Temporal Changes of Vegetation Around Open Cast Quarries: Milas-Ören Lignite Coal Quarries

As the demand for coal continues to rise due to the increasing need for energy, the number of open-cast coal mines has also increased. However, the environmental damage caused by open-cast mines has become a significant concern in today's world amidst escalating environmental problems. Surface mining involves the removal of vegetation and soil from the surface, followed by the blasting of subsoil to access the coal resource, resulting in a complete transformation of land use. In Türkiye, as in many other countries, open cast mines are generally situated outside the cities, often within forested areas.

Milas Ören Lignite Coal Mining Quarries, located in southwestern Turkey, is one of Türkiye's largest open cast coal mines. Since its opening in 1979, the total mining area has expanded to encompass 2.023 hectares by 2022, leading to the gradual elimination of surrounding forest, maquis, and agricultural lands. In this context, this study aims to assess the impact of open-cast lignite coal mining on the vegetation surrounding the Milas-Ören mining site.

Change detection analysis was conducted in Google Earth Engine using Landsat 5-8 satellite imagery obtained between 1985 and 2023 and to achieve this objective. The analysis, performed at 5-year intervals (1985-1990-1995-2000-2005-2010-2015-2015-2020-2023), revealed a loss of approximately 725 hectares of forests and 440 hectares of agricultural land, while the mining areas expanded by over 1.100 hectares. Consequently, this study demonstrates that the impact of mining activities on vegetated areas can be effectively measured and monitored using remote sensing tools, particularly in the context of the increasing global attention towards deforestation and the development of deforestation mitigation strategies.

Overall, this research sheds light on the temporal changes occurring in vegetated regions surrounding open cast quarries, specifically focusing on the Milas-Ören Lignite Coal Quarries in Türkiye. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the environmental impacts of mining activities and highlight the potential of remote sensing techniques for monitoring and mitigating deforestation in similar contexts.