London | BHP has pushed back against law firm Pogust Goodhead’s claim that the miner could be on the hook for up to £36 billion ($70 billion) if it loses the English class action that began in London this week.

BHP, which is defending a lawsuit brought by 620,000 Brazilian claimants over the 2015 Samarco tailings dam disaster, said some of the litigants’ claims were “likely to be implausible or exaggerated”.