Congress moves to block foreign mining giant from destroying Native American sacred site

What it does

This bill withdraws approximately 2,422 acres of National Forest land in Arizona's Chí'chil Biłdagoteel Historic District from mining and development, permanently protecting a sacred site to Western Apache and other Native American tribes. The bill blocks Resolution Copper—a foreign-owned joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP—from extracting copper beneath the district and prohibits all mining-related infrastructure (pipelines, power lines, waste dumps) that would destroy the site's cultural and religious significance.

Why we flagged it

The bill's operative mechanism is a straightforward withdrawal of federal land from mining and development to preserve a National Register-listed traditional cultural place and protect tribal religious and cultural practices. The framing is transparent and matches the functional intent.

What the text implies

• The bill directly reverses the 2014 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange Act (inserted as a rider in the 2015 NDAA), which transferred 2,422 acres to Resolution Copper. This re-withdrawal may trigger legal challenges from Resolution Copper and Rio Tinto/BHP, potentially resulting in litigation over takings claims or contract rights.
• Blocking the mine eliminates a major source of U.S. domestic copper production, potentially increasing U.S. reliance on foreign copper imports and affecting domestic semiconductor, renewable energy, and defense supply chains—though the bill text does not address these trade-offs.

The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.

Who it affects

The bill protects Native American sacred sites, cultural resources, and tribal sovereignty from destruction by foreign mining interests, while also safeguarding downstream communities from environmental hazards (aquifer depletion, toxic waste, land subsidence). The primary cost—foregone copper extraction and export revenue—flows to foreign corporations, not U.S.