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Rio Tinto Donates $2M to Kimberley Flood Relief
“Once-in-a-century” floods have devastated the region, once home to the Argyle mine.
A shot from closing day at the Argyle Mine in November 2020. The diamond mine was located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, which is currently experiencing historic flooding. Miner Rio Tinto is among those donating to flood relief efforts in the region.
Perth, Australia—Mining company Rio Tinto announced Monday it is giving $2 million and matching employee donations to a fund set up to support those impacted by historic flooding in Kimberley, Western Australia.
A largely rural and sparsely populated region of Western Australia that’s slightly smaller than California, Kimberley was home to the famous Argyle Diamond Mine from 1983 until it closed in November 2020.
The region has been pummeled with a record amount of rain from Ellie, a former tropical cyclone that generated what news outlets describe as “once-in-century” floods across northwest Australia. (This may sound familiar to many Californians, who are also dealing with widespread flooding and are now facing a potential “parade of cyclones” out of the Pacific Ocean.)
Related stories will be right here …
A largely rural and sparsely populated region of Western Australia that’s slightly smaller than California, Kimberley was home to the famous Argyle Diamond Mine from 1983 until it closed in November 2020.
The region has been pummeled with a record amount of rain from Ellie, a former tropical cyclone that generated what news outlets describe as “once-in-century” floods across northwest Australia. (This may sound familiar to many Californians, who are also dealing with widespread flooding and are now facing a potential “parade of cyclones” out of the Pacific Ocean.)
Rio Tinto’s donation went to the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund, which was reopened Monday. The company said it will match any employee donations to the fund dollar-for-dollar.
“For more than 50 years our people have been helping to build thriving and resilient communities across Western Australia,” said Simon Trott, chief executive of the company’s iron ore division.
“Rio Tinto employees will be devastated for the people and communities in the Kimberley region and we will also be matching their donations. We are also working with our community partners and stakeholders in the Kimberley to see what further assistance we can provide to make a positive contribution on the ground.”
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