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State of Conservation (SOC)

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (2006)

Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
International Assistance granted to the property

Requests Approved: 0
Total Amount Ap proved: 0USD

Missions**

October 2004

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Extremely fragile nature of the buildings that were constructed using local materials such as timber for frames, corrugated iron sheets for roofs and some walls, and stucco and lightweight construction that functioned with regular maintenance;

b) Lack of maintenance for 40 years as well as vandalism at the site;

c) Metal cladding corroded and some of the structural elements dismantled. A few buildings, such as the Leaching house, are liable to structural collapse if no support is given;

d) Very little conservation work carried out;

e) Damage caused by the wind. 

Corrective Measures
  • Structural consolidation works for several buildings, such as the “public buildings”, the housing sector and the industrial zone.
  • Security measures for the visitors in some buildings, such as the ones located in the industrial zone. Others need cleaning and selection of adequate material for rehabilitation.
    • l>

    In order to accomplish all the necessary corrective measures the Master Plan has to be implemented with care by the responsible institutions, a management team, devoted exclusively to this exercise should be established in order to provide integral management of the site.

     

    Timeframe for the implementation of the corrective measures

    The work plan goes until 2008, it is divided in two phases: The first phase includes security measures for visitors, cleaning and selection of materials and low cost corrective measures. The second phase should include the structural consolidation of all the buildings.

Current conservation issues

The World Heritage Centre received the State of Conservation report from the State Party. The report qualifies the current state of conservation of the site as “regular”, due to the length of time since the site was abandoned and with no specific conservation actions.

Some of the Actions taken by the State Party in order to reverse this situation include: the regulation and control of visitors, the end of the constant dismantling and robbery of materials, which also includes prosecution measures, the cleaning of the site and the Humberstone Office in particular. With the resources obtained from private donors the restoration of the public civil buildings with major importance was concluded, the buildings included the market, the hotel, the school and the theatre. For the year 2006 other restoration works will be completed. Definitive structural works for the buildings in risk of collapse are still an emergency for the conservation of the site.

Unfortunately, the Programme for Prior Interventions presented by the State Party in 2005 has still not yet been funded and has not been executed. As it is recognized by the State Party, the works completed did not benefit the most damaged buildings, only the ones that had more tourist attraction. The Master Plan, as well, has not been totally implemented.

Other threats to the site are: the uncontrolled access of vehicles to the Humberstone Office, the occupation of certain buildings for uses that were not specified in the Master Plan; Military exercises by the Chilean Army, which is the proprietor of a great part of the buffer zone. This situation has been discussed with the Commander in Chief of the Army and the situation is on its way to being resolved; the trace of Road A-16, that divides the Site in two, is still in the project phase.

Conclusion
Decision

  • Adopted

  • Draft Decision

30COM7A.31
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/7A,

2. Recalling Decisions 29 COM 8B.51, 29 COM 8B.52, 29 COM 8C.1 adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005),

3. Notes with great concern that no further progress has been made in the implementation of the Master Plan and finding an alternate route for the proposed road A-16;

4. Regrets that no significant structural reinforcement works have been made on the most damaged buildings and recommends that the State Party prepares an International Assistance request for the elaboration of an emergency action plan;

5. Urges the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed of the progress made concerning the trace of an alternate road to the A-16;

6. Requests the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2007, a progress report on the implementation of the master plan, for examination by the Committee at its 31st session in 2007;

7. Decides to retain the Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (Chile) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

30COM8C.2
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-06/30.COM/7A and WHC-06/30.COM/7A.Add.Rev),

2. Maintains the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:

   • Afghanistan, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Decision 30 COM 7A.22)

   • Afghanistan, Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley, (Decision 30 COM 7A.23)

   • Azerbaijan, Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower (Decision 30 COM 7A.29) 

   • Benin, Royal Palaces of Abomey (Decision 30 COM 7A.16)

   • Central African Republic, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.1)

   • Chile, Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (Decision 30 COM 7A.31)

   • Côte d'Ivoire, Comoé National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.2)

   • Côte d'Ivoire / Guinea, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Decision 30 COM 7A.3)

   • Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Decision 30 COM 7A.8)

   • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.6)

   • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Virunga National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.7)

   • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Garamba National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.4)

   • Democratic Rep. of the Congo Salonga National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.5)

   • Egypt, Abu Mena (Decision 30 COM 7A.19)

   • Ethiopia, Simien National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.9)

   • Honduras, Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Decision 30 COM 7A.15)

   • India, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Decision 30 COM 7A.13)

   • Islamic Republic of Iran, Bam and its Cultural Landscape (Decision 30 COM 7A.25)

   • Iraq, Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Decision 30 COM 7A.20)

   • Jerusalem, Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (Decision 30 COM 7A.34)

   • Nepal, Kathmandu Valley (Decision 30 COM 7A.26)

   • Niger, Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Decision 30 COM 7A.10)

   • Pakistan, Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Decision 30 COM 7A.27)

   • Peru, Chan Chan Archaelogical Zone (Decision 30 COM 7A.32)

   • Philippines, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Decision 30 COM 7A.28)

   • United Republic of Tanzania, Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (Decision 28 COM 7A.17)

   • United States of America, Everglades National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.14)

   • Venezuela, Coro and its Port (Decision 30 COM 7A.33)

   • Yemen, Historic Town of Zabid (Decision 30 COM 7A.21)

Draft Decision: 30 COM 7A.31

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/7A,

2. Recalling Decisions 29 COM 8B.51, 29 COM 8B.52, 29 COM 8C.1 adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005),

3. Notes with great concern that no further progress has been made in the implementation of the Master Plan and finding an alternate route for the trace of road A-16;

4. Regrets that no significant structural reinforcement works have been made on the most damaged buildings and recommends that the State Party elaborates an International Assitance request for the elaboration of an emergency action plan;

5. Urges the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed of the progress made concerning the trace of an alternate road to the A-16;

6. Requests the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2007, a progress report on the implementation of the master plan, for examination by the Committee at its 31st session in 2007;

7. Decides to retain the Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter (Chile) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
State Party:
Chile
Date of Inscription: 2005
Nomination records (Year): 2004, 2011
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iii)(iv)
Danger List: Yes
Exports
Word File
SOC Reports (year)
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
Threats*
  • Ground transport infrastructure
  • Wind
  • Deliberate destruction of heritage
  • Military training
  • Other Threats:
    a) Extremely fragile nature of the buildings that were constructed using local materials such as timber for frames, corrugated iron sheets for roofs and some walls, and stucco and lightweight construction that functioned with regular maintenanceb) Lack of maintenance for 40 years c) Metal cladding corroded and some of the structural elements dismantled. A few buildings, such as the Leaching house, are liable to structural collapse if no support is givend) Very little conservation work carried out
Documents
WHC-06/30.COM/7A
Other Documents:
View inscribed site documents, nomination file, reports, decisions, ...
SOC ID: 1124
Inscription on the Danger List
Year: 2005
Threats to the Site:

The main issue is the extremely fragile nature of the buildings. As with most mining buildings, they were constructed using local materials and lightweight construction that functioned with regular maintenance and could be altered in response to changed circumstances. At Humberstone and Santa Laura the materials used were timber for frames, corrugated sheet for roofs and some walls, and stucco. There has been no maintenance for 40 years, and there has been damage and vandalism as well as some dismantling. The metal cladding has corroded and some of the structural elements dismantled. A few buildings, such as the Leaching house, are liable to structural collapse if no support is given.

The greatest threat is from looters searching for re-usable materials. During the time when the works were closed and still in private hands much was lost. Looters look for all sorts of memorabilia on the sites such as timber, bottles, coins and tokens. Although looting has dwindled, the Douglas Fir is much prized and, as it is now nationally protected in the USA, prices for it have risen. Timber was stolen from the Santa Laura Leaching plant in 1999.

Although the site is a virtually rain-free desert, windborne salt from the coast has an impact on the metal sheeting causing corrosion. Wind has also affected the wooden structures: those painted have been given a protective mineral coating by the salty wind whereas those unpainted have been eroded by the wind.

In summary: 

a)         Extremely fragile nature of the buildings;

b)         Lack of maintenance for 40 years;

c)         Vandalism due to looting of re-usable materials;

d)         Damage caused by the wind.


* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.