Traditional owners sign agreement with ABD instead of Glencore for bauxite mining lease

The State Government in Queensland had almost finalized the bauxite mining lease for Cape York Peninsula with a major multinational company when the native title holders of the land discarded their decision to choose their own candidate.

Glencore International had been deemed by the State Government as the ideal candidate for the lease only last month. However the native people of Wik and Wik Way People have signed an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with a rival company, Aurukun Bauxite Developments (ABD).

The agreement forms a tie between the company and the Ngan Aak Kunch (Nak) which is the association representing the Wik and Wik Way native titleholders which ensures that the Wik and Wik Way people hold 15 percent equity in any mining expedition carried out with ABD on their land.

Gina Castelain, the traditional Wik Way owner said that what they really need right now is ownership of the mine; they are no longer happy with royalty and sit down money anymore. Ownership would be the first step towards “real prospect of independence, of full participation in the mainstream economy and culture,” she said.

The prime reason for choosing ABD over Glencore is that the latter never spoke to the traditional owners of the RA315 lease while ABD has had plenty of interaction and meeting with the traditional owners.