Impacts of Mining on Glacier Change in the Central Chilean Andes

This research expedition set out with the intention of gathering data to better aid the understanding of long and short-term glacial change in the Olivares Basin, including any effects from nearby mining. Unfortunately, conditions in the basin forced the team to relocate to the Universidad glacier where they collected moraine boulder crest samples for dating, took measurements of glacier albedo in a key section of glacier and conducted a drone survey. All of this work will help to supplement existing scientific datasets while the improved mapping of the area that the expedition also produced will be of great use in reconstructions of the region. Publications from this research are expected in due course.