 Print this page | ||
Weld Range Wajarri Yamatji Exploration Agreement | ||
| Date: | 19 April 2006 | |
| Sub Category: | Land Use Agreement | |
| Place: | Weld Ranges | |
| Click this link to search this location with google maps | ||
| State/Country: | Western Australia, Australia | |
| Click this link to search this location with google maps | ||
| The Weld Ranges are situated about 65 km southwest of Meekatharra, in the Midwest region of Western Australia. The Ranges span for about 60 km and are believed to hold about 130 million tonnes of iron ore (NNTT 2006, 5). | ||
| Alternative Names: | ||
| Summary Information: | ||
| The Weld Range Wajarri Yamatji Exploration Agreement ('the Agreement') was signed by the Wajarri Yamatji Native Title Claim Group and Midwest Corporation Limited ('Midwest') on 19 April 2006. The Agreement enables exploration for iron ore in the Weld Ranges by Midwest while protecting culturally significant sites through the use of exclusion zones. It is said to be one of the 'most comprehensive land access agreements' in Australia and is 'an example of best practice in native title exploration agreements' (Yamatji Land and Sea Council 2006). The Agreement relates only to exploration issues - mining is to be dealt with separately (Savage and Dennison 2006, 34). | ||
| Detailed Information: | ||
| Avoidance areas The Weld Ranges contain a number of sites of exceptional cultural significance for traditional owners (Yamatji Land and Sea Council 2006). Under the Agreement, Midwest has agreed to refrain from any activity within Avoidance Areas. The Avoidance Areas include all indigenous sites registered with the Western Australian Department of Indigenous Affairs as at commencement and other Avoidance Areas agreed to after completion of heritage surveys (Savage and Dennison 2006, 34). In particular, the Agreement also protects an ancient ochre mine, Wilgie Mia, from any exploration or mining by Midwest. Wajarri people have traded ochre from Wilgie Mia for centuries (NNTT 2006, 5; Yamatji Land and Sea Council 2006). Access and use by traditional owners The Agreement allows continued access by traditional owners to the area, subject to safety issues. It also enables traditional owners to continue removing ochre from Wilgie Mia (Yamatji Land and Sea Council 2006). Financial Package The Agreement includes a financial package consisting of funds for training and education strategies, funds for compensation and a share issue to the Wajarri Yamatji group (Dennison and Savage 2006, 35; Yamatji Land and Sea Council 2006). This means that Midwest will have some accountability to its Wajarri Yamatji shareholders (Yamatji Land and Sea Council 2006). Monitoring The Agreement will be overseen by a monitoring and liaison committee and a liaison officer and Aboriginal monitors will monitor any ground disturbing operations (Savage and Dennison 2006, 34-35; Yamatji Land and Sea Council 2006). Negotiations The Wajarri Yamatji Native Title Claim Group was assisted by the Yamatji Land and Sea Council during negotiations. At the time of negotiations, Midwest held four granted tenements (one exploration licence, two mining leases and one temporary reserve) and five ungranted tenements (four exploration licences and one mining licence) (Savage and Dennison 2006, 17-18). | ||
| Outcomes: | ||
| Midwest issued 100,000 shares to the Wajarri Peoples Trust on 21 July 2006, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement (Midwest Annual Report 2006, 58). | ||
Related Entries |
| Organisation |
Glossary |
| Land Use Agreement (Australia) |
| ||||
| ||||
|
Was this useful? Click here to fill in the ATNS survey