The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down a request by Apache Stronghold to hear a case over a proposed copper mine at Oak Flat.

The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear an Apache religious challenge to a copper mine that could turn the tribe's sacred site into a 1,000-foot-deep industrial crater.

A group known as Apache Stronghold, representing the interests of certain members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, has argued that the land transfer will result in the destruction of the site in violation of its members’ religious rights.