Hualapai Tribe Takes Legal Stand Against Federal Lithium Mining Project Near Sacred Spring

Exploratory drilling in Wikieup, Arizona, threatens a sacred site for the Hualapai Tribe, raising significant concerns about environmental impacts. Ha’Kamwe’, a hot spring integral to the tribe’s culture, is central to ongoing disputes over a lithium mining project initiated by Big Sandy, Inc., a subsidiary of Australian mining firm Arizona Lithium.

For over three years, the Hualapai Tribe has collaborated with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to articulate their objections to the project. They assert that over 100 proposed drilling sites encircle Ha’Kamwe’, compromising its natural flow and sacredness. The tribe’s connection to Ha’Kamwe’ is profound, as it features prominently in their songs and cultural narratives, reinforcing its importance in traditional rituals.

The tribe actively engaged BLM by submitting numerous public comments and participating in consultations. Despite these efforts, the BLM approved the Big Sandy Valley Lithium Exploration Project on June 6, allowing the mining company to drill and test 131 exploration holes across 21 acres of public land. Hualapai Department of Cultural Resources director, Ka-voka Jackson, expressed disappointment, stating that their concerns seemed largely ignored.

In response to the approval, the tribe filed a lawsuit against BLM, seeking a temporary restraining order to halt drilling operations. The lawsuit highlights the potential disruptions to their lifeways tied to Ha’Kamwe’, pointing out that drilling activities could severely affect the aquifer sustaining the spring.

Ha’Kamwe’ sits within the tribe’s land, Cholla Canyon Ranch, and the proposed mining project nearly envelops it. Jackson criticized BLM’s assertion that the project would not adversely affect cultural properties, describing this assessment as both surprising and disheartening. The tribe’s lawsuit argues that BLM failed to explore alternatives that might mitigate impacts to their cultural resources.

BLM contends that the acknowledge consequences of the project will be temporary. However, Jackson emphasized that the intrusive nature of drilling compromises their spiritual practices at Ha’Kamwe’, which is used for prayer and healing. The noise and disruptions could cause lasting damage to their community’s connection to sacred land.

BLM asserts it conducted outreach to various tribes for consultations. Yet, Jackson maintains that not all tribal input was adequately considered. Though BLM adjusted the exploration plan in response to some feedback—removing a proposed groundwater well near Ha’Kamwe’—concerns persist about how drilling might alter the spring’s temperature and integrity.

Jackson has vowed that the tribe will pursue all available avenues to halt the mining operation, identifying this as a pivotal moment for their ancestral homelands. “If the temperature were to be affected, it changes the entire character of the spring,” she stated. The tribe remains steadfast in its fight against the lithium mining project and its perceived threats to their sacred lands and cultural heritage.