Rio Tinto in Australia - PageSuite

Conserving Weeli Wolli CreekRio Tinto is working with Traditional Owners in thePilbara region of Western Australia to reduce miningimpacts on the culturally significant Weeli WolliSprings and Creek system. Located near Hope Downsmine, parts of the creek and surrounding land aresubject to Native Title claims by the Nyiyaparli andMartu Indja Banyjima.Traditional Owners believe the spirit Yarduba, arainbow serpent that guards permanent waterholes,lives in the creek. The state’s Department ofEnvironment and Conservation has also listed thearea as a priority ecological community.In 2006, Rio Tinto met Traditional Owners andestablished the Weeli Wolli Creek Co-ManagementBoard. Every three months, the board and eldersmeet to monitor environmental impacts on the creek,and examine scientific findings.The result is a forum for shared learning andunderstanding: the traditional owners work toprotect their cultural heritage and we work to minesustainably. The board also helps tell the widercommunity about the traditional knowledge andvalues of the creek system.Weipa project to safeguardnew crab speciesRio Tinto Alcan has discovered a potentially newspecies of freshwater crab near Weipa on Queensland’sCape York Peninsula. We made the discovery duringenvironmental surveys that were carried out for ourSouth of Embley Project, which aims to extend bauxitemining on our existing lease near Weipa.Since discovering the eight-legged crustacean, wehave joined forces with experts from the QueenslandMuseum to conduct further studies to increase ourknowledge, and to ensure the appropriate safeguardsare in place for the crab species.Winda Winda Creek, where the crab was discovered,will also be protected from mining by anenvironmental buffer system that exceeds regulatoryrequirements.The discovery of the crab demonstrates how theenvironmental processes we undertake as part of anymining project can make a significant contribution tothe knowledge base of local environments.