BHP Billiton fined another £170 million for Brazilian Samarco mining disaster

Beleaguered mining giant BHP Billiton has been fined a further £170 million for the Samarco mining disaster, pushing the running total of penalties to nearly £215 million so far.

Chief executive Andrew Mackenzie apologised for the catastrophe in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais on November 5, which has left 11 people dead and 12 missing.

Around 600 have been left homeless.

BHP has agreed to pay a further 1 billion reals (£171 million) to help fund the clean-up operation in the area and provide support to local people hit by the disaster, the state prosecutor said.

Half of that must be paid within the next 10 days and the other half within a month to help speed up the rescue efforts.