Surface and Underground Geomechanical Characterization of an Area Affected by Instability Phenomena in Zaruma Mining Zone (Ecuador)

Carrión-Mero, Paúl; Aguilar, Maribel; Morante-Carballo, Fernando; Domínguez-Cuesta, María José; Sánchez-Padilla, Cristhian; Sánchez-Zambrano, Andrés; Briones-Bitar, Josué; Blanco-Torrens, Roberto; Córdova-Rizo, Javier; Berrezueta, Edgar

doi:10.3390/su13063272

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Recent studies have focused on large and medium-scale mining effects, updating sustainable and environmentally responsible production techniques [29][30][31]. However, the effects produced by ASM are still a reality due to economic, legislative, and technological limitations [22,32,33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining

Morante-Carballo

Montalván-Burbano²,

Aguilar³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Mineral resource exploitation is one of the activities that contribute to economic growth and the development of society. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is one of these activities. Unfortunately, there is no clear consensus to define ASM. However, its importance is relevant in that it represents, in some cases, the only employment alternative for millions of people, although it also significantly impacts the environment. This work aims to investigate the scientific information related to ASM through a bibliometric analysis and, in addition, to define the new lines that are tending to this field. The study comprises three phases of work: (i) data collection, (ii) data processing and software selection, and (iii) data interpretation. The results reflect that the study on ASM developed intensively from 2010 to the present. In general terms, the research addressed focuses on four interrelated lines: (i) social conditioning factors of ASM, (ii) environmental impacts generated by ASM, (iii) mercury contamination and its implication on health and the environment, and (iv) ASM as a livelihood. The work also defines that geotourism in artisanal mining areas is a significant trend of the last decade, explicitly focusing on the conservation and use of the geological and mining heritage and, in addition, the promotion of sustainable development of ASM.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining

Morante-Carballo

Montalván-Burbano²,

Aguilar³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…The results obtained for the geomechanical classification using the two classical methodologies validate the Q-Barton index as a conservative classification methodology that can be considered in a rock quality monitoring plan that includes support measures in areas susceptible to landslides [99][100][101]. Through the Q-Barton index, 13 of 14 evaluated stations present a poor rock classification with minimum values of one (Table 2).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Application of Geomechanical Classification Systems in a Tourist Mine for Establishing Strategies within 3G’s Model

Aguilar

Jaya-Montalvo

Loor-Oporto³

et al. 2023

Heritage

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Stability problems in rock masses are one of the main causes of subsidence events in underground mining areas. Zaruma, in the South of Ecuador, is characterised by mineral wealth, in which 65% of the population depends directly on artisanal mining activity. However, mineral extraction, without technical considerations and in many cases illegal, has negatively impacted the stability of tunnels generated under the city’s urban area, reporting subsidence events in recent years. The aim of this study is to geomechanically characterise the main gallery of the tourist mine “El Sexmo” using two classic methods of geomechanical classification for the configuration of a model that complies with the 3G’s (geotourism, geoconservation, and geoeducation) and supports the culture of sustainability in all areas of the sector. The methodology consists of (i) a field study design, (ii) a geological–geomechanical survey of the rock mass of a tourist mine using rock mass rating (RMR) and the Q-Barton index, and (iii) establishing a 3G’s model for sustainable development. The results reveal that 100% of the rock mass of the tourist mine presents a rock quality classified as “Fair” (class III) by the RMR method, while, via the Q-Barton method, 92.9% of the rock mass obtains a “Poor” rating, except for station S05, rated “Very Poor”. Furthermore, the study proposes additional support measures for three specific stations based on Q-Barton assessments, including fibre-reinforced sprayed concrete and bolting and reinforced ribs of sprayed concrete, considering that the mine is more than 500 years old and maintains geological features for geoeducation in geotechnical mining. Technical and social problems demand an innovative strategy, which, in this work, focuses on the 3G’s model based on the quintuple innovation helix to develop sustainable underground geotourism.

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“…The museum receives 700 tourists a year, with higher values in 2015, 2016 and 2017 than in 2018, 2019 and 2020 (Figure 4). The reasons for the visits' evolution are mainly (i) the problems derived from the land in-stabilities [68] and subsidence events in Zaruma city linked to illegal gold mining [49,69,70], which caused a decrease in the tourist influx in the district in 2018 and 2019, and (ii) the global pandemic by COVID-19 in 2020.…”

Section: Mmmt General Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Mineralogical Museum as a Geotourism Attraction: A Case Study

Turner-Carrión¹,

Carrión-Mero

Turner-Salamea³

et al. 2021

Minerals

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The Zaruma-Portovelo mining district in Ecuador, and in particular, Portovelo City, is home to the oldest mining museum in the country. This museum, named Museo Mineralógico Magner Turner (MMMT in Spanish), is a centre that reflects, through its collections, the history and culture of this territory. This work aimed to evaluate the MMMT as a possible geosite by analysing its contributions to the geomining heritage of the Zaruma-Portovelo district, and thus, to enhance it and promote its collections as a geotouristic attraction. The work involved three phases: (i) describing the museum and its surroundings; (ii) a semiquantitative evaluation of the museum using the Brilha method and a geosites assessment model (GAM); and (iii) a qualitative evaluation using the Delphi and SWOT methodologies to define strategies and proposals for museum development. The results obtained by the semiquantitative evaluation of the geosite with the Brilha method reflect high scientific (330/400), educational (380/400) and touristic (365/400) appeal. The applied GAM shows the museum as a geosite with high principal and additional value, placing it in the Z33 field of the global valuation matrix. In addition, the semiquantitative and qualitative evaluation made it possible to describe the importance of the museum and its collections in the development of the area. The study carried out qualified the museum as a mining site with an appropriate valuation, an example of ex-situ geological heritage conservation and a basis for geotourism development.

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Surface and Underground Geomechanical Characterization of an Area Affected by Instability Phenomena in Zaruma Mining Zone (Ecuador)

Cited by 9 publications

References 51 publications

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining

Application of Geomechanical Classification Systems in a Tourist Mine for Establishing Strategies within 3G’s Model

A Mineralogical Museum as a Geotourism Attraction: A Case Study

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