Active Mine Sites Research Articles

OPEN-PIT LIMESTONE MINING AREAS MAPPING AND ASSESSMENT USING RANDOM FOREST ALGORITHM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Limestone excavation is prone to land use/cover change, which impacts the ecosystem. The objective of this paper is to use a remote sensing dataset and the Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) to map and assess active captive limestone mining sites at the Yerraguntla in the YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India, for the year 2019. In this paper, the Limestone mining area was assessed as 379.57 ha with an overall accuracy of 95.79%, user accuracy of 97.25%, producer accuracy of 99.18%, and kappa coefficient of 0.957 by analyzing Sentinel-2A imagery dataset with Random Forest (RF) classifier. The findings were assessed in 2019 using very high-resolution (<1m) Google Earth images (486.47 ha) from Google Earth Pro and industrial field survey reports (487.10 ha). This research helps Limestone mine owners and Environmental engineers implement eco-friendly mining operations and monitor mining progress at low cost with less human efforts for sustainable development.

Implication of fault seal analysis method to evaluate the sealing conditions of major fault planes at Barapukuria basin, North-West Bangladesh

The Barapukuria coal basin stands as Bangladesh’s sole active underground coal mining site. The geological setting of this basin is marked by two major faults, the Eastern Boundary Fault and FB fault encircling the basin perimeter, alongside several smaller faults and those induced by underground longwall mining activities. A major concerning issue of this mine is the water inrush into the mine area from the extensive groundwater aquifer, Upper DupiTila (UDT). Using the Fault Seal Analysis technique employed by (Yielding et al. in Am Assoc Pet Geol Bull 81:897–917, 1997) algorithm, this analysis attempts to identify susceptible areas and potential unsealed faults that could provide the risk of water invasion into the mine area. Evaluation of Fault Seal Analysis reveals varying Shale Gauge Ratio (SGR) values: 0.08 and 0.13 for the major Eastern Boundary Fault, 0.05 for the second largest FB fault, 0.35 and 0.53 for FB-1, and 5.65, 1.69, and 1.22 for the smaller faults BGP-N-F11, BGP-N-F2, and F-24, respectively. According to SGR values, the Eastern Boundary Fault and the FB fault plane are anticipated to be unsealed and dip westward at an angle of 75°-80°, rendering them vulnerable to water inflow through the fault planes. The analysis also suggests that the Lower DupiTila (LDT) aquiclude which can impede the groundwater flow from the UDT aquifer into the mine area, is very thin or absent in the northern region of the basin making this region highly susceptible to water inundation.

Making sense of wildlife habitat use on active oil sands mines: Quasi‐experiments, occupancy models, trends assessments and upland habitat reclamation

Abstract Intensive resource extraction activity in the oil sands of Canada alters the quantity, structure and distribution of native ecosystems, which in turn creates substantive challenges for conservation, land management and habitat reclamation. Progressive reclamation occurs on active mine sites in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR) of Canada, along with concurrent assessments of reclamation effectiveness. Yet, little is known about the ability of reclaimed habitats to mitigate for the short‐ and long‐term impacts associated with open‐pit mines and provide functional habitat for wildlife. We used a robust quasi‐experiment that combined camera trap data from an observational study with an innovative occupancy model to assess the effectiveness of upland reclamation to provide habitat for wildlife in the AOSR. The dynamic occupancy models were applied to 15 years of camera trap data to assess wildlife usage patterns of nine species of wildlife over seven types of habitats. The habitats sampled ranged from mining‐disturbed habitats reclaimed to upland forest ecosites common in the region, habitats disturbed by natural (fire) and human disturbances (clear‐cut logging), with comparisons to mostly intact mature forests. Our results indicate that the nine species of wildlife assessed used habitats in a manner consistent with expectations: some preferred disturbance‐dominated habitats while others used mature forest to a higher degree. We demonstrate that the application of dynamic occupancy models to camera trap data reliably discerned these trends, providing the means to predict wildlife usage patterns in an ever‐changing landscape, including one containing bitumen extraction as a contributor to landscape‐level modifications. Practical implication: Our work illustrates how continued monitoring of wildlife using camera traps contributes to assessments of reclamation effectiveness with respect to wildlife occurrence, distribution and usage patterns in anthropogenically and naturally disturbed landscapes. Evaluating the effectiveness of reclamation is especially important given the expected increase in habitat reclamation on active oil sands mines over the next several decades, coupled with the need to ensure that disturbed habitats regain ecological function able to sustain wildlife in the future.

