US President Donald Trump has blamed a “Radical Left Court” for delaying the Resolution copper mine development in Arizona saying “our country, quite simply, needs Copper — AND NOW!”
President Donald Trump has dramatically escalated the battle over America’s copper supply, meeting with the chief executives of Rio Tinto and BHP at the White House amid a fresh legal setback for the long-delayed Resolution Copper project in Arizona.
The move comes as the U.S. intensifies efforts to shore up domestic production of the metal critical to the energy transition, infrastructure, and defense sectors.
On Tuesday, Trump hosted Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm, BHP chief Mike Henry, and incoming Rio Tinto CEO Simon Trott to discuss the Resolution mine, a joint venture that could eventually supply up to a quarter of U.S. copper demand for decades. The meeting followed a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocking a crucial land transfer needed for the project, after challenges from the San Carlos Apache Tribe and environmental groups over Oak Flat’s cultural and religious significance.
Trump, who has made reviving U.S. metals production a policy priority, lashed out at the court’s decision, calling it “anti-American” and warning that the delay would cost thousands of jobs as the nation faces soaring demand for copper.
The Arizona project, located near Superior and jointly owned by Rio Tinto (55%) and BHP (45%), is one of the world’s largest untapped copper deposits. Resolution Copper estimates the mine could add $1 billion annually to Arizona’s economy, but progress has been mired in regulatory and legal disputes for nearly two decades.
Copper’s importance has surged as the U.S. pivots toward electrification, renewable energy, and AI-driven infrastructure. Yet, the U.S. produces just 5% of the world’s copper, with output down 20% over the past decade.
Most new mines face years of permitting hurdles; S&P Global estimates it now takes nearly 30 years from discovery to production in the U.S.—the slowest timeline outside Zambia.