Apache Women Appeal to Supreme Court as Sacred Land Transferred for Copper Mine

A group of Apache women are making a final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after federal authorities completed the transfer of sacred Arizona forest land to mining companies on Friday. The land includes Oak Flat, a site used for centuries by Apache tribes for religious ceremonies and gathering medicinal plants.

A group of Apache women has filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court following the completed transfer of sacred Arizona forest land to Resolution Copper, marking their final legal attempt to prevent a massive copper mining operation.

Federal officials finalized the land conveyance on Friday after an appeals court rejected challenges from the San Carlos Apache Tribe and environmental advocates who sought to halt the transfer.

The appellate judges concluded that the challengers’ legal arguments were unlikely to prevail and removed an emergency restraining order that had been in effect since last summer.

The transferred property encompasses Oak Flat, a location that Apache peoples and other Native American communities have utilized for religious rituals, spiritual practices, and medicinal plant collection for hundreds of years. Tribal members refer to this sacred area as Chi’chil Bildagoteel, and the San Carlos Apache Tribe, along with Apache Stronghold and other advocacy groups, have waged a lengthy legal battle to preserve it.

While acknowledging the severe impact on Native American religious practices, the appeals court noted in Friday’s decision that the land transfer would permanently change the character of the area and result in the destruction of sites considered sacred by the tribe and other parties.

“Despite those grave harms to Native religious practice, Congress has chosen to transfer this land, and plaintiffs have not raised any viable challenges to that decision,” the court stated.

Legal representatives for the U.S. Forest Service have consistently maintained in court documents that the agency lacks authority to prevent the exchange, as Congress required the transfer through provisions inserted into essential defense spending legislation that former President Barack Obama signed in 2014.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department oversees the Forest Service, released a statement Monday describing the project as integral to President Donald Trump’s energy independence goals.

“Completing this land exchange unlocks a major domestic source of copper, essential for defense, grid modernization and next-generation energy, and positions the nation to secure its future by expanding mineral production and unleashing America’s full resource potential,” she said.

Resolution Copper, owned by mining corporations Rio Tinto and BHP, projects the operation will contribute $1 billion annually to Arizona’s economy while creating thousands of employment opportunities. The initiative has garnered backing from residents in the nearby town of Superior.

Company officials maintain that the project underwent comprehensive Forest Service evaluation, including discussions with tribes having historical connections to the area.

“Courts at every level have consistently ruled in favor of Resolution Copper, and three different presidential administrations have supported this project,” stated Vicky Peacey, Resolution’s president and general manager. “It is time for the meritless litigation to end.”

The company has not yet responded to inquiries regarding construction timelines at the location.

Wendsler Nosie Sr. from Apache Stronghold expressed ongoing concerns about water usage and potential environmental contamination from the mining activities in a social media statement.

“The fight for Oak Flat raises critical issues about the environment and our nation’s commitment to Native rights and religious freedom,” Nosie said. “But at its heart, it is a battle for our sacred and holy land, the faith that has always been defined by it, and the right to have our religious traditions respected and protected.”