RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - It is "feasible" that iron ore miner Samarco could resume operations by the middle of next year, a senior executive at Brazilian miner Vale SA VALE5.SA said on Tuesday.
"It does not make sense that every time there is an accident, as a penalty, the company should cease to exist," Clovis Torres, director of human resources, health and security, sustainability and energy at Vale, said at an event.
In November the collapse of a dam used by Samarco, a joint venture of Vale and BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) Ltd BHP.AX , left hundreds homeless and triggered Brazil's worst environmental disaster on record.