Integrating robotic systems in underground roof support machine

Traditionally, the roof bolting process is performed manually by skilled workers, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. This often exposes human operators to several risks. Bolt installation in underground coal mining operations involves moving and manipulating heavy tools quickly while ensuring the safety of the area. Hence, humans must relocate from an active mining site to a more secure place where the operator can control and monitor the roof bolting process. This study explores the integration of a six-axis robotic arm and other specialized novel technologies into an existing roof bolter machine to automate the roof bolting module, therefore replacing human duties. Owing to the harsh mining conditions in underground coal mines, the integration of robotic systems requires proper planning to ensure reliable and safe operations. The methodology adopted for integrating the robotic system in this study may be regarded as a conceptual framework for the automation of underground mining roof bolting operations. This study highlights certain specifications that should be considered when automating underground mining machines. The results showed that a robotic arm that performs human tasks during roof bolting operations can be successfully integrated into a roof bolting module by establishing a robust communication network to facilitate seamless interaction between different hydraulic, mechanical, and electronic components.

Hydrogeological characterization of low permeability medium for conceptualization of a mine site in Eastern Turkey

The mining site in Eastern Anatolia of Turkey were encounter a significant risk of slope instability within the operational area. One of the processes that govern slope stability is the pore water pressure distribution. The conceptualization and characterization of porous media serve as fundamental prerequisites for the implementation of numerical methods aimed at predicting pore water distribution. This study aims to characterize the hydrogeological properties of water bearing rocks in the active mining site in Eastern Anatolia of Turkey. A total of 21 wells and drill holes were drilled in the study area to conduct in-situ tests, monitoring, and sampling. The large diameter wells drilled in surrounding the carbonate rocks were to determine the groundwater flow and boundary conditions and also wells tapped metasediments and diorite unit for hydraulic testing. The lugeon tests and installation of vibrating wire piezometers were carried out at small diameter drill holes to obtain localized hydraulic conductivity of metasediments and diorite at different depths and monitoring pore water pressure distribution along some critical cross-sections. The results obtained from these tests are used for developing hydrogeological conceptual model for groundwater flow. The results of in-situ tests show that the metasediment and diorite units act as a single hydrostratigraphic unit. The metasediments and diorite have high total porosity and low specific yield indicating that the pore water is retained by electrostatic forces in the medium and it resists flow due to low hydraulic conductivity. The vertical variation in hydraulic conductivity values indicates that the medium is highly heterogeneous.

Site assessment, suitability, and strategy references for in-situ phytoremediation: A case study of Asansol-Pandabeswar mining region

For decades, phytoremediation has been hailed as one of the most promising developing techniques for sustainable waste management. Despite certain shortcomings, proper implementation of this technique is the best alternative to the conventional waste management approach. Proper implementation of phytoremediation requires careful planning, following proper guidelines related to site assessment, plant selection, planting, maintenance, monitoring, harvesting and disposal, follow-up execution, and monitoring to ensure its effectiveness. In this study, it has been tried to create a foundation for an in-situ implementation of Phytoremediation in the mining areas of Asansol and Pandabeswar of West Bengal, India. Site conditions have been assessed in terms of pollution load and soil quality. Suitable sites have been identified using Geospatial techniques and following the guidelines found in different pieces of literature. Six variables i.e. pollution loads, soil quality, the proximity of pollution source, land use, and accessibility have been used to produce site suitability map. Active mining sites have been excluded from suitable sites. Site-specific suitable plants have been recommended which are either native or adaptable to current geophysical settings. The study identified certain villages e.g. Sonpur, Madanpur, Rashunpur, Dhasla, Joalbhanga, Bajari, Salanpur. Accessibility, water availability, and demographic parameters of those villages have been assessed. Finally, maintenance, monitoring, and implementation strategies have been discussed.

