Occupational health management in the Era of large-scale Copper mining in Chile: A historical analysis of silicosis mortality, 1940–1990

• Long-term silicosis mortality in Chile is reconstructed nationally and regionally. • From 1940 to 1990, silicosis mortality rose, tied to large-scale mining regions. • Occupational health issues are linked to sectoral and institutional changes. • Occupational health governance shows tensions between the state and mining sector. The health impact of mining remains an insufficiently explored topic. Historical research on silicosis, a common occupational disease caused by inhaling silica dust, is still limited on Chile as well as globally. This study introduces silicosis mortality as a quantitative indicator for analyzing long-term trends on national and regional scales in Chile, despite methodological challenges. It also conducts a qualitative analysis of the impact of technical and institutional changes that accompanied the emergence of large-scale copper mining and labor regulation. The findings indicate that silicosis mortality aligns both temporally and geographically with shifts in the large-scale copper mining sector, highlighting the complex interactions between the state and this economically vital industry. The challenge of managing silicosis exemplifies the dilemma faced by economies reliant on raw material exports in addressing the social consequences of extractivism.