Apache Stronghold, a Native American advocacy group representing the San Carlos Apache tribe, has made a final legal plea to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the development of a copper mine on sacred land in Arizona. The group argues that the Oak Flat site, known as Chi’chil Biłdagoteel, holds deep spiritual significance and that its destruction would violate their religious rights. The land swap deal, approved by Congress in 2014, would allow mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP to access the site, which contains an estimated 40 billion pounds of copper. Despite a temporary freeze by President Biden in 2021, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the Apaches earlier this year, prompting this last-ditch Supreme Court appeal. If the mine proceeds, it would create a crater two miles wide and 1,000 feet deep, devastating the sacred site. The Supreme Court's decision could come as early as next June if they agree to hear the case.