In the Andes Mountains in Chile, mining activities have destroyed several ecosystems. Mining is the most damaging human activity for the conservation of glaciers.
In 2014, the General Water Directorate funded a research project on glaciers in the central Andes to determine the impact of mining activity on nearby ice bodies. After 8 years of work, the conclusions were published a few weeks ago in the scientific journal “Environmental Research” under the name “Understanding the role of anthropogenic emissions in glacier retreat in the central Andes of Chile”, carried out by Francisco Cereceda, María F. Ruggeri, Víctor Vidal, Lucas Ruiz, and Joshua S. Fu.
The study focused on two glaciers with similar characteristics, the Bello glacier and the Olivares Alfa glacier, located in the Andes Mountains of the Metropolitan Region. Due to its characteristics, the Bello glacier is considered to be far from sources of contaminating emissions caused by human activity. In contrast, the Olivares Alfa glacier was considered to be possibly more impacted due to its proximity to two mega-mining operations and the city.
The result of the research is categorical; in ten years the Olivares Alfa glacier lost 28 % of its total area versus the Bello glacier, which lost 6 %, making it clear that we are facing glaciers with similar conditions in terms of altitude and general climatic conditions.
The explanation for the accelerated melting of the Olivares Alfa glacier may be due to several factors, for example, during the investigation some contaminants of local origin were found in the glacier itself, such as black carbon, which was detected in higher concentrations than when the wind came from the mines to the glacier. These pollutants are produced by the combustion of diesel, gasoline, biomass, and waste burning, which in this case can be associated with the trucks of the mining industry.
In June 2022, the Environment Commission passed the proposed legislation to protect glaciers and their surroundings. It’s currently awaiting discussion in the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies.
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References:
- Estudio concluye que retroceso de glaciar en la cordillera de los Andes se debe a la contaminación de Codelco y Anglo American. Link [Study concludes that glacier retreat in the Andes is due to Codelco and Anglo American contamination.]
- Understanding the role of anthropogenic emissions in glacier retreat in the central Andes of Chile. Link
Highlighted image:
- Olivares Glacier, Chile / ©Franco Buglio.
