Hobet Mine over time, as seen from satellite imagery

This series of satellite images shows a coal mine in the Appalachian Mountains of southern West Virginia, first in 1984 when the total disturbed area was relatively small, then in 1998 when the mine had grown westward, and then in 2015, when mining ended, some vegetation recovery was visible from Landsat imagery as light green. 

Remote sensing is a great way to investigate mine lands, allowing researchers and managers to see how the land has changed over decades-long time spans and across the earth in a cost-effective way.