Coppered Lives

313 Pages·2016·40.79 MB·English

Coppered Lives
The Chilean sacrifice zone of Quintero Bay

Leonardo F. Valenzuela Pérez
School of Geosciences
Faculty of Science
The University of Sydney

2016

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Declaration

This is to certify that to the best of my knowledge, the content of this
thesis is my own work. This thesis has not been submitted for any
degree or other purposes.

Leonardo F. Valenzuela Pérez
Seremos nosotros los dueños
de nuestro propio futuro,
soberanos de verdad de nuestro destino.
Lo que se haga en el cobre dependerá de nosotros,
de nuestra capacidad, de nuestro esfuerzo,
de nuestra entrega sacrificada
a hacer que el cobre se siembre en Chile
para el progreso de la patria.

We are the owners
of our own future,
true sovereigns of our destiny.
Whatever happens with copper will depend on us,
on our capacity, on our efforts,
on our devoted sacrifice
in order for copper to be sown in Chile
for the progress of the nation.
Salvador Allende (1971)
Table of contents

Table of contents .............................................................................................................. ii
List of figures ..................................................................................................................... v
List of abbreviations ......................................................................................................... vii
Abstract ............................................................................................................................ ix
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... x
CHAPTER 1: Introduction ................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Research Problems and Significance ..................................................................... 3
1.3 Quintero Bay ........................................................................................................... 6
1.4 Sacrifice zone ........................................................................................................ 12
1.5 Research design ................................................................................................... 15
1.6 Structure ................................................................................................................ 16
1.7 Summary ............................................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER 2: Sacrifice zones: an overview .................................................................... 20
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 21
2.2 A postdevelopment concern .................................................................................. 22
2.3 The concept of sacrifice ........................................................................................ 24
2.4 The origins of “sacrifice zones” ............................................................................. 26
2.5 Sacrifice zone as a concept in academia .............................................................. 31
2.5.1. The sacrifices of nuclear colonialism ............................................................. 32
2.5.2. Removing mountains ..................................................................................... 34
2.5.3. Fenceline communities as sacrifice zones .................................................... 36
2.5.4. Expansion of the concept .............................................................................. 38
2.6 Sacrifice zones as a space of the Anthropocene .................................................. 41
2.7 Summary ............................................................................................................... 46
CHAPTER 3: Methodology ............................................................................................. 47
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 48
3.2 Problem ................................................................................................................. 48
3.2.1 Problematic methods ...................................................................................... 48
3.2.2 Origins of my research questions ................................................................... 51
3.3 Design ................................................................................................................... 53
3.4 Instruments and sources ....................................................................................... 59
3.4.1 Archives and databases ................................................................................. 60
3.4.2 Ethnographic material ..................................................................................... 62
3.5 Data collection ....................................................................................................... 64
3.6 Analysis ................................................................................................................. 67
3.7 Limitations ............................................................................................................. 69
3.8 Ethical considerations ........................................................................................... 71
3.9 Summary ............................................................................................................... 73
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CHAPTER 4: On the existential needs of copper ........................................................... 75
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 76
4.2 Nonhumans as moral agents ................................................................................ 76
4.3 A brief copper tale ................................................................................................. 79
4.4 Legitimacy ............................................................................................................. 81
4.5 Energy ................................................................................................................... 84
4.6 Waste .................................................................................................................... 86
4.7 Recycling ............................................................................................................... 87
4.8 Summary ............................................................................................................... 89
CHAPTER 5: Copper development in Ventanas ............................................................ 91
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 92
5.2 Copper as development ........................................................................................ 93
5.3 Institutional antecedents to Ventanas ................................................................... 96
5.4 Planning Ventanas .............................................................................................. 101
5.4.1 Preliminary studies of financial feasibility ..................................................... 103
5.4.2 Organised communities campaigning for development through copper ....... 105
5.4.3 Growing consciousness of environmental risks ............................................ 107
5.4.4 Farmers and environmental opposition ........................................................ 110
5.5 Building at Quintero Bay: pride and loss ............................................................. 115
5.4.1 The environment as a state concern ............................................................ 117
5.5.2 The threat of acid rain ................................................................................... 119
5.6 Dictatorship ......................................................................................................... 121
5.6.1 Funding ......................................................................................................... 122
5.6.2 Neoliberal concerns ...................................................................................... 124
5.6.3 Constitutional Rights: Mining vs Agriculture ................................................. 127
5.6.4 Science and community ................................................................................ 131
5.8 Summary ............................................................................................................. 132
CHAPTER 6: Living in a sacrifice zone ......................................................................... 134
6.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 135
6.2 A sense of time .................................................................................................... 136
6.3 Attachment and belonging ................................................................................... 143
6.4 Politicisation of a sacrifice zone .......................................................................... 147
6.5 Summary ............................................................................................................. 153
CHAPTER 7: The children of La Greda ........................................................................ 154
7.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 155
7.2 A toxic cloud ........................................................................................................ 156
7.3 Previous concerns ............................................................................................... 160
7.4 Testing ................................................................................................................. 168
7.5 Interlude: being contaminated in Chile ................................................................ 179
7.6 A new school ....................................................................................................... 182
7.7 Politics of not-knowing ......................................................................................... 187
7.8 Summary ............................................................................................................. 190
CHAPTER 8: The battle of the green men .................................................................... 191
8.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 192
8.2 Searching for the green men ............................................................................... 193
8.3 Public mobilisation in Quintero Bay ..................................................................... 195
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8.4 Becoming a ‘green man’ ...................................................................................... 200
8.5 Exhumed intimacies ............................................................................................ 205
8.6 The body’s morality ............................................................................................. 214
8.7 Summary ............................................................................................................. 219
CHAPTER 9: Unearthing the future in Quintero Bay .................................................... 221
9.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 222
9.2 Innovation and commoning ................................................................................. 222
9.3 Risking ................................................................................................................. 226
9.4 Remembering ...................................................................................................... 233
9.5 Scaling ................................................................................................................. 244
9.6 Summary ............................................................................................................. 252
CHAPTER 10: Discussion and Conclusions ................................................................. 254
10.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 255
10.2 Answers ............................................................................................................. 255
10.3 Contributions ..................................................................................................... 258
10.4 Recommendations ............................................................................................ 260
10.5 Field reflections and future research ................................................................. 263
10.6 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 264
APPENDIX A: Conference Presentations ..................................................................... 266
APPENDIX B: Wind Direction in Quintero Bay ............................................................. 267
APPENDIX C: Productive Spaces in Quintero Bay ...................................................... 269
APPENDIX D: Interviewees for Chapter 6 .................................................................... 272
References .................................................................................................................... 273

