Highlights

Resolution Copper has funded a $54 million perpetual endowment to benefit 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations in Arizona and New Mexico, the company announced July 29 from Superior. The Resolution Copper Tribal Trust will deliver annual distributions while preserving principal for future generations, with each participating nation determining independently how its funding is spent based on its own laws and priorities.

The trust was created following years of government-to-government consultation, cultural resource studies and fieldwork connected to the Resolution Copper project and the U.S. Forest Service's preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for implementation of the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange. Tribal leaders, elders, preservation office staff and cultural practitioners reviewed plans, conducted fieldwork and provided recommendations that shaped changes to the mine plan and project design, including measures to protect culturally significant places and the permanent protection of Apache Leap.

Pinnacle Bank, described in the announcement as a tribally owned financial institution with experience managing trusts for Native communities, will administer the trust independently. An Advisory Board will guide initial funding decisions and annual distributions, and participating nations will have the opportunity to develop a long-term governance structure reflecting tribal priorities.

The 12 eligible Tribal Nations are the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Gila River Indian Community, Hopi Tribe, Mescalero Apache Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Tonto Apache Tribe, White Mountain Apache Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, and the Pueblo of Zuni. Participation is voluntary and independent of any nation's position on the Resolution Copper project or mining generally. A nation becomes a beneficiary by adopting a tribal resolution and designating a representative to the trust's governance structure.

Octavius Seowtewa, a member of the Pueblo of Zuni and leader of the Zuni Cultural Resources Advisory Team, said the process showed tribal voices could shape project decisions. "No Tribal Nation wants to see unnecessary impacts to places that carry deep cultural, spiritual and ancestral significance. Throughout this process, our responsibility has been to protect those places while ensuring our voices are part of the decisions being made."

Resolution Copper Mining LLC is owned 55 percent by Resolution Copper Company, a Rio Tinto PLC subsidiary, and 45 percent by BHP Copper Inc., a BHP PLC subsidiary. The trust announcement was also carried by PR Newswire and Law360.

Eligible nations may begin the process of becoming beneficiaries by adopting a tribal resolution; no deadline for enrollment was stated in the announcement.

Where to find them

Sources

Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.

  1. phoenixchamber.com retrieved 31/07/2026 02:00
  2. Resolution Copper Tribal Trust (official site) retrieved 31/07/2026 02:00
  3. Pinnacle Bank (official site) retrieved 31/07/2026 02:00

Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 31/07/2026 02:00. Every claim traces to a source.