Abstract

TELLEZ RAMIREZ, Isidro  and  SANCHEZ SALAZAR, María Teresa. Financialization and New Gold Mining Geography in the Vicinity of the Xochicalco Archaeological Zone, Morelos - Mexico. Cuad. Geogr. Rev. Colomb. Geogr. [online]. 2022, vol.31, n.1, pp.146-163.  Epub Sep 06, 2022. ISSN 0121-215X.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rcdg.v31n1.85852.

During the last decades, mexican mining registered an unusual geographic expansion. This situation led to the simultaneous outbreak of dozens of social conflicts. In this context, this article analyzes the relationship between the financialization of precious metal mining and the origin of the social conflictivity around this activity. The approach to this dimension is carried out from the case of the Cerro Jumil gold project, located in the state of Morelos, Mexico, whose distinctive feature is its eventual location in the vicinity of the Archaeological Zone of Xochicalco, included in the list of Unesco World Heritage List. Archive work was done in repositories with financial information and different field trips. It is shown that in the study area, the area concessioned to mining increased 3,181 % during the period 2002-2009, motivated by financial speculation and the permissiveness of the State, that led to the outbreak of a strong social conflict in 2012. It is concluded that the case study shows the need to modify mining legislation, with the understanding that only in this way the possibility to regain control of their territory will be opened for local communities.

Keywords : mining concession; junior company; financialization; economic geography; financial market; mining; gold; archaeological site; Xochicalco.

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