6,000 Malagasy Villagers Prepare Lawsuit Against Rio Tinto Over Lake Contamination
Around 6,000 residents of villages near Rio Tinto mines in Madagascar are preparing to sue the company in London, alleging uranium and lead contamination of nearby lakes and rivers that harmed their health. After 2022 tailings dam failures released about a million cubic metres of mine water, Rio Tinto denied responsibility, settled with communities, funded community trusts, and committed more than $450 million to continue mining until 2050; an end-2024 assessment found serious harm across studied areas.