ImpactMin will develop new methods and a corresponding toolset for the environmental impact monitoring of mining operations using Earth Observations. Novel technology will be proposed for the combined use of satellite remote sensing, aerial lightweight measurements and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The proposed methods will be validated at four demonstration sites in Sweden, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Romania and Russia. The theoretical advancement in science and technology will be made public knowledge with the help of a free multimedia e-learning programme whereas the tools and foreground knowledge will be commercialised by the participating SMEs. The scientific challenge is to use remote sensing technologies to develop cost-effective, reliable and repeatable approaches for monitoring the impact of mining activities on the environment through time, in order to identify, predict and prevent potentially serious consequences for the natural and human environment. On the one hand it is of great importance that the amount of detail obtained from these data sources is sufficient to monitor relatively small changes through time. On the other hand it is essential that the methods used are sufficiently flexible to operate under different circumstances at acceptable cost. The composition of project partnership and the selection of demonstration sites correspond to European interests in both accessing strategic minerals needed for the European economy and the need to monitor and control environmental pollution from these sources.