What a ridciulous idea when you state 'It would be a nice...

What a ridciulous idea when you state 'It would be a nice gesture for both miners to offer backpayment '. There must have been a legitimate reason for this royalty to be so relatively low. And how about all those years when Rio and BHP made relatively low returns. Did the Feds offer them any financial assistance in that very lean period, similar to the billions of dollars poured into the auto industry, ?

I remember not so long ago, for say about ten to fifteen years, if you mentioned a possible investment in either of these two companies to a broker he/she would laugh at you. This was especially applicable during the Iternet boom.
A broker who specialised in the resources sector in that period would have found it extremey difficult to obtain a job. It's called swings and roundabouts.

Your post smacks of the usual jealous attitude of those 'who have made it'.