Spatial and temporal analysis of land use associated with mineral extraction activities in the Jequitinhonha River, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Remote sensing tools are increasingly common in environmental studies. Since release of the first Landsat satellite series, temporal analysis studies became important resource to understand land surface changing which could happen in natural ways or by anthropogenic. This study aims to understand how the evolution of the environmental impact occurred over 30 years in affected areas by the mineral extraction activity and the changes in the River morphology using Landsat 5 and 8 images. The use of its spectral bands aimed to create Normalized Difference Vegetation Index images in gold and diamond mining areas, located on the banks of the Jequitinhonha River, near the municipality of Diamantina, Minas Gerais. This study identified river styles and editions, pointing out changes in the evolutionary and dynamic picture in the drainage patterns and the sedimentological contribution. Results lead to the conclusion that land use and occupation are basically the main cause of these morphological changes over time.