The rates of sexual harassment and racism that respondents reported were unchanged from three years before, affecting 7 per cent of those surveyed from workers in nations including Australia, US, Canada, Mongolia and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, BHP had 417 reports of sexual harassment in the year to June.

In 2022, the government of Western Australia – the nation’s key resources state with massive iron ore and liquefied national gas projects – released its own landmark inquiry.

The government report uncovered dozens of shocking cases of alleged sexual harassment and abuse of women workers at companies including Woodside Energy, Fortescue, and Chevron.

The industry has seen pressure increasing from investors, governments and society to address its impacts on local communities and the wider environment. A focus has been creating a safer work environment for women and minorities, particularly at remote mining sites where so-called “fly-in fly-out” staff are based for several weeks at a time.

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JGA Saddler didn’t say in its statement how many women were currently involved in the class actions. It said women who were subject to harassment or discrimination while working at a BHP or Rio workplace since November 2003 were eligible to participate, and the companies will be legally required to contact all female staff with details on how to join the class actions.

Class actions have existed in Australia for the best part of three decades and are becoming more common in legal regimes outside the US. They allow private individuals to come forward on behalf of a group, usually to demand some form of financial relief.

About 15 class actions are filed in Australia’s Federal Court every year, according to a 2018 government-backed report. It found that between 2004 and 2017, 60 per cent of proceedings were resolved through a judicially-approved settlement agreement, 11 per cent were dismissed by the court, and the balance were discontinued before a finding.

--With assistance from Sybilla Gross and Paul-Alain Hunt.