2021 International week of actions against Rio Tinto
April 5, 2021, kicks off a week of activities directed toward Rio Tinto, the world’s second largest mining company for their abuses of communities and the environment around the world. The Arizona Mining Reform Coalition is joining NGOs from Australia, Madagascar,...TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT THE PATAGONIA MOUNTAINS FROM SOUTH32
The Patagonia mountains near the town of Patagonia on the Arizona – Mexico border are facing an onslaught of proposed mining activities that would profoundly and irreparably damage one of our nation’s biodiversity hotspots. The mining activity is being forced by...HUGE NEWS! US Forest Service Rescinds Resolution Copper Final Impact Statement
The US Forest Service just announced they are rescinding the Resolution Copper Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and the Draft Record of Decision on the project!
This halts the land exchange until a new FEIS is published.
This is wonderful news and although there is still much to do to protect Oak Flat and the surrounding precious lands, we should take time out to thank and remember everyone that has worked so hard to protect Oak Flat and prepare for the final effort to make sure Oak Flat remains free forever!
New Videos About Impacts from Proposed Resolution Copper Mine
The Sierra Club, one of our member organizations, released a short film addressing the proposed toxic tailings dump that is part of Resolution Copper’s proposed copper mine that would devastate thousands of acres of precious Arizona land. This is part three of...Injunction Sought to Block Oak Flat Land Trade for Massive Arizona Copper Mine
Tribal and conservation groups asked a federal judge today to block a land trade that would hand over thousands of acres in the Tonto National Forest in central Arizona to multinational mining company Rio Tinto for the massive Resolution Copper mine. The Oak Flat area, considered sacred by Apache and other Native people, would be destroyed by the mine.
Lawsuit Challenges Review of Mine Proposal That Would Destroy Oak Flat
PHOENIX— Tribal and conservation groups sued the U.S. Forest Service today to stop a land trade that would hand over thousands of acres in the Tonto National Forest in central Arizona to a London-based mining company. The Oak Flat area, considered sacred by Apache and other Native people, would be destroyed by multinational mining company Rio Tinto for a massive copper mine.
Send a Letter to the Biden Administration to Protect Oak Flat
Please sign your organization onto a letter urging President Joe Biden to immediately withdraw the recently issued Final Environmental Impact Statement, Resolution Copper Project and Land Exchange (EIS 20210005) that will facilitate a land exchange and construction of the Resolution Copper mine, resulting in the destruction of a Native American sacred area, Oak Flat or Chi’chil Bildagoteel.
Press Statement on Release of Resolution Copper FEIS
“With Arizona entering its 21st year of a long-term drought and the potential to pollute and deplete the town of Superior’s water supply, how can anyone let this happen, considering it would be a failed mining experiment? The east valley municipalities of Queen Creek, Gilbert, and San Tan area beware, this project would wipe out your water supply. The project itself will consume 40,000 acre feet of water a year which is the same as Tempe, Arizona, which has a population of 180,000 people.”
EcoFlight overflight of Oak Flat and Pinto Valley
We recently did an overflight looking at the total footprint of the proposed Resolution Copper mine. Here is a short clip to give you an idea of what we would all lose if Oak Flat is privitized and the mine plan is allowed to move forward. Take a look at our vitual...“Never Again”—what does a promise by Rio Tinto mean?
In the wake of Rio TInto’s destruction of sacred rock shelters in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia in May of 2020, Rio Tinto has made grand pronouncement of how they would never again destory a sacred site anywhere in the world. In light of the caompany’s plan to do exactly that at Oak Flat, what does Rio Tinto’s promises mean?
We’ve written a white paper looking at the similarities between what Rio Tinto did at Juukan Gorge and what they would like to do at Oak Flat.
Tell Rio Tinto not to steal Oak Flat for a failed experiment!
We need your help to keep Oak Flat in public ownership for everyone to enjoy. If you live in the United States you have additional opportunities to protect Oak Flat by contacting the US Forest Service. No matter where you live, please send an email to Simon Thompson, the Chairman of the Board of Rio Tinto, and ask him to not steal Oak Flat and to abandon the project.