Integration of SPOT-5 and ASTER satellite data for structural tracing and hydrothermal alteration mineral mapping: implications for Cu–Au prospecting

Ahmadirouhani, Reyhaneh; Karimpour, Mohammad Hassan; Rahimi, Behnam; Malekzadeh-Shafaroudi, Azadeh; Pour, Amin Beiranvand; Pradhan, Biswajeet

doi:10.1080/19479832.2018.1469548

Cited by 32 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 97 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Remote sensing has provided tools for geological exploration for almost four decades. Nowadays, many satellite remote sensing datasets are accessible freely and can be extensively used for mineral exploration projects [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Pb-Zn sulfide mineralization is typically associated with hydrothermal alteration zones, the contact boundaries of lithological units and structural features such as faults and fractures [5,[16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Landsat-8, Sentinel-2, ASTER and WorldView-3 Spectral Imagery for Exploration of Carbonate-Hosted Pb-Zn Deposits in the Central Iranian Terrane (CIT)

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The exploration of carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn mineralization is challenging due to the complex structural-geological settings and costly using geophysical and geochemical techniques. Hydrothermal alteration minerals and structural features are typically associated with this type of mineralization. Application of multi-sensor remote sensing satellite imagery as a fast and inexpensive tool for mapping alteration zones and lithological units associated with carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn deposits is worthwhile. Multiple sources of spectral data derived from different remote sensing sensors can be utilized for detailed mapping a variety of hydrothermal alteration minerals in the visible near infrared (VNIR) and the shortwave infrared (SWIR) regions. In this research, Landsat-8, Sentinel-2, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and WorldView-3 (WV-3) satellite remote sensing sensors were used for prospecting Zn-Pb mineralization in the central part of the Kashmar–Kerman Tectonic Zone (KKTZ), the Central Iranian Terrane (CIT). The KKTZ has high potential for hosting Pb-Zn mineralization due to its specific geodynamic conditions (folded and thrust belt) and the occurrence of large carbonate platforms. For the processing of the satellite remote sensing datasets, band ratios and principal component analysis (PCA) techniques were adopted and implemented. Fuzzy logic modeling was applied to integrate the thematic layers produced by image processing techniques for generating mineral prospectivity maps of the study area. The spatial distribution of iron oxide/hydroxides, hydroxyl-bearing and carbonate minerals and dolomite were mapped using specialized band ratios and analyzing eigenvector loadings of the PC images. Subsequently, mineral prospectivity maps of the study area were generated by fusing the selected PC thematic layers using fuzzy logic modeling. The most favorable/prospective zones for hydrothermal ore mineralizations and carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn mineralization in the study region were particularly mapped and indicated. Confusion matrix, field reconnaissance and laboratory analysis were carried out to verify the occurrence of alteration zones and highly prospective locations of carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn mineralization in the study area. Results indicate that the spectral data derived from multi-sensor remote sensing satellite datasets can be broadly used for generating remote sensing-based prospectivity maps for exploration of carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn mineralization in many metallogenic provinces around the world.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Landsat-8, Sentinel-2, ASTER and WorldView-3 Spectral Imagery for Exploration of Carbonate-Hosted Pb-Zn Deposits in the Central Iranian Terrane (CIT)

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Detailed spectral information on the mineralogy and geochemistry of rock types comprising the Earth's surface are provided by multispectral and hyperspectral remote sensing instruments, and this technology has been used for decades to map rocks, mineral assemblages, and weathering characteristics in different regions [9,10,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Mapping prospective zones of various types of the hydrothermal alteration minerals is one of the most important applications of remote sensing in the field of mineral exploration [11,[18][19][20][21][22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration of Selective Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Mineral Exploration Using ASTER Satellite Data

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There are a significant number of image processing methods that have been developed during the past decades for detecting anomalous areas, such as hydrothermal alteration zones, using satellite images. Among these methods, dimensionality reduction or transformation techniques are known to be a robust type of methods, which are helpful, as they reduce the extent of a study area at the initial stage of mineral exploration. Principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA), and minimum noise fraction (MNF) are the dimensionality reduction techniques known as multivariate statistical methods that convert a set of observed and correlated input variables into uncorrelated or independent components. In this study, these techniques were comprehensively compared and integrated, to show how they could be jointly applied in remote sensing data analysis for mapping hydrothermal alteration zones associated with epithermal Cu–Au deposits in the Toroud-Chahshirin range, Central Iran. These techniques were applied on specific subsets of the advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) spectral bands for mapping gossans and hydrothermal alteration zones, such as argillic, propylitic, and phyllic zones. The fuzzy logic model was used for integrating the most rational thematic layers derived from the transformation techniques, which led to an efficient remote sensing evidential layer for mineral prospectivity mapping. The results showed that ICA was a more robust technique for generating hydrothermal alteration thematic layers, compared to the other dimensionality reduction techniques. The capabilities of this technique in separating source signals from noise led to improved enhancement of geological features, such as specific alteration zones. In this investigation, several previously unmapped prospective zones were detected using the integrated hydrothermal alteration map and most of the known hydrothermal mineral occurrences showed a high prospectivity value. Fieldwork and laboratory analysis were conducted to validate the results and to verify new prospective zones in the study area, which indicated a good consistency with the remote sensing output. This study demonstrated that the integration of remote sensing-based alteration thematic layers derived from the transformation techniques is a reliable and low-cost approach for mineral prospectivity mapping in metallogenic provinces, at the reconnaissance stage of mineral exploration.

