"Native American group seeks to overturn US court ruling on Rio's Arizona copper mine," 16 April 2024

A Native American group has asked all members of a U.S. appeals court on Monday to overturn an earlier ruling that granted land to Rio Tinto for a copper mine in Arizona, saying the land was sacred and culturally significant.

A ruling from a smaller group of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had earlier this month ruled that the federal government may give away thousands of acres in U.S. state Arizona to Rio Tinto and minority partner BHP for the Resolution Copper project.

Apache Stronghold, a nonprofit group comprised of the San Carlos Apache tribe and others has long opposed the mine, which would destroy a site where Indigenous ceremonies have been held for generations...

A Rio Tinto spokesperson told Reuters: "Resolution Copper is aware of Apache Stronghold's extraordinary action to seek review of the 9th Circuit's full panel and we await the court's direction on next steps."

BHP did not respond to requests for comment...