Coppered Lives iv
List of figures

Figure 1.1 Map of Quintero Bay, Puchuncaví, and Quintero ............................................ 6
Figure 1.2 Ventanas copper smelter in the 1960s ............................................................ 8
Figure 1.3 Present-day Ventanas Industrial Complex in Quintero Bay ............................. 8
Figure 1.3 Map of Ventanas Industrial Complex and La Greda School ............................ 9
Figure 1.4 View of Ventanas Industrial Complex ........................................................... 10
Figure 1.5 Quintero Bay shortly after an oil spill in October 2014 ................................... 11
Figure 1.6 “Photographs of contamination in the Port of Ventanas” ............................... 11
Figure 1.7 “Sign the petition! No More Sacrifice Zones.” ................................................ 13
Figure 1.8 Swimmers in “thermal baths” at Quintero Bay ............................................... 13
Figure 2.1 Socio-economic trends, 1750-2010 ............................................................... 43
Figure 2.2 Earth system trends, 1750-2010 .................................................................... 44
Figure 5.1. President Frei Montalva opening the Ventanas copper refinery in 1966 .... 116
Figure 5.2. Tests of contaminated soils from Puchuncaví at La Platina station ............ 132
Figure 7.1 Students playing outside La Greda School .................................................. 155
Figure 7.2 Students sitting outside La Greda School .................................................... 155
Figure 7.3 La Greda elementary School and part of the Industrial Park ....................... 156
Figure 7.4 Rally at La Greda in March 2011 ................................................................. 158
Figure 7.5 Protestors at la Greda .................................................................................. 159
Figure 7.6 “They will not move us.” ............................................................................... 159
Figure 7.7 Perspective of the industrial park from La Greda ........................................ 161
Figure 7.8 Protective raschel nets ................................................................................ 166
Figure 7.9 Children at the re-opened La Greda School ................................................ 170
Figure 7.10 Protest at La Greda School ....................................................................... 171
Figure 7.11 Parent and child during testing .................................................................. 172
Figure 7.12 Testing placard .......................................................................................... 172
Figure 7.13 Testing samples at from students at La Greda School .............................. 173
Figure 7.14 La Greda students and family members waiting in line for testing ............ 173
Figure 7.15 Parent holding her son’s test results outside La Greda School ................. 174
Figure 7.16 Regional Governor of Valparaíso reviewing test results ............................ 175
Figure 7.17 La Greda student after finger prick blood test ............................................ 176
Figure 7.18 Post from La Greda Defence Committee ................................................... 183
Figure 7.19 Education Minister Carolina Schmidt at new La Greda School opening.... 184
Figure 7.20 New La Greda School facilities .................................................................. 185
Figure 7.21 Children outside at new La Greda School ................................................. 185
Figure 8.1 Luis Pino during a Worker’s Day demonstration. ......................................... 198
Figure 8.2 Eduardo Castillo during an interview with El Observatodo .......................... 200
Figure 8.3 First view of Eduardo Castillo’s facial crusts ................................................ 201
Figure 8.4 Second view of Eduardo Castillo’s facial crusts .......................................... 201
Figure 8.5 Artistic performance by members of the AFDD in Santiago ........................ 206
Figure 8.6 Mothers of Plaza de Mayo in Argentina ....................................................... 206
