Analysis of the potential of natural stone produced in the Mugla region and the environmental impact of quarries using GIS and remote sensing technologies

Marble quarrying is an ongoing activity in Turkey since ancient times. Mugla region in western Turkey plays an especially important role in the nation?s marble production.Besides the significance of Mugla marbles, research about the changes to vegetation incurred by quarrying practices becomes a subject needing to be studied alongside the contemporary increase of environmental awareness.In this study, an inventory of natural stones classified by the data gathered from laboratory experiments conducted with samples taken during field work is established.In addition, this thesis examines the areal changes of marble quarries as well as the consequential changes in vegetation over the years. For research, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) technologies were used to determine the environmental impacts of the quarries. Mine permit coordinates obtained from MIGEM (General Directorate of Mining Affairs) were used to locate the quarries, and satellite images taken between 1997 and 2009 provide the data source of this project.