'Not even dating': Sandfire aims to rebuild heritage trust

Sandfire Resources has struck a deal to work with Traditional Owners at its WA mine, weeks after admitting it failed to disclose the destruction of heritage sites at the project more than five years ago.

Following outcry over unreported disturbance of cultural heritage at the DeGrussa mine in 2017 and 2018, Sandfire was invited by Yugunga-Nya elders to meet on country recently, where the two groups came to agreement on a framework.

The two parties will work to a plan “designed to map issues, steps and relationships”, which will protect cultural heritage at the miner’s DeGrussa operation.

The deal delivers on the Yugunga-Nya’s request dating back to 2016, when they asked to be involved in protection of cultural heritage sites and material at DeGrussa.

“This forum provided an important opportunity for the Yugunga-Nya Elders to explain first-hand the importance of our cultural heritage and the distress caused by Sandfire’s failure to protect two of our artefact scatters and the inexcusable delay in notifying us of the damage,” Yugunga-Nya elder Bill Shay said.

Elder Andrew Gentle Senior said there was a lot of work to be done by Sandfire to regain trust.

“We are not getting married, engaged, or even dating Sandfire,” he said.

“We still distrust Sandfire because they destroyed our heritage and didn’t bother to tell us.

“However, we want to try to rebuild trust.

“To do this, Sandfire’s senior management and the board must actively work with us, not manage us. Sandfire need to show they are sincere because since 2016 they have showed nothing but disrespect for Yugunga-Nya people and Aboriginal culture.”

Sandfire said the discussions gave it the opportunity to listen to the concerns of the Yugunga-Nya, and “better understand their wishes and respond to their needs”.

“… there is a sense of optimism that these engagements and planned meetings in future will provide a platform for Sandfire to rebuild trust and earn the respect of the Yugunga-Nya,” the company said.

The agreement follows outcry over the news, revealed by Business News on November 30, that the miner and Traditional Owners were at odds over the disturbance of cultural heritage at DeGrussa in 2017 and 2018.

Sandfire admitted the sites, described as “low-density artefact scatter”, had been disturbed as a result of process failures and apologised to Traditional Owners.

One site was completely destroyed, and the other was disturbed.  

Sandfire did not consult the Yugunga-Nya or lodge a Section 18 application under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 before carrying out the work. 

A leading law firm has been engaged to conduct an external investigation into the process which allowed the incidents to take place, with the findings to be shared with the Yungunga-Nya before industry and broader stakeholders.

Sandfire said it would also continue to cooperate fully with a Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage investigation.

Chief executive Brendan Harris said the company was determined to rebuild its relationship with the Traditional Owner group.

“I know I speak for everyone involved with Sandfire when I say we are deeply sorry for the distress we have caused through our failure to protect artefact scatters prior to the construction of the Monty mine in 2017,” he said.

“While we cannot undo what has been done, we can make sure we do the right thing as we seek to rebuild trust and earn the respect of the Yugunga-Nya.”