Sacred sites blast exposes Australia's laws skewed to mining

MELBOURNE/SYDNEY (Reuters) - When mining giant Rio Tinto blew up two ancient caves in Western Australia's iron-ore rich Pilbara with state approval, the destruction was met with anger from indigenous landowners for whom the sites were of deep cultural and sacred importance.

The blasts in late May became one facet of the Black Lives Matter protests in Australia, which saw thousands of people demanding an end to racial inequality in a country where Aboriginal groups have long suffered higher rates of imprisonment, unemployment and lower life expectancy.