Abstract
Abstract. Studying the ophiolite complexes using multispectral remote sensing satellite data are interesting because of high diversity of minerals and the source of podiform chromitites. This research developed an approach to discriminate lithological units and detecting host rock of chromitite bodies within ophiolitic complexes using the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite data. Three main ophiolite complexes located in south of Iran have been selected for the study. Spectral transform techniques, including minimum noise fraction (MNF) and specialized band ratio were employed to detect different rock units and the identification of high-potential areas of chromite ore deposits within ophiolitic complexes. A specialized band ratio (4/1, 4/5, 4/7) of ASTER, MNF components and Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) on ASTER and Landsat TM data were used to distinguish ophiolitic rock units. Results show that the specialized band ratio was able to identify different rock units and serpentinized dunite as host rock of chromitites within ophiolitic complexes, appropriately. MNF components of ASTER and Landsat TM data were suitable to distinguish ophiolitic rock complexes at a regional scale. The integration of SAM and Feature Level Fusion (FLF) used in this investigation discriminated the ophiolitic rock units and prepared detailed geological map for the study area. Accordingly, high potential areas (serpentinite dunite) were identified in the study area for chromite exploration targets.The approach used in this research offers the image processing techniques as a robust, reliable, fast and cost-effective method for detecting serpentinized dunite as host rock of chromitite bodies within vast ophiolite complexes using ASTER and Landsat TM satellite data.
Highlights
Recent development of multi-spectral remote sensing satellite systems, such as the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) sensors, offer geologists a potentially costeffective alternative to expensive and time-consuming regional mineral exploration and geological mapping
The results showed that the mafic and ultra-mafic rock units are detected as light brownish hue, coloured mélange complex and serpentinit dunite as host rock of chromite and magnesite as light blue tone, glaucophan and amphibolite schist as green color and vegetated region appears as pink color in the study area (Figure 4)
The identification of different lithologhies and detection of host rock of chromitites in ophiolitic complexes were carried out using ASTER and Landsat TM data in the Esfandaghe region, south of Iran
Summary
Recent development of multi-spectral remote sensing satellite systems, such as the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) sensors, offer geologists a potentially costeffective alternative to expensive and time-consuming regional mineral exploration and geological mapping. Remote sensing satellite data are very useful for mapping ophiolitic rock complexes These complexes offer high mineral diversity and are extensively scattered, they are difficult to access because of their geographic and geological positions. Podiform chromitites typically occur as lenticular or podshaped bodies, a few meters or tens of meters in length, which are hosted in depleted peridotites of presumed mantle origin. These bodies are individually small but, where abundant they form large-scale chromitite deposits. The discrimination and mapping of serpentinized dunite in the ophiolitic complexes is quite interesting for chromite exploration plans
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