Numero Especial da Revista "Minerals"

Os professores José António Almeida (DCT, FCT NOVA) e Teresa Albuquerque (Politécnico de Castelo Branco) são editores convidados do volume especial "The 15th Anniversary of Minerals: Advanced Geostatistical Modeling and Multi-Source Data Integration for Mining-Related Environmental Pollution" da revista "Minerals" (MDPI):

Mining is essential for providing the raw materials required by modern societies. Nevertheless, even with improved extraction technologies and environmental management practices, active mining operations may still contribute to the dispersion of contaminants in soils, sediments, and water systems. In many regions, abandoned and legacy mines represent an even greater environmental challenge, often leading to persistent problems such as acid mine drainage and the continuous spread of potentially toxic elements.

Recent technologies have significantly improved our ability to study and monitor mining-related pollution. High-resolution instrumentation, including electron microscopy, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), and X-ray fluorescence and diffraction (XRF/XRD), allows detailed geochemical characterization of contamination. In parallel, automated monitoring systems and sensor networks enable continuous data collection and near-real-time environmental monitoring. Remote sensing technologies, such as drone-based surveys and multispectral or hyperspectral satellite imagery, also provide valuable spatial information for assessing environmental impacts over large areas.

Making effective use of these diverse and increasingly large datasets, often associated with Big Data, requires advanced analytical approaches. Multivariate and spatio-temporal geostatistical modeling, combined with simulation methods, machine learning, compositional statistics, and other data analysis techniques, can provide valuable insights into contaminant distribution, environmental processes, and their temporal evolution.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions that present new methods, approaches, and case studies related to the characterization, monitoring, and modeling of environmental contamination associated with mining activities.

Dr. José António de Almeida
Dr. Teresa Albuquerque
(Guest Editors)