Sustainable Mining and Geology

The research topics generally include components related to the identification of the different types of environmental pollution generated by mining activity, to the analysis of geological structures such as: faults and landslide zones, to the use of geotechnical methods to stabilize the zones vulnerable to geological risks, to the management of satellite images for prospection, to the study of the mechanical behavior of the rock massifs to know the stability, formation and resistance of the galleries and finally to petrographic and petrological studies.

Targets:

Implement sustainable remediation techniques for the treatment of water contaminated by acid mining drains.
Analyze, based on empirical criteria the situation in Ecuador, the geological-geotechnical risks in natural and mining cavities.
Improve the teaching and research capacity of the Ecuadorian counterpart in topics related to the use of remote sensors for the characterization of rock massifs and the study of slope movements.Evaluation of the future climatic characteristics of the province of Santa Elena under conditions of climate change and its influence on the water balance and regional hydrological behavior.

Financed by: Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL)

Budget: $100,000.00

Status: Active (60%)

Participants:

Dra. Peña Carpio Gloria Elizabeth (Directora - FICT)
Dra. Almeida Guerra Paola (Co-Directora - FCNM)
Dra. Romero Crespo Paola Leonor (FICT)
MSc. Aguilar Pesantes Alby Del Pilar (FICT)
MSc. Nazareno Coloma Janio Adhemar (FICT)
Ing. Merino Abad Emilia Carolina (FICT)
PhD. Juan María Menéndez Aguado (Universidad de Oviedo)
Ing. Mark Hernández (Universidad de Colorado)
MSc. Jiménez Oyola Samantha Tamara (FICT)
Ing. Borja Ordoñez Tyrone Rafael (FICT)
MSc. Montoya Freire Maria Isabel (FICT)
PhD. Jorda Bordehore Luis (Universidad de Oviedo)
PhD. Sierra Fernández Carlos (Universidad de Cantabria / Prometeo FCNM)
PhD. Domínguez Granda Luis Elvin (CADS)
Ing. Pindo Macas Juan Carlos (FICT)
Ing. Pincay Musso Washington Guillermo (FICT)
MSc. Garcés León Daniel Omar (FICT)
Ing. Falquez Torres Daniel Andrés (FICT)
MSc. Escobar Segovia Kenny Fernando (FICT)

Proyects:

- Environmental characterization and remediation of mining effluents through the implementation of a sustainable pilot plant based on the use of industrial waste. Case of study: Ponce Enríquez.
- Analysis and evaluation of geological and geotechnical risks in natural and mining cavities based on empirical criteria and geomechanical classifications.
- Improve the use of remote sensors in rock mechanics and slope engineering - Ecuador.
- Geomechanical characterization and stability analysis of volcanic tubes, using non-destructive techniques and empirical methods. Comparative study between the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) and the Canary Islands (Spain).
- Petrographic and petrological study of veins of Bella Rica - Ponce Enríquez, province of Azuay.
- Impact of climate change on the hydrological functioning of the province of Santa Elena.

Publishes:

- Potential of inorganic polymers (geopolymers) made of halloysite and volcanic glass for the immobilisation of tailings from gold extraction in Ecuador, Applied Clay Science, volume: 109-110, pages: 95–106. Revista Q2
- Stability assessment of the stopes and crown pillar of the S’argentera abandoned mines using empirical approach, focused on a possible tourist exploitation. Ibiza-Spain, the 2016 ISRM International Symposium
- Stability assessment of shallow limestone caves through an empirical approach - application of the stability graph method to the castañar cave study site (Spain) Bulletin of engineering geology and the environment. Volume 75, Issue 4, 1 November 2016, Pages 1469-1483. Revista Q2
- Nuevo enfoque en el análisis cinemático de taludes con múltiples caras mediante proyección estereográfica. Ejemplo de aplicación a un deslizamiento plano en la costa del spondylus, Ecuador, boletín geológico y minero de España. Revista Q4