(New throughout, adding Vale and BHP statement saying Samarcois not for sale, sources confirming talks and creditorsresponding to criticism of its restructuring plan) By Tatiana Bautzer SAO PAULO, June 20 (Reuters) - Miners Vale SA andBHP Group said in a joint statement on Mondaythey are not interested in selling their joint venture Samarco,after reports of the interest of Brazilian steelmaker CompanhiaSiderurgica Nacional (CSN). "BHP Brasil and Vale say Samarco is not for sale andreaffirm its support for the restructuring plan filed by theemployees' unions," the companies said in a joint statement.
The statement added the companies are "focused on themediation hearing in the bankruptcy process" scheduled forTuesday. CSN is drafting an offer to acquire miner Samarco MineracaoSA, which will be presented by its adviser RK Partners to thebankruptcy court judge overseeing its debt restructuring, twopeople with knowledge of the matter said. RK Partners has reached out to Samarco shareholders Vale andBHP Group, along with unions and financial creditors, thesources said. One of the sources said Vale has already told CSNthe company is not interested in selling Samarco.
A key problem to reach an agreement is financing Samarco'sliabilities related to its 2015 disaster in the city of Mariana.Shareholders, which have committed to pay for damages, mayresist any proposal to give up control of operations whilekeeping that liability.
A mediation hearing was scheduled by the judge overseeingSamarco's bankruptcy between two groups presenting competingrestructuring proposals, one led by financial creditors and theother by the employees' unions with the support of Vale and BHP. According to a document filed by Samarco with the bankruptcycourt and seen by Reuters, the miner is asking the bankruptcyjudge to reject the plan proposed by creditors for"inconsistencies." Samarco's lawyers say the 96% reduction in the 23 billionreal ($4.5 billion) shareholders credit with the company issubject to tax and would create a $1.5 billion tax liabilitythat was not assessed in the plan.
In a statement, the group of creditors said Samarco'sanalysis about the plan is incorrect and said that reducing the"undue" credit with shareholders will not create taxliabilities.
($1 = 5.1481 reais) (Reporting by Tatiana BautzerEditing by Brad Haynes, Marguerita Choy and Lisa Shumaker)
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