Goldmining, Dispossessing the Commons and Multi-Scalar Responses The Case of Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico

In 1996, Minera San Xavier (MSX), a Mexican tributary of the Canadian mining company Newgold Inc., announced it wanted to start a large open-pit gold and silver mine in the municipality of Cerro de San Pedro, in the state of San Luis Potosí. The mining site occupies 373 hectares of ejido 2 community land. This was highly controversial as the scale and type of the mining operation would impose a heavy burden on the available land and water and generate many adverse social and environmental impacts. Resistance was fierce, and several opposition groups united to form the Frente Amplio Opositor (Broad Opposition Front; BOF). Despite the opposition, however, MSX started operations in 2007. To date, its presence is still disputed.