Rep. Grijalva’s Bill Aims to Halt Copper Mine at Sacred Apache Site

New Legislation Seeks to Revoke Land Swap for Copper Mine in Arizona

In a move to protect a sacred Indigenous site in Arizona, Democratic Representative Adelita Grijalva has introduced a bill aiming to reverse a federal land exchange and halt the development of a large copper mine.

The proposed legislation, known as the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act, marks Grijalva’s inaugural bill since joining Congress. Though she won a special election in September, her official swearing-in occurred on November 12.

Previously championed by her father, the late Rep. Raul Grijalva, the initiative seeks to overturn portions of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. This act facilitated the transfer of 2,422 acres within Tonto National Forest, including the 740-acre Oak Flat, to mining corporation Rio Tinto.

“Oak Flat is sacred, irreplaceable, and it should never have been traded away to foreign mining giants in a backroom deal that ignored Tribal Nations, silenced the public, and put Arizona’s water and national security at risk,” Grijalva declared.

According to Grijalva, Oak Flat is of significant religious, cultural, historical, and environmental value to Indigenous communities. She also warns that the Resolution Copper mine, located near Superior, poses threats to water resources and may result in a toxic waste site.

The mining project is a collaboration between industry leaders Rio Tinto and BHP. The companies project the site could yield up to 40 billion pounds of copper over the next 40 years, positioning it among the largest copper operations in North America.

Rio Tinto and BHP assert their commitment to land preservation throughout and beyond the mining process, initiating land management and restoration efforts. The companies also contest claims that the mine would destroy Oak Flat.

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to revisit Apache Stronghold’s legal challenge against the Resolution mine. However, three related lawsuits are pending in the 9^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, with proceedings anticipated to start next year.