The fight to protect a sacred site from development is once again back in court as defenders of Oak Flat try to stop a huge copper mine on Apache territory.

Oak Flat, a sacred Apache place in Arizona, faces desecration from a large copper mine.

The Biden administration is facing a major test of its commitment to sacred sites as citizens of the San Carlos Apache Tribe head to court to protect one of their most important places.

Oak Flat would be “permanently damaged” by a controversial copper mine, according to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.