ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT EVALUATION OF THE IRON ORE MINING 
ACTIVITIES IN MINAS GERAIS STATE, BRAZIL, USING ORBITAL REMOTE 
SENSING AND GIS 
Britaldo Silveira Soares Filho 
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais UFMG 
Depto. de Cartografia 
Av. Antonio Carlos, 6627 
31270-000 - Belo Horizonte - MG, Brazil 
ISPRS Comission VII/Working Group 4 
ABSTRACT 
The "Quadrilätero Ferrifero" region, in Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil, is known for its huge 
iron ore deposits. The iron exploitation is characterized by many large open pits spreaded throughout the 
region. This work aims at mapping quantifying the surface impacts caused by this mining activity. 
Orbital Remote Sensing images were digitally classified using statistical methods. The classification 
reliability was evaluated by field work and serial photographs. The results show the main mining areas, 
where the most dense exploitation patterns occur, and the total amount of degraded lands. Finally the 
obtained classified data were integrated in a GIS with maps of urban areas, vegetation cover, topography, 
rural land use and drainage basins to establish spatial model of the environmental hazard due to mining 
activities. 
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