US Appeals Court Temporarily Blocks Arizona Oak Flat Land Transfer for Copper Mining

A U.S. appeals court has temporarily blocked the transfer of federal forest land in Arizona to international companies planning to mine one of North America's largest copper deposits. The land exchange, scheduled to proceed soon, involves Oak Flat, a site sacred to the San Carlos Apache and other Native American tribes used for religious ceremonies and gathering medicinal plants. The court's injunction came after last-minute appeals arguing that the federal government failed to conduct a comprehensive environmental review addressing potential risks such as dam breaches and pipeline failures, as well as an inadequate land appraisal that did not account for deep copper deposits. The transfer was initially authorized by Congress more than a decade ago, included in the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, and supported by the late Senator John McCain. Opponents, including the San Carlos Apache Tribe and environmental groups, view the court's decision as a significant victory and a chance to protect the land and water. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals plans to hear further arguments on the case later this year.