A small, vocal group of tribal elders and students converged on U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly’s Phoenix office Thursday to deliver a message: Save Oak Flat from destruction.

A spiritual convoy traveled from Oak Flat to San Francisco for a court appeal hearing in Apache Stronghold v. United States on Oct. 22nd

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 in a long-running battle to protect one of their most important places.

Apache Stronghold, a coalition of Apaches, other Native peoples and non-Native supporters seeking to preserve Oak Flat, arrives at Wishtoyo Chumash Village to begin a ceremonial circle, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Malibu, California. (RNS photo/Alejandra Molina)

Wendsler Nosie Sr., leader of Apache Stronghold, addresses supporters of Oak Flat in a protest run on February 27. (RNS photo by Alejandra Molina)

Tribal members in Arizona are fighting to protect a piece of land they consider their "Mount Sinai."

"This place is very holy and religious to us."

TWH – On Jan. 13, Apache Stronghold, filed three legal actions in an attempt to block the land exchange of the Oak Flat federally-protected area to the international mining company, Rio Tinto, and its subsidiary Resolution Copper Mining. The deal Rio Tinto negotiated with the U.S. government involved a land exchange for the Oak Flat area.

A nonprofit advocating for the protection of Oak Flat, a religiously significant site for the San Carlos Apache Tribe, filed a lien on the area Wednesday. It also filed a temporary restraining order Thursday to stop the land's transfer to a mining company.

The grassroots group Apache Stronghold sued the U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday to stop the federal government from issuing a final environmental impact statement that would clear the way for a huge copper mine on land held sacred by Apache people and other Arizona tribes.