Aboriginal people have been concerned about the destruction of sacred sites and about the social, environmental and economic impact of mining on remote Aboriginal communities. They have been concerned about the lack of acknowledgment of their traditional interests in land and about what often appears to be a lack of recognition of the need for their interests to be accommodated in the early stages of a proposed project. On a broad scale, arrangements for land access and use for purposes of mining and exploration are lacking or have failed, not because of ill-will on either side, but because there are irreconcilable differences or because existing practices and arrangements are inadequate for reconciling the different needs, aspirations and interests. These disputes and complaints have been given wide publicity in the mainstream media, leading to a general public perception that Aboriginal interests and mining interests are always irreconcilable. However, in many parts of Australia, both Aboriginal people and mining companies claim that this perception is wide of the mark.
Aboriginal organisations point to major mining projects on Aboriginal land.
Mining companies point to employment and economic involvement strategies, and to examples of where they go out of their way to be 'good neighbours' for Aboriginal communities. Both sides have been seeking to find ways of meeting and talking about their needs and concerns to find common ground and to satisfy their mutual interests. Until now, there has been no national forum where both sides could talk through the issues confidentially and without antagonism. The Mining Committee of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation has provided that forum. The fact finding meetings were an opportunity for an exchange of information and ideas between mining industry leaders and Aboriginal people.