Seismic Signal Discrimination of Earthquakes and Quarry Blasts in North-East Italy Using Deep Neural Networks

AbstractSeparation of seismic sources of seismic events such as earthquakes and quarry blasts is a complex task and, in most cases, require manual inspection. In this study, artificial neural network models are developed to automatically identify the events that occurred in North-East Italy, where earthquakes and quarry blasts may share the same area. Due to the proximity of the locations of the active fault lines and mining sites, many blasts are registered as earthquakes that can contaminate earthquake catalogues. To be able to differentiate various sources of seismic events 11,821 seismic records from 1463 earthquakes detected by various seismic networks and 9822 seismic records of 727 blasts manually labelled by the Slovenian Environment Agency are used. Three-component seismic records with 90 s length and their frequency contents are used as an input. Ten different models are created by changing various features of the neural networks. Regardless of the features of the created models, results show that accuracy rates are always around 99 %. The performance of our models is compared with a previous study that also used artificial neural networks. It is found that our models show significantly better performance with respect to the models developed by the previous study which performs badly due to differences in the data. Our models perform slightly better than the new model created by using our dataset, but with the previous study’s architecture. Developed model can be useful for the discrimination of the earthquakes from quarry blasts in North-East Italy, which may help us to monitor seismic events in the region.

Modeling pH changes and electrical conductivity in surface water as a result of mining activities

Purpose. To develop comprehensive models for predicting the pH and electrical conductivity of surface water in Maiganga coal mine and environs affected by mining activities. Methodology. The research utilizes a combination of in-situ measurement, laboratory analysis, modeling technique using Ansys Workbench and Linear Regression for predicting the content of pollutants. In-situ measurement/data collection in the upstream and downstream were carried out to evaluate the potential impact of mining activities on surface and ground water quality. Electrical conductivity and pH were measured on the samples that were collected using Oakton 5/6 pH meter and TDS/EC meter. Findings. According to the results, the regression statistics model of pH and electrical conductivity (EC) shows that the predicted values have a pH range of 4.7–7.05 and a mean pH value of 5.5. In contrast, while the EC ranges from 454.52 to 2,720.68 s/cm (EC) with a mean value of 905 µs/cm of the downstream flow which is completely dependent on the mine inlet (pH-in and EC-in). The findings show a direct correlation between surface water pH, electrical conductivity, and mining activities in the Maiganga coal mine area and their detrimental effects on the ecosystem and water quality. Originality. The results were obtained directly from the mine site during field visit and can be compared to data from active coal mine sites. Practical value. The detrimental effect of the results of mining activities can be controlled if monitoring sensors are introduced at mines’ effluent outlet to alert the mine management of possible danger in real time.

Cadmium, Cu, Hg, Sb, Se and Ti contamination in abandoned and active mining sites in Ghana shows concerns for soil and human health risks

The presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils of gold mining sites poses health concerns to residents in mining communities. A study was conducted to assess the potential hazards to human health associated with the presence of PTEs in active, abandoned, and profile gold mine sites. We collected 102 soil samples, determined their total element contents, and calculated their pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF), and contamination factor (CF). The risks to human health were calculated for adult males, adult females, and children who ingested contaminated soil particles orally using the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI). The soils' total Cd concentrations were above the global average of 0.2 mg/kg: abandoned (2.86 mg/kg), active (3.93 mg/kg), and profile (4.04 mg/kg). High Hg levels were found in active mine soil (0.92 mg/kg), profile (0.89 mg/kg), and abandoned mine soils (0.87 mg/kg). The active, abandoned, and profile soils had Ti concentrations of 14.18, 6.74, and 4.82 mg/kg, respectively, above the global average of 0.57 mg/kg. All sites were contaminated with Cd, Cu, Hg, Sb, Se and Ti, according to the PLI values (active = 6.03, abandoned = 4.61, and profile = 6.24). Cd, Hg, and Ti in mine spoils were related to Al, Fe, Mn, pH, TC, clay, and P in multivariate analysis (correlation and PCA). The presence of metals in the environment can be attributed to both natural processes and human activities. The HI values in children exceeded the critical value of 1.0, indicating a significant likelihood of non-carcinogenic hazards. The use of green space technology is crucial for the restoration of ecological integrity and the preservation of public health.

