Satellite data for mine site and rehabilitation monitoring in Australia
By Mazdak Ghasemi · Last checked 22 October 2026
Which satellite data is best for monitoring mine sites and rehabilitation?
Optical imagery to track bare ground and vegetation recovery, and radar interferometry (InSAR) for ground movement. Geoscience Australia shows mine rehabilitation tracked with Landsat-based Fractional Cover, where less bare ground and more vegetation can indicate positive rehabilitation. Its InSAR and GPS work in the Southern Coalfields detected decimetre-scale movements above longwall coal mines.
Which data to use
| Data | Resolution | Revisit | Record | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentinel-2 | 10 m | 5 days | From June 2015 | Disturbance and vegetation recovery |
| DEA Fractional Cover | 30 m | Updated daily | From August 1986 | Bare ground, green and dry vegetation over time |
| Landsat 8 and 9 | 30 m | 16 days each, 8 together | From 2013 | Change since 2013, consistent with the archive |
| Sentinel-1 radar | 10 m pixels | 6 days | From April 2014 | Ground movement with InSAR |
| ASTER visible and near-infrared | 15 m | 16 days | From 2000 | Vegetation detail; its shortwave infrared failed in 2008 |
How it is done
- Set a baseline from imagery before disturbance or before rehabilitation began.
- Track bare ground and vegetation over time, for example with Fractional Cover.
- Use radar interferometry where subsidence or the stability of waste dumps and tailings matters, and check results against site surveys.
Limits to know
- Regulators may require certified survey data; NSW's rules for large-mine rehabilitation plans ask for a satellite basemap but do not set satellite monitoring methods.
- Europe's ground motion service found InSAR effective for mining but limited over active dumping and excavation and for fast motion.
- ASTER's shortwave infrared stopped working in 2008 and its thermal instrument was switched off in January 2026; only its visible and near-infrared camera still collects.
- Optical imagery needs cloud-free scenes.
Who does this in practice
- Geoscience Australia's Digital Earth Australia shows mine rehabilitation tracked with Landsat-derived Fractional Cover.
- Geoscience Australia combined InSAR and GPS to detect ground movement above longwall coal mines in NSW's Southern Coalfields.
- The European Ground Motion Service's validation found Sentinel-1 InSAR effective for ground motion at open-pit and underground mines.
What Terrascout returns
The real result for “Monitor mine rehabilitation near Emerald QLD every month” (Emerald, QLD), captured on 22 October 2026: the top 3 of 6 sources.
| # | Source | Type | Resolution | Cost | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sentinel-2 MSI | Optical | 10 m | No data fee | 94 |
| 2 | ASTER | Optical | 15 m | No data fee | 84 |
| 3 | Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS | Optical | 30 m | No data fee | 80 |