TAILINGS WHAT IS THE SURROUNDING ECOSYSTEM LIKE?

Abstract

The Coquimbo region has 51.3% of the tailings deposits that exist in the country. According to the information provided by Sernageomin, tailings is a pulverized solid that is discarded from mining operations and is not considered toxic, but in contact with acidic pH water, it could generate toxic gases due to its chemical composition including elements such as arsenic, cyanide, copper, zinc, lead. There are inhabited sectors where these structures can be found even close to towns and cities where the inhabitants must live with them. The purpose of this research corresponds to identify the ecosystem (beaches, ravines, hills, highways, agricultural plantations, towns and/or cities) that surrounds the tailings deposits that are located in the province of Limarí through the revision of the Cadastres of tailings deposits in Chile in the years 2019-2020 and the Google Earth tool. The main result was that 36% of the province’s tailings deposits are found in uninhabited sectors such as hills, highways, beaches, and streams, while 64% are located near agricultural plantations, towns and/or cities.