Mining

Rio Tinto CEO faces calls to resign after ancient cave demolition https://t.co/Ydhf9FL7IL

— Financial Times (@FT) August 7, 2020

Rio Tinto’s chief executive is facing calls to resign after admitting he did not know the cultural significance of a 46,000-year-old Aboriginal site before the mining group blew it up.

Australian MPs grilled Jean-Sébastien Jacques and other senior executives yesterday over a decision to destroy the Aboriginal rock shelters to access iron ore deposits valued at $135m. The lawmakers criticised their failure to recognise the cultural significance of the Juukan Gorge site and inability to immediately answer multiple questions at the inquiry.

The Anglo-Australian miner told the parliamentary committee its senior executives, including Mr Jacques, had not read a 2018 archaeological report that the company had commissioned. The study found the site was of the “highest archaeological significance in Australia”.

Rio Tinto didn't tell traditional owners there were options to save 46,000yo rock shelters https://t.co/hCtDXp4MqK

— ABC News (@abcnews) August 7, 2020

Rio Tinto admits that destruction of 46,000-year old Aboriginal rockshelter helped it access high grade iron ore worth $135 million https://t.co/pXmMxO23nu

— The Ice Age ❄️🌞 (@Jamie_Woodward_) August 8, 2020

EDIT 11.9.20

BREAKING: Rio Tinto’s CEO and two senior executives will depart the company after an investor revolt over the destruction of the ancient Juukan Gorge rock shelters. https://t.co/4avoAYlXwy

— The Age (@theage) September 10, 2020

#RioTNT finally being called out for being the appalling corporate citizens they are. Rio have always seen themselves above governments.They treated my government with utter contempt. Their disregard for indigenous people now on full display to the world https://t.co/t3MIlMN7Xi

— Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) September 10, 2020

Not just the Juukan Gorge, Rio Tinto also had role in destroying the mountain peaks in West Papua sacred to the Amungme people.

Carstenz, Ertsberg and Grasberg are sacred home to their ancestor spirits Jomun-Temun Nerek. Their deceased must be buried in those areas. https://t.co/GZNoukJKvD pic.twitter.com/85CNvzN5Jr

— Veronica Koman (@VeronicaKoman) September 11, 2020

EDIT 4.11.20 

Of course, we should not forget – as we previously posted here – that the parent company of Aggregate Industries also has form in damaging Aboriginal rock art, having been fined $280,000 in 2010.