Native American groups have struggled with mining interests over a decade over Oak Flat, a piece of national forest land in central Arizona. The nonprofit Apache Stronghold says the land is sacred to the religion of the Western Apaches. Resolution Copper mining company wants to develop the large deposit of copper ore deep under the land. A divided federal court panel voted 6-5 to uphold a lower court’s denial of a preliminary injunction to halt transfer of land for the project. Apache Stronghold says it will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
