The Three Deaths of Cerro de San Pedro: Four Centuries of Extractivism in a Small Mexican Mining Town

In Cerro de San Pedro, a small gold- and silver-mining district in Mexico, Daviken Studnicki-Gizbert explores the history of precious-metals extractivism, tracing the operations from the Spanish conquest to the present. He shows how the depletion of a mine did not mark the end of its life, as evolving technology accelerated the flow of matter and energy, reviving profitability over and over again. However, each new cycle imposed harmful consequences on laborers and natural ecologies. Studnicki-Gizbert's book offers a long view of environmental justice conflicts around extraction in Latin America, highlighting the competing vision of miners and their communities for a moral ecology that defended the healthy reproduction of life and land.

Format: Hardback
Length: 324 pages
Publication date: 20 December 2022
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

Here is the rewritten text:

In the small gold- and silver-mining district of Cerro de San Pedro, located in Mexico, the history of precious-metals extractivism has been intricately woven into the fabric of the community. Spanning from the time of the Spanish conquest to the present, Daviken Studnicki-Gizbert's book delves into the intricate tapestry of Cerro de San Pedro's operations, challenging conventional narratives of boom and bust. Instead, she presents a multicentury perspective, tracing the evolution of mining cycles, initially under Spanish rule, then by North American industry, and finally in the post-NAFTA world of transnational capitalism.

What is remarkable about this narrative is the way Studnicki-Gizbert explores the lifecycle of a mine beyond its depletion. She reveals that the depletion of a mine did not mark the end of its life but rather a new chapter. Evolving technology played a pivotal role in accelerating the flow of matter and energy within the extractive systems of exhausted mines, reviving profitability time and again. This serial reanimation of a non-renewable resource was driven by capital, supported by state policy and ideology, and imposed ever-more harmful consequences on both laborers and natural ecologies.

Yet, amidst this complex landscape, miners and their communities held a competing vision—a moral ecology—that defended the healthy reproduction of life and land. They sought to balance the demands of extractivism with the preservation of the environment and the well-being of their communities. Studnicki-Gizbert's book offers a breathtakingly long view, providing valuable insights into environmental justice conflicts surrounding extraction in Latin America today. By examining the historical trajectory of Cerro de San Pedro, she sheds light on the complex interplay between capital, state power, and the moral aspirations of miners and their communities. This insightful work contributes to our understanding of the ongoing struggles and negotiations surrounding resource extraction and its impact on the lives and environments of marginalized communities.

Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781469671093