Friday essay: masters of the future or heirs of the past? Mining, history and Indigenous ownership
- Written by Clare Wright, Professor of History, La Trobe University
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains images and names of deceased people.
In May 2020, the international mining giant Rio Tinto made a calculated and informed decision to drill 382 blast holes in an area of its Brockman 4 mining lease that encompassed the ancient rock shelter formations at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
In a matter of minutes, eight million tonnes of ore were ripped from the earth, and with them, 46,000 years of cultural heritage destroyed.
Authors: Clare Wright, Professor of History, La Trobe University