MINING AND SPATIALITY: Space, society, and environment in the coal-based economy in Criciúma City, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

This paper analyzes Criciúma City´s spatiality, i.e., the space-social economics-environment relationship, during the intense coal mining exploration until nowadays. We consider studies on other mining regions and studies about the specific case. In that, we verify the social, economics and environmental dynamics along the history and today. We seek to interpret the dialectic relationship between history, space and society in an area when the ore´s deposits determine the locations of all the infrastructure to their exploration. Furthermore, the activity needs high amount of capital and unskilled work with low wages, which configures the social stratification on space. Recently, other activities outweigh the mining in the region. But the efects of coalming period remain. The city districts map shows the spacial location by social classes and degradaded areas. We can observe therefore the highest classes´ interests configured on a microcosmo like Criciúma. In this way, this study could also contribute to the complex issue of spatiality in the urban environment.