On the road to a fair, sustainable and inclusive energy transition, the decentralized and participatory use of renewable resources is favored in order to advance in the diversification of sources, the securitization of systems, the decarbonization of activities, and the fight against poverty. These changes require minerals for infrastructure and equipment, making the Andes increasingly dynamic in their supply.
The link between mining and energy is reinforced by growing interdependence in territories that are increasingly open to community participation, where activities such as tourism and heritage promotion are associated. This paper brings together results obtained from research with a strong empirical basis.
The aim of this article is to deepen our understanding of the energy transition, showing the link with the extractive activities it drives in mountain areas and with its promotion of tourism and heritage. To this end, it analyzes the cases of lithium and copper mines in the Andes, particularly Chuquicamata (Chile), the Olaroz salt flat (Argentina), and the Uyuni salt flat (Bolivia).
In northern Chile and Argentina, and southern Bolivia, mining (energy) megaprojects are central to the transition toward sustainability. With multiple risks and possibilities, mining (energy) and tourism-heritage development converge in a new centrality of large-scale spaces.
