Rio Tinto has redrawn its plans for Australia’s next big copper-gold mine after the shock discovery of one of the world’s rarest birds within its project perimeter.
The night parrot, feared extinct for more than a century, has been detected at Rio’s Winu project – dubbed the copper whopper – in the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia.
Terrance Jack, a heritage co-ordinator for the Jamukurnu-Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation which oversees Martu’s exclusive native title lands and rights, has been organising ranger teams to go out with Rio crews.
“It’s good to do that two-way learning. It gives our rangers experience with whitefella science that can get them more work, and Rio gets to learn about the country they’re working on and can be sure they’re doing the right thing,” Mr Jack said
The Australian, March 2025
