An Evaluation of Eco-Environmental Quality Based on the Fused Remote Sensing Ecological Index (FRSEI) in the Jinjie Coal Mine Area, Northwest China

This study focused on the Jinjie mining area by addressing the severe resource and environmental issues arising from excessive coal mining in Shenmu County, Northwest China. Multi-source remote sensing data from GF-1 and Landsat 8 OLI were utilized in this study. Specifically, the fused remote sensing ecological index (FRSEI) was constructed to conduct a detailed evaluation and analysis of the eco-environmental quality in the mining area from 2013 to 2023. The results indicated that the overall eco-environmental quality of the Jinjie mining area exhibited a trend of initial improvement, followed by degradation, and then improvement again over the decade. The eco-environmental quality of the mine pits and their surrounding areas was significantly lower than the overall level, confirming the destructive impact of coal mining on the eco-environment. Meanwhile, as the study area, Shenmu County is actively utilizing coal mining subsidence areas to develop the photovoltaic power generation industry, aiming to achieve green and low-carbon transformation. Although the construction of photovoltaic power plants initially led to the degradation of the condition of vegetation and the FRSEI, both gradually improved after the plants were operational. Furthermore, by comparing the FRSEI with the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) calculated solely using Landsat 8 OLI data, we found a high degree of similarity between the two, thereby validating the stability and accuracy of the FRSEI. This study not only provides high-precision data support for eco-environmental monitoring in mining areas but also highlights the potential of multi-source remote sensing data fusion technology in improving monitoring accuracy, further providing a scientific basis for formulating sustainable development strategies specifically for the eco-environment in mining areas.