Multi-temporal satellite mapping of coal mine expansion and forest loss in the Hasdeo Arand Forest, India

Veeravalli, Sai Ganesh and Khan, Adil and Qadri, Syed Hazeem (2026) Multi-temporal satellite mapping of coal mine expansion and forest loss in the Hasdeo Arand Forest, India. Discover Sustainability, 7 (1). ISSN 2662-9984

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Abstract

Abstract Open-cast coal mining in forested regions presents a persistent sustainability challenge, as cumulative physical disturbance often unfolds incrementally and remains poorly captured by administrative clearance records. This case study presents a mine-scale, time-resolved reconstruction of surface expansion at the Parsa East and Kente Basan (PEKB) open-cast coal mine, located within the ecologically sensitive Hasdeo Arand forest of central India. The objective is to reconstruct the year-by-year growth of a single open-cast mine and quantify associated forest conversion over time. Using multi-temporal satellite imagery (Landsat 8 and PlanetScope) and consistent visual-interpretation, we delineated annual changes in the mine’s surface footprint and estimated forest-to-mine conversion between 2013 and 2025. Results show that the mine footprint expanded from 218 hectares in 2013 to 1,389 hectares by mid-2025. Over the same period, approximately 1,013 hectares of closed-canopy forest were converted, such that 73% of the final footprint overlapped land that was forested at the outset. Expansion occurred in distinct phases, including a period of rapid lateral growth, a temporary slowdown, and renewed acceleration after 2023. By documenting how a legally approved mine physically expands through forested terrain over time, this study demonstrates the value of mine-level, time-resolved satellite reconstruction for revealing cumulative environmental transformation that is obscured in aggregated land-use statistics. Such approaches provide an independent spatial basis for post-clearance monitoring, cumulative impact assessment, and environmental accountability in mining-affected forest landscapes.

Item Type:	Article
Authors:	Veeravalli, Sai Ganesh and Khan, Adil and Qadri, Syed Hazeem
Document Language:	Language English
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Land use change, Open-cast coal mining, Remote sensing, Habitat fragmentation, Forest conservation
Subjects:	Social sciences > Law > Labor, social, education & cultural law > Miscellaneous social problems and services > Environmental protection Technology
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > School of Climate Change and Sustainability
Full Text Status:	Public
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/7618
Publisher URL:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-03526-w

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