Informal Extractivism: Mining concessions in natural protected areas in Colombia

Large-scale extractive activities have significant territorial impacts in the Global South as transnational companies seek flexible regulations and lenient controls to source and export natural resources. The literature has overlooked how companies and the state employ land-use informality to enhance further extractive activities. This article addresses this gap by examining mining titles in Colombian national natural parks. The research aimed to unveil the link between extractivism and land-use informality in Colombia through a spatial analysis of public databases from environmental and mining agencies, alongside a documentation analysis of mining records and reports. These methods focused on regulations and the role of public institutions in driving land-use informality. I conclude that mining titles in natural parks have transformed some of these protected areas into informal extractive enclaves, primarily through three pathways: unmapping, fragmented institutional design, and flawed enforcement. These channels allow private companies to indeterminately expand the mining frontier in Colombia through the creation of new informal mining enclaves.