federal Regional Court of the 6th Region (TRF-6) after a request from the Public Consortium for the Defense and Revitalization of the Rio Doce (Coridoce).
Municipalities that have just signed will receive their first installment within up to 30 days after the judicial decision and fulfillment of the Termo de Adesão e Compromisso; this payment equals the first three tranches already disbursed to those who joined last year.
Rodrigo Vilela, president of Samarco, said the broad adherence shows the Novo Acordo do Rio Doce is the legitimate path for compensation, aiming to strengthen local communities while affirming Brazilian judicial sovereignty and encouraging consensual, durable solutions for the Rio Doce basin.
With the latest sign-ons, the agreement now covers 45 of the 49 eligible municipalities. In Minas Gerais the adhering cities are Aimorés, Alpercata, Belo Oriente, Bom Jesus do Galho, Conselheiro Pena, Coronel Fabriciano, Galileia, Ipaba, Itueta, Mariana, Naque, Periquito, São Domingos do Prata, São José do Goiabal and Tumiritinga; in Espírito Santo they are Aracruz, Baixo Guandu, Marilândia and Sooretama.
Up to March 2025, 26 municipalities had already joined, including Córrego Novo, Iapu, Santana do Paraíso, Marliéria, Sobrália, Ponte Nova, Bugre, Caratinga, Pingo D'Água, Rio Doce, Santa Cruz do Escalvado, Rio Casca, Dionísio, São Pedro dos Ferros, Raul Soares, Barra Longa, Ipatinga, Timóteo, Sem Peixe, Fernandes Tourinho, Anchieta, Conceição da Barra, Fundão, São Mateus, Serra and Linhares.
Beyond municipal funds, more than 341,800 individuals have been indemnified through the agreement, receiving 17.8 billion reais (about USD 3.2 billion). Via the Definitive Indemnity Program (PID), over 316,800 people have obtained roughly 11.6 billion reais (approximately USD 2.1 billion) as of July 2026.