Collaborative digitization of Lota's mining industrial heritage from an experience of public engagement focused on preventive conservation

Abstract

The research was developed within the framework of a collaborative project of public engagement, whose objective was focused on the preventive conservation and dissemination of the industrial mining heritage of Lota — a Chilean city and commune located in the Province of Concepción, Biobío Region— through an online digital collec-tion. This study addressed a collaborative workflow based on photogrammetry used to digitally replicate the geometry and texture of heritage elements. In collaboration with a territorial organization with more than thirty years of work in the region. The methodological process included field trips with students from different careers, who applied technical knowledge to generate three-dimensional models of the elements using infrared scanner and aerial photography. This phase allowed the development of disciplinary practices and advanced technical skills in real contexts. The digital collection included elements representative of the miner’s working conditions, material testimony of the coal exploitation in Lota during the 19th and 20th centuries. The main findings point to the creation of a digital collection that indirectly contributes to the examination and preventive conservation of Lota's industrial mining heritage. In addition, the study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary colla-boration, evi-dencing the integration of different disciplinary areas and actors in the field of safeguarding cultural heritage.