A Day to Dance

Those who gathered at the Argyle Diamond Mine in June did so to celebrate the dawn of a new era in community relations. Argyle Diamonds and the traditional land owners of the site in the Kimberley region of Western Australia were prepared to acknowledge a common interest, a meeting of commerce and heritage from which both sides will secure sustainable benefits.

The Argyle Participation Agreement recognizes traditional ownership of the land, acknowledging the rights of Aboriginal peoples who are believed to have lived in the region for over 40,000 years. It also allows Argyle Diamonds, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, to continue mining there as long as it's feasible to do so for the benefit of all parties. It formally sets out a shared vision for regional development in the area of the mine and supersedes Argyle's 20 year old "Good Neighbour" agreement.

The milestone is a historic one for a number of reasons. On the part of Argyle Diamonds it is entirely voluntary after a long but chequered relationship with local Aboriginal people since the mine began operations in the 1980s. Under the Agreement Argyle has undertaken to provide training, business development support, preferential employment and financial benefits to traditional owners. The company will consult over land management and on any decommissioning plan as well as providing access to the mine lease area.