Australian mining company Comalco has signed an agreement promising to consult aboriginal people in Queensland’s Western Cape York peninsula before it expands bauxite operations in the area.
The Western Cape Communities Co-existence Agreement, which took five years to negotiate, recognises the ‘native title rights of traditional owners’ and promises to consult aborigines on issues such as employment, cultural site protection and land access.
It says Comalco, which is a subsidiary of Rio Tinto with an annual turnover of $2billion (£1.4bn), will pay $1.3million a year into a trust to fund community initiatives and will relinquish parts of land leases no longer required for mining.
The company will also provide ‘cultural heritage protection and cultural awareness training’ to all staff and contractors in the area.
The agreement was signed with representatives of 11 aborigine groups, four indigenous community councils, the Cape York Land Council and the Queensland government.