The U.S. Supreme Court gave a boost on Tuesday to plans for one of the world's largest copper mines, as the justices declined to hear a Native American group's bid based on religious rights to block Rio Tinto and BHP from gaining control of land in Arizona long used for Apache sacred rituals.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for Rio Tinto’s huge new copper mine in Arizona, rejecting an appeal from Native American groups who argued that the project would destroy sacred land. The decision is a big win for the mining major and Washington’s push to develop a domestic metals industry.