Evaluation of Opencast Mining‐Induced Ecological Cumulative Impacts in China From 2000 to 2022

ABSTRACT Opencast mining causes severe damage to the regional ecological environment. Accurately assessing its Ecological Cumulative Effects (ECE) is crucial for identifying the extent of destruction and reducing costs associated with subsequent land reclamation and ecological restoration. In this study, we conducted a quantitative analysis of ECE in opencast mining regions across China from 2000 to 2022. First, based on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time‐series data and the LandTrendr algorithm, we identified mining disturbance and reclamation situations and analyzed their spatiotemporal variation characteristics in opencast mining regions at the pixel scale. Subsequently, combining the identified results with the land use type data, we quantified ECE based on the Ecosystem Service Value (ESV) under both ideal and real conditions. Finally, we analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics of ECE in China. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2022, the total disturbance area in opencast mining regions reached 8803.80 km 2 . The total reclamation area amounted to 1741.55 km 2 , accounting for 19.78% of the total disturbance area. The annual reclamation area surpassed the disturbance area after 2019. At the provincial level, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region showed the largest disturbance area (2646.06 km 2 ). (2) Liaoning province exhibited the most severe ECE loss (1,426,306.74 RMB/km 2 ), followed by Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hebei, and Shanxi provinces. Among economic zones and climate types, the northeastern zone and Temperate Monsoon (TM) climate demonstrated the highest ECE loss (2,046,731.09RMB/km 2 and 3,790,849.86RMB/km 2 , respectively). (3) At the county scale, ECE exhibited positive spatial autocorrelation. High‐high cluster and low‐high cluster were predominantly distributed in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Liaoning, Hebei, and Shanxi provinces, with low‐high cluster encircling high‐high cluster. Low‐low cluster was mainly located in western China. This study provides crucial insights for comprehensive understanding of the ecological environmental evolution in opencast mining regions, while offering scientific foundations for formulating future ecological protection and restoration strategies.