Datasets for geospatial Modelling of Potential Mining Impacts on Karst Aquifers and Surface Waters in Four Sub-Saharan African Countries

The study implemented a comparative geospatial framework integrating remote sensing, GIS-based spatial modelling, and hydrological landscape analysis. We assessed the proximity of mineral deposits to freshwater features, rivers, lakes, and karst zones, using Euclidean distance and spatial overlay methods. These metrics were synthesised into an Environmental Exposure Index (EEI) to identify hotspots of hydrological vulnerability. The dataset consists of Geospatial datasets were sourced from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), HydroSHEDS, and respective national geological surveys. Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) imagery (2022) was used to establish a multispectral baseline for land cover referencing and environmental validation. Mineral deposit coordinates were harmonised by aggregating spatial clusters using a centroid-based approach, reducing spatial redundancy, and standardising analytical units. Karst terrains were delineated from lithostratigraphic layers identifying carbonate-rich formations (e.g., dolomite, limestone), while hydrological features, including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, were mapped using high-resolution hydrographic shapefiles and validated against RS imagery and topographic overlays. The following dataset were used in the study; mineral deposits (USGS MRDS + national surveys); hydrography (HydroSHEDS + HydroLAKES); remote sensing imagery (Landsat 8 OLI 2022, optionally Sentinel-2); DEM/topography (SRTM, Copernicus DEM); geology/lithostratigraphy (national geological maps, OneGeology) and Administrative & ecological boundaries (GADM, WDPA) for four SSA countries, Tanzania, the DRC, Nigeria, and South Africa, were purposively selected based on the scale of mineral exploitation, ecological sensitivity, and representation of distinct hydrogeological regimes.