Geologic-mining heritage in El Volcán, San José de Maipo (Chile): Its mining history valorization
Abstract
San José de Maipo has a rich mining history, with a significant part of it concentrated in El Volcán village, at least since 1842, due to copper mining, and later also gypsum mining. Both industries populated and industrialized the village and its surrounding area. Although this activity declined since 1958 and came to a complete halt in 2006, the mining industry took root in the village. Given its vocation to tourism, and the need for other development poles, the aim of this work is to identify elements of cultural heritage that are of interest and value, centered in the geologic-mining activity which gave rise the settlement. To achieve this, specific methodologies for evaluating mining and geological heritage were considered, as well as the participation of the local community and evaluations and data from other studies. In the village the gypsum silo, the cooper processing plant and the cinema stand out due to their historical, economic and, in the latter, also social importance. In the surroundings, the mines stand out as vestige of history. The ensemble is representative of mining company towns, and of several technological changes in the industry.
