A British court ruled Friday that Australian mining giant BHP is liable for one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters, potentially paving the way for billions of pounds in compensation.

A dam collapse in 2015 at an iron-ore mine run by a firm co-owned by BHP killed 19 people and unleashed a deluge of thick toxic mud into villages, fields, rainforest, rivers and the ocean.

"BHP are strictly liable as 'polluters' in respect of damage caused by the collapse," the High Court in London said in its ruling following a mammoth trial.

BHP on Friday said it intends to appeal the ruling.

"BHP has supported extensive remediation and compensation efforts in Brazil since 2015," the company said in a statement.

The victims first filed the UK legal action in 2018 to demand compensation from BHP.

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