Discovering of high potential zones for gold mineralization using remote sensing satellite data: Mersing, Johor Bahru, SE Malaysia

Abstract

Mersing is a highly prospective region for gold mineralization in the state of Johor Bahru, which is located on the south-eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The Malaysian Geological Survey identified a widespread geochemical anomaly that follows the north-west regional structural trend running for more than 30 kilometres, commencing near the beach at Kampung Sri Pantai running inland toward the Mersing town. The presence of widespread quartz veining within the highly deformed metasediments, sulphide mineralization and free gold showing in the vein material, and the evidence of substantial alluvial mining and processing activities indicate that the Mersing region has potential to host primary gold mineralization. To date, the area has not been systematically explored using recent remote sensing technology and geological investigations for its primary gold potential and no production details are available. Whilst there are few geological studies in the Mersing, comprehensive remote sensing investigation for identification of high potential zones of gold mineralization in this region is largely lacking. In this study, the application of recently launched remote sensing data such as Sentinel-1and Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS data for locating high potential zones for gold mineralization in Mersing region have been evaluated. High potential zones of gold mineralization associated with the intersection of N-S, NE-SW, NNW-SSE and ESE-WNW faults and curvilinear features in shearing and alteration zones were detected and accurate and up to date structural and geological maps for the region were produced. Results indicate that systematic image processing techniques could be implemented to recently launched satellite data for geological structures and lineament analysis and hydrothermal alteration mapping at both regional and district scales. This investigation provided useful information for gold discovery in tropical environments using integration of remote sensing satellite data.