A West Australian company says it will not start exploring for manganese under the seabed off Groote Eylandt in Arnhem Land until it has consulted traditional owners.
Traditional owners had called on Groote Resources, which has been granted exploration licences, to stop exploration between Groote Eylandt and the mainland until they had been consulted.
In a statement, the company's executive director Simon Noon says exploration has not begun and will not start until there are negotiations with the local Aboriginal people.
Northern Territory law does not require companies to negotiate with traditional owners about activities on the seabed, but Groote Resources says it will anyway.
The Anindilyakwa Land Council says the local people have a cultural and environmental connection to the seabed and the company says it recognises that.
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