PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Rio Tinto has reached an agreement with the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) on a new co-designed management plan to ensure the protection of significant social and cultural heritage values as part of the proposed development of the Western Range iron-ore project in the Pilbara.

The social, cultural heritage management plan (SCHMP) is the result of strong collaboration over the past year between the Yinhawangka people and Rio including ‘on-Country’ visits, archaeological and ethnographic surveys and workshops.

The SCHMP outlines protocols for joint decision-making on environmental matters, mine planning and closure. It also outlines support for the Yinhawangka Ranger programme as well as plans to increase participation in “on-Country’ environmental and other cultural heritage management activities.

It is the first time Rio and Yinhawangka have jointly developed a plan of this type.

Rio told shareholders this week that the company continues work to improve its approach to social and cultural heritage management with Traditional Owners in the Pilbara and is engaging with other Traditional Owner groups to develop similar plans.

“We are appreciative of the Yinhawangka people for the opportunity to work together on this important plan which provides a new framework for working in partnership on-Country,” said iron-ore CEO Simon Trott.

“We know we haven’t always got this right in the past. We have learned and continue to learn a lot from this co-designed process which is the manner in which we want to work with all Traditional Owners.

“This is an important milestone for the Western Range project, allowing the Yinhawangka people and Rio Tinto to move forward together.”

The SCHMP was submitted to Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on February 1, and forms part of Rio’s submission to the EPA regarding the Greater Paraburdoo iron-ore hub proposal.

The Greater Paraburdoo iron-ore hub proposal will involve clearing an additional 4 300 ha of native vegetation and will include the development of new mine pits and associated infrastructure at Western Range and the development of the 4 East Extension at Paraburdoo.