Evaluating impacts of opencast mining of Gondwana Coalfield (India) on environment and socioeconomic using multitemporal satellite data

The spatio-temporal mapping of coal mines is crucial for efficient management and sustainable utilization of coal resources. This study presents a spatio-temporal mapping of coal mines in Gondwana Coalfield, integrating geospatial technologies with Landsat satellite data (2000, 2016, and 2022) and field surveys. A change detection method based on image classification was applied to multi-temporal satellite datasets, enabling the identification of mining areas from 2000 to 2022. The analysis is focused on the expansion or contraction of existing mining pits and changes in land use and land cover patterns associated with mining activities. The key findings indicate an increase in mining area from 1.39 km2 in 2000 to 8.70 km2 in 2022 (525.9%) with an annual growth rate of 22.86%. The expansion of mining areas was mostly attributed to changes in forest cover and agriculture. A decline in forest cover from 290.67 km2 to 265.95 km2 occurred over the same period, leading to a loss of forest cover by 8.5%. The agriculture area is replaced by mining activity, especially in Zone 1 (i.e. Urimari coal mines) and Zone 3 (i.e. Thriveni Sanik mining project), declining 46–86% of agricultural areas and 47–90% of forest areas. Furthermore, the study assessed the development of mining operations and potential environmental impacts, revealing a continuous increase in collapsed homes and displacement of people from their native places due to mining activities. The study concludes that spatio-temporal maps of coal mines provide essential information for mine planning, resource estimation, and monitoring. They are also crucial for regulatory agencies in conducting environmental impact assessments to ensure sustainable development.