Synergy of Remote Sensing Data for Exploring Hydrothermal Mineral Resources Using GIS-Based Fuzzy Logic Approach

Abstract

The Arabian Nubian Shield (ANS) contains a variety of gold deposits in the form of veins and veinlets formed by hydrothermal fluids. Characterizing potential areas of hydrothermal alteration zones therefore provides a significant tool for prospecting for hydrothermal gold deposits. In this study, we develop a model of exploration for hydrothermal mineral resources in an area located in the ANS, Egypt, using multiple criteria derived from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Landsat-Operational Land Imager (OLI), and Sentinel-2 data and field work through GIS-based fuzzy logic approach. The hydrothermal alteration zones (HAZs) map extracted from combining mineral indices, spectral bands, and ratios is consistent with observed argillic alteration zones around the mineralized veins. Combining HAZs and lineament density led to identification of six zones based on their mineralization potential, and provides a tool for successful reconnaissance prospecting for future hydrothermal mineral deposits. The detected zones are labeled as excellent, very high, high, moderate, low, and very low, based on their potential for Au production, and the predictive excellent and very high zones cover about 1.6% of the study area. This model also shows that target prospective zones are quartz veins controlled by NNW-SSE trending fracture/fault zones all crosscutting Precambrian rocks of the ANS. Field observations and petrographic and X-ray diffraction analyses were performed to validate the mineral prospective map and revealed that quartz veins consist of gold–sulfide mineralization (e.g., gold, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite). Consistency between the high potential hydrothermal alterations zones (HAZs) and the location of gold mineralization is achieved.

Multisensor Satellite Data and Field Studies for Unravelling the Structural Evolution and Gold Metallogeny of the Gerf Ophiolitic Nappe, Eastern Desert, Egypt

“…Abd El-Wahed et al [13] suggested that the gold mineralization-related shear zones in the Wadi Hodein area north of the present study are controlled basically by the major thrust faults and fractures which act as the favored channels for fluid migration. Therefore, the high-density lineaments/fractures are often localized close to mineralization zones [96]. The present study generated two maps to explore the close spatial relation between the structural elements, alteration zones, and gold occurrences in the study area.…”

Research on dynamic monitoring of green mine geological environment based on remote sensing and GIS technology

“…Remote sensing and GIS technology play an important role in the monitoring of surface subsidence in green mining areas, which can effectively extract and analyze the relevant information of land damage, occupation, restoration and management in mining areas. Specifically, the mining area land damage occupation can include stope, dump and industrial square, etc., while the mining area restoration management is mainly divided into vegetation restoration and construction photovoltaic two categories [4] . Through remote sensing and GIS technology, key information such as the distribution location, area and governance effect of these areas can be monitored.…”

Fuzzy-logic technique for gold mineralization prospecting using Landsat 9 OLI processing and fieldwork data in the Bibemi goldfield, north Cameroon

“…Delineating alteration regions and identifying mineral signatures are among the main goals of this research using satellite imagery [ 1 , 6 , 31 , 35 , 50 , 54 ]. To determine potential mineral reserves sites and alteration areas their quality must be defined [ 2 , 6 , 14 , 35 , 50 , 54 , 57 ]. This is because such a process is usually associated with the economic accumulation of metal ores such as copper (Cu), gold (Au), and silver (Ag).…”