Multi-temporal satellite mapping of coal mine expansion and forest loss in the Hasdeo Arand Forest, India

Abstract Open-cast coal mining in forested regions presents a persistent sustainability challenge, as cumulative physical disturbance often unfolds incrementally and remains poorly captured by administrative clearance records. This case study presents a mine-scale, time-resolved reconstruction of surface expansion at the Parsa East and Kente Basan (PEKB) open-cast coal mine, located within the ecologically sensitive Hasdeo Arand forest of central India. The objective is to reconstruct the year-by-year growth of a single open-cast mine and quantify associated forest conversion over time. Using multi-temporal satellite imagery (Landsat 8 and PlanetScope) and consistent visual-interpretation, we delineated annual changes in the mine’s surface footprint and estimated forest-to-mine conversion between 2013 and 2025. Results show that the mine footprint expanded from 218 hectares in 2013 to 1,389 hectares by mid-2025. Over the same period, approximately 1,013 hectares of closed-canopy forest were converted, such that 73% of the final footprint overlapped land that was forested at the outset. Expansion occurred in distinct phases, including a period of rapid lateral growth, a temporary slowdown, and renewed acceleration after 2023. By documenting how a legally approved mine physically expands through forested terrain over time, this study demonstrates the value of mine-level, time-resolved satellite reconstruction for revealing cumulative environmental transformation that is obscured in aggregated land-use statistics. Such approaches provide an independent spatial basis for post-clearance monitoring, cumulative impact assessment, and environmental accountability in mining-affected forest landscapes.