Abstract
The integration of the ASTER image processing and the airborne spectrometric Gamma-Ray interpretation helped in identifying the types and illustrating the distributions of the probable sites for radioactive mineralization at the Gabal Abu Garadi area. Appling various techniques of image processing for Landsat OLI and ASTER satellite to discrimination the differently exposed rock units and extract major and minor structural lineaments. This study resulted that the ASTER VNIR-SWIR bands are effectively used for clarifying the sericite, kaolinite, chlorite, illite and hematite bearing alteration zones, whereas the ASTER TIR bands are most effective in delineation of the silica-rich zones which could be pathfinders for radioactive mineralization within the study area. The resultant alteration maps show good coincidence with the explored uranium sites and suggest further similar unexplored sites. The predominance of low eTh/eU= 1.31 indicates U mobilization and reveals that magmatic differentiation was not the sole process responsible for the concentration of these radioactive elements in the Abu Gradi area. Where the presence of adequate structures such as shear zones and fault planes facilitates the circulation of hydrothermal fluids and meteoric waters leading to mobilization and a redistribution of uranium. This paper could assist the principals of uranium exploration techniques.
Highlights
Granitiod rocks cover meny localities at Eastern Desert of Egypt
These techniques were used successfully in lithological discrimination of uranium-bearing granites, in addition to characterization and mapping the hydrothermal alteration zones that usually help in localization of uranium mineralization
Spectrometry data in VNIR, SWIR and TIR spectral regions through different image classification methods reveal the following spectral characteristics for younger granites: ASTER RGB bands 7, 5, 2 color composite image showed good contrast between the granitic rocks and their country rocks within the studied areas, ASTER band ratio 8/5, 5/4, 7/8 showed the best false-color composite image with Optimum Index Factor (OIF = 68.03) in mapping the different rock units of the study area, where it could discriminate the granitic rocks from the country rocks and succeed in delineate the contact between different types of granites, metasedements and volcanics in Gabal Abu Garadi area
Summary
Gabal Abu Garadi granitic rocks are important plutons in the studied district as they could be promising sites for radioactive minerals. The Nuclear Materials Authority of Egypt (NMA) surveyed most of the granitic plutons for the purpose of identification and registration of the most important radioactive localities in Egypt. El-Said, M, et Al., [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] and [8], applied the Processing of Multispectral ASTER Data for Mapping Alteration Minerals Zones: As an Aid for Uranium Exploration in Elmissikat-Eleridiya Granites, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Eastern Desert, Egypt and Salem et, al. [10]
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