‘Legacy of sadness’: Glencore says sorry to traditional owners over NT mine as it seeks expansion
The mining giant Glencore has apologised to traditional owners for the “legacy of sadness” left by the impacts of its controversial Northern Territory mine as it pushes to expand the zinc and lead operation.
The McArthur River mine has been dogged by environmental incidents and alleged damage to cultural sites for decades, including the diversion of the entire river in 2006.
“McArthur River mine has a controversial history and carries a legacy of sadness for some traditional owners,” McArthur River Mine (MRM) general manager Steven Rooney told a federal parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday.
“We want to acknowledge that the mine, and in particular the diversion of the McArthur River in 2006, continues to be a source of sadness and has had an impact on country.
“Today, we as Glencore and the current operators of the McArthur River mine want to offer an apology and say sorry to the Indigenous people and traditional owners from the four language groups of Gudanji, Yanyuwa, Garawa and Marra.”
Rooney told the inquiry into the destruction of Aboriginal heritage at Juukan Gorge that Glencore was in the early stages of negotiating a land use agreement with the traditional owners, and had promised to improve their access to sacred sites within the mining area.
The Northern Land Council (NLC), which represents traditional owners in the Top End, welcomed the apology but said said the hard work was still to be done.
“I welcome the apology for all of the terrible things and issues that have been done in the past. I think it’s welcome, but from the NLC’s point of view actions speak louder than words,” NLC chief executive Marion Scrymgour said.
“The NLC and traditional owners will be watching but also working with Glencore now, waiting to see how they’ll step up and get negotiations for a proper agreement in place … and figure out how we deal with some of the past concerns that traditional owners or native titleholders have had with that mine.”
Gudanji, Yanyuwa, Garawa and Marra people told the inquiry in June that dozens of sacred sites remained under threat at the mine, which is about 750km southeast of Darwin.
“Where they’ve got the mine site, it’s right in the middle of six very important sacred sites. They’re all connected under a rainbow snake that they’ve dug in half,” Garawa elder Jack Green said in June.
“It’s a mother for Aboriginal people and the river itself is a garden to all nations, white or black.
“There’s a songline that ties us to the area. We are not going to go away.”
Glencore took on ownership of the mine in 2012. The mine became open cut in 2006, when the McArthur River was diverted.
Traditional owners are also concerned over MRM’s plans to increase the size of a waste rock dump from 80 to 140 metres high and move an archaeologically significant stone tool quarry.
The inquiry heard that mine management has called police in the past to block traditional owners from visiting their country near the mine.
“It’s not their land. They’re squatters. They pinched the land from the Aboriginal people,” Jack Green told the inquiry. “They should recognise that this is our country and our lore and culture.”