© Reuters. One ton of nickel powder manufactured by the BHP Group is in a warehouse of its Nickel West division, south of Perth.
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – BHP Group (NYSE 🙂 has launched a joint investigation with an indigenous group into what caused a rock fall at a culturally important rock shelter at its iron ore operations in Western Australia, both groups said. BHP discovered the damage to the site of importance to the people of Banjima on January 29, as part of monitoring its operations in Mining Area C. It informed its Banjima partners and the groups agreed to establish an investigation into the incident, the president said. from BHP Minerals Australia, Edgar Basto in a statement. “This site is not part of the current mining operations. The cause of this rockfall is unknown, “Basto said in a statement Tuesday night. Mining Area C is part of BHP’s $ 3.4 billion southern flank replacement project in the Pilbara region of the state. Miners face closer scrutiny over what they do to protect sacred indigenous sites in the wake of the destruction of two former sacred rock shelters in the Juukan Gorge in Rio Tinto (NYSE 🙂 last May. The mining company had obtained a permission to destroy the sites Basto and Brandon Craig, director of BHP’s Western Australian iron ore operations met with Banjima Elders as part of the Banjima Heritage Advisory Council that BHP established last year after the Juukan Gorge incident. “We will continue to work. with Banjima in a spirit of respect and cooperation, “BHP said. Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation said it had met with BHP executives on February 11 to to clarify details in an initial report and carry out the investigation.
