The battle over copper mining at Oak Flat, an area sacred to Native tribes, has been waged for two decades.

On March 1, the dispute marked a significant milestone: The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals narrowly rejected the argument from the grassroots group Apache Stronghold that mining activity would destroy First Amendment religious rites observed by Native tribes.

The court voted 6-5 to uphold a lower court’s denial of a preliminary injunction that sought to halt the transfer of federal land to Resolution Copper for the mining project.

For more Arizona news, download the free azcentral app.

Follow us on:
Facebook - https://bit.ly/2N2Xqqc
Twitter - https://bit.ly/2MsVLOM
Instagram - https://bit.ly/2nPxgwm
Online - https://www.azcentral.com