Mineral rent governance and path creation in mining-dependent territories of Minas Gerais, Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21527/2237-6453.2026.64.18188Keywords:
Mineral rents, Territorial governance, Mining-dependent territories, Path creation, Evolutionary Economic GeographyAbstract
Mining-dependent territories in the Global South need to convert mineral rents into durable capabilities while remaining exposed to commodity cycles, fiscal dependence and asymmetric relations with large companies. This article examines how the concentration and volatility of mineral rents shape territorial governance and economic path creation in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Grounded in Evolutionary Economic Geography, the study compares Itabira and Paracatu through 45 semi-structured interviews, complemented by institutional documents, plans, legislation and reports. The results show that mineral rents expand fiscal space but do not automatically generate diversification. When weakly coordinated, they reinforce fiscal dependence, productive specialisation and territorial lock-in; when linked to stable governance arenas, intermediary organisations, skills development, supplier development and innovation, they foster transferable capabilities and new paths. The study concludes that, in peripheral mining-dependent territories, path creation depends on the organisational and institutional capacity to govern volatile mineral rents over time.
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