Rio Tinto's boss Jean-Sebastien Jacques will step down after criticism of the mining giant's sacred aboriginal site destruction.In May, the slotxo world's largest iron ore miner destroyed two ancient caves in Pilbara, western Australia.The company went on to blow up the Juukan Gorge rock shelter despite objections by its original Aboriginal owners.It sparked widespread criticism from shareholders and the public.On Friday, the company said in a statement that key stakeholders had expressed concerns about management's responsibility for the failure it identified.The board said Mr Jacques would remain chief executive until March or until a successor was appointed.Other top executives, including Miners' Iron Ore Head and Corporate Relations, will leave the company at the end of the year.
The caves, considered one of Australia's most important archaeological research sites, have consistently shown evidence of human habitation dating back 46,000 years.They sit above about eight million tonnes of high-grade iron ore, worth about £ 75 million (A $ 132m; $ 96m).Australia's parliament is now investigating the actions of miners.Rio Tinto also held its own questioning earlier this year, after which the company cut bonuses for its directors and began efforts to repair ties with the Aboriginal community.What happened at Juukan was not right and we are committed to ensuring that the destruction of such a prominent archaeological and cultural heritage site will not happen again in Operation Rio Tinto," said President Simon Thompson. sayArtifacts found in the slotxo cave include a 28,000-year-old animal bone tool and a 4,000-year-old belt made from braided human hair. The DNA test was directly linked to the Puutu, Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people who owned the original land.After the cave was destroyed, PKKP representative John Ashburton said the loss of the area was devastating.There are few well-known Aboriginal sites in Australia that are as old as this one Last week, it was revealed that in the days leading up to the May cave destruction, Rio Tinto hired lawyers in the event that opponents sought a ban to stop them.Although the company says it is authorized to work under Aboriginal inheritance law. But critics say it advises miners to be aware of the site's cultural importance.In June, rival miners BHP halted plans to expand mining in the Pilbara region in June following outcry over Rio's actions.The cultural value of the Juukan Gorge shelter was enormous, and so was the loss.The decision to let go of the CEO is proving after months of pressure from traditional landowners, other Aboriginal groups and shareholders who have refused to stand in the destruction of a major archaeological site. One of the best in Australia The scandal also highlights a power imbalance between Australia's influential mining industry and traditional landowners. And what should the government's responsibilities be to ensure that historical and ancestral sites are protected?
Last month, Mr Jacques and two top executives were stripped of millions of dollars in bonuses for 2020, the slotxo move appears to have returned.Many see the reduction in the wages of the already high-income executives as a manifestation of a lack of contact, and nowhere is the reward that is satisfactory for those responsible for their care. Relationship in the communityRio Tinto President Simon Thompson said the mining giant is committed to earning the trust of the residents of Puutu, Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura and other original owners.But considering how they handled this scandal, it's hard to see that will happen anytime soon.
