Post-extraction governance and the making of mining heritage: Institutional pathways for quarry requalification in France and Brazil

Abstract

This article analyzes contrasting forms of meaning-making and valuation of mined landscapes, employing a comparative approach between the Beaujolais Geopark in France and former quarries in Ouro Preto, Brazil. The investigation draws on the four landscape concepts proposed by Bloxam (2009) — socially constructed, contact, historically associated, and dynamic — in articulation with Evolutionary Governance Theory (EGT). The findings indicate that, in both contexts, mining functioned as a structuring force for territorial identities, but followed distinct trajectories. While Beaujolais repurposed former quarries into cultural and educational facilities through a coordinated territorial project, the quarries of Ouro Preto — associated with the extraction of quartzite, soapstone, and dolomitic limestone — remain on the margins of heritage policies. The results underscore the need for inclusive interpretive strategies and heritage-oriented governance models in regions shaped by extractive legacies and regulatory gaps. By mapping alternative institutional pathways, the article contributes to contemporary debates on post-mining futures, cultural reconversion, and the role of communities in steering territorial transitions. The analysis reveals that the valorization of these landscapes depends on factors such as symbolic continuity, institutional frameworks, and community engagement. The study contributes to expanding the understanding of geoheritage by demonstrating how post-mining contexts can become drivers of territorial reinterpretation and the construction of sustainable futures.