Serra do Curral d'el Rey in Minas Gerais

Competition Between Mining and Real Estate Investments in the City of Belo Horizonte and the Municipality of Nova Lima/MG

Abstract

This article brings to light the discussion surrounding the Serra do Curral d'el Rey, viewed as a battleground between mining companies and real estate investors, and the construction of "new" urban spatial fragments (sections of a whole), designed for and aimed at the economic elites of Minas Gerais. Through this study, we aim to identify and understand the processes and effects of the construction of spatial fragments, or new landscapes defined by the systemic association between (technical) objects and human actions. From the perspective of public authorities and private companies, these spatial fragments (whether productive or urban) are primarily intended to stimulate the economies of two municipalities: Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais and center of the Metropolitan Region (RMBH), and its neighboring municipality, Nova Lima. We address the coexistence of processes legitimizing two distinct patterns of capitalist accumulation (linked to mining and real estate investments) and their respective impacts on Belo Horizonte and Nova Lima. Among the processes currently in place is the extractive accumulation strategy, strategically adopted by companies in the area under study. These processes spanned from the second half of the 20th century to the first decades of the 21st century. Mining and real estate activities have been embraced by part of society while rejected by another. One segment focuses on environmental protection, while the other seeks property acquisition in the Serra, supported by public authorities and financial institutions. Politicians and public and private sector agents have become interested in both the increase in Financial Compensation for Mineral Exploration (CFEM)—generated by the near-raw exports conducted by mining companies—and the growth of urban tax revenues. Additionally, we discuss Serra do Curral d'el Rey as a relatively minor focus of manifestations by religious or similar groups.