This chapter examines the relationship between existing institutional frameworks and the development of urban mining within circular material systems. Urban mining, which involves extracting valuable materials from anthropogenic stocks, has gained attention as an alternative to traditional raw material extraction. However, its practical implementation at scale is challenging given that the original functions of existing institutions served other interests than resource recovery. By mapping the institutional landscape, this chapter addresses the gap between the political ideals of a circular economy ontology and the current institutional setup out of which urban mining arises as an alternative to raw-material extraction. It identifies the primary action spaces, key actors, and social norms involved in the emergence of urban mining. The analysis explores how urban mining currently exists in a space in which concerns for resource management, environmental management and waste management are only loosely connected. Strengthening these connections is fundamental for urban mining to successfully fulfil its promise of reducing ecological footprints and facilitating transitions towards more sustainable production-consumption systems.