Oak Flat, Arizona

"The cultural and sacred sites of Apache Leap and Oak Flat are located on public land and not on an Indian reservation,” Lujan said. “Although these sites are not on an Indian reservation, they are still sacred to the San Carlos Apache, the Yavapai Indian Tribe, and other tribes in Arizona — just as a Catholic church, where I practice my faith, is considered a holy place even though it’s not located in Vatican City.”

... supporters of the mine say it would create more than 3,700 jobs, generate more than $61billion in economic activity over the 66-year life of the mine, and supply 25percent or more of the nation’s demand for copper.

"Contact your Senators today to remove the Oak Flat land exchange from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

In a highly controversial move last week, the US House of Representatives buried the Oak Flat land exchange deep in the House version of the NDAA. For 10 years, the land exchange has failed to be become law for very good reasons:

It is the only bill before the US Congress that would give a Native American Sacred site on public land to a foreign mining company;
It would mean the largest loss of recreational rock climbing opportunities on public land
And it bypasses the normal process of permitting mines on public land. President Eisenhower placed Oak Flat off limits to mining 60 year ago and it remains an ecological, spiritual and recreational haven. "

I still can't believe the whole climber-geologist-consultant thing that went down with this deal.
DMT