Rio Tinto's chief executive wants to hold talks with traditional owners in the Pilbara after the mining giant's destruction of ancient cultural sites in Western Australia.
Jean-Sebastien Jacques has completed 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine in Perth and is flying to the state's north, where one of the world's largest mining companies destroyed the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters on 24 May.
It's understood Mr Jacques hopes to meet with Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) representatives and discuss potential remedies for the Juukan blast, which allowed the company to expand its Brockman 4 iron ore project.
A meeting has not yet been scheduled.
"JS travelled to Perth two weeks ago and after the mandatory period in quarantine he was able to spend time with Rio Tinto colleagues in the Perth office," a Rio spokesman said on Monday.
"He is now headed to the Pilbara, where he will have an opportunity to engage with traditional owners and connect with the Rio Tinto iron ore team."
Finding an appropriate permanent home for items removed from the rock shelters is likely to be a key focus of talks between Rio and the PKKP.
About 7,000 artefacts were discovered during excavations of the shelters prior to the blast, including grinding stones, a bone sharpened into a tool and 4,000-year-old braided hair.
Some items are being stored at Rio Tinto's office in Dampier and others in a temperature-controlled shipping container on the Brockman 4 site.
Rio has committed to working with traditional owners to establish a "keeping place" on PKKP country for the artefacts and other salvaged items.
The mining giant had approval for the blast but subsequent evidence indicated the traditional owners did not provide informed consent.
Rio has admitted overlooking key information about the cultural significance of the sites and not informing the PKKP that it had examined other options for expanding its mine that did not involve damaging the rock shelters.
The company last week published a board review which determined there was "no single root cause or error" behind the incident.
Mr Jacques and two other senior executives kept their jobs but had their bonuses cut.
Rio has faced significant investor backlash over the blast, which allowed it to extract an additional $US135 million ($A188 million) worth of high-grade iron ore.
Members of a Senate committee are expected next month to visit PKKP country as they continue to examine the incident.
It's understood the committee wants to meet with PKKP representatives before recalling Rio to give further evidence.
