Project - Minera Águila - Investigación de recursos minerales

Proyecto Águilas

Minera Águila have initiated activities in several investigation permits, Águila I, Águila II, Águila III fraction 0 and 1 sited within the municipalities of Cardeña, Conquista and Villanueva de Córdoba in the Pedroches Valley, north of Cordoba Province, Andalucia, Spain.

Project consists on a three year geological investigation plan aiming to define geological resources and mining reserves for an eventual mineral exploitation within the tenements.

It is a phased approach starting with the compilation of historical information followed by regional studies, including, but not restricted to, geological cartography, environmental baseline studies as well as geological and mining investigations. Resource estimates will follow international standards such as the Australian JORC code or Canadian NI43-101.

Investigation Procedures, Restoration Plans and Integrated Environmental Authorizations have been done in accordance to local regulations and in full compliance with Regional, National and European Mining and Environmental legislation.

Physical environment

The area defined by the Geological Investigation Permits overlaps with the Environmental Protection Zone of the Guadalmez River. This zone constitutes a strip that along the Guadalmez River, shelters a great variety of species of fauna and flora and of great importance for serving as natural corridor between the Sierra de Santa Eufemia and the Natural Park Cardeña-Montoro.

Territorial planning

All municipalities with territory included in the scope of the Applications have developed urban planning tools. Cárdena and Conquista have General Plans of Urban Planning and Villanueva have Subsidiaries of Planning, all of them with current urban planning adapted, totally or partially within the Urban Planning of Andalusia.

Also, the area is within the Plan of Ordination of the Territory of Andalusia and the Special Plan of Protection of the Physical Environment of the Province of Cordoba.

Soil and soil uses

The pasture is the landscape that dominates the landscape, as a result of the geomorphology of the area, which is a continuation of the plain that forms the Batholit of Los Pedroches, a region also characterized by the presence of large areas of pasture. The tree formations are located associated with the banks of the streams or rivers, whereas the formations of scrub are of little significance.

In these spaces the main uses are linked to livestock, agricultural and hunting. The mining activity is also represented in the territorial scope although at present this activity has very little relevance in the space and its importance as exploitation is null because all the mines, quarries and gravel are inactive and even restored.

Infrastructures

The existing infrastructures are scarce and are confined to a fairly lax road network, some energy transport infrastructures and some water scarce areas of scarce importance and destined to livestock uses.

The roads cut across the space, occupying very little surface. Likewise, the area is crossed transversally by the AVE Córdoba-Madrid line.

As far as energy transport infrastructures are concerned, it is necessary to point out the electric transport line that crosses it in its eastern part, between the towns of Torrecampo and Conquista.

Also very close to the eastern end runs a gas pipeline that crosses in direction N-S and, to the north, in the environs of the population of Conquista an oil pipeline is located.

There are also several cattle and agricultural rafts and the Embalse de Buenas Hierbas and a couple of azudes that are located in the western part, near the mouth of the stream Santa María in the river.

The network of livestock routes is underdeveloped as it is formed by only four livestock roads, among which the importance of the Cañada Real de la Mesta, Cordel Villanueva and the Vereda de Azuel a Conquista.

Ecological values

From a point of view of the Environmental values, the dominant vegetation is of silico character with variety of formations associated to the altitudinal gradient. In lowland areas the wooded formations are dominated by holm oaks and pastures, in different degrees of cover and accompaniment (pasture, scrub or herbaceous crops). In more shady areas and the course of the Guadalmez and streams, you can find species of wild flowers that accompany arboreal formations of fresnedas, poplars and some alysses. There are also areas of pasture interspersed with areas of scrub of different density and even areas of cultivation that contribute to increase floristic diversity.

From a point of view of relevant fauna, in the adehesadas zones can be found a good number of passeriform birds. In the fresnedas, choperas and allies associated to the fluvial courses it is possible to find sparrowhawk, pico picapinos or torcecuellos.

Associated with these shore formations, as well as tamujares, tarajales and adelfares are other species such as Iberian and European pintojo pintojo and other species of mammals more general.

Numerous habitats of interest have been identified, among them the pasture, subastatic areas of grasses and annuals and alluvial forests.

Conservation priorities within the territorial scope focus on assessing the ecological connectivity potential of the field of study as a natural corridor between the Sierra de Santa Eufemia and the Cardeña-Montoro Natural Park. This area is mainly north of the Permits in the Guadalmez River area, leaving the rest as an area with potential.