GMES4Mining: GMES-based Geoservices for Mining to Support Prospection and Exploration and the Integrated Monitoring for Environmental Protection and Operational Security

The GMES4Mining R&D project started in summer 2011 with the purpose of supporting management in all phases of a mining cycle. In most states of the European Union, the mines are in phases of operation or reclamation, but in other countries there is an interest in prospecting and exploring new areas for mining. In order to support the implementation of legal responsibilities, GMES4Mining investigates the potential of innovative remote sensing technologies for mining monitoring, prospection and exploration. In an early phase of this GMES4Mining project, a detailed query on the users’ requirements on remote sensing was performed. Currently, spaceborne radar data and ground measurements are tested for an early detection of slope slides in operational mines, slope stability in dumps, surface ground movements and subsidence. Satellite- and air-borne optical remote sensors are meant to monitor changes in ground water depth, directly through the estimation of soil moisture or indirectly by mapping changes in vegetation, both in the exploitation and the reclamation phases. For the scope of the GMES4Mining project two study sites were selected in the northern part of the German Ruhrgebiet. An important scope of the project is to report the quality of data and methods. Moreover, the results of the research will be integrated in a spatial data infrastructure (SDI) and disseminated via a web portal. This paper gives an introduction to the project and its different parts.