Native title compensation in Western Australia reached a record level when the Federal Court ordered Fortescue to pay the Yindjibarndi people A$150.3 million for mining their Pilbara country without agreement. The award, the largest in Australian history, covers cultural and economic loss at the Solomon Hub iron ore operation, which began production in 2013 on land where the Yindjibarndi hold exclusive native title. The Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation had originally sought A$1.8 billion, and the gap between that figure and the final orders has left traditional owners, lawyers and Indigenous leaders questioning how economic loss is valued under current law.
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