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sabra

(30,406 posts)
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 12:29 PM Dec 2020

Trump admin set to approve Arizona land swap for mine opposed by Native Americans

Source: kfgo/Reuters

(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's outgoing administration is set to approve a controversial land swap later this month that would give Rio Tinto Ltd and partners more than 2,400 acres (9.7 square kilometers) to build an Arizona copper mine, even though the project would destroy religious and cultural sites sacred to Native Americans.

Tribal leaders and other critics allege that the U.S. government is fast-tracking the environmental review process before Trump is replaced by President-elect Joe Biden next month, charges the government and Rio Tinto deny.

The land swap, outlined in U.S. government documents, reflects the tension between the increasing global attention on the rights of indigenous peoples and the need to boost metals production to power electric vehicles and reduce global carbon emissions. Copper is used to make solar panels, wind turbines and EV batteries.

The San Carlos Apache Tribe says the mine, if built, would destroy land considered the home of religious deities and sites used for tribal ceremonies, including one to celebrate teenage girls who have come of age.



Read more: https://kfgo.com/2020/12/07/trump-admin-set-to-approve-arizona-land-swap-for-mine-opposed-by-native-americans/

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump admin set to approve Arizona land swap for mine opposed by Native Americans (Original Post) sabra Dec 2020 OP
Is this happening on the Apache's land i.e. the reservation itself? mr_lebowski Dec 2020 #1
This is from the articlelooks like it is Apache land......... riversedge Dec 2020 #6
No, the land is in the Tonto National Forest EX500rider Dec 2020 #9
LOL, Rio Tinto is the largest mining company in the world. maxsolomon Dec 2020 #12
I smell bribe money in Jarred's pasty little hand McCamy Taylor Dec 2020 #2
I call bullshit--- there is more copper/valuable metals buried in landfills than this mine could pro gfwzig Dec 2020 #3
Catalytic Converters on old Priuses are the main source of Palladium in America. maxsolomon Dec 2020 #10
There should be a law that after an election a losing president can't sell off lands or sign kimbutgar Dec 2020 #4
Solar panels, wind turbines and EV batteries? That's TOTALLY disingenuous. Copper is used for EVERY truthisfreedom Dec 2020 #5
I was thinking the exact same thing ... that framing is a bad joke (nt) mr_lebowski Dec 2020 #17
Rio Tinto Ltd and partners are a bunch of thieves marieo1 Dec 2020 #7
The land is in the Tonto National Forest, it is not on reservation land nt EX500rider Dec 2020 #11
Still should be outlawed marieo1 Dec 2020 #15
Still should be outlawed marieo1 Dec 2020 #16
It was a land swap.... EX500rider Dec 2020 #19
Donald "Custer" Trump apparently has no problem hurting Native Americans. Sloumeau Dec 2020 #8
It's not that they can't find copper anywhere else bucolic_frolic Dec 2020 #13
To Trump, statues of Confederate traitors are sacred. Sites revered by original Americans are not. Midnight Writer Dec 2020 #14
Land theft courtesy of Jeff Flake and John McCain peoli Dec 2020 #18
 

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)
1. Is this happening on the Apache's land i.e. the reservation itself?
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 12:45 PM
Dec 2020

Is Rio Tinto an (at least ostensibly) Native-owned company?

Am I the only one who wishes that ALL religions/cultures would reconsider the whole 'yay the girl is old enough now!' celebrations?

riversedge

(74,117 posts)
6. This is from the articlelooks like it is Apache land.........
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 02:38 PM
Dec 2020



............The San Carlos Apache tribe have worked with mining companies in the past, most recently selling water to a mine owned by Freeport-McMoRan Inc, though the tribe said that was a decision they made themselves, not one decided by the U.S. government, as with the land swap.

Rio said that its Resolution Copper subsidiary, which is developing the mine, has not tried to expedite the permit process.

"The project is not being 'fast-tracked'," the company said, adding that if the land swap occurs, the Apache will be able to visit the land for the next few decades.

