Open source platform for monitoring and preventing illegal mining through geospatial analysis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17917889

Keywords:

geospatial analysis, open source, illegal mining

Abstract

This paper presents the development of an open-source web platform for monitoring and preventing illegal mining using geospatial technologies. The research adopted a quantitative approach with a descriptive, non-experimental design, focused on integrating satellite and georeferenced data for accessible territorial monitoring. The methodology was based on multi-temporal satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 and Landsat, processed in Google Earth Engine (GEE). Spectral indices such as NDVI, NBR, and BSI were applied, along with multi-temporal difference analysis and thresholds, to detect landscape changes and identify areas impacted by informal mining. Spatial data in GeoJSON format were also incorporated and analyzed using geospatial processing and dynamic visualization tools. The results demonstrate that the platform generates thematic maps, identifies affected areas, and facilitates the visualization of patterns relevant to decision-making. Consequently, it strengthens environmental and territorial monitoring. The study concludes that this tool is flexible, scalable, and has high potential for improving environmental governance and preventing illegal mining.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Asner, G. P., Llactayo, W., Tupayachi, R., & Luna, E. R. (2013). Elevated rates of gold mining in the Amazon revealed through high-resolution monitoring. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(46), 18454-18459. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1318271110

Asner, G. P., & Tupayachi, R. (2017). Accelerated losses of protected forests from gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon. Environmental Research Letters, 12(9), Artículo 094004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7dab

Cabernard, L., & Pfister, S. (2022). Hotspots of mining-related biodiversity loss in global supply chains and the potential for reduction through renewable electricity. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(22), 16357-16368. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c04003

Chakuya, J., Munkuli, N., Mutema, C., & Gandiwa, E. (2023). An assessment of the impact of illegal artisanal gold mining on the environment in parts of Chewore Safari Area, northern Zimbabwe. Environmental Research Communications, 5(7), Artículo 075005. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ace23b

Dethier, E., Sartain, S., & Lutz, D. (2019). Heightened levels and seasonal inversion of riverine suspended sediment in a tropical biodiversity hot spot due to artisanal gold mining. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(48), 23936-23941. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907842116

Dethier, E., Silman, M., Fernandez, L., Caballero, J., Alqahtani, S., Pauca, P., ... & Lutz, D. (2023). Operation Mercury: Impacts of national-level armed forces intervention and anticorruption strategy on artisanal gold mining and water quality in the Peruvian Amazon. Conservation Letters, 16(5), Artículo e12978. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12978

Hallatu, T., Wisadirana, D., Muadi, S., & Chawa, A. (2021). Illegal sand mining and Sar local wisdom: A case study in Merauke. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(1), 45-56. https://doi.org/10.29332/ijssh.v5n1.827

Kayani, U., Nasim, I., Aysan, A., Bashir, F., & Iqbal, U. (2024). Emerging trends of carbon emissions and foreign direct investment: Accounting for ecological footprints, renewable energy, globalization, and technological innovations in BRICS. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31(29), 41586-41599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31495-4

Sonter, L. J., Dade, M. C., Watson, J. E. M., & Valenta, R. K. (2020). Renewable energy production will exacerbate mining threats to biodiversity. Nature Communications, 11(1), Artículo 4174. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17928-5

Sonter, L. J., Herrera, D., Barrett, D. J., Galford, G. L., Moran, C. J., & Soares-Filho, B. S. (2017). Mining drives extensive deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Nature Communications, 8(1), Artículo 1013. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00557-w

Wang, S., Lu, X., Chen, Z., Zhang, G., Ma, T., Jia, P., ... & Li, B. (2020). Evaluating the feasibility of illegal open-pit mining identification using InSAR coherence. Remote Sensing, 12(3), Artículo 367. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12030367

Published

2025-12-12

How to Cite

Aguilar Ramirez, A., Cornejo Olarte, D. A., Mamani Canqui, A., & Aguilar Ramírez, J. D. (2025). Open source platform for monitoring and preventing illegal mining through geospatial analysis. InveCom Journal, 6(3), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17917889

Most read articles by the same author(s)