Abstract

This article uses Actor-Network Theory to analyze mining infrastructures in Chile and develop a concept of “extractive infrastructure networks.” Focusing on the port of Punta Chungo and its connection to the Los Pelambres mine, we explore how these infrastructures, along with human and non-human actors, create networks that sustain the extractivist economy while hiding environmental and social risks. Through a photographic essay, we show how these infrastructures are both visible and forgotten in everyday life, and how they often hide the long-term dangers they pose to nearby communities. This paper introduces a new way to understand the complex relationships between infrastructure, environment, and society in Chile's mining industry. © 2025 The Author(s). Visual Anthropology Review published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Anthropological Association.