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

Paúl Carrión-Mero, Maribel Aguilar-Aguilar, Fernando Morante-Carballo, María José Domínguez-Cuesta, Cristhian Sánchez-Padilla, Andrés Sánchez-Zambrano, Josué Briones-Bitar, Roberto Blanco-Torrens, Javier Córdova-Rizo and Edgar Berrezueta
Additional contact information
Paúl Carrión-Mero: Centro de Investigaciones y Proyectos Aplicados a las Ciencias de la Tierra (CIPAT), Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km 30.5 Vía Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863 Guayaquil, Ecuador
Maribel Aguilar-Aguilar: Centro de Investigaciones y Proyectos Aplicados a las Ciencias de la Tierra (CIPAT), Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km 30.5 Vía Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863 Guayaquil, Ecuador
Fernando Morante-Carballo: Centro de Investigaciones y Proyectos Aplicados a las Ciencias de la Tierra (CIPAT), Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km 30.5 Vía Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863 Guayaquil, Ecuador
María José Domínguez-Cuesta: Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Oviedo, Calle Jesús Arias de Velasco, s/n, 33005 Oviedo, Spain
Cristhian Sánchez-Padilla: Department of Informatics, Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Andrés Sánchez-Zambrano: Independent Consultor, P.O. Box 09-01-5863 Guayaquil, Ecuador
Josué Briones-Bitar: Centro de Investigaciones y Proyectos Aplicados a las Ciencias de la Tierra (CIPAT), Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km 30.5 Vía Perimetral, P.O. Box 09-01-5863 Guayaquil, Ecuador
Roberto Blanco-Torrens: Facultad de Geología y Minas, Instituto Superior Minero Metalúrgico (ISMM), 83310 Moa, Cuba
Javier Córdova-Rizo: Facultad de Ciencias Matemáticas y Físicas, Universidad de Guayaquil, Ciudadela Universitaria “Salvador Allende”, 090514 Guayaquil, Ecuador
Edgar Berrezueta: Departamento de Infraestructura Geocientífica y Servicios, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME), 33005 Oviedo, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: In the last decade, in the mining district of Zaruma-Portovelo, there has been significant land subsidence related to uncontrolled mining activity. The purpose of this work was to carry out a surface and underground geomechanical characterization of a mining sector north of the city of Zaruma that allows the definition of potentially unstable areas susceptible to the mass movement. The methodology used consists of the following stages: (i) compilation of previous studies; (ii) surface and underground characterization of rocky material to establish its susceptibility to mass movement; (iii) interpretation of results; and (iv) proposal of action measures. Among the most relevant results, it stands out that 26.1% of the 23 stations characterized on the surface present conditions that vary from potentially unstable to unstable. In underground galleries, the studied mean values of the 17 stations indicate that the rock has a medium to good quality, representing a medium susceptibility to gallery destabilization. The results obtained for the surface areas (depths up to 50 m, where altered materials predominate) and the underground areas (depths > 50 m, where the alterations are specific) can be used to identify the areas with a more significant potential for instability. For both cases, it has been possible to define specific monitoring, control, and planning actions for sensitive areas.

Keywords: Zaruma; mining; geomechanical characterization; landslide susceptibility; land instability; subsidence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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