Black and white, color and color-infrared photography at 1:20,000 scale or larger provide useful data for monitoring the environmental effects of surface mining as demonstrated following a study of surface clay mining in New Jersey. Investigations using high-altitude color and color-infrared photography at scales of 1:80,000 to 1:120,000 provide an efficient technique for inventorying large-surface mining operations or for rapid statewide mining studies.