Mountain Territories: Towards New Extraction Frontiers

Since the 2000s, mountain territories have emerged as key spaces in extractive dynamics, first in the Global South and, more recently, in the Global North. The drive to decarbonize and electrify industries and transport has opened new energy and mining frontiers, addressing rising demands for minerals and land for renewable energy infrastructure. Resource depletion in traditional extraction zones, combined with the pressures of the energy transition, has repositioned some mountain areas as critical places of interest. These extractive potentials are not self-evident, highlighting the social construction of resources. Their identification and development often lead to territorial controversies. Mountains, perceived as spaces of naturalness and biodiversity, fuel imaginaries that further intensify debates. This session invites contributions tonexamine the interplay between mountains and extractive processes, structured around two axes: 1. Traditional Extractivism and New Frontiers Linked to the Energy Transition Mountain regions, often seen as marginal or natural spaces, are now targets for rare metal mining, ornamental stone extraction, and renewable energy. This axis explores the relationship between energy transition, extraction, and the redefinition of mountain territories. 2. The Future of Former Extractive Areas Abandoned extraction sites, such as gravel pits and quarries, represent opportunities for reconversion. This axis investigates new territorialities emerging from these reconversions and their integration into ecological and energy transition projects. Case studies on successes or contested outcomes are welcome.