Multi-scale approach using remote sensing images to characterize the iron deposit N1 influence areas in Carajas Mineral Province (Brazilian Amazon)

Mining activities cause a wide range of changes to the environment, substantially affecting both the physical and biological environmental sectors. In the Carajas Mineral Province, located in the Amazon rainforest, environmental regulations tend to be more rigorous, due to the fragility of the environment in which large iron deposits are found. The characterization of the impact of mining on environment considers: the type and extent of the impact, the physical chemistry differences and similarities of the mineral deposits, the deposit size, the adopted mining process, and the environment (both natural and economic) in which the mining process was developed. Remote sensing technology is utilized in this study, in particular, the use of ortho-aerial photograph, and optical and radar images with distinct spatial resolution. These permit the elaboration in synoptic maps, multi-scale and dynamic, of the changes wrought upon the environment: deforestation, removal of vegetation cover, topographic surface and landscape alteration, and slope instabilities among others. In this aspect, determining the extent of influence of the mining activity is directly tied to the characterization of its impact on various natural systems at the observed scale, and not by simply defining a predetermined Euclidean distance. The results showed that remote sensing technology, optical and radar images, proved to be efficient in the study of environmental information and the areas of influence on the semi-regional and local scales in the Amazon forest.