"This nice word transition that can mean all sorts of things"

Discourses in the Swedish mining industry

Abstract

Previous research has shown that the relationship between climate transition and mining is far less straightforward than industry marketing often suggests, encompassing historically rooted conflicts over ecological values and colonialism. This article focuses on the perspectives of mining industry leaders. Drawing on a discourse-theoretical approach, it analyzes 16 semi-structured interviews with senior executives in areas such as economics, technology, and sustainability. The analysis demonstrates how “climate transition” is filled with meaning through articulations that position mining both as an enabler of a sustainable future and as dependent on reducing its climate footprint. The findings reveal tensions between economic, technological, and social conditions. The article argues that climate transition must be understood as a social and political process – knowledge that is crucial in the pursuit of a just transition.