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Rio Tinto Blows It

Two men in two panels, one at Juukan Gorge, one at Bamyan Cliffs. They blow up sacred sites. They say, 'Humanity's cultural heritage must not stand as an affront... to the profit'.

It was an event which triggered international criticism, sackings, a senate inquiry and likely legislative change. The Rio Tinto mining company was widely condemned for destroying a site of irreplaceable importance to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura peoples. Dating back 46,000 years, the Juukan Gorge rock-shelters were regarded as one of the most significant archaeological sites in Australia. Under Western Australian legislation, they were blown up to allow for expansion of an iron ore mine.