Australia's Yindjibarndi Indigenous group has appealed a Federal Court ruling concerning compensation for the impact of Australia-based miner Fortescue's Solomon Hub iron ore operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region, according to a report by Reuters.
Group seeks compensation linked to iron ore value
The Yindjibarndi people are seeking more than AUD 1.8 billion ($1.3 billion) in compensation, comprising AUD 1 billion for cultural losses and over AUD 800 million for economic losses arising from iron ore mining on their traditional lands without a land-use agreement since 2012.
In May, the court ordered Fortescue, the world's fourth-largest iron ore producer, to pay AUD 150 million ($107.7 million) for cultural losses, in addition to AUD 136,757 for economic losses and AUD 217,152 in compound interest. However, the group argues that the economic award should reflect royalty payments typically included in Pilbara mining agreements and the value of the area's iron ore deposits, rather than being based solely on the underlying land value.
Appeal concerns Fortescue's Solomon Hub
The dispute concerns the Solomon Hub, one of Fortescue's major Pilbara iron ore mining operations, where the court found that 124 of 240 identified heritage sites had been completely destroyed.
The Western Australian government has also appealed the ruling, seeking greater legal clarity regarding native title compensation for mining projects. Fortescue, which has already paid the court-ordered amount, declined to comment on the appeal but stated previously that it had sought an agreement with the Yindjibarndi group for 15 years.
