Mining giant Rio Tinto has apologised to traditional owners in Western Australia's north after destroying a significant Indigenous site dating back 46,000 years, saying it is urgently reviewing plans for other sites in the area.
Rio Tinto detonated explosives in a part of the Juukan Gorge last Sunday, destroying two ancient rock shelters, which has devastated the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people.
The mining giant was granted approval for work at the Brockman 4 iron ore project in 2013, but subsequent archaeological excavation revealed ancient
Rio Tinto detonated explosives in an area of the Juukan Gorge, destroying a significant Indigenous site dating back 46,000 years. Source: Supplied/Puutu Kunti Kurrama And Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation
artefacts including grinding stones, a bone sharpened into a tool and 4000-year-old braided hair.
"We are sorry for the distress we have caused," Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said in a statement on Sunday.
"Our relationship with the PKKP matters a lot to Rio Tinto, having worked together for many years.
"We will continue to work with the PKKP to learn from what has taken place and strengthen our partnership.
"As a matter of urgency, we are reviewing the plans of all other sites in the Juukan Gorge area."
The Juukan Gorge parliamentary committee interim report has been released. Source: Supplied: PKKP
On Saturday, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation about preserving the site during years of consultation between the two parties.
Spokesman Burchell Hayes labelled the claim outrageous, saying Rio was told in October about the significance of the rock shelters and the company replied it had no plans to extend the Brockman 4 mine.
"The high significance of the site was further relayed to Rio Tinto by PKKPAC as recently as March," Mr Hayes said.
He said Rio Tinto did not advise of its intention to blast the area and the corporation "only found out by default on May 15 when we sought access to the area for NAIDOC Week in July".
WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt has said he was unaware of the blast or concerns beforehand.
The state government hopes to pass its new Aboriginal cultural heritage bill this year, although COVID-19 has delayed the consultation process.
"It will provide for agreements between traditional owners and proponents to include a process to consider new information that may come to light, and allow the parties to be able to amend the agreements by mutual consent," Mr Wyatt said.
"The legislation will also provide options for appeal."
Peter Stone, UNESCO's chair in cultural property protection and peace, said the archaeological destruction at Juukan Gorge was among the worst seen in recent history, likening it to the Taliban blowing up the Bamiyan Buddhas statues in Afghanistan and ISIS annihilating sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra.
Rio Tinto said it was committed to updating its practices.
