Introduction

The increasing demand for minerals, spurred by the energy transition, has led to a significant expansion in mineral extractive activities, impacting the environment, societies, and economies around the globe. These impacts are especially pronounced for Indigenous Peoples and local communities who, while they may benefit from opportunities for economic growth, also often face environmental degradation and social disruption. This book underscores the importance of viewing these dynamics within a globalized extraction context, emphasizing the need for comparative perspectives and analyses and for a holistic understanding of the interrelated health, social, cultural, economic, and ecological issues associated with extractive development. Focusing on the mining sector’s encounters with Indigenous Peoples across various geographical and social divides, it presents findings from the MinErAL network—a comprehensive research project involving researchers, Indigenous organizations, and partners from multiple countries. The network’s research highlights how mining practices adapt to diverse political, social, and legal contexts and how communities respond, offering insights into encounters that can either benefit or negatively impact Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Through in-depth fieldwork across five regions, the book amplifies marginalized voices, particularly those of Indigenous Peoples and women, documenting their strategies and tactics, and the discourses they have developed to engage with mining projects.