29/08/2016
Samarco, Vale and BHP Billiton presented to the press, this Monday the 29th of August, the result of the external investigation about the rupture of the Fundão dam. The study was conducted by a panel of specialists selected by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. The press conference had the presence of the Vale CEO, Murilo Ferreira; the Chief Commercial Officer of BHP Billiton, Dean Dalla Valle; the CEO of Samarco, Roberto Carvalho, in addition to the leader of the investigation panel, Norbert Morgenstern.
Norbert Morgenstern has worked on over 140 dam projects and has authored over 330 publications on this subject. He is member, vice chairman and chairman of an extensive list of technical committees all over the world, in addition to contributing to the transfer of technology to developing countries through the UN and other agencies. Another member of the panel was the Chairman of Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd., Bryan Watts, who has over 40 years of experience in tailings dam design. Steven Vick, the third member of the panel, is an author and international recognized geotechnical engineer and review consultant with over 40 years of experience, including both technical reviews and forensic investigations. And the fourth member is Cassio Viotti, an independent dam engineering consultant with over 45 years of experience, specialized in all phases of the conception and design of dams in general. The panel analyzed the technical aspects which provoked the rupture of the dam and conducted appropriate tests.
Shortly after the Fundão dam break, Samarco, Vale and BHP Billiton had retained the US law firm of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP to carry out a totally independent investigation on the causes thereof. Samarco collaborated fully with this investigation, supplying all information available and free access to its facilities and employees.
The full report on the investigation about the dam break may be accessed on: www.fundaoinvestigation.com
