The U.S. Forest Service released an environmental impact statement Friday that paves the way for the creation of one of the largest copper mines in the United States.
Environmentalists accused the service of trying to push it through before President Donald Trump leaves office.
Resolution Copper plans to mine land east of Phoenix that some Apaches consider sacred and have been working for years to protect.
A federal judge denied their request to halt the publication of the environmental review temporarily.
The Forest Service now has 60 days to transfer land known as Oak Flat to the international mining company Rio Tinto.
