04:20 AM EDT, 06/02/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Rio Tinto (RIO) said over the weekend it has agreed to a new management plan with a local indigenous group covering its iron ore operations in Australia's Pilbara region where the company destroyed heritage rock shelters in 2020.

The company said the agreement provides it certainty for its operations and development. The deal also gives certainty to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Aboriginal Corp. for the protection and management of their heritage places, according to the company.

"Our actions were wrong," Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott said. "We failed to uphold our company values, and our systems and processes were inadequate. Simply put, it should never have happened, and for that we will forever be sorry."