Co-managing Country

Paving a new way forward

In the years since the Juukan Gorge tragedy, we have been changing the way we work in every part of our business.

One step toward meaningful change has been listening, learning and working with the PKKP People to develop a new co-management approach on how we will work together.

Our first Co-Management Agreement, signed in May 2025 with the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation, brings together Traditional Owners' knowledge of their Country and heritage with our knowledge of mining design and execution.

This new Agreement is the overarching framework for our iron ore operations on PKKP Country and formalises how we will engage together on proposals affecting heritage and social surroundings throughout the mine lifecycle.

It represents an important step forward and will make sure knowledge-sharing and joint design are at the centre of our operations on PKKP Country, so significant heritage is preserved and co-managed.

Pinikura Traditional Owner and Chairperson of PKKP Aboriginal Corporation, Terry Drage, said the critical part of the newly signed Co-Management Agreement was the relationship that has been built between PKKP and Rio Tinto.

“The important thing for me about the Co-Management Agreement is about preservation of our heritage, our culture, our Country, but also it's about us, PKKP sitting at the table and having a say on what happens on our Country,” Terry said.

“I think Rio now has a different outlook on mining and a different way they approach Traditional Owners about their Country and what happens on their Country.

“On this journey Rio has been very supportive. They've listened, they've learned from what happened. I look forward to the future and hopefully it continues.”

PKKP Aboriginal Corporation’s Chief Heritage Officer, Dr Jordan Ralph, said the most important part of co-management was respect.

“Co-management is about mutual respect – Rio Tinto respecting the views of Traditional Owners, and Traditional Owners respecting that Rio Tinto is going to do the right thing on Country,” Dr Ralph said.

“Co-Management brings the Traditional Owners’ views and what they want to happen on Country into the conversation, so we can make sure that the mine plan can go ahead without impacting any significant heritage.

“This agreement hasn't been imposed on the Traditional Owners – it's one they wanted.

“We know the value of heritage places, so we can work with Rio Tinto to design the mine plan.”

Our Chief Executive Iron Ore, Simon Trott, described the agreement as historic.

“Co-management is a commitment to sit together, to work together in partnership, to listen to ensure PKKP voices are heard in all activities we undertake on their Country,” Simon said.

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

Simon said the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters brought immeasurable pain to PKKP and profoundly changed our company.

“Our actions were wrong,” Simon said.

“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.

Embedding Indigenous voices in decision making

This Co-Management Agreement marks a significant step forward, and we're committed to honouring the trust that has been placed in us.