RIO DE JANEIRO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian mining giant Vale on Tuesday received the first conviction for a collapse of its tailings dam in January, which caused the deaths of about 250 people and extensive damage.
The conviction was released on a state court website. Judge Elton Pupo Nogueira ordered Vale to pay for the losses in the dam collapse but did not establish a specific amount.
The damage is not just limited to the loss of life, but also includes the environmental impacts and the economic troubles caused by the incident, the court ruling said.
The statement also said the defense did not deny responsibility for the damage caused by the dam rupture.
On Jan. 25, the disaster occured in Brumadinho in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, when a tailings dam owned by Vale released a mudflow that advanced through the mine's offices, along with houses, farms, inns and roads downstream.
So far, the death toll in the dam collapse has reached 248, and other 23 people remain missing.
After the incident took place, Brazilian judicial authorities froze about 3 billion U.S. dollars of Vale's assets.
