President Trump on Tuesday blasted an appeals court’s ruling temporarily blocking the transfer of an Arizona copper mine that has been heavily criticized for infringing on the religious practices of American Indians.
Mr. Trump weighed in after the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the transfer, initially scheduled for Tuesday, should be delayed while the court weighs a request from the San Carlos Apache tribe to block the project on religious liberty and environmental issues.
The decision halts the transfer of the mine to Resolution Copper, a venture between two multinational mining companies, Rio Tinto and BHP.
Critics have also criticized the deal because of Rio Tinto’s ties to China. Its largest shareholder, owning about 15% of the company, is Chinalco, a Beijing-owned company.
Mr. Trump’s administration has pushed heavily for the deal, saying it will create jobs and increase the U.S. supply of copper, a valuable metal used in nearly every electronic device.
It was the first time any court has ruled in favor of the Apache in a legal battle that has dragged on for more than five years. Mr. Trump took to social media to express his displeasure.
“A Copper Mine in Arizona, ’Resolution,’ was just delayed by a Radical Left court for two months – 3,800 jobs are affected, and our Country, quite simply needs Copper,” Mr. Trump wrote.
“It is so sad that Radical Left Activists can do this and affect the lives of so many people,” the president continued. “Those that fought it are anti-American and representing other Copper competitive countries. We can’t continue to allow this to happen to the U.S.A.”
Mr. Trump added that his administration will appeal the decision.
The court said it was not taking a position on the merits of the Apache’s argument, but sought more details.
Rio said in a statement it was “confident” the court will ultimately rule in favor of the deal.
Apache Stronghold, a coalition of American Indians and environmentalists, have petitioned the Supreme Court to hear their case, but that request was denied.
Under the deal, Resolution Copper would take control of Oak Flat, a 2,200-acre area in the Tonto National Forest near Superior, Arizona, in exchange for private lands in the U.S. owned by the foreign mining giant.
Resolution Copper would then turn Oak Flat into a giant copper mine, which the Trump administration says could supply as much as a quarter of the U.S. demand for copper.
Some critics have pointed to a loophole in the deal that could allow Resolution Copper back to China for processing and sale. Rio Tinto has denied those claims, saying they have facilities in the United States where the processing could take place.
Rio Tinto has also noted that it has purchased two previous assets in the U.S. and both times cleared reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which is responsible for reviewing deals involving foreign-linked entities for national security concerns.