Resolution Copper Launches $54 Million Trust for Tribal Nations

The endowment aims to ensure long-term financial support by preserving the principal investment while distributing annual yields to participating communities. Rather than dictating how funds are spent, the structure grants each nation full autonomy to align resources with their specific legal and cultural frameworks. Pinnacle Bank, a tribally owned financial institution, will manage the assets, while an advisory board oversees distributions.

This initiative follows a rigorous consultation process conducted during the U.S. Forest Service’s environmental review for the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange. Tribal leaders and technical experts provided input that influenced the mine’s design and the permanent protection of sites like Apache Leap. While the project remains a subject of ongoing debate, the trust provides a mechanism for sustained collaboration independent of a tribe’s broader stance on mining activities.

Eligible participants include the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Gila River Indian Community, Hopi Tribe, Mescalero Apache Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Tonto Apache Tribe, White Mountain Apache Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, and the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe. To access the funding, each nation must adopt a formal resolution and appoint a representative to participate in the trust’s governance.