Using Social, Economic and Land-Use Indices to Build a Local Sustainability Index in a Mining Region of the Sierra Tarahumara, Mexico

Carmelo Pinedo-Álvarez,Alfredo Pinedo-Álvarez,Eduardo Santellano-Estrada,Karla Chacón-Chumacero,Marusia Rentería-Villalobos,Martín Martínez-Salvador,Sandra Rodríguez-Piñeros

doi:10.3390/resources6030042

Carmelo Pinedo-Álvarez, Alfredo Pinedo-Álvarez + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/resources6030042

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Abstract

Ore mining has served as a predictor of economic wellbeing since it brought development to countries. However, these benefits do not always extend to all localities that comprised the center of this industry. This paper examined the contribution of mining to local communities. An index of local sustainability was constructed based on economic, social, and land-use data from twelve localities where mining and forestry are their major economic activities. Land-use variables were obtained from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM 5) images for 2000, and Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI8) for 2014, while the socio-economic variables were collected in twelve localities with an 85-question survey. A sustainability index was developed for each group of variables—economic (ESI), social (SSI) and land-use sustainability index (LUSI)—to further build a local sustainability index (LSI). Three localities showed the highest ESI (0.61, 0.53 and 0.43) and SSI (0.90, 0.79 and 0.78), while two localities had the lowest values in the ESI and SSI. In contrast, the highest value of LUSI was found in two other different localities and in one with lower SSI. Income from mining activities is positively associated with the ESI and SSI, but there was no evidence of linear association with the LUSI. A local index of sustainability provides useful information for planning and development strategies.

Highlights

Metal ore extraction has been important for the economic development of nations even before industrialization
The Ocampo mining region is located at the heart of Sierra Tarahumara in the state of Chihuahua, mining regionofisthree located at the heartOcampo, of Sierra Temosachi, Tarahumaraand in the state of a ThisOcampo region is comprised municipalities
Ocampo is a locality where both mining and forest harvesting are the main sources of income; which highly exceeds the income of the localities nearby

Summary

Introduction

Metal ore extraction has been important for the economic development of nations even before industrialization. Domestic Product (GDP) [1] and higher human development indices have been achieved due to mining industry [2]. There is debate about the economic benefits offered by mining and the high underlying costs of the environmental degradation produced by its operations [3,4,5,6]. There is a loss of soil productivity [14] that further impacts the livelihood of rural localities [15]. Other forms of social impacts are due to changes in infrastructure networks, non-balanced industrial development, resettlement and changes in the economic and social structure of the local population, family disruption, schooling drop offs [16], and loss of cultural heritage [16]

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