Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of land use/land cover changes due to gold mining activities from 1987 to 2017 using landsat imagery, East Cameroon

  • Published:
GeoJournal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gold mining activities began around 1934 at the artisanal stage and became semi-mechanized around 2004 in eastern Cameroon, with the emergence of exploration and mining companies in the region. This paper aims at monitoring Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes between 1987 and 2017 among Bétaré-Oya, Ngoura and Batouri Districts which are witnessing extensive gold mining activities, assessing the dynamics between LULC types and understanding the anthropogenic impact of gold mining activities during this period. A series of Landsat images acquired in 1987, 2000, and 2016/2017 were used to examine LULC change trajectories at per-pixel scale with the post-classification change detection techniques based on the matrix of changes. A supervised classification by the maximum likelihood algorithm composed of five classes—Bare land, Settlements, Water bodies, Vegetation and Mine activities, was designed for this study, in order to classify Landsat images into thematic maps. This research revealed spatio-temporal change patterns, various composition and rates among the three study areas. Also, it shows the strong appearance and emergence of mining activities between 2000 and 2017 are coupled with increase in settlement surfaces and major changes in environment in the study areas. The LULC change analysis over time for the study areas have provide the current change trends. This study stresses the usefulness of Landsat TM/ETM + and Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) data and highlights the data processing methods for long-term monitoring of artisanal mining activities impacts on the environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Asaah, V. A. (2010). Lode gold mineralisation in the Neoproterozoic granitoids of Batouri, southeastern Cameroon (Doctoral dissertation, Zugl.: Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2010).

  • Bakia, M. (2014). East Cameroon’s artisanal and small-scale mining bonanza: How long will it last? Futures, 62, Part A, 40–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chander, G., Markham, B. L., & Helder, D. L. (2009). Summary of current radiometric calibration coefficients for Landsat MSS, TM, ETM+, and EO-1 ALI sensors. Remote Sensing of Environment, 113(5), 893–903.

    Google Scholar 

  • Choi, Y., & Song, J. (2016). Sustainable development of abandoned mine areas using renewable energy systems: A case study of the photovoltaic potential assessment at the Tailings dam of abandoned Sangdong mine, Korea. Sustainability, 8(12), 1320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Djibril, K. N. G., Cliford, T. B., Pierre, W., Alice, M., Kuma, C. J., & Flore, T. D. J. (2017). Artisanal gold mining in Batouri area, East Cameroon: impacts on the mining population and their environment. Journal of Geology and Mining Research, 9(1), 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edith-Etakah, B. T., Shapi, M., Penaye, J., Mimba, M. E., NguemheFils, S. C., Nadasan, D. S., et al. (2017). Background concentrations of potentially harmful elements in soils of the Kette-Batouri region, Eastern Cameroon. Research Journal of Environmental Toxicology, 11(1), 40–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Funoh, K. N. (2014). The impacts of artisanal gold mining on local livelihoods and the environment in the forested areas of Cameroon, vol. 150. Bogor: CIFOR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gazel, J., & Gerard, G. (1954). Carte géologique de reconnaissance du Cameroun au 1/500000, feuille de Batouri-Est avec notice explicative. Yaoundé: Mémoire Direction des Mines et de la Géologie.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, M. W. (2009). USGS Minerals yearbook 2007: Gold. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaelani, L. M., Nurgiantoro, & Putri, R. A. (2018). Analysis of land cover change due to gold mining in Bombana using sentinel 1A radar data. International Journal of Geoinformatics, 14(2), 8P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamga, M. A., Olatubara, C. O., Atteh, M. M., Nzali, S., Adenikinju, A., Mbiatso, T. Y., et al. (2018). Perception of the environmental degradation of gold mining on socio-economic variables in Eastern Cameroon, Cameroon. European Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 2(2), 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasparek, M. (1993). Survey of the Mediterranean coast between Alexandria and El-Salum, Egypt. Marine Turtle Newsletter, 63, 8–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laplaine, L. (1969). Indices minéraux et ressources minérales du Cameroun. Bulletin de la Direction des Mines et de la Géologie, Cameroun, 5, 1–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, D., & Weng, Q. (2005). Urban classification using full spectral information of Landsat ETM + imagery in Marion County, Indiana. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 71(11), 1275–1284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manga, V. E., Neba, G. N., & Suh, E. C. (2017). Environmental geochemistry of mine tailings soils in the artisanal gold mining district of Bétaré-Oya, Cameroon. Environment and Pollution, 6(1), 52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milesi, J. P., Toteu, S. F., Deschamps, Y., Feybesse, J. L., Lerouge, C., Cocherie, A., et al. (2006). An overview of the geology and major ore deposits of Central Africa: Explanatory note for the 1: 4,000,000 map “geology and major ore deposits of Central Africa”. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 44(4), 571–595.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pahimi, H., Panda, C. R., Benoît, N. M., & Rigobert, T. (2014). Environmental impacts of mining in the volcano-sedimentary basins of Cameroon: case study of artisanal gold mine tailings (Betare Oya, East-Cameroon). International Journal of Energy, Sustainability and Environmental Engineering, 2(1), 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penaye, J., & Hell, J. V. (2013). Abandoned artisanal gold mining sites of Eastern Cameroon: Environmental problems and Cameroon regulation. Yaounde: Johannesburg Institute for Geological and Mining Research BP 4110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rakotondrabe, M. (2017). Multivariable classical Prandtl-Ishlinskii hysteresis modeling and compensation and sensorless control of a nonlinear 2-dof piezoactuator. Nonlinear Dynamics, 89(1), 481–499.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ralph, Obase, Gilles, Ngoran, Fon, Nde, Luma, Henry, & Greg, Ngwane. (2018). Impact of artisanal gold mining on human health and the environment in the Batouri Gold District, East Cameroon. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 7(1), 25–44. https://doi.org/10.2478/ajis-2018-0003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shalaby, A., & Tateishi, R. (2007). Remote sensing and GIS for mapping and monitoring land cover and land-use changes in the Northwestern coastal zone of Egypt. Applied Geography, 27(1), 28–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tehna, N., Daniel, N. F., Jacques, E., Marc, M. E. J., Sylvie, N. T., Cheo, S. E., et al. (2015). Impending pollution of Betare Oya opencast mining environment (Eastern Cameroon). Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering B, 4, 37–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tetsopgang, S., Nzolang, C. & Kuepouo, G. (2015). Environmental and socio-economic assessment of Bertoua Local miners coop mechanized mining and Artisanal Gold Mine field: Case of Bétaré-Oya, East Cameroon, in Internal report. CREPD (p. 12).

