Drying Sacred Grounds: Rio Tinto's Water Struggle

A significant waterhole used by Aboriginal people in Western Australia has run dry for the first time, with Rio Tinto's water extraction practices blamed. Desalination efforts are underway to address this, as the destruction echoes past environmental missteps by the company in the region.

The drying up of a sacred waterhole, central to Aboriginal heritage in Western Australia, has incited widespread concern. The Robe River Kuruma Traditional Owners have attributed this unprecedented event to excessive water pumping by mining giant Rio Tinto.

Jason Masters, representing Robe River Kuruma, voiced grievances at Rio Tinto’s AGM in Perth, highlighting long-lasting damage to ancestral lands in West Pilbara. He called for immediate reductions in water use to protect this culturally significant site, which persisted through droughts until now.

In response, Rio Tinto has embarked on constructing a desalination plant to curb its water usage. The project, valued at A$1.1 million, aims to provide up to eight gigalitres of water annually, as efforts intensify to replenish the affected sacred water systems.