The San Juan company DAMS has consolidated itself as a reference in the integration between mining and technology by becoming the only firm in the country registered in the Knowledge Economy Regime within the field of geology and mining prospecting. Founded by Santiago Azcona and Alejandro Madcur, the company has developed over nearly a decade a proposal based on technological innovation applied to exploration in high mountain environments.
By Panorama Minero
A company from San Juan has managed to position itself as an undisputed reference in the convergence between traditional mining and technological cutting edge. It is DAMS, a firm integrated by San Juan capital and partners that, after nearly a decade of trajectory, is at the national level the only company in the country registered in the Knowledge Economy Regime within the field of geological services and mining prospecting.
This recognition is not a bureaucratic formality, but the result of nine years of constant evolution under the direction of Santiago Azcona and Alejandro Madcur, the founding partners of DAMS. The company has managed to insert geology and prospecting within the knowledge industry, equating them in importance and sophistication with sectors such as nanosatellite development or technology applied to agriculture. Being part of this promotional regime grants DAMS greater competitiveness through tax benefits, although it also requires compliance with rigorous standards, such as maintaining high levels of investment in development and the stability of its workforce, which requires strict monitoring.
The firm’s specialization is divided into two clearly differentiated business units. On the one hand, it has an engineering consultancy vertical dedicated to the certification of works, road design, and soil studies linked to agriculture and infrastructure. On the other hand, its mining exploration area stands out, where the use of cutting-edge technology has marked a before and after in the local industry. DAMS’ most innovative service consists of the use of magnetometers mounted on drones, which makes it possible to carry out geophysical studies in areas that were previously inaccessible to humans.
This technological leap has transformed the work of geologists in the field. Traditionally, prospecting in high mountain areas was carried out through long walks in extreme conditions or through the use of helicopters, a costly option with high operational risks. The introduction of aerial robotics makes it possible to obtain maximum resolution in the data without putting the physical integrity of operators at risk, overcoming steep slopes and very low temperatures that usually characterize porphyry deposits in the mountain range. In this sense, DAMS has diversified its fleet to include not only aerial drones, but also land and aquatic drones, betting on safety and automation in operations.
The path toward technological consolidation formally began around 2017. At that time, with the support of the Secretariat of Science and Technology of San Juan, the company presented a project inspired by models observed in Canada for the acquisition of geophysical equipment. Since the purchase of that first sensor, the evolution has been exponential, allowing the firm to compete even with international teams operating at more than 6,000 meters above sea level. The technology has matured; the first drones depended on single barometers that failed under the pressure and wind of high mountain environments, while current units have redundant systems and flight autonomy that has gone from barely 7 minutes to more than 20.
Despite being the only company in Argentina with this specific registration and a proven trajectory in geophysics with drones, DAMS faces constant competition from firms from Canada, Chile, and Peru. In this scenario, the company reinforces its commitment to local development. It not only keeps its technical teams in San Juan, but also carries out training programs so that people from communities such as Iglesia, Calingasta, Jáchal, and Guandacol (La Rioja) can learn to operate drones and GPS systems. For the company’s management, the San Juan identity is a fundamental value that translates into its members living, educating their children, and reinvesting in the same province where they work.
DAMS is supported by a “tri-standard” structure, having certified the international standards ISO 9001 (Quality), 14001 (Environment), and 45001 (Health and Safety). In addition, it stands out as a certified B Corporation, which implies that its processes seek not only economic profitability but also a positive social and environmental impact, a vision they consider foundational for the organization.
Recently, this effort for continuous improvement was recognized with the Gold category in the Provincial Quality Award, which validates the work of the 25 to 30 people who make up the DAMS family. This human team is what allows the company to keep the bar high in a sector where technology becomes obsolete year after year and where the trust of major mining operators —such as Fortescue, Minas Argentinas, or Los Azules— has been the basis for building a company that today leads innovation from San Juan to the rest of the country.
