This shows the existing land use and land cover of the Northwest region of Ghana prior to exploration and illegal mining activities in the area. The 1990 land cover data would instigate keen observations about the trends of land cover and land use change and the dynamics of the change, which could be associated to either mining or unsustainable local exploitation of naturals resources in the area. Thus, the data gives a three decade landscape outlook of the area, which could be used as baseline data for monitoring and validating the environmental responsiveness of both small-scale and large-scale mining activities in the Northwest Mining Region of Ghana.

The 2010 land use and land cover data of the emerging Northwest mining region shows the current state of environmental conditions in the area, two decades after the Rio Conference, and how this has been impacted by illegal mining or quarrying or large-scale exploration activities in the area. This data could also be used to identify the gaps that need to be filled before the commencement of large-scale mining in the very nearest future. It is important to ask how this data could be used to inform relevant decision making on illegal mining in the area. The simple answer to the question is that environmental and land use impacts of the activities can be identified and mitigated, the presence and movement patterns of both illegal small-scale gold mining (galamsey) and large-scale mining can be tracked and estimate their environmental footprint using this data. Potential conflicts with regards to land use and concession encroachment could also be averted with these data.

The 2019 land cover data mark the biophysical state of the area, three decades after the Rio conference: (1) after the government of Ghana fight against galamsey (illegal artisanal small-scale gold mining), and (2) the initial environmental parameters for validating the environmental and social impact assessment reports prior to the finalisation of construction of large-scale mining sites waiting for commissioning. This data makes it possible to map the mining activities onto the Agenda 2030 SDGs, making it easy to take critically relevant decisions, track the activities of the large-scale operations as well as small-scale illegal mining operations, and mitigate the environmental hazards

This shows a decade landscape perspective of the emerging Northwest mining region after the Rio De Jeneiro Conference on Sustainable Development with a focus on environmental resources. This data would highlight the appreciable contributions of illegal mining and the begining of large-scale exploration activities in the area. The trends and patterns of these actitivities' interactions with biodiversity can be observed and monitored for impact remediation in the area. The environmental responsiveness and mining generating carbon stock concentrations can be monitored as well. The activities of illegal mining in relation to the environment, water and vegetation can be tracked and regulated.

The Generalized Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) is a modification of the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which has been proposed by Weicheng Wu (2014) for the assessment of dryland environments due to the inadequacy of the NDVI in these areas. The Generalised Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) of 2000 shows the trends and patterns of vegetation health and degradation in the area. The data further shows the elements contributing to the fast approaching dessertification of the area. The data further sets the baseline analysis and the amount of cost-benefit analysis that must be triggered in view of the fast approaching dessertification and looming large-scale mining in the Northwest Region of Ghana

The Generalized Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) is a modification of the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which has been proposed by Weicheng Wu (2014) for the assessment of dryland environments due to the inadequacy of the NDVI in these areas. The Generalised Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) 2019 highlights the effects of the Government of Ghana's fight against illegal mining on vegetation and 'blue mining'. These data can be used to monitor the health of vegetation before and after the fight against galamsey. Further, the data can be used to assess the success or failure of the combat against dessertation initiative of the government of Ghana in the Northwest region as against its approval for large-scale industrial mining in the same area

The Generalized Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) is a modification of the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which has been proposed by Weicheng Wu (2014) for the assessment of dryland environments due to the inadequacy of the NDVI in these areas. Indeed, this has been very appropriate and effective in mapping the vegetative cover of the Northwest region of Ghana, which is a semi-arid zone. The GNDVI of 1990 seeks to validate the land cover patterns that existed in the area with regard to biodiversity and land use. This data sets the baseline analysis of the emerging Northwest mining region of Ghana, which would enhance the monitoring of sustainable mining

The Generalized Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) is a modification of the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which has been proposed by Weicheng Wu (2014) for the assessment of dryland environments due to the inadequacy of the NDVI in these areas. The Generalised Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) 2010 presents a wider outlook of the environmental effects of illegal artisanal small-scale gold mining (galamsey) in the Northwest region of Ghana. However, vegetation displacement in the area cannot entirely be attributed to galamsey. There has been a fast urban growth that is leading to vegetation clearance. The question is, can the trends of urban growth and vegetation depletion be associated to illegal mining? These are some of the scientific questions that these data will help to address. This notwithstanding, how could the looming large-scale gold mining excerbate the observed trends of environmental and land cover change in the Northwest region of Ghana? These data help to address all these relevant questions.