Braskem: Maceió ground subsidence, the 2023 mine collapse, Senate inquiry, settlements and criminal case
Braskem: Maceió ground subsidence, the 2023 mine collapse, Senate inquiry, settlements and criminal case: a public-record watch file compiled by Falling Shares Intelligence from filings and exchange disclosures, as of 2026-11-09. Ground in Maceió began sinking around areas where Braskem mined rock salt; a first tremor was recorded in 2018 and a mine partly collapsed in December 2023.
From subsidence linked to Braskem's rock-salt mining in Maceió to a Senate inquiry, a police inquiry and a criminal case accepted in June 2026, alongside settlements and an August 2026 debt restructuring.
Falling Shares Intelligence, Edited by Wung Thomas, Editor-in-Chief. As of .
Summary
- Ground in Maceió began sinking around areas where Braskem mined rock salt; a first tremor was recorded in 2018 and a mine partly collapsed in December 2023.
- A Senate inquiry reported in May 2024 that Braskem was responsible and asked for 14 indictments; the Federal Police reported its own loss estimate of about R$40bn to the Union.
- Braskem has settled with the city (2020) and the state of Alagoas (November 2025, R$1.2bn).
- A federal court accepted a criminal complaint against Braskem and former staff in June 2026, with part of the older conduct time-barred; Braskem filed for extrajudicial recovery in August 2026.
Key figures
| Alagoas settlement | R$1.2bn (Nov 2025; R$139m already paid, balance in ten instalments) |
|---|---|
| Police estimate of loss to the Union | About R$40bn (Braskem does not recognise it) |
| Senate inquiry indictment requests | 14 (Three companies and 11 individuals) |
| Debt in extrajudicial recovery | About R$54bn (Aug 2026) |
Subsidence, collapse and the Senate inquiry
Tremors and subsidence in Maceió
The Senate inquiry records that salt extraction in the area dates to the 1970s, that the first tremor near the mining areas was recorded in 2018 and that residents of the highest-risk areas were advised to leave. The subsidence affected thousands of homes and more than 60,000 people. (2018 to 2023)
Settlement with the city of Maceió
MercoPress reported that Braskem agreed to pay R$1.7bn in compensation and relocation of about 17,000 people in Maceió and to spend R$1bn to close its salt wells. (Jan 2020)
Mine partly collapses
A closed Braskem rock-salt mine partially collapsed on 10 December 2023, with water from the Mundaú lagoon bubbling at the site. Officials said the area had already been emptied of people. Maceió had declared an emergency on 30 November. (10 Dec 2023)
Senate inquiry holds Braskem responsible
The Senate inquiry approved by symbolic vote a report holding Braskem responsible for the damage in Maceió from its salt extraction. It asked prosecutors to consider indicting Braskem, eight current or former staff, two consultancies and three engineers over allegedly misleading reports. It also criticised the Alagoas environmental agency. (21 May 2024)
Police, criminal case, settlement and finances
Police inquiry concluded and loss estimate
The Federal Police concluded an inquiry on crimes tied to Braskem's rock-salt extraction. An expert report of 2025 put the loss to the Union at about R$39.84bn, based on about 121.9 million tonnes of salt that can no longer be extracted. Prosecutors charged Braskem and 17 individuals. (2025)
R$1.2bn settlement with the state of Alagoas
Braskem agreed to pay Alagoas R$1.2bn for damage from the subsidence, with R$139m paid and the rest in ten annual instalments mostly after 2030. The state's lawsuit would be dropped, subject to court approval. A victims' movement criticised the deal as too low and made without victims. (10 Nov 2025)
Federal court accepts criminal complaint
A federal court in Alagoas accepted the prosecutors' complaint, making Braskem and former managers and technicians defendants for charges including qualified pollution, false or misleading environmental studies, irregular mineral extraction and qualified damage to property. Shares closed 9.23% lower. (12 Jun 2026)
Braskem enters extrajudicial recovery
Braskem reached a deal with creditors to file for extrajudicial recovery in São Paulo, covering about R$54bn of debt. A court accepted the request and suspended creditor enforcement for four months, according to a regional report. (24 Aug 2026)
Limits on the case and the company's position
Part of older conduct time-barred; Braskem contests the rest
The court recognised that the statute of limitations applies to some of the older conduct, so punishability was extinguished for those acts. Braskem says its extraction followed best practice with required licences and oversight, does not recognise the R$40bn figure, has permanently ended salt extraction and will defend itself. (Jun to Aug 2026)
Standard
This file compiles regulator and court documents, exchange filings, company statements and published reporting about Braskem S.A.. Allegations are attributed to those who made them. An investigation is not a charge, a charge is not a finding, and nothing here is a finding of wrongdoing unless a competent authority has made one. Braskem says its extraction followed sector best practice and was licensed, rejects the prosecutors' accusation and the police loss estimate, and says it will defend itself in court. Individuals are not named unless an official document names them and they are central; otherwise roles are used. This is news coverage for information only, not investment advice.
Right of reply
Braskem S.A., and anyone named in a record cited here, can send corrections or comments to info@fallingshares.com (or directly to the Editor-in-Chief, Wung Thomas, at wungthomas@fallingshares.com). Material responses will be published alongside the relevant entry.