It was late October 2019 and the mercury was peaking at 31.7 degrees as representatives of Rio Tinto and traditional owners escorted university students to a creek bed at the western end of the Juukan Gorge.

A crucial but undocumented conversation began. Dr Heather Builth from the native title corporation that governs the interests of the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people (PKKP) asked Rio's mine operations manager Brad Webb about the future of the gorge.