From Mining To Mushrooms
A series exploring the infiltration of the psychedelic pharmaceutical industry by companies, investors, and executives from extractive industry.
In this series
As Psychedelics Enter the Mainstream, Mining Companies Look to Dig Up Profits
Canadian mining and exploration company AIS has had a number of executives move on to found psychedelic pharmaceutical businesses. Why? Because psychedelics are where the money’s at.
Will Extractive Industry Bring Its Disregard for Indigenous People Into The Psychedelic Industry?
A mining firm’s conflict with Argentinian communities illustrates extractive industry’s practices and values, and raises questions about how these corporate approaches will translate into the psychedelic pharmaceutical industry.
Why are so many extractive industry executives speculating on psychedelics?
Extractive industry is highly speculative by nature and firms are risk tolerant—they either “strike gold” or they don’t. When their gambles fail, psychedelic startups can take over their corporate shells to quickly go public with minimal regulatory scrutiny.
The Big & Dandy List of Psychedelic-Mining-Extractive-Industry Ties
This list is by no means exhaustive, but it spotlights a number of psychedelic pharmaceutical companies and executives with ties to extractive industry.
Thea Riofrancos on the Implications of Global Energy Transition and the Impacts of Lithium Extraction
Thea Riofrancos is a political scientist whose research has focused on political conflict related to extraction, energy, and infrastructure in a rapidly warming and politically unstable world. She also serves on the steering committee for Democratic Socialists of America for a Green New Deal.