Indigenous Consulting Group to help clear pathway to hand over Woodcutters

December 10, 2014

A productive partnership between Newmont and the Woodcutters Liaison Committee is clearing the pathway to handover Woodcutters Mine Site to Traditional Owners by 2020 with a helping hand from Indigenous Consulting Group (ICG).

The Woodcutters Mine Site, located in the Northern Territory, is a former lead-zinc mine that was decommissioned in 1999 and acquired by Newmont as a closed facility in 2002. Newmont has been negotiating with the local stakeholders to facilitate the eventual release of the site back to the original landowners, the Kungarrakan and Warai people, by 2020.

Newmont has engaged ICG to deliver extra resources on a regular basis to support the working group, Wood Cutters Liaison Committee, develop an organisation, under an appropriate corporate structure that is able to administer and manage the land with appropriate governance.

ICG will support the Wood Cutters Liaison Committee:

  • Develop communications and governance protocols for meetings;
  • Clarify role and responsibilities of the Woodcutters Liaison Committee to communicate recommendations to other landowners and Trustees of the Finniss River Land Trust, in partnership with the Northern Land Council (NLC);
  • Identify options for final land use and confirm an agreed position;
  • Identify an appropriate administrative body to deliver the final land use and build capacity to manage post relinquishment; and
  • Develop a plan that identifies actions required to support the delivery of the above points.
  • The Woodcutters Liaison Committee holds quarterly meetings with support from NLC and Newmont to progress the full relinquishment of mine site to the Finniss River Land Trust.

    “In addition, Lost Time Injuries have decreased from 18 injuries in 2012 to two injuries in 2013,” Francois said. “This is particularly impressive given the mine delivered a 42 per cent increase in ounces produced and a 30 per cent increase in ore mined in 2013.”

    The committee is working to develop an organisation that can own, manage and develop the land vested in the organisation, and aims to assist the Kungarrakan and Warai people with cultural, economic and social development. The committee also works to review agreement and progress, resolve differences and communicate to wider clan members.

    Newmont is providing support to the Woodcutters Liaison Committee to make robust governance decisions regarding final land use, closure criteria, administrative body and employment, and contracting opportunities.