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The Trump administration is moving forward with a controversial land deal that would transfer 2,200 acres of Oak Flat in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper, a mining venture with significant Chinese ties. The deal, scheduled for completion on August 19, would allow the company to create a massive copper mine capable of supplying 25% of U.S. copper demand.
Resolution Copper is a joint venture between multinational mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP. Critically, Rio Tinto’s largest shareholder is Chinalco, a Chinese state-owned company holding roughly 15% of the company. This arrangement has raised significant national security concerns, particularly given President Trump’s stated commitment to combating Chinese control of U.S. land and minerals.
Critics argue the deal contains a problematic loophole allowing Resolution Copper to export unrefined copper overseas for processing, potentially sending 40 billion pounds of American copper worth over $160 billion to China. This is particularly concerning since the U.S. currently produces less than half the copper it consumes and ranks fifth globally in copper production.
The contradiction appears stark given the Trump administration’s recent efforts to limit Chinese influence, including a seven-point Agriculture Department plan to restrict Chinese farmland purchases and the push for TikTok’s sale due to national security concerns. Christopher Dolan, a homeland security expert at Pennsylvania State University, called the arrangement “a national security risk” and predicted the administration was “slow walking itself into a blunder.”
The mining operation would use block cave mining methods, creating tunnels that collapse to access ore. This process would ultimately leave behind a crater 1,000 feet deep and nearly two miles wide, destroying much of the site’s environmental and religious significance.
The land transfer stems from a 2014 congressional law attached to a defense bill, requiring the Forest Service to complete the exchange within 60 days of publishing an environmental impact statement, which occurred on June 19.
The deal faces legal challenges from Apache Stronghold, a coalition of Native American and Christian organizations represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who argue the site is sacred to Western Apaches. Despite multiple court challenges, including a Supreme Court petition, the legal actions haven’t stopped the project’s progression.
The White House defends the deal, with spokeswoman Anna Kelly stating it will help “Make America Energy Dominant Again” while downplaying Chinese connections. Resolution Copper promises significant economic benefits, including 3,700 jobs and billions in economic impact over the mine’s 60-year lifespan.
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
