Copper mine opponents file new lawsuit to block Oak Flat project

Opponents have filed an amended lawsuit to block a land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and Resolution Copper that would enable a large copper mine at Oak Flat, a site sacred to Western Apache people. The suit contends the government acknowledged the mine would destroy Oak Flat Campground and prevent Apaches from accessing it or performing sacred rituals, while also admitting ample alternative copper sources exist and that copper could be extracted without disturbing the surface. Attorneys argue the transfer was rushed to avoid judicial review and seek to rescind it to protect religious freedom.

Resolution Copper, owned by Rio Tinto and BHP, says the project will open by the mid-2030s, bring about $1 billion a year in jobs and revenue to the Copper Triangle, and support U.S. energy, infrastructure and defense needs. The company asserts the land exchange is lawful, has been upheld by courts and supported by multiple administrations, and that it will keep Oak Flat Campground open and accessible while allowing coexistence of mining with other uses.

The dispute centers on Oak Flat, a 2,200-acre campground and riparian zone in Tonto National Forest that sits atop one of the nation’s largest copper deposits. Resolution plans to use block cave mining, which would create a crater about 1,000 feet deep and nearly two miles across. Apache Stronghold and tribal members continue to challenge the exchange, calling it an illegal land grab that threatens religious and cultural heritage, while the company emphasizes community consultation, conservation land transfers and ongoing public access.

(Source：The Arizona Republic)