In spring 2012, the two commodity companies Glencore and Xstrata merged to form one of the most powerful commodity corporations in the world. The new conglomerate holds a dominant position across the entire value chain, from extraction to processing, storage, and trading of raw materials. At the time of the merger, the mega-corporation was the third-largest copper producer, the largest exporter of thermal coal, and its fleet of oil tankers included more ships than the British Navy. While Glencore Xstrata reports high profits and presents itself as a sustainable company, the corporation is associated with exploitation, plundering, and destruction in mining areas: eroded mountains, gigantic holes, and kilometers-long pipelines characterize the landscapes where raw materials are extracted. People suffer from explosions, dust pollution, and toxic residues.