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PKKP Aboriginal Corporation and Rio Tinto Sign Co-Management Agreement to Strengthen Partnership and Protect Cultural Heritage

The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) Aboriginal Corporation and Rio Tinto have signed a landmark Co-Management Agreement that establishes a framework for a lasting, respectful partnership grounded in trust and transparency.

This agreement sets out how Rio Tinto will operate on PKKP Country in Western Australia, formalising collaborative engagement on heritage and community matters throughout the life of its iron ore mining operations. It places knowledge-sharing, joint design, and cultural protection at the heart of Rio Tinto’s activities, ensuring that significant heritage sites are preserved and co-managed with PKKP Traditional Owners.

Terry Drage, Pinikura Traditional Owner and Chairperson of the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation, said:

“The effect of this agreement is that PKKP Traditional Owners will receive certainty that our important places on Country will be protected from mining, while at the same time Rio Tinto will receive certainty around where they can develop much earlier in the mine cycle.

Ultimately, this is good for us as Traditional Owners, and it is good for business.”

The agreement is designed to create long-term clarity for both parties: safeguarding heritage for the PKKP community while supporting operational certainty and improved planning for Rio Tinto.

Simon Trott, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Iron Ore, acknowledged the deep impact of past failures and the importance of this agreement:

“The destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters on 24 May 2020 brought immeasurable pain to the PKKP and profoundly changed our company.

Our actions were wrong. We failed to uphold our company values, and our systems and processes were inadequate. Simply put, it should never have happened, and for that we will forever be sorry.

Through the open and gracious sharing of knowledge and experiences, the PKKP have helped shape a renewed approach to managing cultural heritage and mining activities.”

Finalised last month, the agreement was signed ahead of the five-year anniversary of the tragic destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters—an event that has since become a pivotal moment in reshaping how the mining industry engages with Indigenous communities and heritage.

The Co-Management Agreement also reaffirms Rio Tinto’s ongoing commitment to work with the PKKP on the rehabilitation of the Juukan Gorge area, with a shared focus on cultural restoration and preservation.

This agreement marks a significant step forward in repairing trust, protecting Country, and forging a collaborative path for responsible resource development.

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