The use of GIS and remote sensing is gathering momentum in Environmental monitoring and act as very important tools for analyzing and displaying Data. Of Particular significance is the ability to use satellite images to make an analysis. This capability is used in this Study.

Mining has been the blood line in Chingola on the Copperbelt province of Zambia. After 110 years of mining activities operations both Underground and in the Open pit is due to come to an End in the next 5 to 10 years.

This Study highlights the way forward after the operations,The study also aims at analysing the Social,Economic and Enviromental well being of the town by linking the people to information and Technology.

The Study raises serious questions as regards to the future of the town and its 350 000 inhabitants.

The Impact of Mining activities and influx of People in this Town is Mapped using Landsat MSS,ETM and ETM+ images. Changes in this study area have been traced over a period of 30 years and have been assesed by Landscape patch analysis. Results show that the landscape patches have become smaller in size and the natural land cover Miomba wood land is increasingly fragmented posing a threat to biodiversity and the wellbeing of the animals and the people.

Supervised classification method is used in this study. Finally, thematic maps of these areas are created by using appropriate visualization techniques(IDRISI) and the study results are presented in Adop flash Map design.

Key words: Miomba wood land, Copperbelt, Chingola, Zambia, Nchanga, remote sensing, GIS, Environmental impact ,Mining

Operating principles:

• Results Oriented
• Local in approach
• Multi Disciplinary
• Masters Thesis

Primary Recipient:

University of Helsinki-Faculty of Science,Department of Geography, Kumpula campus,Helsinki,Finland

About Paul Eliphas Zulu

Paul is due to defend his Masters thesis in Geographic Information Systems at The University of Helsinki in Finland.(15th May 2010)

Before joining the University of Helsinki, Paul worked as a Mine Surveyor on the copperbelt province of Zambia.He spent 7 years applying his Surveying Skills in some of the most complex and depest Underground Mines and one of the Largest Open Pit Mine In the world.He is conversant with the latest Total stations GPS AND Mining Software(Surpac+Autocad.He started from Nkana Division,Kitwe and later moved on to Nchanga Division in Chingola.He also did a stinct at Luanshya Division in the Mining systems department He also spent two years at Mufulira Division under mopani copper Mines/Classic Miners contractors.(2006-2008)

Paul received a Masters degree in Mathematics and Informatics from The Moscow state regional University(Russia) and a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Physics from Kolomna Teachers training Institute(Russia) and a Diploma from the Copperbelt University (Zambia). While in Russia Paul was employed by the Shurova Cement Company as an English Teacher. He is Highly adaptable and Diversified.He is fluent in Both English and Russian.

www.paulzulu.com