Brazilian mining giant Vale said Thursday it had reached an agreement to pay more than $7 billion in damages over the 2019 collapse of a dam at its Brumadinho mine, which killed 270 people. "This agreement seals Vale's commitment to fully compensate for Brumadinho and support the development of Minas Gerais," the southeastern state where the disaster sent millions of tons of toxic waste gushing into the surrounding area, the company said in a statement. jm/jhb/dw