A sacred waterhole in Western Australia has dried up for the first time in living memory, prompting traditional landowners to accuse Rio Tinto Group (ASX: RIO) (NYSE: RIO) of years of unsustainable groundwater extraction in the Pilbara region.
Representatives from the Robe River Kuruma Traditional Owners raised the issue during Rio Tinto’s annual general meeting in Perth on Wednesday. Additionally, they urged the mining giant to reduce water pumping tied to its iron ore operations in the region.
Robe River Kuruma representative Jason Masters said the damage affected an area of deep cultural and spiritual significance. He explained that the sacred water pool had survived every drought remembered by local elders before recently running dry.
Masters also said the pool remained empty despite heavy rainfall from Cyclone Narelle earlier this year. Furthermore, he claimed nearby river gum trees had died as groundwater levels continued falling across the surrounding landscape.
The Robe River Kuruma people blamed Rio Tinto’s long-term water extraction for the environmental decline. However, the company attributed some pressure on regional water systems to several years of below-average rainfall and reduced streamflow.
In March, Rio Tinto stated that weak rainfall over the past five years had reduced groundwater recharge at the Millstream and Bungaroo aquifers. Those aquifers support the West Pilbara Water Supply Scheme used by mining operations and local communities.
Meanwhile, Rio Tinto and the Western Australian government are constructing a desalination plant designed to reduce groundwater demand. The project carries a price tag of about AUD$1.1 million, equivalent to roughly USD$799,810.
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Several studies warned that groundwater could dry up
The plant is expected to begin operating later this year. In addition, officials said it could eventually supply eight gigalitres of water annually to regional users.
Rio Tinto chairman Dominic Barton told shareholders the company was attempting to restore water flows in the area. He also said Rio Tinto wanted further discussions with traditional owners regarding environmental damage and possible remediation efforts.
The dispute revives scrutiny surrounding Rio Tinto’s relationship with Indigenous communities in Australia. Consequently, critics again pointed to the company’s 2020 destruction of sacred rock shelters at Juukan Gorge, an incident that triggered public outrage and led to the departure of several senior executives.
Environmental groups and water researchers have raised similar concerns across Australia’s resource sector for more than a decade. Additionally, several studies have warned that groundwater systems in arid mining regions recharge very slowly after depletion.
Many aquifers beneath Western Australia accumulated over thousands of years through infrequent rainfall cycles. However, industrial extraction can reduce groundwater pressure much faster than nature can restore it.
Mining companies throughout the Pilbara depend heavily on groundwater for ore processing, dust suppression and worker operations. Consequently, disputes over water access have intensified as climate variability places additional stress on the region.
Researchers have also warned that permanent springs and waterholes can collapse suddenly after groundwater levels fall below critical thresholds. In some cases, ecosystems surrounding those sites struggle to recover even after water use declines.
Rio Tinto stated earlier this year that prolonged dry conditions contributed to reduced aquifer recharge across the West Pilbara region. The company also said it was investing in desalination infrastructure to reduce pressure on groundwater supplies near its operations.
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