Cultural Commitments: Preserving What Matters Most

At Resolution Copper, we believe cultural stewardship begins with listening. For more than a decade, we’ve built relationships with Native American Tribes and local communities whose deep ties to the land shape how we move forward. This work isn’t finished, it’s ongoing. And it’s built on respect, collaboration, and trust.

Our project reflects the voices of Tribal leaders, cultural advisors, and community members who’ve guided us through years of consultation. Those voices have reshaped our mine plan, protected culturally significant places, and led to new, collaborative programs designed to preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

Here are just a few of the ways we’re turning commitment into action:

Decades of Dialogue
Over 10 years of government-to-government consultation and Tribal engagement have directly influenced key decisions in the project. These conversations have resulted in meaningful design changes, reducing potential impacts, protecting important places, and elevating perspectives in everything from land use planning to environmental monitoring.

Protecting Culturally Significant Places: Apache Leap Special Management Area
In direct response to Tribal and community concerns, we set aside more than 800 acres to protect Apache Leap, a site of cultural and historical significance. This area is now designated as a Special Management Area (SMA) under federal legislation, with protections for access, grazing rights, and culturally sensitive locations developed in consultation with Tribes and local communities. We’ve also committed to long-term monitoring and public transparency, including making reports available through the U.S. Forest Service.

Reviving the Emory Oak
The Emory Oak tree holds deep spiritual and cultural meaning for many Tribal communities. Through the Emory Oak Collaborative Tribal Restoration Initiative (EOCTRI), we’ve partnered with the U.S. Forest Service and Indigenous-led teams like 4Winds Contracting to restore groves across Arizona.

In 2024 alone, the 4Winds crew, owned and led by San Carlos Apache member Mike Woodbury, restored over 64 acres, assessed nearly 1,000 oak stands, and delivered over 100 cords of firewood to the Yavapai Apache Nation. This is Native American-led restoration in action, preserving a vital ecological and cultural resource for future generations.

Tribal Monitoring Program: Knowledge in Action
We’re proud to support the Tribal Monitoring Program, a first-of-its-kind partnership with seven Tribes and the U.S. Forest Service.

Through this program:

  • 30+ Tribal members have been trained as para-archaeologists
  • Monitors identify, protect, and co-manage culturally important places
  • Traditional Ecological Knowledge guides site protection, plant surveys, and stewardship
  • Monitors catalog sacred plants, map springs, and identify cultural properties not found on any map

The program has received national recognition, including a Governor’s Heritage Preservation Award, and is now expanding to other projects across the Southwest.

Monitoring & Accountability
Cultural commitments must be backed by transparency. That’s why we’ve committed to:

  • Long-term monitoring of sacred areas like Apache Leap
  • Public availability of cultural and environmental reports
  • Ongoing collaboration with Tribes, communities, and agencies throughout the project’s lifecycle, from construction to closure

“Cultural stewardship isn’t a box to check; it’s a responsibility we take seriously.”

From restoring oak groves to co-managing culturally significant spaces, we’re working side by side with Tribes to protect what matters most. Learn more about our cultural heritage commitments and how we’re building a project that honors the past while shaping the future.