Snapshot: Rio Tinto, one of the world's largest mining companies with extensive operations across Australia, including major iron ore extraction sites in Western Australia, is facing a class action lawsuit filed in December 2024. The lawsuit alleges long-term, systemic sexual harassment and gender discrimination at its worksites. Similarly, BHP, another global mining giant, is confronting a comparable class action over allegations of widespread inappropriate behaviour, including assault and discrimination, at its Australian mine sites.

In December 2024, ex-female workers filed a class action lawsuit against Rio Tinto in the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney, alleging widespread and systemic sexual harassment and gender discrimination at the company’s worksites over the past two decades. The lead applicant, a former fly-in fly-out security guard who worked at Rio Tinto’s mine sites in Western Australia, claims she was repeatedly subjected to inappropriate conduct, both verbal and physical. She describes experiencing sexually explicit comments on a weekly basis and being touched inappropriately. She also recounted that male colleagues made crude jokes about rape and that one coworker sent her an explicit video while she was on maternity leave. Rather than being terminated, the coworker was allowed to resign. After she reported the behaviour, the plaintiff says she was overlooked for professional development opportunities, suggesting a pattern of retaliation.

According to counsel for the plaintiffs, the claim has been in mediation since the start of 2024. However, with no agreement reached, the plaintiffs have taken the case to the Federal Court.

In response to the allegations, Rio Tinto has stated that it takes all claims of misconduct seriously, does not tolerate any form of sexual or sex-based harassment, and considers issues related to workplace safety, culture, and code of conduct violations to be of the highest importance.

The case is ongoing.

Rio Tinto operates multiple mining sites across Western Australia, including Iron Ore Western Australia, a key site where the company extracts iron ore. Iron ore is the main source of steel, which is used by all technologies to varying degrees for the construction of renewable energy infrastructure such as wind turbines.