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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Spatiotemporal Patterns and Ecological
Trade-offs of Open-pit Mining in Northwest
China: A Remote Sensing Perspective on
Environmentally Sustainable Development
1
Xi’an Geological Survey Center of China Geological Survey / Northwest Center of Geological Technology Innovation,
Xi’an 710119, China
2
Key Laboratory for the Study of Focused Magmatism and Giant Ore Deposits of Magmatic Ore Deposits, Ministry of
Natural Resources, Xi’an 710119, China
3
Innovation Center for Engineering Technology of Intelligent Remote Sensing Monitoring of Natural Resources in the
Upper-Middle Reaches of the Yellow River, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xi’an 710119, China
4
Shaanxi Guangtai Project Management Consulting Co., Ltd, Xi’an 710075, China
5
School of Resources Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Submission date: 2025-06-03
Final revision date: 2025-08-23
Acceptance date: 2025-10-19
Online publication date: 2026-02-09
Corresponding author
Xiaojuan Yan
Xi’an Geological Survey Center of China Geological Survey / Northwest Center of Geological Technology Innovation, Xi’an 710119, China
Xi’an Geological Survey Center of China Geological Survey / Northwest Center of Geological Technology Innovation, Xi’an 710119, China
Min Yang
School of Resources Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
School of Resources Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
KEYWORDS
open-pit miningnorthwest Chinaremote sensing monitoringspatial autocorrelation analysissustainable development
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The rapid expansion of open-pit mining in Northwest China, driven by growing demands for energy
and strategic minerals, poses significant challenges to environmental sustainability in arid and semiarid
ecosystems. Leveraging high-resolution remote sensing data (e.g., Gaofen-2/6, ZY-3), this study
systematically analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of 12,680 mining polygons across 3,253 approved
open-pit mines in four northwestern provinces (Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, and Ningxia) from 2021 to
2022. Results revealed a pronounced spatial clustering of mining activities, with 92% of the total mining
area concentrated in Xinjiang and Qinghai. Non-metallic mineral extraction (potash, lithium, coal)
dominated, accounting for 71.8% of the total footprint, while metallic mining showed localized impacts.
Global Moran’s I (0.156, p<0.01) and Getis-Ord Gi* analyses identified two high-intensity clusters in
potassium-rich basins, demonstrating significant spatial autocorrelation. Desertification sensitivity
assessments in key coal mining zones revealed that 55% of mining areas fell within high-sensitivity regions, correlating with post-2016 NDVI declines. Despite progress in avoiding protected areas (only
0.45% overlap), ecological trade-offs persisted-mining contributed 31% to Qinghai’s GDP but degraded
12% of grasslands annually. Methodologically, manual interpretation achieved 95% accuracy but faced
scalability limitations compared to automated machine learning approaches. The findings underscore
the necessity of environmental, landscape-scale governance frameworks to address spillover effects
between protected and high-density mining zones. We advocate integrating AI-enhanced monitoring
and blockchain traceability to strengthen green mining practices, emphasizing that sustainable resource
development in fragile ecosystems requires balancing economic priorities with spatially explicit
ecological safeguards. This work provides a replicable model for reconciling mineral extraction with
environmental conservation in global arid regions.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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| eISSN: | 2083-5906 |
| ISSN: | 1230-1485 |
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