ENERGY AND MINES SECTOR TheSPECIAL of the Month GEOLOGICAL, AND METALLURGICAL INSTITUTE

Since 2006, the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute - INGEMMET has the "Heritage and Geotourism" project. It promotes the conservation and enhancement of different areas across the country with a high geological value.

1 TOURIST ATTRACTIONS PROMOTED Paracas National Reserve BY INGEMMET It is located 250 kilometers south of Lima, Ica Marcahuasi Region. It is one of the few places where you can see remains of an ancient mountain It is a volcanic plateau located in the town of range with rocks over 400 million years old in eotourism makes reference to a type of G San Pedro de Casta, at 3 185 meters above strata and with plant remains, rocks with sustainable . It aims to highlight the sea level on the left bank of the Santa Eulalia fossils from marine environments. There are geological diversity (geodiversity) and then river basin, and 80 kilometers east of Lima. 25 geosites inventoried by INGEMMET. the geological heritage (geoheritage) of a The geoforms of the Marcahuasi rock forest The geological information in the guide certain territory. Also, to promote the are the result of the effects of rain, snow, ice, elaborated by INGEMMET served as a script conservation of its resources heat and wind. They all molded diverse forms for the current Interpretation Center in the (geoconservation) and education in earth GEOLOGICAL in the volcanic deposits. In this way, it allows reserve, as well as for the signage of some sciences (geoeducation) which develops the visitor to imagine the strangest and most geosites such as La Catedral, Playa La Mina, awareness among the people. HERITAGE curious figures. There are 12 geosites Playa Roja, among others. Also, it is important inventoried by INGEMMET. to highlight the participation of the 14 years ago, through the "Heritage and IN In 2007, INGEMMET gave the community of INGEMMET Paleontology Area, which Geotourism" program, INGEMMET aims to San Pedro de Casta a geotourism guide for its determined the age of the rocks and developed signages, that relieve fossils as the conduct research in areas that have reproduction and make it useful as an seed for the geological understanding of exceptional geological value, in order make Peru is considered a territory with high economic income for the conservation of the nature. them part of the geological heritage. This geodiversity. This is due to the great variety of site. Besides, it resolved queries from Copesco Plan for the improvement of tourist way, it promotes its conservation and rocks, landscapes, geological environments, infrastructure as a geopark. promotion through geotourism or the , volcanoes, mineral and geothermal creation of geoparks. resources, geological ages, structures, fossils, among others. INGEMMET constantly enriches the inventory The conservation of the nation's cultural of sites of geological interest in the country heritage (archaeological sites) is also part of (geosites). It is based on studies of the this program. It has as a product of both geological chart, mineral resources and investigations, geotourist guides environmental geology, which defines them (Marcahuasi, Paracas, Andagua, Huayllay) with a tourist, didactic - educational and and bulletins (Machu Picchu, Choquequirao scientific value. This inventory is part of the and Caral and a section of the Qhapaq Ñan objectives of studies of the geological heritage between Pasco and Ancash) of a region or country, which are: to identify (inventory), to assess, to conserve and to disclose. They all coincide with the steps that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) considers essential for the conservation of the cultural and natural heritage. “Monumento de la Humanidad” - Lima “Cerro La Mina” - Ica 2 Huallay National Sanctuary Tinajani Canyon

It is located in Pasco, at more than 3900 It is located over 4,000 meters above sea meters above sea level. It is an extensive level in the province of Melgar, Ayaviri district, eroded volcanic plateau recognized as the 10 km from Puno. The geodiversity consists of highest geological park, and second largest in plateaus in sedimentary rocks, which highlight the world. Also, there are stony volcanic stone towers that reach 50 meters in height, landscapes, calcareous rocks with fossils, caves and geological structures. The geosite thermal waters, colonial mining heritage, that gives the place its name is the “Marmitas pre-hispanic remains and excellent cave de gigante Cañon del Diablo”. There are 25 paintings. There are 42 geosites inventoried geosites inventoried by INGEMMET. by INGEMMET. Through an agreement and asses to the Then, INGEMMET carried out great Municipality of Melgar, INGEMMET carried dissemination in different events of the annual out a workshop for local tourism promoters on Rural Tour Festival with geotouristic walks. geology and geotourism in Tinajani Canyon. For instance, two training workshops on Currently, there are two communities with geology, geoparks and geotourism for the tourist ventures in Tinajani. They are: The local population, geology and tourism Dance Festival, which initially took only one students from Huayllay and Pasco. Torreones Tina y Ahani day, but today takes two, including the visit to the proposed georoutes. The geotourism guide was printed by the municipality of Melgar. It was publicly presented to the population and the University of the .

“El saludo de la Osa” - Pasco “La Cobra” - Pasco “Sinclinal de Tinajani” y Tina and Ahani Keep Towers – Puno and Pacobamba river – Puno 3 Andagua and Colca Valley

They both are located in the provinces of Caylloma and Castilla, . It has incredible geological landscapes made up of 120 geosites identified by INGEMMET, such as: , more than 30 monogenetic volcanoes (very small cones that erupted only PUBLICATIONS once), the resurgent aquifer from which the Mamacocha lagoon is born, Mismi snowy HERITAGE (origin of the Amazon river), stratovolcanoes such as , AND GEOTOURISM and , thermal springs, waterfalls, areas with fossils, active geological faults, among others. Since 2006, INGEMMET has carried out ten publications related to heritage and geotourism: As a result of these two projects, there are 11 proposed routes in the valley of the volcanoes, while in Colca there are 13 routes. Geotouristic guides: Marcahuasi Plateau (2007), Paracas National Reserve (2009), Huayllay In both cases, geological aspects, biodiversity National Sanctuary (2011), (2016); Tinajani Canyon (2018). and culture, objectives of the geoparks, are integrated. As a result of these INGEMMET projects, the greatest achievement has been Geodiversity and Geological Heritage in Colca Valley Bulletin (2019). obtained, because both technical-scientific studies contributed to the recognition of the Bulletins on studies in archaeological zones: Geology in the Conservation of Machu Picchu "Colca and Volcanoes of Andagua Geopark" (2011); Choquequirao Geology (2011); Geology of the Sacred City of Caral (2011), Geology in 2019 as the first Unesco Global Geopark in and Geodynamics in the Qhapaq Ñan - Huarautambo-Huanucopampa-Pomachaca sector Peru. (2020).

Three other publications on geological heritage that will be available the following months are: Puno Region (132 geosites), San Fernando National Reserve (38 geosites) and the Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve (56 geosites).

INGEMMET is currently evaluating the “Three Canyons – Suyckutambo” area; this year the goal is to work with the population in the elaboration of georoutes from the 43 geosites already inventoried in 2019. Besides, it is expected to finalize the virtual database of the inventory of geosites at the national level and to generate virtual georoutes of the different places evaluated by the specialists. Similarly, INGEMMET, within the framework of its functions, has been providing advice on Twin Volcanoes – Arequipa Syncline and waterfalls evaluations of geotouristic resources and geoparks. Huambo river – Arequipa 4