A subsidiary of Swiss multinational mining giant Glencore has been fined for unlawfully conducting work at a sacred Aboriginal site in the Northern Territory. The McArthur River Mine, located near Borroloola, was penalised $31,500 after pleading guilty to carrying out unauthorised activities at Barney Creek, part of the Damangani sacred site.
The company was found to have installed handrails and conducted water monitoring at the site without obtaining the required certification from the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA). The work, which spanned 13 years, was deemed a violation of Northern Territory sacred site protection laws.
A History of Violations
This is not the first time Glencore has faced legal scrutiny for its operations. The company has a history of regulatory breaches and ethical concerns across multiple countries.
- In Africa, Glencore’s UK subsidiary pleaded guilty to paying over $28 million in bribes to secure preferential access to oil operations across Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and South Sudan between 2011 and 2016.
- In 2024, Glencore reported a $1.6 billion loss, further highlighting ongoing financial and operational challenges.
Despite the fine, Indigenous advocates argue the penalty is far too lenient, given the scale of environmental and cultural damage caused.
McArthur River Mine Responds
Following the court ruling, McArthur River Mine issued a statement expressing regret over the incident:
“MRM apologises and regrets the concern this has caused to Indigenous traditional owners and custodians,” a spokesperson said.
However, critics argue that corporate apologies without substantial reform mean little, and fines of this scale fail to act as an effective deterrent.
Ongoing Concerns Over Indigenous Rights and Mining Operations
The case has reignited debate over corporate accountability in protecting Aboriginal land and cultural heritage. Environmental and Indigenous rights groups have called for stricter penalties and greater oversight of mining operations, particularly when they impact sites of spiritual and cultural significance.
With Glencore’s ongoing legal infractions, this fine raises broader questions about the effectiveness of Australia’s corporate penalties in preventing further damage to sacred Indigenous sites.
Will mining companies continue to disregard Indigenous cultural protections, or will this case prompt stronger safeguards for Australia’s First Nations heritage?
Only time will tell.
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