Samarco eyes restart in 2019, when Brazil license analysis concludes

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Iron miner Samarco, a joint venture of Brazil's Vale SA <VALE3.SA> and Australia's BHP Billiton Ltd <BHP.AX>, expects to obtain next year all licenses needed to resume operations suspended after an environmental disaster, according to a written statement to Reuters on Tuesday.

The environmental agency for Minas Gerais state in Brazil said in a separate statement that it expects to conclude analysis of the licenses in the first half of 2019.

(Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Writing by Ana Mano; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)