The Promise and Peril of Gold Mining on Spanish and Portuguese Imperial Frontiers

Gold mining in the Chiquitos region, formerly under Jesuit missions and located on the ambiguous frontier between Spanish and Portuguese territories, sparked diverse pro- and anti-mining discourses from 1796 to 1809. The study reveals that these debates were deeply influenced by geographical factors and colonial beliefs about territorial characteristics, rather than solely economic or political motivations. By analyzing archival records and historical texts, the research demonstrates how the region's transimperial jurisdictional status shaped arguments for and against mining, highlighting the complex interplay between geography, imperial power dynamics, and local perceptions during this period.

Scott, H. V. (2016). The Promise and Peril of Gold Mining on Spanish and Portuguese Imperial Frontiers. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.013.249