In 1823, the Peruvian scientist Mariano Eduardo de Rivero y Ustáriz and French mineralogist Jean-Baptiste Boussingault published
Report on the Different Masses of Iron, Found in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, one of a number of articles on mineralogy which can be accessed online 190 years later.
The document, preserved in the Sala de Patrimonio Documental and digitized by the in the World Digital Library (WDL) in November 2013, was first published in Bogotá by Imprenta de la República.
The text is part of the
Collection of scientific papers that gathers the work of Rivero and Boussingault who traveled through the northern part of South America in 1822 in support of the scientific explorations of General Simon Bolivar.
After their expedition, they presented the analysis of the different types of iron ore found in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, near Santa Rosa, Colombia.
"These mineralogical analyses were very important at the time because until then the mineral deposits of the mountains in the Gran Colombia had not been studied" says Maria Isabel Duarte Gandica, coordinator of the Sala de Patrimonio Documental.
After independence, Simon Bolívar wanted to know more about the newly liberated territories, and as new fauna and flora discoveries had already been made, he felt it was time to explore the presence of minerals.
Report on the Different Masses of Iron, Found in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes was acquired by the University in 2003. It was purchased from the El Carnero Bookstore, in Bogotá, with the support of some local entrepreneurs.
The book contains three lithographic prints that illustrate the masses that the two scientists found, making it a document of great historical value now publicly accessible in its digital version.
“With the publication of this document the university not only contributes to the development of research and culture, but also shows students and the world the wealth of the Sala de Patrimonio Documental and the great profit that one can get from the documents found there”, explains Juan Carlos Restrepo Aristizabal, communications analyst at the Centro Cultural Biblioteca Luis Echavarría Villegas.
Recovering treasures since 2005
The WDL is an international digital library operated by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress.
Its purpose is to create an easily accessible Internet collection of all cultural treasures that tell stories and highlight the achievements of countries and cultures to promote intercultural awareness and understanding.
The WDL extends an invitation to all UNESCO members to nominate the documents they consider heritage for humanity. After an analysis, the most important and significant papers are chosen for publication.
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