Welcome to the Fields of Exploration

Introduction

Our world’s growing appetite and dependency on metals and minerals has led to an expanding hunt for new sources on an unprecedented scale. Continuously venturing into new and uncharted territories, the industry now has its eyes on the circumpolar areas of Norway. Promising survey results and prospects of combining local energy sources with processing and proximity to emerging trade routes makes Norway’s northern territories an increasingly attractive landscape for extracting resources. In the 2012 the Norwegian government will present its own mineral report, expected to draw up an offensive strategy for mineral extraction in the arctic areas of Norway. But mining doesn’t only denote big profits; its industry also entails large scale impacts on landscape, nature and society. What do we really know about these forces?

Through mapping of future landscapes impacted by mining the course will create an instrument for a debate on the far reaching territorial consequences of contemporary and future mining. The course will map local infrastructure, deposits, mines, and global networks of mineral distribution and processing. The studio aims to unfold the moral, legal and environmental implications of an increased extraction. The course looks for new discoveries seen through the lenses of the landscape and will provide a tool for an open debate on the new pressures in the northern territories.

Course structure

The big picture

The first phase of the course is about mapping the global system of mining. We will study the forces that drive mining, the increased resource consumption, mining’s global network and infrastructure and how this plays out in the circumpolar areas.

Output: Atlas

The perforated Landscape

The second phase will focus on mining’s impact on the landscape, study new geological surveys, modes of mining, the life cycle of a mine and mining’s environmental impacts.

Output: Catalogue

The multilayered landscape

In this phase we will examine the impact of mining on communities, the indigenous dimension, the overlapping use of land and competing activities.

Output: Magazine

Reflections

Based on the mapping and study trips students will formulate critical reflections on sub-themes identified in the course.

Output: Collection of reflections and statements in the format of texts, maps, interviews, film, photography etc.