ISTANBUL

A court in Australia on Wednesday fined a Canadian gold mining firm 160,000 Australian dollars ($102,868) for damaging an Aboriginal sacred site in the Northern Territory.

Vista Gold Australia Pty Ltd conducted illegal exploration drilling in Katherine town, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The company pleaded guilty to breaching sacred sites laws in Darwin Local Court last month, after its own press release notified authorities of the illegal procedure.

Vista Gold is operating a project estimated to hold about 10 million ounces of gold in the Mount Todd site.

The authorities found that 12 of the 26 drilling holes, were located inside the boundaries of a sacred aboriginal site.

Acting Judge Steven Ledek said the company's breach had "everything to do with the price of gold."

"This is nothing more than a mercenary exercise, where they had been looking and looking for what they believed was there, but unfortunately found it to be under a restricted works area," Ledek said.

He said that the fine was "insignificant" compared to the company's projected profit from the site, which he said amounted to more than $500 million.