## 1 Introduction  
Land use has been one of the main drivers of landscape transformations over the years, with human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and mining exerting significant pressure on natural ecosystems. In this context, remote sensing technologies have emerged as crucial tools for mapping and monitoring these changes, providing essential data for the sustainable management of natural resources. Areas under the influence of mining are regions densely occupied by enterprises or exploited lands, often marked by intense conflicts between economic interests and environmental protection [1]. According to [PERSON] et al. [2], the impacts of mineral extraction from surface or underground mining methods include continuous deformations, large-scale land leveling, groundwater depletion, soil and groundwater contamination, and dust pollution. All these effects can negatively influence the preservation of vegetation within and around the mining area. In this context, robust analysis of social and environmental data at local and regional scales is essential for regulators and mining companies to identify, monitor, mitigate, and sustainably manage the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of mining [3]. Mining has been one of the main landscape transformation agents over the years. Estimates suggest that mining and quarrying activities have altered approximately 0.3 to 0.8 million square kilometers of land worldwide, and this trend continues to grow [4; 5]. However, existing research highlights gaps related to understanding the specific impacts of mining in semi-arid areas, where the effects of soil degradation, water contamination, and deforestation are exacerbated by adverse climatic conditions [6; 7]. In the case of gold mining near protected areas in South America, significant deforestation has occurred, driven by the rise in gold prices during the global economic crisis of 2008 [8; 9; 10]. In Northeastern Brazil, mining activities have been identified as a catalyst for environmental degradation, affecting soil quality, water resources, biodiversity, and human health [11; 12]. Changes associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in the landscape (roads and airstrips) typically include deforestation to access gold deposits and settlements [13]. Unregulated mineral processing also leads to soil and water body pollution by heavy metals, especially increased mercury levels [14; 15; 16]. The National Mining Agency (ANM) highlights the importance of the region for mineral production in Brazil, with Pernambuco being a small center for gold exploration [11], Brazilian legislation, including the National Environmental Policy (Law No. 6.938/81), the Mining Code (Decree-Law No. 227/1967), and Federal Decree No. 97.632/1989, which regulates the Degraded Area Recovery Plan (PRAD), emphasizes the need for responsible mining practices to minimize negative impacts on the environment and local communities [17]. Mining activities impact land cover, vegetation, and soil properties, requiring effective monitoring approaches [18]. The growing interest in monitoring illegal mining activities through remote sensing (RS) is a response to the increasing environmental and socioeconomic impacts these activities pose globally [19]. [PERSON] et al. [20] presented a socio-environmental approach to unregulated mining in various ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of RS techniques in mitigating these environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of gold mining, such as water pollution and land degradation, are well-detected using RS data and techniques. Therefore, their use providessubstantial benefits for detecting, mapping, and monitoring gold mining activities and their effects, especially those associated with local mining [21]. Images from different satellites with medium and high spatial resolutions have been used to identify various mining activities and their environmental impacts on the Earth's surface. According to [PERSON] et al.