Reasons to develop sustainable mining in South America

ECHAZARRETA, JAVIER; CRESPO, RICARDO F.

New York

Congreso; 2019 International Conference on Sustainable Development; 2019

Columbia University

Mining activity in Latin America, especially in Chile, Peru and Argentina, has grown during the years 1992 ? 2010. Financial investments were promoted due to increasing prices of metallic minerals, especially gold and copper, the potential natural resources of the countries, economics reimbursement, financial and legal benefits given to investors by these governments. The papers selected fore view describe the particular phenomena detected in different countries where the mining activity has different effects in the communities surrounding the deposits. However the similarities of the mining effects on the communities surrounding the mineral deposits of the cases studied permit the comparison of countries with different cultures, economics and social aspects, but with similar needs. This review will help to analyze mining activities towards a sustainable and multidimensional approach that will justify this study. The review is based on the concept of ?weak sustainability? , a version of sustainability which can be defined as ?the obligation to leave to the next generation all resources necessary to ensure the same standard of living as ours and promote in a similar manner to continue into following generations?. The growth of local and national gross domestic products (GDP) from mining activity does not ensure a ?trickle-down? of equal economical magnitude to people?s standard of living, because it depends on the redistribution of the wealth generated by the mining activity. This phenomenon was indicated by a great number of researchers who studied different countries where they observed that the growth of mining activity was not reflected in the improvement of the standard of living of the surrounding community of the mineral deposits. This phenomenon is repeated frequently in all countries studied especially in those which are in the process of developing. Mining contributions realized in Latin American countries have not been enough for local communities, and they could not perceive the benefits of this economic activity, as tax and non-tax contributions and social and economic contributions, including corporate social responsibility, failed to compensated the loss of the wealth of their natural resources. Therefore, these contributions were not enough to transform natural capital into a social and economic capital. The different phenomena associated with weak state apparatus to implement economic, social and environmental proactive politics has limited the present and future development of the communities surrounding deposit sites. Therefore it is vital to evaluate the effects of different contributions that mining industries can make to surrounding communities. To conclude, the concepts described by this review are associated with the environment, since environmental degradation inhibits the realization of capabilities and does not ensure environmental, economic, political and social sustainability, because it may trigger social conflicts which not only affects the expression of capacities, but also the system?s integrity.