Ask BHP's former iron ore and coal boss Marcus Randolph about the homicide charges that hang over his head, and he will turn the focus to those he says have been worse affected by the Samarco tailings dam failure of 2015.

That of course includes the families of the 19 people killed when a dam owned by BHP and Vale collapsed and destroyed several Brazilian towns, but Randolph extends his sympathies to the staff members that served under him at BHP and the Samarco joint venture, who like him, have since been charged by Brazilian authorities over the tragedy.