Rio Tinto's Legacy: Unkept Promises and Aboriginal Heritage

Rio Tinto faces criticism for not updating its agreement with the Robe River Kuruma group, five years after pledging reforms due to the destruction of Aboriginal heritage sites. The miner's opaque payment practices and slow progress on land-use agreements threaten its production schedule and public reputation.

At a recent annual general meeting in Perth, heavy scrutiny was placed on mining giant Rio Tinto as it faces allegations of failing to update its agreement with an Aboriginal group, the Robe River Kuruma. The group accuses Rio Tinto of neglecting its promise to modernize accords, particularly following the company's controversial destruction of an ancient Aboriginal site in 2020.

This issue traces back to the Juukan Gorge incident, where the company destroyed 46,000-year-old rock shelters, prompting a wave of public outrage and leadership changes at Rio Tinto. Multiple inquiries revealed systemic problems in agreements between miners and Aboriginal groups, often silencing voices and withholding fair royalties.

Amid these tensions, Rio Tinto Chair Dominic Barton expressed the company's commitment to resolving these issues, given their engagement with over 60 Indigenous groups globally. Still, failure to amend such agreements risks potential disruptions in Rio Tinto's production timeline, as emphasized in their latest quarterly report.

(With inputs from agencies.)