Metal Mining and its Effects on Access to Water in Rural Communities of Zacatecas, Mexico. A Perspective Focused on Inequality

Abstract

This article analyzes the extraction of metallic minerals in Zacatecas (Mexico) and its effects on the access to water in rural communities. In contrast to the official narrative, there is evidence of the direct contribution of the mining industry to the conditions of poverty and inequality in rural communities and, particularly, to the access to water. It is concluded that, despite the large production of metallic minerals, the Fund for Sustainable Regional Development of Mining States and Municipalities was unable to reverse the marginalization rate in the studied area.