Mining as environmentalism: green/grey extractivism and the production of extractive subjectivities around the Rio Tinto Kennecott mine in the United States
Alexander Dunlap, Bojana Novaković, Benjamin K. Sovacool
Abstract
Concerted opposition from land defenders alongside climate change mitigation efforts by governments has made environmental and decarbonization efforts an essential element of mining operations. Located on the southwest outskirts of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Rio Tinto’s Kennecott mine not only produces so-called ‘energy transition materials,’ but also emerges as an industry exemplar in advancing environmental mediation, modernization, and decarbonization strategies. Employing participant observation, drawing on 31 semi-structured interviews and 7 focus groups, this article explores the intersections between extractive subjectivities and green extractivism. While Rio Tinto’s Kennecott mine ranks among the highest towards environmental, social, and governance standards, we argue that the more enlightened and self-reflective a mining company becomes the more it entrenches a damaging extractive subjectivity. Revealing techniques employed by the company, we demonstrate how ‘enlightened’ or green extractivist approaches prolong mining, delay transformative socioecological restoration and reinforce existing extractive subjectivities to produce grey extractivism.