Geomorphic responses due to the second-largest global producer of ceramic tiles in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Land use/land cover changes (LULCC) have modified the Earth’s surface. In especial, mining activities have been responsible for landscape changes over a range of temporal and spatial scales. The production of mineral commodities in Brazil represents almost 2 % of the country’s gross domestic product with non-metallic mining activities spread throughout the territory. The Santa Gertrudes Ceramic Polo (SGCP), located in the State of São Paulo, is the second-largest global producer of ceramic tiles and it is responsible for 70 % of the production of non-metallic mineral resources in Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess geomorphic responses in the SGCP, using land use changes and geomorphological mapping in two study areas, in different scenarios (1962, 1988, 2010). The sedimentation rates were measured to estimate changes in the depositional dynamic due to expansion of the SGCP. The expansion of SGCP generated several geomorphic responses, such as topographic changes, hydrologic alteration, construction of landfill with roads, and erosive/depositional processes adjustments. The expansion of open pit mining areas occurred in Riparian Forestry and pasture areas, creating slope breaks with a groundwater withdrawal and decreasing the length of the river channels. The landfill with roads increased the surface runoff and, consequently, the linear erosive processes and the mass wasting in the slopes. The land displacement within the open pit mining areas, and in the quarry dumps, promoted an increase in the alluvial plains from 1962 to 2010, changing the average sedimentation rates from 26.5 mm yr−1 to 33.0 mm yr−1. The geomorphic responses allowed to comprehend the influence of human-landscape system in the SGCP. Finally, this study highlights the importance of studies involving geomorphic responses in areas with non-metallic mining activities, which could be used in different areas in Brazil or elsewhere.