Pinal mine protesters hold more marches
by Shania Alba | Cronkite News
More than 75 mining opponents flocked to San Carlos to protest mining they believe could destroy sacred Apache land known as Oak Flat. Protesters walked 40 miles in two days in February, starting on the reservation’s main road and ending at the Oak Flat campgrounds. The mission: bring awareness to the longstanding tensions between the economics of mining and the preservation of the environment.
Advocates for preservation reflect on an area rich in beauty. Avid hikers, campers, and nature enthusiasts flock to the mountains for climbing, camping, and sightseeing.
Oak Flat is the “last pristine area. They are now attacking it,” said marcher Anna Jeffrey, who has spent her life in Superior, which she calls the backyard to Oak Flat.
Advocates for mining call Oak Flat rich in copper and jobs potential.
