An Australian court has awarded the Yindjibarndi people a record A$150 million in compensation after finding that a mining company operated on their traditional lands without proper authorization.

The indigenous group had initially sought A$1.8 billion in compensation for what they described as cultural damage and economic losses resulting from unauthorized mining activities on their ancestral territory.

The case represents one of the largest compensation awards ever granted to an Indigenous Australian group in a land rights dispute. The Yindjibarndi people's traditional lands are located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, an area rich in mineral resources.

The mining operations in question were conducted by a company controlled by a billionaire mining magnate, though the court found the activities proceeded without obtaining the necessary permissions from the traditional landowners.

While the final compensation amount was significantly lower than the A$1.8 billion originally sought, the A$150 million award sets a significant precedent for Indigenous land rights cases in Australia. The decision underscores the legal obligations mining companies face when operating on traditional Indigenous lands and the potential financial consequences of failing to secure proper authorization from traditional owners.