Method to characterize soil contamination by mining through image processing

Problems in the soil are caused during the work done by the mining industry. There are claims from different communities because their crops, livestock, aquaculture and housing are threatened, impacting the health and economy of citizens. By analyzing the behavior of the soil through satellite images, it allowed analyzing the colors of the images to determine the characterization of the soil. An analysis of the wavelength associated with each band of the satellite missions was also carried out, resulting in, in places closer to the tailings, there is a greater presence of yellowish and roasted brown colors, representing uncovered soil, little or no vegetation . The geographical observation points were selected for the causes related to the characteristics of the investigation and because there is a technical report of contamination presented by the Municipality of Espinar. This research opens a new field to environmental monitoring and surveillance to assess the characterizations of soil behavior by applying the method consisting of 6 steps of band combination and a practical contribution that provides information on the mapping of vegetation for decision making. Environmental management.