May 7 (Reuters) - Brazil's government on Tuesday filed a

request before a federal court in Minas Gerais state asking that

miners Vale, BHP and their joint venture

Samarco pay 79.6 billion reais ($15.73 billion) for the collapse

of a tailings dam in 2015.

The petition from the country's solicitor general's office

also requests the court to block the companies' assets if the

amount is not paid within 15 days, according to a statement.

($1 = 5.0601 reais)