PERTH, WA - A critical waterhole, described as the 'lifeblood' of the Robe River Kuruma people, is reportedly drying up due to extensive water extraction by mining behemoth Rio Tinto. Representatives from the Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation (RRKAC) voiced urgent pleas at Rio Tinto's recent annual general meeting, detailing significant damage to ancestral lands in Western Australia's West Pilbara region.
The core of the dispute centers on the unsustainable water usage from the Bungaroo Valley, which feeds into the Robe River. This site holds profound cultural and historical significance for the Robe River Kuruma people, whose identity is intrinsically linked to the river itself. For years, this sacred water source had persisted even through periods of drought, a testament to its importance, until recent increased extraction levels.
In an effort to mitigate the escalating crisis and reduce its water footprint, Rio Tinto has initiated the construction of a desalination plant, a project reportedly valued at A$1.1 million. This plant is designed to supply up to eight gigalitres of water annually, signalling a shift in the company's approach to water sourcing as pressure mounts to replenish the affected water systems.
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Traditional Owners' Growing Impatience
The pushback from traditional owners has been escalating. Leon Adam, a Robe River Kuruma man, has explicitly stated he will not wait another five years for water extraction in the Bungaroo Valley to cease. This sentiment underscores a deep-seated frustration with the pace of change and the ongoing environmental degradation.
Rio Tinto, through its CEO Jakob Stausholm, has acknowledged that the current water extraction levels, particularly from the Bungaroo area, are unsustainable. The company has expressed openness to reducing water usage elsewhere in the Pilbara and believes that with the new desalination capabilities, less water will be required from the Bungaroo Valley and significantly less from Millstream.
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Lingering Shadows of Past Breaches
This present conflict over water echoes a broader pattern of contention between Rio Tinto and the Robe River Kuruma people, particularly in the wake of the Juukan Gorge destruction in 2020. At the same Perth AGM, Deanne McGowan, representing RRKAC, highlighted that the company has yet to fulfill core pledges made five years ago.
Specifically, an agreement governing the Mesa J mine, Rio Tinto's largest operation on Robe River Kuruma lands, has not been modernized. This mine has been operating for three decades. When the original agreement was negotiated twenty years ago with the elders, the expectation was that the mine would soon close, obviating the need for its inclusion in land-use accords.
"The Robe River is a bloodline for our culture, our heritage and our people." - Jakob Stausholm, CEO, Rio Tinto
The aftermath of the Juukan Gorge incident, which involved the destruction of 46,000-year-old rock shelters, prompted widespread public outcry, government inquiries, and significant leadership changes at Rio Tinto. It also brought to light how previous agreements often silenced traditional owners regarding heritage damage and resulted in inadequate royalty payments for mining on their lands. Despite claims of improved co-management and co-development, as exemplified by clean energy partnerships with the Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation, the RRKAC contends that substantive reforms, particularly concerning land-use agreements, remain incomplete.
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