The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) Aboriginal Corporation and Rio Tinto $RIO (-0,1 %)
$RIO (-0,43 %) have signed a co-management agreement to support a lasting and trusting partnership.
The agreement provides the overarching framework for Rio Tinto's iron ore operations on PKKP land and sets out how the two companies will collaborate on proposals affecting the cultural and social environment throughout the lifecycle of the mine.
It will ensure that knowledge sharing and joint planning are at the heart of Rio Tinto's activities on PKKP Country so that the significant heritage is preserved and jointly managed.
Terry Drage, Traditional Owner of Pinikura and Chairman of PKKP Aboriginal Corporation, said: "This agreement gives PKKP Traditional Owners the certainty that our important places on the land will be protected from mining, while Rio Tinto gets the certainty of where it can develop much earlier in the mining cycle.
"Ultimately, this is good for us as traditional owners and good for business."
Simon Trott, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Iron Ore, said: "The destruction of the Juukan Gorge rocks on May 24, 2020 has caused immeasurable pain to the PKKP and has profoundly changed our business.
"Our actions were wrong. We failed to uphold our corporate values and our systems and processes were inadequate. Put simply, it should never have happened and we will be forever sorry for that."
"By sharing knowledge and experience openly and sympathetically, PKKP has helped to develop a new approach to heritage protection and mining activities."