Rock Bottom: The Case of Granite Quarries in the Valley

Granite is a rock composed mainly of quartz and other minerals (King, 2018). Despite the undeniable economic benefits and continuous growth of granite extraction (quarrying), trading and manufacturing worldwide, granite quarrying activities can be detrimental to people and nature (Azevedo et al., 2020; Ibrahim et al., 2019; Oktriani et al., 2017; Shaik et al., 2015). Following a decrease in imports/exports due to Covid-19 (Alves et al., 2020), today Brazil remains the number one granite exporter to the United States (U.S. Geological Survey, 2022). Located in an impoverished rural area heavily affected by drought, the São Pedro River Valley has witnessed granite extraction for 30 years. This study examines the effects of granite quarrying among the Valley’s rural community. Data gathered in 2020 and 2021 originated from 10 unstructured focus groups and 9 member checks conducted on the field. Participants were 25 small farmers living within 3 kilometers from granite extraction sites. Raw data was transcribed, analyzed using In Vivo Coding, and translated into English. Findings were cross-referenced with a geological report consisting of a soil analysis and interpretation, insights from a local Research Associate (RA), and recent images and video recordings of the area. This case study offers an in-depth understanding of an economic activity that further compromises the sustainability and equitability of a particularly fragile human-environmental balance.