BHP agrees not to damage 40 Aboriginal heritage sites without consulting traditional owners

Guardian Australia revealed the resources giant had permission from the Western Australian government to destroy the sites in the Pilbara

BHP has said it will not damage 40 Aboriginal heritage sites which it received ministerial permission to destroy without further extensive consultation" with traditional owners, after Guardian Australia revealed that traditional owners had been legally prevented from speaking publicly about the sites.

It comes amid a mounting shareholder backlash against mining companies for their destruction of Aboriginal heritage, which began with Rio Tinto's destruction of a 46,000-year-old heritage site at Juukan Gorge last month and has been compared by shareholder groups to widespread bad conduct in the financial services sector before the banking royal commission.