SIG WEB AZOGUE Project
SIG WEB AZOGUE PROJECT – Environmental monitoring of the Almadén mine waste dump
Participating entities: University of Castilla‑La Mancha (UCLM) and CTNDM Duration: 2011–2012
The SIG WEB AZOGUE project consisted of developing a software application based on a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the management and visualization of environmental monitoring data from the waste dump of the historic Almadén mercury mine.
The waste dump contains large volumes of residues with high mercury content, whose impact on the surrounding environment has accumulated over centuries and overlaps with the naturally elevated background levels characteristic of the area. Between 2005 and 2008, Minas de Almadén carried out the AZOGUE Project, a comprehensive environmental restoration initiative.
Prior to this restoration work, environmental characterization studies of the surrounding area were carried out, including sampling of surface and groundwater, sediments and soils, as well as the characterization of the waste‑dump materials through drilling and historical documentation. Based on these data, the restoration actions were designed, and an environmental monitoring plan was established, focused mainly on medium‑ and long‑term tracking of mercury in both surface and groundwater.
The SIG WEB AZOGUE project aimed to integrate, structure and visualize the large volume of spatial and analytical data generated, which until then had been dispersed across reports and closed systems. The system enables the georeferenced representation of analytical results, as well as the incorporation of cartography, topography and pre‑ and post‑restoration orthophotographs.
The GIS was designed for implementation on a restricted‑access web platform, facilitating remote consultation and integrated analysis of environmental information as a key tool for evaluating the effectiveness of the restoration measures.
