Arizona Copper Mine Development Sparks Fierce Native American Opposition

The Resolution Copper project in Arizona's Copper Triangle could become a vital source of copper for the US, but its development is facing fierce opposition from Native American groups. The mine is expected to supply up to 25% of current US copper demand, alongside co-products including molybdenum, silver, tellurium, indium, and bismuth.

The project, a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP, has been in the works for over a decade. It involves extracting copper from one of the largest undeveloped deposits on the planet, which is estimated to hold 40 billion pounds of metal.

However, the mine's development would require mining beneath Oak Flat, a site considered sacred by Native American groups. The project has been the subject of intense opposition, with 21 out of 22 federally recognized tribes in Arizona opposing it.