show abstract

“…Moreover, during the ore mineral precipitation processes, hydrothermal fluids react with the mineral constituents of lithological units they are passing and produce hydrothermal alteration zones with distinctive mineral assemblages [7]. The presence of intrusive rocks and hydrothermal alteration zones associated with polymetallic vein-type deposits provide an important guide for exploring this type of ore mineralization especially by the application of advanced satellite remote sensing data [8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) contains appropriate spectral and spatial resolution to detect spectral absorption features of hydrothermal alteration minerals and lithological units [10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. ASTER datasets can be used to identify and remotely map hydrothermal alteration zones associated with polymetallic vein-type ore deposits in vegetated regions and well-exposed terrain, especially in a semi-arid environment [8,9,17]. ASTER measures reflected radiation in three bands in the 0.52-to 0.86 µm (the visible and near-infrared (VNIR)), six bands in the 1.6-to 2.43 µm (the shortwave infrared (SWIR)), and five bands of emitted radiation in the 8.125-to 11.65 µm (the thermal infrared (TIR)) with 15, 30, and 90 meter resolution, respectively [18,19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mahanta and Maiti [8] used ASTER VNIR+SWIR spectral data for mapping alteration zones such as kaolinization, ferruginization, silicification, phosphatization, and sulphidation associated with the polymetallic vein-type mineralization in the South Purulia Shear Zone (SPSZ), East India. In a recent work, Ahmadirouhani et al [9] identified and mapped hydrothermal alteration zones, including propylitic, phyllic, argillic, and gossan with Cu-Fe-Au vein-type mineralization using ASTER VNIR+SWIR spectral bands in the Bajestan region, northern sector of the Lut Block, East Iran.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Comparison of Different Algorithms to Map Hydrothermal Alteration Zones Using ASTER Remote Sensing Data for Polymetallic Vein-Type Ore Exploration: Toroud–Chahshirin Magmatic Belt (TCMB), North Iran

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Polymetallic vein-type ores are important sources of precious metal and a principal type of orebody for various base-metals. In this research, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) remote sensing data were used for mapping hydrothermal alteration zones associated with epithermal polymetallic vein-type mineralization in the Toroud–Chahshirin Magmatic Belt (TCMB), North of Iran. The TCMB is the largest known goldfield and base metals province in the central-north of Iran. Propylitic, phyllic, argillic, and advanced argillic alteration and silicification zones are typically associated with Au-Cu, Ag, and/or Pb-Zn mineralization in the TCMB. Specialized image processing techniques, namely Selective Principal Component Analysis (SPCA), Band Ratio Matrix Transformation (BRMT), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) were implemented and compared to map hydrothermal alteration minerals at the pixel and sub-pixel levels. Subtle differences between altered and non-altered rocks and hydrothermal alteration mineral assemblages were detected and mapped in the study area. The SPCA and BRMT spectral transformation algorithms discriminated the propylitic, phyllic, argillic and advanced argillic alteration and silicification zones as well as lithological units. The SAM and MTMF spectral mapping algorithms detected spectrally dominated mineral groups such as muscovite/montmorillonite/illite, hematite/jarosite, and chlorite/epidote/calcite mineral assemblages, systematically. Comprehensive fieldwork and laboratory analysis, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), petrographic study, and spectroscopy were conducted in the study area for verifying the remote sensing outputs. Results indicate several high potential zones of epithermal polymetallic vein-type mineralization in the northeastern and southwestern parts of the study area, which can be considered for future systematic exploration programs. The approach used in this research has great implications for the exploration of epithermal polymetallic vein-type mineralization in other base metals provinces in Iran and semi-arid regions around the world.

show abstract

Integration of SPOT-5 and ASTER satellite data for structural tracing and hydrothermal alteration mineral mapping: implications for Cu–Au prospecting

Cited by 32 publications

References 97 publications

Application of Landsat-8, Sentinel-2, ASTER and WorldView-3 Spectral Imagery for Exploration of Carbonate-Hosted Pb-Zn Deposits in the Central Iranian Terrane (CIT)

Application of Landsat-8, Sentinel-2, ASTER and WorldView-3 Spectral Imagery for Exploration of Carbonate-Hosted Pb-Zn Deposits in the Central Iranian Terrane (CIT)

Integration of Selective Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Mineral Exploration Using ASTER Satellite Data

Comparison of Different Algorithms to Map Hydrothermal Alteration Zones Using ASTER Remote Sensing Data for Polymetallic Vein-Type Ore Exploration: Toroud–Chahshirin Magmatic Belt (TCMB), North Iran

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About