Capillitas Copper Company y Capillitas Consolidated Mines: paralización, monopolización y especulación en la minería catamarqueña a inicios del siglo XX

Abstract

A inicios del siglo XX, las minas de Capillitas (provincia de Catamarca) se concesionaron a Capillitas Copper Company y Capillitas Consolidated Mines, empresas de capitales ingleses-franceses. Desde entonces y hasta hoy día, distintos discursos posicionaron estos emprendimientos como grandes promesas de crecimiento económico y laboral. Analizando fuentes documentales variadas, indagamos el origen y funcionamiento de ambos proyectos. Sostenemos que no solo no alcanzaron las expectativas gestadas, ni productivas ni laborales, sino que se caracterizaron por la paralización casi total y la especulación financiera.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Capillitas mines (Catamarca) were granted under concession to the Capillitas Copper Company and Capillitas Consolidated Mines, companies backed by British and French capital. Since then, and to this day, various narratives have portrayed these ventures as major promises of economic and labor growth. Drawing on a wide range of documentary sources, this article examines the origins and operations of both projects. It argues that not only did they fail to meet built-up expectations—both in terms of production and employment—but they were also marked by financial speculation and near-total shutdown.