What are sustainable investments? A case study of Arizona’s legacy mining communities and towns

In Legacy Mining Communities (LMCs) in the copper-rich state of Arizona, the complex social ties to mineral resources challenge the concept and practice of sustainability. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Clifton-Morenci and San Manuel, both in Southern Arizona, in this article, I examine sustainable decision-making by LMCs that reflect their unique circumstances. I argue that despite the socio-ecological challenges that pertain to many mining communities in the southwest, legacy communities and towns in Arizona are exploring infrastructure investments that can change existing narratives and help retain social connections to mining. In doing so, I will deepen our understanding of decision-making on sustainability in LMCs from a social sustainability perspective.