Fortescue withholding royalties, Aboriginal group says
The WGAC has asked for more information before approving new leases Fortescue has applied for, the group’s director, Joselyn Hicks, says
Melbourne — An Australian Aboriginal group said on Tuesday that Fortescue Metals is withholding nearly A$2m ($1.4m) in royalty payments until it signs off on mining leases that cover areas containing many sacred sites.
The country of the Eastern Guruma, or Wintawari Guruma, people is one of the most heavily explored areas in Australia, with more than 93% covered by mining tenements, the Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation (WGAC), said. The group estimates at least 434 heritage sites on their land have already been destroyed through mining, while 285 more are close to mining operations and inaccessible to traditional owners...
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