Australia's biggest superannuation fund has told Rio Tinto chairman Simon Thompson that destruction of Juukan Gorge warrants tougher punishment than the financial penalties handed to chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques and two of his top executives this week.

AustralianSuper met Mr Thompson this week to discuss a Rio board review of the destruction of one of Australia's most significant cultural heritage sites when Rio tried to expand its Brockman 4 iron ore mine.