Studying the spatial evolution of the mining activity and its environmental impacts in Gafsa (Tunisia)
ISBN 978-85-88783-11-9
Authors
1Salhi, B.; 2Djellouli, Y.; 3Dhieb, M.; 4Messner, F.
1UNIVERSIY OF SFAX Email: bilel_salhi@hotmail.com
2PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Email: yamna.djellouli@univ-lemans.fr
3PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF SFAX Email: mohsendhieb2003@yahoo.fr
4UNIVERSIY OF MAINE Email: francois.messner@univ-lemans.fr
Abstract
The mining area of Gafsa (South West Tunisia) knew phosphates extraction and enrichment since the late 19th century. Since that period, the landscape of this region as well as the daily life of its inhabitants witness profound transformations. The social and economic developments of the region are closely related to the spatial evolution of industrial extraction and enrichment of phosphate work. First, an intensive extractive activity with its settlements marked profoundly this arid area. Second, a large part of the population was recruited and employed in this economic sector, whether in extraction or in related services. Third, there was a profound impact on the environment since the way this activity was conducted did not always meet the environmental standards. This phenomenon was particularly decried these last decades because of the intensification of the extraction and the vulnerability of the natural environment and the awareness of the NGO and the citizen. Based on a combination of GIS and the results of LANDSAT Images processing, our research has three goals: - mapping accurately the spatial evolution of mining, its infrastructure from 1987 to 2014; - Measuring and studying the effects of this evolution as the impact of mining on the environment, the contamination of the groundwater, and the pollution of the water system. -Examining the proposed given solutions and their ability to solve the environment issue.
Keywords
Mining area of Gafsa ; Environmental pollution; GIS and LANDSAT processing