  • Turner, B. L., Lambin, E. F., & Reenberg, A. (2007). The emergence of land change science for global environmental change and sustainability. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(52), 20666–20671.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vishiti, A., Suh, C. E., Lehmann, B., Egbe, J. A., & Shemang, E. M. (2015). Gold grade variation and particle microchemistry in exploration pits of the Batouri gold district, SE Cameroon. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 111, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

All the reviewers are highly acknowledged. This write up constitutes part of data generated during the Ph.D. study of the corresponding author, at the Pan African University, Life and Earth Science Institute. The Ph.D. programme of Mr. KAMGA Marc Anselme is being funded by African Union Commission through his flagship institution Pan African University (PAU). The PAU seeks to nurture quality and exemplify excellence.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Management, Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (PAULESI), University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Marc Anselme Kamga

  2. Image Processing Laboratory (LTI), Institute of Geological and Mining Research (IRGM), Yaounde, Cameroon

    Salomon Cesar Nguemhe Fils

  3. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Moyosore Oladele Ayodele

  4. Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Charles Olufisayo Olatubara

  5. School of Wood, Water and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, Ebolowa Campus, Ebolowa, Cameroon

    Serge Nzali

  6. Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law, and Department of Economics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Adeola Adenikinju

  7. Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (ITT), Cologne University of Applied Sciences, 50679, Cologne, Germany

    Muhammad Khalifa

  8. Department of Geography, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, D-50923, Cologne, Germany

    Muhammad Khalifa

Authors
  1. Marc Anselme Kamga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Salomon Cesar Nguemhe Fils
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Moyosore Oladele Ayodele
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Charles Olufisayo Olatubara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Serge Nzali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Adeola Adenikinju
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Muhammad Khalifa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc Anselme Kamga.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kamga, M.A., Nguemhe Fils, S.C., Ayodele, M.O. et al. Evaluation of land use/land cover changes due to gold mining activities from 1987 to 2017 using landsat imagery, East Cameroon. GeoJournal 85, 1097–1114 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-019-10002-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-019-10002-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation