Two Ore Mountains: Feminist Ecologies of Spatial Practices

An increasing number of zones on the earth are being subjected to extractive and destructive changes, to the point that they will barely be inhabitable for some time. Mining is an emerging topic in research, but scarcely researched using feminist and inclusive methods, which the new field of feminist ecologies provides. The case studies of the project are two mountains of ore extraction, one in North Sweden, Malmberget, and one in Austria, Erzberg, where the intense extraction of the largest ore deposits of Central and Northern European countries determines the life of diverse actors. The town of Malmberget is slowly disappearing, with the area of the former city center already having collapsed from a landslide in the 1970s and replaced with a 250m-deep pit. Erzberg, with the town Eisenerz at the foot of the mountain, is anticipating 40 more years of extraction. Both show spatial entanglements between inhabitants and ore. Especially in the case of Malmberget, we can learn from a long history of a feminist political movement and a current indigenous movement. Focusing on intersectional feminist perspectives, the project asks: Who are the actors of mining? Since these environments are mostly represented by the narratives of male workers and pioneers, the perspectives of alternative actors must be added to show the connectedness of multiple actors and their spatial practices of extraction and repair. Participatory observation and mapping will unveil connectivities, alternatives, and often surprising practices to create a resilient theoretical framework for inclusive ecologies during and after exploitation. Through feminist strategies of making visible, bringing together, and anticipating and activating futures, this project will show spatial practices and how they perform constant reparative counter-practices amid extraction. An ethical, intersectional framework will revive the margins of how we know about environmental exploitation to deliver a complex, but profound, image of a polyphonic Anthropocene that allows us to imagine dynamic assemblages after exploitation.

Focusing on intersectional feminist perspectives, this research represents an in-depth scientific engagement in two mining towns that lie at the foot of two distinct ore mountains: Malmberget (transl. ore mountain) in Sàpmi/Northern Sweden; and Eisenerz (transl. iron ore) in Austria. In both towns the intense extraction of the largest ore deposits of Central and Northern European countries determines the life of the (more-than-human) inhabitants. In recent years, and decades, the town of Malmberget has been slowly disappearing; grounds have become unstable, and sinkholes have opened up while underground mining continues. The research project documented these years of shrinking and the loss of homes, focusing on the agency of the (more-than-human) inhabitants, especially local spatial and artistic practices. These practices dealt with loss and countered the invisibilization of feminist and Indigenous actors. Erzberg (transl. ore mountain), with the town of Eisenerz at the foot of the mountain, will face more decades of extraction. However, because the mine no longer requires large numbers of workers, the town has been shrinking. Problems that arise from this include vacancies, having the highest average age of an Austrian town and changing maintenance requirements. The focus lay on practices of care, dealing with change and assembling and bringing together the spatial practitioners of the urban environment. Since these environments are mostly represented by the narratives of male workers and pioneers, perspectives of the alternative actors of the mining towns were assembled to show their connectedness and spatial practices of repair amid extraction. Cartographies of connectivities and often surprising practices and their formats (a musical, embroideries, birds' houses and much more), active forms of participatory observation and video interviews initiated during the COVID lockdown contributed to a resilient theoretical framework for inclusive ecologies during and after exploitation. Constant foci were dealing with loss and practices of maintenance, care and urgent heritage. Feminist strategies of making visible, bringing together, and anticipating and activating futures, showed spatial and artistic practices and how they performed constant reparative counter-practices. An ethical, intersectional framework revived these margins of how we know about environmental exploitation for the extraction of resources to deliver a complex and incomplete - yet profound - image of a polyphonic Anthropocene to allow for imaginations of dynamic assemblages post-exploitation. The aim was also to empower local actors and their knowledges and local practices in myriad connections and formats of exchange. The research resulted in multiple discussions and presentations in academic and local contexts and was represented in exhibitions, for example Wienwoche 2022 and the IABR International Architecture Biennial in Rotterdam in 2024.