The trajectory of extractive urbanism: examining the implications of Vale's presence and withdrawal for the coal frontier and its urban spaces in Tete

Abstract

Motivated by the increased demand for coal in the first decade of this century, multinational mining firms, including the Brazilian Vale, arrived in Tete province, Mozambique and expanded the coal frontier. The recent global agenda for energy transition made Vale decide to divest from Tete, selling all the mining-related assets to a new company, Indian Vulcan. This divestment is likely to lead to the restructuring of the expanded coal frontier and generate wider implications for the inhabitants than currently assumed in studies, which tend to focus on enclaves and resettlement sites constructed by Vale. In this paper, we argue that paying attention to urban spaces beyond the enclaves and resettlement sites helps us establish a more comprehensive understanding of the potential consequences of Vale's investment and divestment on Tete's coal frontier. Critically engaging with the emerging literature on extractive urbanism and drawing on ethnographic field research in three urban spaces, the paper shows that Vale's divestment following the energy transition agenda has deepened uncertainty and generated scepticism about the future development of urban spaces among the frontier inhabitants.