Enhancement of hydrothermal alteration zones using the spectral feature fitting method in Rabor area, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Rabor exploration area is in southeast of Kerman province, south of Urumieh-Dokhtar volcanic belt. Since there are many evidences of porphyry copper mineralization in this belt, prospecting and exploration of the intact and undiscovered places, especially the southern part of this belt, seems necessary. In this paper, use has been made of the “spectral feature fitting” (SFF) method to process ASTER satellite data (in Rabor exploratory area as a case study) for the identification and enhancement of hydrothermal alteration zones related to probable porphyry copper mineralization. The method is based on the comparison of absorption features in the image and the reference spectra. The distribution map of the indicator clay minerals, such as kaolinite, muscovite, illite, montmorillonite, alunite, pyrophyllite, dickite, chlorite, and epidote in Rabor exploratory area has been prepared with the help of this method. Identification and enhancement of alteration zones and overlaying Pay-Negin ore index on every individual zone reveal the capability and high efficiency of the SFF method in processing ASTER satellite data and preparing the distribution map of alteration minerals. Field and laboratory studies have shown that main alterations in this area are phyllic and argillic. These studies confirm the results obtained from remote sensing in the area.