Sustainable Agriculture in Mining Regions for Aggregate Production

Mining operations are considered detrimental to the environment. However, mining is only a temporary use of land, after which rehabilitation is possible with agriculture applications. This research shows how to develop new economic activities in parallel to mining operations in the region around Guasca Municipality in Colombia and how they can be sustainable under the use of the Zeodratation technology. This dehydration system allows preserving the products for long periods of time without the use of any chemicals (e.g., sulphur dioxide for fruits). In addition it concentrates the vitamins, antioxidants, colours, flavours, smells and other properties of the natural products. Zeodratation not only concentrates the best nutrients in each product, but it also reduces the oxidation process by leaving less water content in the product than that left by other available technologies (hot air and freeze drying). Very low water content is useful in powder production (e.g., the strawberry powder used to make milkshakes, ice-cream, and pastries), preservation and flexibility in marketing demands (e.g., the less water contents the more crunchiness of the product). The Zeodratation system uses Zeolites homogeneously distributed with a molecular size of 4 Ångström that will adsorb the water and will act as a molecular sieve within the process.