This paper analyzes how industrial development becomes embedded in indigenous and local visions of sustainability. It focuses on the case studies of two indigenous minorities in Russia: Veps in Karelia and Soiots in Buriatia. Veps have a history of engagement with stone extraction going back to the 18th century. They experienced a switch from small-scale artisanal mining of gabbro-diabase and raspberry quartzite to extensive Soviet-time industrial development and the post-Soviet turn towards private mining. Soiots, on the contrary, witness a rather recent development of the gold mining industry which started in the 1990s and still generates complex responses in the community. Starting from the early 2000s, many locals have also been involved in illegal jade extraction and trade. By focusing on two models of industrial development at indigenous territories, the paper discusses the complex perceptions of decorative stones in Veps and Soiot communities. It analyzes parallels between mining and other forms of economic activities such as hunting, fishing, or tourism. The paper demonstrates that different forms of resource extractions in Veps and Soiot multispecies households are closely connected, forming a common resource landscape. Mining and other forms of extracting resources contribute to complex local visions of sustainability that unite various forms of engagement with nature.
