Australia’s miners throw money at ‘mini-monsters’ causing major headaches We’re sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss Normal text size Advertisement Mining giants including BHP, Rio Tinto, FMG and the Canadian Cameco have stumped up cash to unravel the mysteries of animals that, while among Australia’s state’s quietest and least visible, hold power over the shape and size of some of their biggest mines. Increasing awareness of creatures living in the groundwater (stygofauna), or breathing the air in miniscule rock voids above the water’s surface (troglofauna) has big implications for mining.