Poison Their Land……Poison Their Souls

 

Author: Wayne H.

 

 



           The San Carlos Apache Tribe has been fighting the Oak Flat Copper mine and

the Resolution Copper Project, a joint project between Rio Tinto and BHP-Billiton, for

years. It’s a fight that is more than worth it for members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe

due to the cultural and religious significance to the Apache as well as fears of

environmental disaster. “The Resolution Copper deposit is located in an area that has a

long history of use by Native Americans including the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian

Community, the Gila River Indian Community, the Pueblo of Zuni, the Yavapai Prescott

Indian Tribe, the Yavapai-Apache Nation, the Hopi Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe,

the Tonto Apache Tribe, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe”.2

            Former Senator John McCain pushed and doubled his efforts to make the mine

happen before succumbing to cancer. His hopes were to create jobs and establish a

copper mine that “could create 3,700 mining jobs and 3,000 construction jobs and

generate nearly $20 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments

during the mine's 66-year lifetime”.1 Unfortunately, many see this as far from a good

thing.

          “In December 2014, Congress passed, and the president approved, the National

Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015".2 This means that under the

newly approved act, the mining company and the US Government would exchange

land and permit mining in the newly acquired land. Even though the land exchange

includes more lands traded back to the US Government, it is the value and not the

quantity of land that is important. The value for the Indians comes in the form of sacred

and spiritual land while the copper lurking many feet below the earth is what the

company is interested in.

           Sadly, this isn’t the first mining permit in the region, nor will it be the last but this

particular business venture threatens sacred lands as well as natural resources. This

also isn’t the first time land has been whittled away from the Apache, the “reservation

has shrunk in size five times to accommodate the mining industry”.5 The dual collateral

damage from this particular project is what has the local Apache so concerned. What

makes things worse is that the copper mining industry doesn’t have the best track

record for avoiding environmental spills and contamination.

RIO TINTO RIVER, COPPER MINE POLLUTION

CREDIT: CAROL STOKER, NASA

The EPA knows what copper mining does to

the surrounding environments. According

to the EPA website, “Copper mining waste

storage piles may be as large as 1,000 acres

and typically include three types of waste;

tailings, dump and heap leach wastes, and

waste rock and overburden.”3 The tailings can

leach waste that can contain radioactive

contaminate, as well as acid, and chemical by-products from the leaching and smelting of the copper.

It’s almost impossible for mining companies to have zero environmental impact due to accidents, the

nature of the waste, and the sheer amount of waste. One only need google ‘copper mine

contamination’, and a plethora of images spring to the page. None of which contains water any one in

their right mind would drink, swim in, or even touch.

               Although this mine may bring jobs and infuse billions of dollars into the states

economy, it threatens the environment around the mine including the San Carlos

Apache Tribes reservation. It also threatened Apache Leap, one of the very important

spiritual and historical sites in the area (this 800 acre area was negotiated back from

the company through ongoing negotiations). Apache Leap is well known to the apache

due to the fact that about 75 Apache were cornered on this cliff by the cavalry but

chose to leap to their death rather than be killed by the white men. The spirits in this

area and the cultural/spiritual significance can’t be ignored or dismissed, just as you

wouldn’t dismiss destroying a church or graveyard.

             If the mining company goes forward with its plans; it will start mining as soon as

they are through the current stages of planning, permitting, and development.

According to Resolution Copper’s website they plan on having “the Final EIS

(Environmental Impact Statement), the mine plan, and land exchange is expected to be

published in the summer of 2020”.4 As the legislation and work moves forward, I’m

 sure the Resolution Copper website and the San Carlos Apache will be posting

updates to their websites.

                The battle for the Apache is far from over and support from other tribes is

evident at the ongoing peaceful protests like the 45 mile walk to Oak Flat, in the Tonto

National Forest east of Superior. This walk is a test of will, just as continuing to fight for

their lands and ancestors spirits is a test of will. It was walks like this and hard work by

many people that helped in negotiating the release of Apache Leap from the mining

plans.

              The concept of cultural relativism needs to be addressed here as well and cant

be ignored. The mining company has to try to see this area through the eyes and souls

of the people that live in and around the mine. They also need to take into account the

economic hardships the Apache face when pollution effects tourism as well as what

will happen to the area when the mine closes. We need copper and we need mining

but not at the cost of people or the environment. It has to be done the right way

environmentally and culturally.

             What will happen to the environment during and after the plant? What will

happen to all the jobs that wont be needed anymore when they are done? What will be

left for the Apache?

Author Bio: Wayne H. is a student at IUPUI.

Sources:

1. Randazzo, Ryan. “McCain Was Crucial Backer of Superior Copper Mine for Jobs and

National Security.” Azcentral, The Republic | Azcentral.com, 31 Aug. 2018,

www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2018/08/31/sen-john-mccain-legacyresolution-

copper-project-near-superior-arizona/1110685002/.

2. “Background.” Resolution Copper Project and Land Exchange Environmental Impact

Statement, www.resolutionmineeis.us/about-project#land-exchange.

3.“TENORM: Copper Mining and Production Wastes.” EPA, Environmental

Protection Agency, 12 Apr. 2018, www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm-copper-miningand-

production-wastes.

4.“Progressing on All Fronts.” Resolution Copper, 20 Aug. 2018, resolutioncopper.com/

progressing-on-all-fronts/.

5. “Earth+Bone, Part 6: San Carlos Apache Divided Over Copper Mine.” KJZZ, 27 Mar.

2018, kjzz.org/content/10571/earthbone-part-6-san-carlos-apache-divided-over-coppermine.