There is a two-day camp and educational conference (hosted by Apache Stronghold) this weekend to learn about future actions in the fight to protect Oak Flat.
Drive down there early tomorrow morning. The Protect Sacred Oak Flat Conference and Apache Stronghold Spiritual Gathering starts at 11 a.m. with traditional Apache songs, followed by a free concert featuring Native American artists like Nataanii Means and Frank Waln, DJ ScapeGoat and Indigenize. At 5 p.m. that day, you can have some reflection time with the Apache Mountain Spirit Dances, who will also do a blessing ceremony for everyone present.
On Sunday, the advocacy portion kicks off at 9 a.m. Afterwards, there’s a look into art as a positive outlet for youth, an eco tour to experience Oak Flat and “introduce participants to the land being threatened and under attack,” a press release said. During the spiritual tour, visitors can get a better understanding of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Yavapai-Apache Nation’s view of Oak Flat as a holy ground.
“Apache Community meeting in Oak Flat campground with the San Carlos community will discuss future work and present an action plan for protecting Oak Flat,” the release said.
There will free dinner both days, but bring your own camping gear.
Do it.
For more info, visit the Saving Oak Flat campsite Facebook page.
Here’s a great summary by Tim Vanderpool about why you should care:
Oak Flat hits close to home for the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Yavapai-Apache Nation. Both consider the spot, in the high desert outside the former mining town of Superior, to be holy ground. They have conducted sacred ceremonies there since forever.
And since early February, a group called Apache Stronghold has also staged a gritty, ongoing occupation at the site.
As it happens, the Apaches aren’t the only ones who care about Oak Flat. Multi-national mining companies likewise harbor deep affection for this place, since it’s perched atop a huge copper deposit. Arizona Sen. John McCain cares, too. For years, legislation that would trade away Oak Flat to the mining companies felt flat from lack of support. So in 2014, McCain finally slipped it into an unrelated military spending bill. Subsequently, Oak Flat now belongs to the Resolution Copper Co., which is jointly owned by international mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 3, 2015.
Give it up! Arizona needs, desperately needs projects such as this and both of the companies involved are first class-operators. When will the anti-development, leftist allow America to return to its former greatness through the responsible development of her natural resources.
I SUPPORT GOOD JOBS!!!! I SUPPORT ACTIVITIES THAT GENERATE A SOLID TAX BASE!!!! I SUPPORT MINING!!!!
Where CAN we mine copper? Stop the lunacy.
^^^^^^^^^^^ Talk about not getting it. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.
@David W. Mexico has lots and lots of rich, untapped copper-mining opportunities. Their economy needs it worse than ours, too.
So the US should become more foreign dependent? Why hasn’t Mexico mined it?
By the way what does our economy need?
Linda Ray 64,
You are badly misinformed; Mexico is already mining their more significant copper deposits.
Are you suggesting that Arizona does not need jobs or an economic boost. If so, you are misinformed here as well.
Illegals are currently removing $30B annually from the US economy and sending it to Mexico.
When will you realize the economic damage being done to our country?
It is some of you folks that are misinformed.
Interesting. Not one comment desiring a mine mentioned the Apaches.
Pima Mujer,
Why worry about the religious sites of the Apaches on public land when it is illegal to have crosses on public land, many of which have been there for generations. No double standards allowed!
How many casinos “weren’t” built?
That’s too funny.
The number of permanent jobs over the 40 year life of the mine will be 400 jobs. The construction of the mine is where the 1400 jobs figure comes in. Many of these initial jobs will be contracted labor and they are not permanent jobs. The area is also the second largest riparian area on the U.S. all of which will be destroyed by a FOREIGN mining company. The copper will not be smelted in the U.S. either but shipped out of the country fir the smelting process. The final copper product will be sold to China. The southwest is in a severe drought. The mining process will be depleting precious groundwater. The toxic tailings from the mine will literally be mountain high and will be placed just outside the town limits of Superior. The patent company, Rio Tinto, had a long list of human rights violations and environmental violations. All for 400 jobs?
Lupe,
I enjoy the way in which you manipulate information, not facts, but misinformation. Rio Tinto is a great operator the so-called human rights abuses are simple baseless charges, I am personally aware of the source of some of the wild, unfounded accusations.
You are correct that the concentrates will not be smelted here in the US because the enviro-nuts have driven the copper smelting business offshore. And too, I would guess that much of the copper would be sold in China, as the enviro-nuts and Obama types make it almost impossible to build and operate a factory in the US. Thank you liberals!!
In my view the jobs and long term benefits to the state are important and we need to return to our roots with the responsible exploitation of our natural resources. This is the only true wealth a country has and Arizona is greatly blessed in this regard.