Analysing influence of abandoned mining sites on land use land cover and the terrain in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

This research used Geospatial techniques in analysing the influence of abandoned mining sites on Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and the Terrain in Jos South, Nigeria. Thus, the objectives were to determine how the abandoned mining sites relate to the neighbouring land use and analyse the topography of the terrain in the neighbourhood of the degraded sites. The study analysed abandoned mining (land degraded) sites using multi-sensor satellite imageries of Landsat 8 (2016), SPOT 5 (2012), and SRTM DEM data of the study area. Maximum Likelihood Supervised classifications of land cover and land degradation features using Landsat 8 and SPOT 5 imageries were carried out to determine the area of land that had been affected by mining‐induced activities. Finally, detailed terrain analyses such as slope and aspect were carried out. The results of the LULC classification revealed a total land cover of 512.10km2 with mine ponds occupying about 10.01km2. Terrain analyses revealed that the spatial location of the degraded sites is irrespective of the terrain because most of the degraded sites occurred because of mining activities; which can be done whether at high or low land. It was however suggested that certain land uses such as block industries, water treatment plants, and fish farms should be sited around the seasonally inundated mine pond.