In blow to Native Americans, US court approves land swap for Rio's Arizona copper mine
Source: Reuters
March 1, 2024 6:48 PM EST
March 1 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday narrowly ruled that the federal government may give away thousands of acres in Arizona to Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) (RIO.L) for a copper mine, upholding a previous ruling and rejecting an argument from Native Americans that the land should be preserved for its religious and cultural value.
The 6-5 ruling from the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals essentially defers to a 2014 decision made by the U.S. Congress and then-President Barack Obama to give the land to Rio and minority partner BHP (BHP.AX) for the Resolution Copper project.
The decision comes amid the U.S. presidential election season, in which former President Donald Trump, who supports the mine, is likely to face off against President Joe Biden, who narrowly won Arizona in the 2020 election thanks to Native American votes.
The move is the latest blow to the Apache Stronghold, a nonprofit group comprised of the San Carlos Apache tribe and others who have long opposed the mine, which would destroy a site where Indigenous ceremonies have been held for generations but would, if developed, supply more than a quarter of U.S. copper demand for the renewable energy transition.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-appeals-court-rejects-bid-block-land-swap-rios-arizona-copper-mine-2024-03-01/
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The Apache don't own or control the land, but it is important to them and they don't want to see it destroyed.
In America, money always takes precedence over land and culture
Just like Columbus did....................
