Agreement signed with Ngarlawangga Aboriginal Corporation at West Angelas
Rio Tinto has signed an Interim Modernised Agreement with the Ngarlawangga Aboriginal Corporation, covering the West Angelas iron-ore operation in the Pilbara. The deal was announced on 8 September 2026 via a Rio Tinto press release issued from Karratha, and was confirmed in separate reporting from Mining Weekly and Mining.com.au. Under the agreement, Rio Tinto and the Ngarlawangga People will operate a jointly designed co-management model covering Ngarlawangga Country within the agreement area, with earlier and ongoing engagement built into the mine lifecycle.
Co-management terms and financial support
The interim agreement establishes agreed processes through which Ngarlawangga perspectives will shape decisions on how cultural heritage and Country are managed and protected. It also provides additional long-term financial support aimed at social, cultural and economic priorities, with an emphasis on culture and community development. The pact is described as a stepping stone, with both parties stating they will continue to work toward a full modernised agreement.
Building on the 2011 Participation Agreement
The interim arrangement builds on the Participation Agreement signed between the Ngarlawangga People and Rio Tinto in 2011, modernizing the framework that governs activity on Ngarlawangga Country. Rio Tinto's West Angelas operations sit on the traditional lands of the Yinhawangka and Ngarlawangga Peoples, and the new terms are intended to give all parties greater certainty over how those lands are looked after going forward.
Statements from the signatories
The Ngarlawangga Aboriginal Corporation said the agreement reflects a relationship "built on respect" and that it looks forward to "many more years of working together," noting the Ngarlawangga People have cared for their Country for thousands of years. Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Matthew Holcz thanked the Ngarlawangga People for their trust and openness, and said the interim agreement is "an important step in how we will work together to manage and protect Ngarlawangga heritage and Country" while supporting "responsible operations on Country."
Background: West Angelas and Rio Tinto's Pilbara footprint
West Angelas is a Pilbara iron-ore mine that forms part of Rio Tinto's broader Australian iron-ore operations, with the signing ceremony attended by Ngarlawangga Aboriginal Corporation directors and committee members alongside Rio Tinto Iron Ore's Traditional Owner Partnerships team and West Angelas general management. The interim pact does not change operational ownership but sets the governance framework for how the mine interacts with the Ngarlawangga People.
Next milestone
Rio Tinto and the Ngarlawangga Aboriginal Corporation have indicated they will continue negotiations to finalize a full modernised agreement, building on the interim arrangement signed this week.
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