UNESCO Universal Declaration about Cultural Diversity of 2001 establishes that traditional and ancestral knowledge are heritage whose value goes beyond the originating communities. In fact, they are a source of creativity and innovation. Also, their recognition promotes social inclusion and participation. In rural areas such as Manglaralto, which is part of the coastal zone of Ecuador, its residents face the challenge of managing water. Community participation and ancestral practices have been relevant mechanisms to handle water problems. Both elements have allowed the inhabitants to develop and adapt techniques to recharge aquifers, which are a natural underground storage. The aim of this research is to analyze the practical adaptation for improving the application of artificial recharge through ancestral knowledge in a community research project with the support of ESPOL Polytechnic University for the management of coastal aquifer Manglaralto. Therefore, the methodological process includes: i) the Participatory-Action-Research (PAR) cycle through observation-reflection with the concurrence of the Manglaralto community through the Regional Board of Water in Manglaralto; ii) the sequential registers of community practices that respond to the growing demand for water in the river-aquifer context; and iii) an analysis of the practical adaptations for artificial aquifer recharge. The research study includes the implementation of dykes, "tapes" (historical term in Spanish for "dykes"), as part of ancestral knowledge. The dykes were made by the community with the technical support of the university and the interactive participation of the population. Hence, the tapes have been developed and improved through the trial and error method under the PAR framework. Currently, the dyke has evolved, as it has had several modifications from its first artisanal design to its technical construction within a pragmatic, economic and functional scheme. Consequently, the community shows how ancestral knowledge provides solutions for handling complex issues such as the artificial recharge of the aquifer.

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The territory of Ancon-Santa Elena stands out for its unique geological diversity which has peculiar characteristics due to the relationships of geodiversity and exuberant biodiversity linked to the marine coastal area. Ancon-Santa Elena is recognized as Cultural Heritage of Ecuador for its great historical value, as it is the place where tar was used in ancient times. In this place, the first Ecuadorian oil well was drilled. Thus, Ancon-Santa Elena is considered an ideal and relevant rural location to carry out a Geopark project due to its uniqueness and aesthetic characteristics. The aim of the research is to analyze the geotourism potential in Ancon-Santa Elena area in Ecuador through the assessment of geosites and industrial sites. Furthermore, the objective is to set up strategies with a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT-TOWS) matrix of the 45 valued sites for local development in the context of the Ancon-Santa Elena Geopark project. Hence, the methodology includes: i) the registration and preliminary inventory of places with outstanding geological and industrial interest in the study area; ii) the preparation of reports and thematic cartographies; iii) quantitative assessment and classification of geosites and industrial sites; iv) development of a SWOT-TOWS matrix which will guarantee the viability of Geotourism as a development pole. The results of the research study are represented through a map using mineral routes as expression of tourism, choosing six relevant sites out of 45 geo-and industrial sites. The researchers focused on a sustainability framework through the preparation of action strategies to ease the compatibility of geodiversity and industrial heritage with current tourism activities. Therefore, this study promotes the conservation and enhancement of the resources in a territory for its sustainable development in rural communities.

Optical image analysis (OIA) supporting microscopic observation can be applied to improve ore mineral characterization of ore deposits, providing accurate and representative numerical support to petrographic studies, on the polished section scale. In this paper, we present an experimental application of an automated mineral quantification process on polished sections from Zaruma-Portovelo intermediate sulfidation epithermal deposit (Ecuador) using multispectral and color images. Minerals under study were gold, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite, pyrrhotite, bornite, hematite, chalcocite, pentlandite, covellite, tetrahedrite and native bismuth. The aim of the study was to quantify the ore minerals visible in polished section through OIA and, mainly, to show a detailed description of the methodology implemented. Automated ore identification and determination of geometric parameters predictive of geometallurgical behavior, such as grade, grain size or liberation, have been successfully performed. The results show that automated identification and quantification of ore mineral images are possible through multispectral and color image analysis. Therefore, the optical image analysis method could be a consistent automated mineralogical alternative to carry on detailed ore petrography.Geosciences 2016, 6, 30 2 of 23 with important contributions in metallurgical processes [13][14][15] and provide rapid, statistically reliable and repeatable mineralogical, petrographic and metallurgical data.OIA is a convenient, accessible, and inexpensive tool for obtaining comprehensive information about fine fractions of the ore [13][14][15][16]. However, a limiting factor in direct OIA is the discrimination between minerals with similar reflective properties [17]. A digital image is a numerical representation of a two-dimensional image. Digital cameras used in optical microscopy usually incorporate a charge-coupled device (CCD) to capture images. The CCD transfers the optical photon data received through a filter into electronic pulse or photo. The generated voltage is then converted into pixels (converting analogical data to digital data) and stored as a digital image that contains a fixed number of rows and columns of pixels [17,18]. A color image is a digital image that includes color information for each pixel. Color images can be acquired using a CCD digital camera (i.e., 3CCD camera, Bayer mosaic filter or three shot color sampling). For visually acceptable digital color images, it is necessary to provide grey levels (GL) in three bands/channels for each pixel, which are interpreted as coordinates in one of the existing color spaces.The Red, Green and Blue (RGB) color model is an additive color model in which red, green, and blue light is added together in various ways to reproduce a broad array of colors. It is commonly applied in computer displays but other models such as hue-saturation-value (HSV) are also in use. RGB images have been employed for the identification and quantification of opaque minerals in polished secti...

Inefficient blasting techniques and poor closure management of the old quarry that existed during the 1970s in the area of the actual General Patrimonial Cemetery of Guayaquil resulted in an almost vertical slope of approximately 50 m in height and an intense induced fracturing that weakened the rock mass. This led to the loss of stability and increased material detachment, which damaged the infrastructure of the graveyard representing a risk to visitors and workers. The aim of this research is to evaluate the slope stability through a geotechnical analysis that allows decision-making to recover and preserve the safety of the area. In this work, we used structural measurements and observations made in the field, as well as a three-dimensional model of the slant generated by photographs taken by a drone. Slope Mass Rating (SMR) and Chinese Slope Mass Rating (CSMR) rankings were used to evaluate stability, susceptibility to rockfall was determined using a theoretical–practical procedure, and the safety factor was calculated using the Morgenstern–Price method. The analysis of the geomechanical classifications yielded a low stability value of the slope, which was in accordance with the high susceptibility to rockfall and with the low safety factor. Based on these results, we recommend the application of systematic bolt and shotcrete for stabilization.