On the third anniversary of the destruction of Juukan Gorge, Indigenous groups have hailed the Tjiwarl native title agreement as setting a new standard with a number of firsts.
Rio Tinto will bankroll a new legacy fund for the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation two and a half years after destroying Juukan Gorge rock shelters, but a dollar value for the initiative has not been revealed.
The federal government has won praise for its response to an inquiry into the Juukan Gorge destruction but been panned by the group at the centre of the issue.
Rio Tinto has taken another small step toward rebuilding relations with Aboriginal people in the Pilbara by signing a non-binding agreement with PKKP Aboriginal Corporation.
The traditional owners at the centre of the Juukan Gorge controversy said Rio Tinto's response to a parliamentary inquiry had only deepened their anguish.