Rio Tinto makes admissions to federal inquiry into WA sacred site destruction

A federal parliamentary inquiry has been told mining giant Rio Tinto could have carried out its operations in W-A’s Pilbara region without destroying 46,000 year old Aboriginal sacred sites, but those options weren’t presented to Traditional Owners. Senior executives from Rio Tinto have given evidence to the inquiry, after the destruction of ancient rock shelters by explosives in May to allow the expansion of an iron ore mine.

Protesters outside the Rio Tinto office in Perth in June Source: AAP