Óscar Benavente

Óscar has performed in fields related to: (i) geochemical monitoring in environmental systems affected by mine drainage, (ii) numerical modelling of water-gas-rock interaction processes for support of both treatment analyses and fate and transport analyses.(iii) permitting and closure evaluation of pit lakes, heap leach piles, waste-rock dumps and tailings, (iv) geological and geochemical prospecting of geothermal and mineral resources, (v) geochemical monitoring of volcanic systems, and (vi) measurements of CO2, H2S, CH4 and Hg fluxes from soils in volcanic, hydrothermal, and sedimentary areas.

During his career, he has developed an extensive experience in designing, running and evaluation of a range of geochemical characterization testing methods, as well as laboratory analysis including rock, water and gas matrices. His geochemical experience is complemented by his advanced programming skills on different platforms, where he has developed their own water-gas-rock interaction modules on Python and Matlab using IPhreeqC.

Óscar undertaken field work involving geochemical and geological investigations of several mine sites, geothermal areas and volcanic systems in Chile, New Zealand, Italy, Comoros, Grenada, and Nicaragua, often in very harsh and dangerous conditions (up to 6000 m a.s.l.).