Elemental trace enrichment and contamination assessment in an active mining site of Itagunmodi Area, Southwestern Nigeria

Elemental trace enrichment and contamination assessment in an active mining site of Itagunmodi Area, Southwestern Nigeria

Movement ecology of an endangered mesopredator in a mining landscape

BackgroundEfficient movement and energy expenditure are vital for animal survival. Human disturbance can alter animal movement due to changes in resource availability and threats. Some animals can exploit anthropogenic disturbances for more efficient movement, while others face restricted or inefficient movement due to fragmentation of high-resource habitats, and risks associated with disturbed habitats. Mining, a major anthropogenic disturbance, removes natural habitats, introduces new landscape features, and alters resource distribution in the landscape. This study investigates the effect of mining on the movement of an endangered mesopredator, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). Using GPS collars and accelerometers, we investigate their habitat selection and energy expenditure in an active mining landscape, to determine the effects of this disturbance on northern quolls.MethodsWe fit northern quolls with GPS collars and accelerometers during breeding and non-breeding season at an active mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We investigated broad-scale movement by calculating the movement ranges of quolls using utilisation distributions at the 95% isopleth, and compared habitat types and environmental characteristics within observed movement ranges to the available landscape. We investigated fine-scale movement by quolls with integrated step selection functions, assessing the relative selection strength for each habitat covariate. Finally, we used piecewise structural equation modelling to analyse the influence of each habitat covariate on northern quoll energy expenditure.ResultsAt the broad scale, northern quolls predominantly used rugged, rocky habitats, and used mining habitats in proportion to their availability. However, at the fine scale, habitat use varied between breeding and non-breeding seasons. During the breeding season, quolls notably avoided mining habitats, whereas in the non-breeding season, they frequented mining habitats equally to rocky and riparian habitats, albeit at a higher energetic cost.ConclusionMining impacts northern quolls by fragmenting favoured rocky habitats, increasing energy expenditure, and potentially impacting breeding dispersal. While mining habitats might offer limited resource opportunities in the non-breeding season, conservation efforts during active mining, including the creation of movement corridors and progressive habitat restoration would likely be useful. However, prioritising the preservation of natural rocky and riparian habitats in mining landscapes is vital for northern quoll conservation.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Metals in Arable Soils around Adudu Lead – Zinc Mine, North-Central Nigeria

Mining is a major source of toxic heavy metals into the soil when mine wastes are discharged into the nearby farmlands used for the cultivation of food crops. This study investigated the influence of Pb–Zn mining on the quality and ecological risk of arable soils around active mining sites in Adudu, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Composite soil samples were collected at 0–20 cm depth, pulverized, and analyzed for heavy metal (Al, As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) concentration using X–ray fluorescence technique. Enrichment factor, geo–accumulation index, improved Nemerow index (IIN), contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (Cd), pollution load index (PLI), and ecological risk assessment (ERA) were used to evaluate the effect of the mining activities on the environment. Results showed elevated levels of Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Cr in arable soils around the mine and lower levels of these metals in the control soil. IIN, Cd, and PLI showed that the mine and the nearby arable soils were the most deteriorated, and soil quality improved away from the mining vicinity. ERA revealed that the mine and the closest arable soils (sites F1 and F4) have significant to high ecological risk index as a result of the dominant presence of Pb, Zn, and Cu at the sites. Thus, arable soils which are disposal channels for mine wastes are not good for growing food crops. This study clearly shows that Pb–Zn mining activities introduced heavy metals into the arable soils surrounding the mine.

Sulphidogenic Bioprocesses for Acid Mine Water Treatment and Selective Recovery of Arsenic and Metals.

Human communities need water and mineral resources, the supply of which requires the implementation of recycling and saving strategies. Both closed and active mining sites could beneficiate of the implementation of nature-based solutions, including bioreactors involving sulphate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP), in order to separate and recover arsenic (As) and metals from aqueous stream while producing clean water. Selective precipitation strategies can be designed based on the selection of microbial communities adapted to the pH conditions, generally acidic, and to available low-cost electron donors. Laboratory batch and continuous experiments must be implemented for each type of mine water in order to determine the optimal flow-sheet in which As could be precipitated as sulphides (orpiment or realgar), inside the bioreactor or offline, through stripping of biologically produced hydrogen sulphides (H2S). The respective concentrations and proportions of As and metals and the initial acid mine drainage pH are key parameters that will influence the feasibility of efficient selective precipitation. SRP-based bioreactors could be combined with complementary treatment steps in optimised mine water management solutions that will minimise the production of As-contaminated end-solid waste.

