Juukan Gorge is back in the news, amid a dispute between Fortescue Metals Group and the traditional owners.
Fortescue Metals Group chief executive Elizabeth Gaines says the company had a meeting with the traditional owners of Juukan Gorge about its plans to apply for a mining lease in a parcel of land close to the sensitive site.
In late May, Rio Tinto detonated explosives at the Juukan Gorge caves and destroyed 46,000-year-old rock shelters, triggering a cultural heritage scandal that reverberated around the world and claimed executive scalps at the mining giant.
At a parliamentary enquiry on Monday, the cultural heritage expert of the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people, Heather Builth, reportedly said the group was disappointed to learn last month that Fortescue had applied for a mining lease in the area.
According to reports, Dr Biulth said the PKKP had proposed a moratorium over the area and found out “three days ago” through its own channels that Fortescue had applied for a mining lease on September 27.
Earlier today, Ms Gaines told reporters on the sidelines of the Diggers & Dealers mining conference in Kalgoorlie the company had met with PKKP and verbally advised them of the application.
“That was on September 10, and we applied for the mining lease on September 27,” Ms Gaines said.
“It is not new ground. We had a prospecting licence and we have had that since 2012. We have undertaken exploration work there [and] we have worked with PKKP to survey the area.
“Contrary to what has been said, unfortunately, we did actually advise them that we planned to apply for that mining lease because the prospecting licence is expiring.
“It is not new land, we don’t have any current plans to mine there and we had said we will conduct an extensive survey of the area and work closely with them.
“We operate on an avoidance basis anyway, [so] we are not planning to mine there, but that was expiring. It’s usual to convert an expiring prospecting licence into a mining lease and we did advise them and they didn’t ask us not to.”
Ms Gaines said Fortescue planned to continue to work constructively with the PKKP and remained in ongoing discussions with the group about surveying the area.
“I must admit I was surprised and a little bit disappointed because we gave advice that we intended to convert that prospecting license to a mining lease,” she said.
“But look, it is fair to say they have a lot on their plate as well. They were appearing in front of a major enquiry yesterday so there is a lot happening. I think that’s where their primary focus is and that’s understandable.”
Ms Gaines said Fortescue had a strong track record of engagement with traditional owners and of avoiding significant heritage places. She said the miner hadn’t made any significant amendments to its heritage processes in the wake of the Juukan Gorge scandal but had reviewed it very closely.
Under the existing WA Aboriginal Heritage Act, Rio Tinto had approval to destroy the Juukan Gorge caves as part of a mine expansion.
The state government is overhauling its Aboriginal heritage laws, with a new draft Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill open for consultation and expected to go before parliament later this year.
Ms Gaines said recent events had put a sharp focus on heritage management and demonstrated the need for the new Bill to prioritise comprehensive engagement.
“I do think there will be heightened awareness, more communication, more dialogue, and I think that is incumbent on all parties,” she said.
