Australian court orders mining company to pay $108 million to indigenous group

An Australian court on Tuesday ordered mining company Fortescue to pay 150 million Australian dollars, or 108 million US dollars, in compensation to an indigenous group for cultural loss caused by iron ore mining on their land without their permission, Reuters reports.

The decision represents one of the largest payouts in Australian history under native title laws, which recognize the rights and interests of indigenous peoples in certain parcels of land.

Federal Court Judge Stephen Burley found that the mining company, founded by billionaire Andrew Forrest, had caused “significant harm” to the cultural heritage of the Yindjibarndi people in Western Australia.

The Solomon Hub project, Fortescue's flagship iron ore mining operation in the state of Western Australia, has "completely destroyed" 124 cultural heritage sites identified by the company itself, and many others have been significantly affected, Burley said.