BENEFITS OF LITHIUM MINING TO NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Lithium mining goes beyond the extraction of lithium ore; it involves the technological importance of the mineral together with its application. This refers to eco-friendly applications such as the production of electric cars, the production of lithium batteries for solar panels, and other electrical devices. Obtained lithium (spodumene) samples from visited mine sites in Gidan Kwano (Nasarawa State), Kokona (Nasarawa State), and Takushara (Abuja-Kuje LGA) were taken to the laboratory for analysis. The atomic absorption spectrometry result shows a lithium percentage that ranges from 1% to 4.5% (low to high grade). A statistical analysis of data for total production of lithium in a month (through interactive sessions with miners on-site) shows that over 20 tons of lithium can be produced in a month by an active lithium mine site. Conclusively, if 20 tons is used as the benchmark, this means that a total of 40 trucks worth ₦20,375,000,000 will be made per month and a total of ₦244,500,000,000 per year. With this amount of money, after the removal of various royalties, it can go a long way in handling various issues in the state, local government, and even at the federal level. Well-monitored lithium mining can create jobs for indigenous people in the community, and the financial contribution can increase the internally generated revenue. The production of electric cars in Nigeria will also help solve the issue of carbon emissions and create a friendly eco-system.

Evaluasi dan Pengelolaan Lereng Bekas Tambang Breksi Andesit Dusun Siluk Kelurahan Selopamioro Kepanewon Imogiri Kabupaten Bantul Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta

Siluk Area, Selopamioro Village, Imogiri District, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, is one of the active community mining sites. These mining activities leave slopes that are not treated or repaired, so that they become a threat to soil and/or rock mass movements for the surrounding community. One of the former mining areas in Siluk hamlet is very close to residential areas. Therefore, it is necessary to study the stability and safety factors of the slope so that they can be the basis for determining the direction of ex-mining slope management.The methods used were literature studies, field surveys and mapping, and laboratory tests. The sampling method used was the purposive sampling method. Samples taken were used for testing physical properties (content weight, moisture content, porosity, and grain size), shear angle, and cohesion. The analysis methods used are the simplified Janbu method and the descriptive analysis method to evaluate the slope of the former mine. Based on calculations and testing, it is found that the three slopes are categorized as steep slopes with a safety factor value on the central and south-north slopes of 0.156, 0.620, and 0.367. Slope management carried out involves a change in slope geometry with the cut and fill method, planting vegetation in the form of Sengon trees, and planting land cover in the form of Vertiver grass

The role of intercultural differences and challenges faced in negotiating active mine sites'rehabilitation objectives from Africa to Europe

Analysing the challenges that govern an active mining project during negotiations, especially its rehabilitation, can give a better insight from a cross-cultural perspective. Despite the cultural variations distinguished by region or country, there can be common strategies in negotiating rehabilitation objectives of mine sites via specific negotiation strategies. This study investigates how intercultural differences influence the rehabilitation of active mine sites from Africa to Europe. The goal is to provide new insights into cultural differences regarding the communication process in negotiations, issue an unprecedented groundwork for research, and contribute to practitioners of cross-cultural business negotiations by better understanding the context. Through semi-structured interviews, primary data was collected from participants representing a multinational mining corporation based in Europe negotiating the rehabilitation of active mine sites in Cameroon and South Africa. The analysis employed a data reduction process, interpreting the collected data, connecting it to existing literature, and analysing the findings. The outcomes showed the significance of cultural dimensions to variables of international business negotiations. They indicated the attention that culturally diverse organisations must pay to them to increase their chances of succeeding in rehabilitating mine sites’ integration. African and European stakeholders demonstrated opposing negotiation styles that affect how they communicate, build their agreements, show their emotions, and are willing to take risks.

