Supreme Court turns down Apaches' bid to block copper mine on sacred site

Washington — The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned away a challenge from Native Americans seeking to block a copper mining project on government-owned land in Arizona that will destroy a sacred site used to perform religious ceremonies.

The court rejected an appeal from the nonprofit organization Apache Stronghold, which challenged the transfer of the site known as Oak Flat to the mining company Resolution Copper. In turning away the case, the high court left in place a lower court ruling that allowed the land, located in Tonto National Forest, to be transferred for the development of the copper mine.

Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas dissented from the Supreme Court's denial of the appeal. Justice Samuel Alito did not participate in the court's consideration of the case.