ABSTRACT
Heightened depletion of mineral reserves, emerging technologies of extraction and sustained demand have propelled multinational companies to explore new sites of extraction, which are increasingly located in remote corners of the globe. This chapter discusses the political economy of the land-mining nexus within the specific context of Asia. While several countries in the region exemplify the chapter’s arguments, the case of Mongolia, one of the most mineral rich country in the region, is presented in the last section of the chapter. We argue that territorial control achieved through mineral rights is embedded in multiple layers of interests and institutions, with significant implications to local – often marginalised – communities. Beyond state rights, a number of local, national and international actors with plural and often contradictory interests – such as corporations, national and local elites, armed actors, donors, international development banks and civil society – are also involved in crafting, implementing and contesting mining regimes, a process that speaks to the transnational nature of the sector. In turn, the complexity of the governance regimes around mining and land governance is analysed with a specific focus on how these regimes shape the livelihood of local communities around large-scale mining projects.
