29 May 2020

...[A]...Brisbane courtroom...will decide what lies ahead for the community.

On one side is FMG, the $40 billion iron ore company majority-owned by mining billionaire and philanthropist Andrew Forrest.

[...]

On the other side, Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC), the organisation that represents about 800 traditional owners.

The legal dispute began in 2017, after the traditional owners were awarded exclusive native title over a parcel of land that included Fortescue's Solomon Mine Hub.

[...]

The appeal was rejected late last year, so FMG took it further — appealing to the High Court of Australia.

[...]

"We accept, and have always accepted, the Yindjibarndi people's non-exclusive Native Title rights and interests over the relevant area," Fortescue chief executive Elizabeth Gaines said....

"Our application for special leave to appeal to the High Court turns on a point of law regarding the test of exclusive possession, with potential implications for a range of industries including future mining, agriculture and tourism development proposals," she said.

[...]