Problemáticas ambientales asociadas a la pequeña minería de oro en las microcuencas el Murciélago y el Arenal (la llanada - Nariño)

Abstract

This study analyzed the environmental issues associated with small-scale gold mining in the micro-watersheds of El Murciélago and El Arenal, located in the municipality of La Llanada (Nariño, Colombia), a region historically linked to mining activity. The results indicate that extraction and ore-beneficiation practices, characterized by traditional techniques and limited implementation of clean technologies, have generated significant impacts on water resources, soil quality, and vegetation cover. These conditions compromise the ecological integrity of the watersheds and reduce their capacity to sustain local communities. The research was developed through documentary review, analysis of technical-environmental information, and thematic cartographic production, structured into three phases: (i) historical and spatial characterization of small-scale mining, (ii) identification and assessment of key environmental impacts, and (iii) causal analysis aimed at understanding the relationship between mining practices and institutional conditions that enable the persistence of environmental degradation. The findings reveal that contamination of water bodies from untreated discharges, inadequate disposal of mine tailings, and deforestation are the most critical issues, closely related to mining informality, weak regulatory enforcement, and limited local environmental management. It is concluded that mining dynamics represent a determining factor in the environmental deterioration of the studied micro-watersheds, highlighting the need for water governance strategies that integrate mining formalization processes, environmental education, institutional strengthening, and land-use planning aimed at the sustainable management of water and associated ecosystems. This research provides a technical foundation to support decision-making toward an integrated territorial management approach that reconciles productive activities with ecological sustainability.