Figure 8.7 Eliana Morales holding a picture of Raúl Lagos. ......................................... 207
Figure 8.8 ENAMI-Ventanas workers at lunch in the 1980s ......................................... 208
Figure 8.9 Carolina Vega holding a picture of her deceased husband. ........................ 209
Figure 8.10 Eliana Morales and Carolina Vega testify during a protest ........................ 210
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Figure 8.11 Investigation Police (PDI) opening graves during first exhumation round . 211
Figure 8.12 Widow at her husband’s exhumation ......................................................... 211
Figure 8.13 Forensic scientists taking samples during second exhumation round ....... 212
Figure 9.1 Fisherman at Las Ventanas beach .............................................................. 226
Figure 9.2 Fisherman at Las Ventanas beach .............................................................. 227
Figure 9.3 Stranded sardines in Las Ventanas beach on Christmas Day 2013 ........... 228
Figure 9.4 Warning sign on Quintero Bay beach .......................................................... 228
Figure 9.5 Las Ventanas beach, summer 2012 ............................................................ 229
Figure 9.6 Las Ventanas beach, summer 1981 ............................................................ 229
Figure 9.6 “Industrial Surfing” ....................................................................................... 230
Figure 9.8 Las Ventanas skatepark in April 2013 ......................................................... 231
Figure 9.9 Las Ventanas skatepark in 2012. ................................................................ 232
Figure 9.10 Las Ventanas skatepark in 2012. .............................................................. 232
Figure 9.11 Children playing in a popular summer resort in 1972 ................................ 234
Figure 9.12 Melinka concentration camp, October 1975 .............................................. 234
Figure 9.13 Two-sided copper pendant ........................................................................ 235
Figure 9.15 Copper engraving of Melinka concentration camp .................................... 235
Figure 9.16 Copper embossment of dove and barbed wire .......................................... 236
Figure 9.17 Site of Melinka concentration camp ........................................................... 237
Figure 9.18 Sergio Vuskovic at the opening of the Ritoque memorial .......................... 238
Figure 9.19 Memorial monolith in Ritoque .................................................................... 238
Figure 9.21 “Quintero Bay Rails Testimony” memorial ................................................. 240
Figure 9.22 Inauguration of Quintero Memorial ............................................................ 241
Figure 9.23 Protester holding a placard at CODELCO ................................................. 242
Figure 9.24 Students participating in the “Palaeontologist for a day” workshop ........... 246
Figure 9.25 Rock arch of Las Ventanas, Puchuncaví ................................................... 247
Figure 9.26 Coastal riffs of Quirilluca ............................................................................ 247
Figure 9.27 Cave at the Horcon’s long beach riffs ........................................................ 248
Figure 9.28 Whale fossil at the paleontological site of Los Maitenes ........................... 248
Figure 9.30 Natural History Museum of Puchuncaví practical workshop ...................... 250
Figure 9.31 Visit to the La Ventana geosite during geo-heritage workshop, May 2013 251
Figure A.1 Wind rose at Ventanas smelter ................................................................... 267
Figure A.2 “Wind and current directions in Quintero Bay” ............................................ 268
Figure A.3 “Productive Spaces in Quintero Bay, First Period (1960-1985)” ................. 269
Figure A.4 “Productive Spaces in Quintero Bay after the General Fishing Law” .......... 270
Figure A.5 “Productive Spaces in Quintero Bay, Third Period (1998-2011)” ................ 271
Figure A.6 Interviewees for Chapter 6 ……………………………………………………..272

