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In the framework of the transition from coal mining to a revitalized post-mining space, the TRIM project aims to design a decision system, which allows agricultural and industrial development while contributing to recovering energy and materials from the coal waste mining dumps, with the lowest environmental risk possible. This contribution discusses the applicability of emerging spectral sensors and their incorporation into the standard geochemical and mineralogical characterization routines for waste material at different stages of an operative lignite mine in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. The importance of enhancing characterization methods lies in the early identification of the main Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) possible drivers and potential risk areas, in the efforts to mitigate adverse effects on the ecosystems and decide the best post-mining scenario after mining ceases. All the sensor data and a high-resolution spatiotemporal database will support an intelligent system to visualize dependent deformation and geochemical processes.