What if a community-led alliance shaped a mine’s closure plan, turning a history of extraction into a future of repair?
Towns like El Melon situated in the Nogales Commune stand at a pivotal moment, where stronger regional communication offers a path toward unity. Shaped by industrial mining, voices from Anglo American and local activists reflect the region’s dual narratives. The mining company, Anglo American emphasizes its role in employment, reforestation, and sustainable mining, while communities call for deeper engagement on social and environmental concerns.
Despite pollution, water scarcity, and desertification, momentum is growing to turn these challenges into opportunities for renewal. Even with the potential closure of the El Soldado mine in 2037, its legacy demands urgent attention through strategic regional intervention. Rather than leaving behind obsolete infrastructure, this transition can prioritize long-term community resilience and ecological restoration.
Imagine the Nogales Commune uniting with Anglo American through the Nogales Valley Alliance (NVA), forming a coalition to champion water justice, ecological renewal, and economic reinvention. Through a Community Benefits Agreement, conservation efforts could gain access to new grants, supporting environmental monitoring, citizen science, workforce retraining, and restored water access. The commune could leverage these partnerships to transform the Nogales Valley into a model of sustainable post-mining development, led by and for its communities.