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List of abbreviations

ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
AFDD Agrupación de Familares de Detenidos Desaparecidos
(Association of Disappeared Detainees Families)
ANT actor-network theory
ASOREFEN Asociación Gremial Regional de Ex Funcionarios de ENAMI
(Regional Association of Retired Officials from the National Mining
Enterprise)
CACREMI Caja de Crédito y Fomento Minero
(Mining Credit Union)
CCCA Comisión Contra Contaminación Ambiental
(National Commission Against Environmental Contamination)
CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention
CEPQ Consejo Ecológico de Puchuncaví-Quintero
(Puchuncaví-Quintero Ecological Council)
CODELCO Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile
(National Copper Corporation of Chile)
CONADE Comisión Nacional de Ecología
(National Commission of Ecology)
CONAMA Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente
(National Environmental Commission)
CONICYT Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica
(Nactional Commission for Scientific Investigation and Technology
CORFO Corporación de Fomento de la Producción
(Production Development Corporation)
CPV Centro para Progreso de Valparaíso
(Progress Centre of Valparaíso)
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DSP-PUC Departamento de Salud Pública – Pontificia Universidad Católica
de Chile (Public Health Department - Catholic University of Chile)
ENAF Empresa Nacional de Fundiciones
(National Smelters Enterprise)
ENAMI Empresa Nacional de Minería
(National Mining Enterprise)
FUNAPAI Fundición Nacional de Paipote
(Paipote National Smelter Society)
IIMCH Instituto de Ingenieros de Minas de Chile
(Chilean Institute of Mining Engineers)
INDH Instituto Nacional de Derechos Humanos
(National Institute of Human Rights)
ISPCh Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile
(Public Health Institute of Chile)
MTR mountaintop removal [mining technique]
ODEPLAN Oficina de Planificación Nacional (Office of National Planning)
OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
PIV Plan Intercomunal de Valparaíso
(Intercommunal Regulatory Plan of Valparaíso)
PREMVAL Plan Regional Metropolitano de Valparaíso
(Metropolitan Regulatory Plan of Valparaíso)
SEIA Sistema de Evaluacón de Impacto Ambiental
(Environmental Impact Assessment System)
SERNAGEOMIN Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería
(National Geology and Mining Service)
SGCh Sociedad Geológica de Chile (Chilean Geological Society)
SONAMI Sociedad Nacional de Minería (National Mining Society)
WHO World Health Organization
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