Speciation of Potentially Toxic Metals from the Mine Impacted soils: A Case Study of Riruwai Mining Area, Kano State, Northern Nigeria

Mining and smelting sectors contribute significantly to global growth on a regional and local scale. However, the operations are causing significant environmental damage, particularly pollution of the soil with potentially toxic metals (PTMs). In this study, the speciation of PTMs (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc) from the mine impacted soils of Riruwai mining area was investigated using a modified Tessier sequential extraction method. The findings of the study revealed that all the PTMs examined are considerably associated with non-residual fractions in all the sampling locations. This indicates that all the PTMs investigated in the study area may be highly mobile in the soils and hence potentially toxic. The concentrations of PTMs in the soil’s geochemical fractions were found to vary with the sampling locations, with active mining sites significantly (p ≤ 0.05) recording the highest value, followed by farmland, while the lowest value was reported at the control site. Therefore, to protect the environment and the health of the local populace, PTMs in the soils of the study area should be regularly monitored and a treatment program should be put in place.

Two new Western Australian species related to Hibbertia priceana (Dilleniaceae)

Hibbertia priceana is a rare species found in two localised areas in southern south-western Western Australia, near Ongerup and in the vicinity of Wickepin and Harrismith. Two new species that are morphologically similar to H. priceana but are disjunct and distinct from it are described in this paper. Hibbertia hapalophylla is a new, potentially geographically restricted and rare species first collected during botanical surveys for a mining project near Mount Holland in the Western Australian Goldfields. It was initially collected from, and only known from, disturbed areas on an active mine site, but larger populations were subsequently discovered on a nearby sandplain, from where is was likely introduced to the mine site on sand transported for construction purposes. The second new species, Hibbertia remanens, appears to be restricted to small areas of remnant vegetation near Cunderdin and Kellerberrin in the Western Australian wheatbelt. The three species differ mainly in their leaf shapes in section, with H. priceana having flat leaves with the abaxial lamina fully exposed, H. remanens having recurved leaf margins with the abaxial shallowly grooved either side of the midrib, and H. hapalophylla having strongly revolute margins with the abaxial lamina surface concealed within lacunae formed between the margins and midrib.

Constructing soils for climate-smart mining

Surface mining is inherently linked to climate change, but more precise monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is necessary. Here we combined the geolocation of mine sites and carbon stock datasets to show that if all legal active mining sites in Brazil are exploited over the next decades, 2.55 Gt of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) will be emitted due to the loss of vegetation (0.87 Gt CO2eq) and soil (1.68 Gt CO2eq). To offset these emissions, we propose constructing soils (Technosols) from mine and other wastes for mine reclamation. We show that this strategy could potentially offset up to 60% (1.00 Gt CO2eq) of soil-related CO2 emissions. When constructed with suitable parent materials, Technosols can also restore important soil-related ecosystem services while improving waste management. The construction of healthy Technosols stands out as a promising nature-based solution towards carbon-neutral mining and should, therefore, be considered in future environmental policies of major mining countries.

In-Depth Monitoring of Anthropic Activities in the Puglia Region: What Is the Acceptable Compromise between Economic Activities and Environmental Protection?

In many countries in the world, the conservation of habitats is at risk mainly due to anthropic pressures on the environment. A study was conducted to assess the extent to which sensitive and high nature-value habitats are damaged by high-impact human activities. Some evaluation methods that are applied may not be entirely appropriate to the characteristics of the investigated areas or may be very accurate but provide results that are delayed with respect to the occurrence of the events that created the loss of their characteristics. The main purpose of this study is to optimise some methodologies for monitoring the impacts of human activities making it possible to obtain better results in less time and with much lower costs. This methodology has been applied in two different areas present in the Puglia Region in south-eastern Italy, in the central Mediterranean area. The biotope fragmentation method was applied on coastal dunes, in the province of Brindisi, affected by an important tourist influx. The results of the inclusion, in the evaluation methodology, of the remote sensing of the paths indicate a more real situation on the state of fragmentation of the coastal dunes. The second methodology concerns the monitoring, through topographical profiles obtained from Sentinel-1 DEM images, of active and inactive mining sites, allowing to obtain of very detailed information on the progress of mining activities in a very short time. By implementing these methodologies, it is possible to improve the control of the territory allowing a more detailed analysis in order to safeguard the environment from impacting human activities and avoiding, as much as possible, the occurrence of illegal activities. Finally, compensation factors to ensure that human activities are conducted in a sustainable way are also evaluated.