Use of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Mapping Land Cover Changes in Mining Areas in the Sertão of Paraíba

Introducion: Changes in land cover caused by open-pit mining have resulted in significant transformations in landscape structure and environmental balance. In the semiarid region of Paraíba, the extraction of ornamental rocks is a strategic economic activity, but it also generates direct impacts on local ecosystems, such as vegetation loss. Objective: The general objective of the study was to analyze the dynamics of land use and occupation in ornamental rock mining areas in the Sertão region of Paraíba, using NDVI in a time-space approach. Method: The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was applied as a remote sensing tool to assess environmental changes that occurred between 2017 and 2024 in municipalities in the Sertão region of Paraíba, where mining operations are active. Data were obtained from a public database for the months of November 2017 and November 2024. For each year analyzed, two scenes were required to cover the entire study area. Results and Discussion: The results revealed a dual pattern: while part of the area showed a sharp decrease in NDVI, indicating environmental degradation associated with anthropogenic pressure, other sectors showed an increase in NDVI values, evidencing natural regeneration processes or sustainable management actions. NDVI was found to be an efficient and low-cost indicator for monitoring environmental changes over time, supporting impact assessments, public land use planning policies, and practices for restoring degraded areas. Research Implications: The application of geotechnologies proves essential to reconcile the development of ornamental rock mining with the conservation of natural resources in the Paraíba semiarid region. Originality/Value: The article addresses the use of geotechnologies for the control and monitoring of mining areas, specifically ornamental rock mining in the state of Paraíba, a topic that has been little explored and has scarcely been studied.