Abstract

The "slow violence" arising from mining tailings in Chile spreads cumulatively, slowly and invisibly over time and space. Even those affected are not necessarily aware of it. Toxic substances, which tailings contain in high concentrations, spread easily through water, soil and air, even entering the plants and the bodies of the surrounding population. In this way, they become part of food chains and entire ecosystems, threatening both livelihoods and local economies. This article is based on the conclusions of an empirical investigation of three communities affected by mining tailings in Chile (Pabellón, Tierra Amarilla and Chañaral), conducted between 2014 and 2022, where not only is the severity of the consequences of cumulative exposure in the medium and long term made evident, but also its combination with other socio-ecological and economic inequalities. Material invisibility accompanies the social invisibility of those affected. The focus is the generation of knowledge and ignorance as a principal factor that hinders or facilitates the perception of risk in the face of environmental slow violence, determining the environmental (in-)action of the actors involved and the possibility of resistance by those affected.

Keywords: environmental inaction, latent conflicts, mining extractivism, environmental injustice, slow violence

How to Cite:

Landherr, A., (2025) “(Non-)Knowledge, slow violence and latent conflicts over mine tailings in the Chilean Atacama region”, Journal of Political Ecology 32(1): 7106. doi: https://doi.org/10.2458/jpe.7106