Parliamentary Inquiry Reports on Rio's Cave Destruction, Highlights the Importance of ESG
Mining investment news, insights and company profiles
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Copper
    • Nickel
    • Lithium
    • Precious Metals
    • Base Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Exploration
    • Development
    • Production
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • Assay Insights
  • Videos
    • CEO Interviews
    • Investor Panels & Presentations
  • Company Profiles
  • Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • 121 Mining Investment
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Copper
    • Nickel
    • Lithium
    • Precious Metals
    • Base Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Exploration
    • Development
    • Production
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • Assay Insights
  • Videos
    • CEO Interviews
    • Investor Panels & Presentations
  • Company Profiles
  • Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • 121 Mining Investment
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
The Assay - Mining investment news, insights and company profiles
No Result
View All Result
Home Articles Feature Story

Parliamentary Inquiry Reports on Rio’s Cave Destruction, Highlights the Importance of ESG

Amy Rotman, Editor, The AssaybyAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
3 years ago
Parliamentary Inquiry Reports on Rio’s Cave Destruction, Highlights the Importance of ESG

An Australian parliamentary inquiry into the destruction of the 46,000 year-old Juukan Gorge caves in Western Australia released its interim report this week. The cave system was blown up back in May by Rio Tinto as part of an iron ore exploration project. The Juukan Gorge was considered one of Australia’s most significant archaeological sites which belonged to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people, who are the traditional owners of the land where the caves were based. The area also holds more than eight million tonnes of high-grade iron ore, that has an estimated value of USD$96M (A$132M).

Following the destruction earlier this year, Rio Tinto held an inquiry, after which they cut bonuses for directors and started work on repairing their relations with aboriginal communities. Later, due to further backlash from shareholders and the general public, several executives, including Chief Executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques, resigned from the company.

The parliamentary inquiry was established to investigate Rio Tinto’s behaviour and to assess the damage caused to the PKKP people. The interim report once again condemned Rio Tinto’s destruction of the caves and noted that they should compensate the traditional owners. The report, titled “Never Again,” asks Rio Tinto to ensure the full reconstruction and remediation of the destroyed rock shelters, to return all artifacts held by the company back to the PKKP people, and more. Rio has also been asked to do an independent review of all their agreements with traditional owners and to remove any gag clauses within those deals. The inquiry concluded that Rio Tinto “knew the value of what they were destroying but blew it up anyway.” And the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation has welcomed the verdict, saying it hope that this will “prompt a fundamental reset of the [mining] sector.”

Rio Tinto has since stated that they are working hard to “progress a remedy” with the PKKP and that the caves’ destruction “does not reflect the values that [we] aspire to.” ESG considerations and social licence to operate values have grown considerably over the past year, and Rio Tinto’s actions were likely a big turning point for the mining industry overall. Miners face increasing scrutiny for their actions, and this episode demonstrates that they are going to be held to account, by the community, by investors, and the public, if they are not deemed ESG-compliant.

TweetShareSend
Amy Rotman, Editor, The Assay

Amy Rotman, Editor, The Assay

Amy is the Editor of The Assay as well as APAC content director for 121 Group events. She has been involved in the mining investment space for more than five years, managing all editorial content across The Assay and APAC events, providing insight into mining investments and key market developments. Amy has run conferences and events across the APAC region since she relocated to Hong Kong in 2011 from Canada.

Related Posts

Harita Nickel Commences First US Automaker Audit
Feature Story

Harita Nickel Commences First US Automaker Audit

byKatie Gordon, Associate Editor - The Assay
22 September, 2023
Pan Global Resources Announces First ESG Report
News

Pan Global Resources Announces First ESG Report

byEleanor Laurence - Content Writer, The Assay
22 September, 2023
PGMs Uncovered:An In-depth Conversation about Platinum Group Metals
In Discussion

PGMs Uncovered:An In-depth Conversation about Platinum Group Metals

byAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
21 September, 2023
Good as Gold —An Insider’s Perspective on Precious Metals Investment
Investor Insight

Good as Gold – An Insider’s Perspective on Precious Metals Investment

byAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
12 September, 2023
PreciousMetals – Where are We Now?
Investor Insight

Royalties, Streaming, and the Precious Metals Market: Investment Perspectives

byAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
4 September, 2023
Cacharposa Discovery Pushes Ecuador to Top Spot Amongst Gold Discovery Destinations
In Discussion

Green Energy Tailwinds vs Macroeconomic Headwinds – Which Will Prevail?

byAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
28 August, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT

Popular Articles

  • Mixed Forecasts for 2023 Copper Price Levels

    Mixed Forecasts for 2023 Copper Price Levels

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Assay Guide to Palladium vs Platinum

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Silver: On its Way to Cyclical Highs Through Choppy Waters

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • US Department of Energy Recognizes Copper as a Critical Mineral for Clean Energy Technologies

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Assay’s Guide to Manganese Mining and Production

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Home
  • News
  • Articles
  • Investor Discussions
  • CEO Interviews
  • Company Profiles
  • Newsletter
  • Magazine
  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Contact Us
Hyve logo

Please note: This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine are not, and should not be construed as, an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay Magazine do not, and should not be construed as acting to, sponsor, advocate, endorse or promote any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine do not, and shall not be construed as, making any recommendation or providing any investment or other advice with respect to the purchase, sale or other disposition of any regulated products, securities or investments, including, without limitation, any advice to the effect that any mining or metals related transaction is appropriate or suitable for any investment objective or financial situation of a prospective investor. A decision to invest in any regulated products, securities or investments should not be made in reliance on any of the information or materials on this Web site or in The Assay magazine. Before making any investment decision, prospective investors should seek advice from appropriately qualified and licensed financial, legal, tax and accounting advisers, take into account their individual financial needs and circumstances and carefully consider the risks associated with such investment decision.

Privacy Notice
Cookies
Hong Kong Residents Privacy Statement

© 2023 The Assay

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Copper
    • Nickel
    • Lithium
    • Precious Metals
    • Base Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Exploration
    • Development
    • Production
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • Assay Insights
  • Videos
    • CEO Interviews
    • Investor Panels & Presentations
  • Company Profiles
  • Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • 121 Mining Investment
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Partners

Please note: This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine are not, and should not be construed as, an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay Magazine do not, and should not be construed as acting to, sponsor, advocate, endorse or promote any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine do not, and shall not be construed as, making any recommendation or providing any investment or other advice with respect to the purchase, sale or other disposition of any regulated products, securities or investments, including, without limitation, any advice to the effect that any mining or metals related transaction is appropriate or suitable for any investment objective or financial situation of a prospective investor. A decision to invest in any regulated products, securities or investments should not be made in reliance on any of the information or materials on this Web site or in The Assay magazine. Before making any investment decision, prospective investors should seek advice from appropriately qualified and licensed financial, legal, tax and accounting advisers, take into account their individual financial needs and circumstances and carefully consider the risks associated with such investment decision.

Privacy Notice
Cookies
Hong Kong Residents Privacy Statement

© 2023 The Assay