Mining giant BHP has formed a council with Banjima Elders and company representatives to discuss plans at South Flank, a parliamentary inquiry has heard.
BHP President Minerals Australia Edgar Basto today told the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia he has written to Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC promising extensive further consultation with traditional owners.
Specifically, Mr Basto said he would not act on any existing approvals to disturb Aboriginal heritage sites without discussions with the council.
He said this included any plans where a Section 18 had been approved.
Mr Basto pointed to Area C - which is in Banjima country - where there is an independent area not yet disturbed even though it contains 11 million tonnes of high-grade iron ore.
The South Flank mine is located on Banjima's traditional lands in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
The committee is overseeing the inquiry into the destruction of 46.000-year-old caves at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara.
The Aboriginal heritage sites were destroyed by mining giant Rio Tinto in May.
The blasts took place at ancient cave sites known to be culturally important and the subject of a soon to be published archaeologist report. The blasts were not illegal.
Mr Basto agreed to front the inquiry despite BHP having no involvement in the blast.
BHP has urged shareholders to vote against the moratorium on all activities that threaten heritage sites despite key Indigenous land councils and native-title groups calling for it.
