Air Quality and Strategic Environmental Assessment in Artisanal and Industrial Mining Contexts: Evaluating the Effectiveness of ESIAS in the Kedougou Region, Senegal (West Africa)

Air quality degradation in mining regions is a critical challenge for environmental governance and public health, particularly in West Africa. This pioneering study evaluates ambient air quality in Senegal’s Kedougou region by triangulating Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) from major mining projects with independent field measurements (2021-2024). We analyze spatiotemporal trends in particulate (PM10, PM2.5) and gaseous (NO2, SO2, CO) pollutants, compare them to national/WHO standards, and compute the Air Quality Index (AQI) using US EPA methods. Results show frequent exceedances (WHO limits) for PM, especially during dry-season in the mining corridors due to industrial activities (extraction, crushing, transport), while wet-season rainfall reduces concentrations. Artisanal mining zones exhibit unhealthy AQI (>100), contrasting with moderate AQI (51 - 100) in industrial areas, a statistically significant disparity (p 2.5, methodological flaws, lack of seasonal monitoring, and incomplete coverage of high-risk zones. As a first-of-its-kind approach, it proposes concrete tools for governance reform, including real-time monitoring, participatory management, and systematic AQI integration into Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). These recommendations aim to guide future research and align policies with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3, 11, and 13). Furthermore, this work synergizes with complementary studies on the Hydrological Pressure Index (HPI) and Soil Quality Index (SQI), enabling, through local development diagnostics—the development of an Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI) for mining areas. This framework advances data-driven decision-making for sustainable territorial planning.