Mining giant Rio Tinto has finally gained control of the site in Arizona where it plans to build the Resolution copper mine. This project should become one of the largest sources strategic metal in the country. However, the journey to reach it took more than two decades due to fierce resistance from the indigenous peoples for whom the land is sacred.
The company traded 5,400 acres of its land with the US Forest Service for access to 2,400 acres containing more than 40 billion pounds of copper. This metal is critical for the production of electric vehicles, cables and electronics.
Now Rio Tinto intends to invest half a billion dollars in a drilling program for detailed exploration of the field. Only after this the company will be able to name the start date for production.
Representatives of the San Carlos Apache tribe have not yet commented. For years, they argued that Washington had no right to hand over land considered sacred by the Indians. The site of the future mine is an area known as Oak Flat, where indigenous people hold religious ceremonies. In 2021, the tribe even applied to seize the property, but it was not successful.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who oversees the Forest Service, called the project responsible and consistent with President Trump’s vision of America’s mineral independence. Trump himself last year called opponents of the mine “anti-Americans” who represent the interests of competitors.
Rio Tinto and its partner BHP Group have already spent more than $2 billion on the project without producing a single pound of copper. Rio’s head of copper business, Katie Jackson, stressed that Resolution can play an important role in strengthening supply chains against the backdrop of growing demand. BHP, which owns 45% of the project, calls it an engine of economic growth that could create thousands of jobs.
After years of legal battles, religious disputes and political battles, the Resolution Copper project is entering a decisive phase. For the industry, this is a step towards reducing dependence on copper imports. For Native Americans, it is a deep wound inflicted on their sacred site.
Source: mining.com
Image: Resolution Copper
