A group of Australian aborigines has demanded compensation from the government of Western Australia in the amount of A$1.8 billion for allowing iron ore mining without a land use agreement. This is reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
Details
The Yindjibarndi Ngurra Corporation (YNAC) claims that the Solomon mining center has caused serious damage to their land and community.
The claim includes A$1 billion for cultural losses and another A$678 million for economic losses. Court documents indicate that this case could become a precedent-setting one and pave the way for new compensation claims for past violations of indigenous rights.
YNAC has filed a lawsuit against the state government, accusing it of issuing mining permits. The state, in turn, is expected to seek compensation from Fortescue, one of the world's largest iron ore producers.
Fortescue has confirmed the Aboriginal people's right to compensation, but the amount of payments remains a matter of dispute. At the same time, representatives of the Western Australian government have not yet commented.
Recall
Western Australia is a key region for the global steel industry, accounting for almost half of the world's iron ore exports.