Mining in the Southern Ecuadorian Amazon: Hotspots analysis and regulatory efficiency

The Amazon hosts 40% of the world's rainforest, and its rivers represent 15% of the total fluvial discharge to the oceans. In Ecuador, this biome is the focus of socio-environmental conflicts due to the development of mining processes that affect Conservation Units and Indigenous Territories. This study proposes to explore the development of mining processes in the southern Ecuadorian Amazon, using land use and land cover data and spatial analysis tools to evaluate the efficiency of mining regulations and laws implemented during the last 15 years in Ecuador. The results revealed the mining projects, rivers, conservation units and indigenous territories where the most significant mining hotspots are located. The spatial analysis techniques of satellite data used in this study contribute to monitoring and tracking the progress of surface mining activities, providing a new perspective for assessing the impact of mining in areas where economic and socio-environmental interests converge.