Indigenous communities and mining activities in Central America and Mexico: A systematic review

Mining activities pose an increasing threat to Indigenous peoples in Central America and Mexico, as their territories become the focus of expanding extractive interests. This systematic literature review provides a cross-cutting analysis of the relationships between Indigenous communities and mining operations across the region. Drawing on the ROSES (Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses) methodology, it analyzes 50 peer-reviewed articles published in English and Spanish between 2000 and 2024. The findings reveal a strong concentration of studies centered on Guatemala and Mexico, with particular attention to the Maya (Mam, Q’eqchi’, Sipakapense) and Zapotec peoples. Canadian mining companies emerge as the dominant actors, especially in gold and silver extraction. The research field is structured around a diverse set of interrelated themes, with significant emphasis on conflicts and resistance, violence and criminalization, colonial legacies and dispossession, Indigenous ontologies, and the socio-environmental impacts of extractivism. The review underscores the need to advance research on post-extractive transitions, corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies, and gender-sensitive approaches. It also advocates for the use of participatory methodologies co-developed with Indigenous communities and highlights the importance of expanding geographical coverage to underexplored contexts such as Panama and Nicaragua.