Sustainable Earth Monitoring: Geospatial Analysis for Assessing Environmental Impacts in Moroccan Phosphate Mining

This thesis investigates the environmental implications of phosphate mining in Morocco’s Khouribga region. Phosphate rock is essential for agriculture, industry, and emerging technologies due to its high phosphorus content and the presence of rare earth elements (REE) and uranium. However, the mining processes release dust and tailings containing potentially toxic metals (PTMs), including cadmium and chromium, which contaminate soil, water, and air, posing risks to ecosystems and human health. The study leverages remote sensing technologies, EMIT and ECOSTRESS sensors, to evaluate mineral distributions and environmental impacts in Morocco’s Khouribga phosphate mining region. EMIT’s hyperspectral imaging captures unique spectral features of minerals, while ECOSTRESS, is repurposed here to differentiate critical minerals like quartz and apatite. Together, these sensors facilitate mineral detection in challenging conditions by addressing issues like overlapping or featureless spectral responses in certain SWIR wavelengths, allowing for a more detailed understanding of mineral presence and distribution across the mining landscape. Using the Modified Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) and Albedo indices, a multi-temporal analysis spanning over 40 years reveals significant environmental changes in the Khouribga phosphate mine area. This analysis highlights a marked progression from mild to severe desertification, particularly in regions experiencing intensive mining activities, characterized by a decline in vegetation cover and an increase in barren land. The study employs NDVI to monitor both seasonal and long-term dynamics in response to mining. These indices indicate recurring patterns of vegetation decline and recovery, emphasizing the environmental pressures exerted by mining operations. These findings highlight the importance of sustainable mining practices like reforestation and erosion control to reduce environmental degradation and enhance ecosystem resilience. This research provides a framework for using remote sensing to monitor mining impacts, guiding land management strategies that balance resource extraction with sustainability in semi-arid mining regions.