The staff writer for the Tuscon.com is right. It isn't surprising that Rosemont copper and the Tohono O'odham Nation hold "diametrically opposite views" regarding the continued progress of the approval of the Rosemont copper mine. What is surprising, however, is the approval by the national forest service of the new mine, implying that the national forest service holds a "diametrically opposite view" to the Tohono O'odham nation as well. This claim is further supported by the fact that the National Forest Service neglected to share their report with the Tohono O'odham nation. For me, there is suspicion of foul play here. A government organization issues a report in favor a large scale mining operation and doesn't send this report to those most directly, negatively affected. Money has power and one side has a lot of it while the Tohono O'odham do not.
An estimated 85 cultural sites will be destroyed by the mining operation, should it gain full approval, and an estimated 6,177 acres of tribal resource collection areas will be impacted. Even the most efficient and environmentally conscious of mines tend to contaminate the surrounding areas with huge quantities of ore, which should not be there. To make matters worst the Rosemont mine will located near an aquifer, which it will contaminate, and it will permanently change sacred mountains for the Tohono O'odham (the Ce'wi Duag). It is obvious that, in itself, the project poses a serious environmental risk to the Tohono O'odham and other residents of the area. But, perhaps more importantly, the precedent that a project of this scale could be tremendous.
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