29 May 2020

...[M]ining giant Fortescue Metals Group lost its High Court bid against a native title determination covering one of its iron ore mines.

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...[T]he High Court rejected the company's application for special leave to have the case heard, with costs to be paid by FMG.

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Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation's legal representative Tina Jowett said..."[h]aving that huge mine built in their land ... they deserve to get compensation so they can benefit their community," she said.

"This is for their health and housing that they so desperately need. Now we will start to put a compensation claim together.
In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, FMG said it was "disappointed" with the outcome.

It said it did not expect the decision to impact its operations or mining tenure at the Solomon hub and it did not anticipate "any material financial impact".

At an FMG shareholders meeting last year, company founder and chairman Andrew Forrest called compensation for the Yindjibarndi people "mining welfare" and said Roebourne was "not a community I'm going to empower with tens of millions of your cash".

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