# Review of GIS-Based Applications for Mining: Planning, Operation, and Environmental Management
## 5 Environmental Management Using GISs
### Mine Rehabilitation Design  
Regarding mine rehabilitation design, studies performed using the GIS main functions of spatial modeling and analysis and decision support were reviewed. [PERSON] et al. [67] presented a methodology for combining spatial data on resources for coal mine reclamation and used the extrapolation of GIS analysis to prioritize a list of potential mine reclamation sites within the contiguous United States. They used four major spatial elements, namely dredged materials, abandoned mines, fly ash sources, and railroad data, such as that from the mine reclamation project in Bark Camp, Pennsylvania, USA, and also used GIS to prioritize areas where reclamation projects similar to Bark Camp are feasible. For each 1 km of the United States territory, GIS analysis identified unique occurrences of all four spatial elements within 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 km radii from abandoned mines [67]. Consequently, the number of mines abandoned and their location in each state in the United States were identified and visualized. The methodology presented in this study could be helpful for government officials to plan mine reclamation. [PERSON] et al. [68] presented a plan for the re-utilization of excavation based on the naturalistic and geographical conditions of the mining areas and their surroundings. As preparatory work, they characterized the research area with a topographic survey; established a geodetic control network with a global positioning system to describe the morphological features of the landscape; and performed three-dimensional analysis and geoprocessing using a commercial geographical system, such as GIS, and computer-aided design. The graphic data layers were then integrated with geological and morphological maps. This process helps to create and render virtual 3D environments for current, past, and future landscape development. [PERSON] et al. [69] developed ArcMine, a new GIS extension that can support reclamation projects in abandoned mining areas. ArcMine offers four main functions: the ability to assess the hazards of mine subsidence, estimate the erosion of mine waste, analyze the flow path of mine water on the surface, and identify tree species suitable for mine reforestation. They integrated topographical maps, geological maps, mine drift maps, and borehole data to set up a spatial database and examined the distributed mine hazards that were likely to damage the surrounding environment. It was demonstrated that the new GIS extensions developed in this study could provide useful information on mine hazards to support reclamation planning. [PERSON] et al. [70] proposed a spatial decision support system (SDSS) that minimizes problems such as the lack of data integration and time-consuming analysis caused by conventional methods in the reclamation plan of the mine. Based on binary integer linear programming models, the SDSS could solve these problems by integrating GIS with multiple-criteria decision-making methods. The SDSS also allows users to select appropriate land use in different parts of the post-mining area, taking into account social, technical, economic, environmental, and safety criteria. The proposed SDSS was used to carry out a case study regarding the selection of the optimal landscape reclamation strategy for the Amynteon lignite surface mine in Greece. The system showed that mining companies can efficiently determine the specific land use (agricultural land, forest, recreational area, and industrial zone) that is most suitable for each part of the research area. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [71] proposed a new method for quantitatively evaluating the impacts on the landscape during mine operation and the improvement achieved after rehabilitation of the mine site. They named the method Landscape Evaluation Tool for Open Pit Mine Design, which focuses on measuring two main parameters: the alteration of the topographic relief and the sensitivity of observation conditions, with both making use of GIS tools.