London Court Cuts Mariana Case by 240,000, Sets Damages Phase for April 2027

Overview

• Judges discontinued roughly 240,000 claims by people who signed full-and-final settlements in Brazil, including under Novel Geral, PID and Agropesca programs, with a 90-day window to contest mistaken exclusions.
• The second phase in London, focused on categorizing losses and quantifying compensation, will start in April 2027 after being postponed from October 2026 and is expected to run until March 2028.
• About 380,000 claimants remain from the original pool of more than 600,000, spanning individuals, businesses, municipalities, and indigenous and quilombola communities.
• BHP was found legally responsible for the 2015 Fundão dam collapse in November 2025, and its bid for permission to appeal that decision was denied in January 2026, though further appeals may still be pursued.
• Plaintiffs seek approximately £36 billion in damages, and any payments are not expected before 2029–2030 if the liability ruling is upheld through subsequent phases and appeals.