Earth System Science Data
Earth System Science Data
Earth System Science Data
Articles | Volume 18, issue 9
Articles | Volume 18, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-6293-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-6293-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 18, issue 9
Data description article
 | 
01 Sep 2026
Data description article |  | 01 Sep 2026

Global surface mining and land reclamation of time series from 1985–2022

Sucheng Xu, Jiatong Zhou, Kechao Wang, Stefan Giljum, Victor Maus, Tim T. Werner, Liang Tang, Jiwang Guo, and Wu Xiao

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Latest update: 20 Sep 2026
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Short summary
Surface mining's global footprint is vast, but its history of damage and recovery was unclear. Our study presents the first global time series of surface mining and land reclamation from 1985–2022. Across 74 000 mines, we quantified over 40 596 km² of land disturbance, revealing that this damage has far outpaced reclamation efforts, especially in fragile ecosystems. This new dataset is crucial for monitoring land health and creating policies for more sustainable mining.
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