Penumbras of the planetary mine: experiencing (post-)mining transformations in the Western Carpathians of Romania

This article builds on the recognition that the extraction of minerals assumed over the last few decades a transcendence of geological space-time and a corresponding expansion at planetary scale. Little attention was devoted to the long-term but currently abandoned mines awaiting their potential reopening and can be said to find themselves at a juncture. On the one hand, they confront a complex heritage of past mining operations (including pollution), vivid memories surrounding past practices and their residents’ work relationships. On the other hand, there is still the remote but distinct possibility of experiencing a mining renaissance, under the conditions of the so-called planetary mine. We ask what are the affective, cognitive and corporeal dimensions of the local experience of transitioning from the past practices toward an uncertain future of grand-scale mineral exploitation. Based on 39 semi-structured interviews conducted in the mining towns of Zlatna, Abrud and Baia de Arieș and surrounding villages, we address several topics that emerged from the interviews: hope and hopelessness, dependence on the mine and denial of pollution. Our findings provide a nuanced understanding of how bottom-up development can be conceived and what are the challenges of the current phase of planetary mining.