Rio faced criticism earlier this year for destroying indigenous sites in Australia. Native Americans say the mining giant is poised to make the same mistake in Arizona.

Rio said it has consulted with the San Carlos and other Arizona tribes about preserving other culturally significant locations, including Apache Leap, a rock cliff where in the late 19th Century Apaches jumped to their deaths to avoid capture by U.S. troops.

EX500rider

(11,738 posts)
9. No, the land is in the Tonto National Forest
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 02:46 PM
Dec 2020

In December 2014, President Barack Obama signed the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, which would give land sacred to the Apache in Arizona to Resolution Copper Mine [RCM], a joint venture owned by Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. The Act cleared the way for the land swap in which Resolution Copper would receive 2,422 acres of National Forest land in exchange for deeding to the federal government 5,344 acres of private land.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Flat_(Arizona)

And giving 2,400 acres to receive 5,300 to preserve seems like a good deal. And unfortunately the land is not on reservation land but in the Tonto National Forest.

maxsolomon

(35,689 posts)
12. LOL, Rio Tinto is the largest mining company in the world.
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 02:51 PM
Dec 2020

Anglo-Australian ownership, publiclly traded, HQ in a skyscraper in Melbourne.

Take a gander at the mountains SW of Salt Lake City near "Copperton" - a massive pit mine. That's where this will wind up.

gfwzig

(146 posts)
3. I call bullshit--- there is more copper/valuable metals buried in landfills than this mine could pro
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 01:34 PM
Dec 2020

produce

maxsolomon

(35,689 posts)
10. Catalytic Converters on old Priuses are the main source of Palladium in America.
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 02:48 PM
Dec 2020

Just ask any metal thief you know.

Rio Tinto will get at those metals sooner or later...

kimbutgar

(24,000 posts)
4. There should be a law that after an election a losing president can't sell off lands or sign
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 01:54 PM
Dec 2020

New leases. Some of their powers need to be suspended after an election.

truthisfreedom

(23,346 posts)
5. Solar panels, wind turbines and EV batteries? That's TOTALLY disingenuous. Copper is used for EVERY
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 01:58 PM
Dec 2020

SINGLE electrical device on earth, literally. Your walls are full of it, to power your house. Your car is full of it, in the wiring harnesses and alternator. Your phone and computer are full of it. It's in telephone lines. It's in your stereo. IT'S EVERYWHERE IN MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

marieo1

(1,402 posts)
7. Rio Tinto Ltd and partners are a bunch of thieves
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 02:41 PM
Dec 2020

This is terrible - what belongs to the tribe should stay with the tribe and be left alone!!!!!! Haven't we done enough to the Natives already without heaping more pain and trauma on them.

marieo1

(1,402 posts)
15. Still should be outlawed
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 04:30 PM
Dec 2020

It sounded like it was on reservation land............why would they want to mine in one of our National Forests? Don't these national forests belong to all of us? Why destroy one of our national treasures?

marieo1

(1,402 posts)
16. Still should be outlawed
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 04:47 PM
Dec 2020

It sounded like it was on reservation land............why would they want to mine in one of our National Forests? Don't these national forests belong to all of us? Why destroy one of our national treasures?

EX500rider

(11,738 posts)
19. It was a land swap....
Tue Dec 8, 2020, 01:24 PM
Dec 2020

.... in which Resolution Copper would receive 2,422 acres of National Forest land in exchange for deeding to the federal government 5,344 acres of private land.

Sloumeau

(2,657 posts)
8. Donald "Custer" Trump apparently has no problem hurting Native Americans.
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 02:44 PM
Dec 2020

I am looking forward to January 20th being his last stand.

bucolic_frolic

(48,392 posts)
13. It's not that they can't find copper anywhere else
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 03:29 PM
Dec 2020

it's about owning the libs. this is about hatred.

Midnight Writer

(23,387 posts)
14. To Trump, statues of Confederate traitors are sacred. Sites revered by original Americans are not.
Mon Dec 7, 2020, 03:54 PM
Dec 2020

Why is he erasing our history?

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