Sub-pixel mapping of the alteration minerals using aster data, a case study from the central part of Dehaj-Sarduiyeh copper belt, SE Kerman, Iran

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to map different types of alteration minerals. The study area is situated at the Central Iranian Volcano-Sedimentary Complex, where the large copper deposit of Sarcheshmeh as well as numerous occurrences of copper exist. The spectra of diagnostic alteration minerals sericite, alunite, kaolinite, chlorite and jarosite, extracted from the visible near infrared and shortwave infrared (VNIR-SWIR) bands of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) imagery, were used for mineral identification through mixture tuned matched filtering (MTMF) algorithm. Results showed that alteration minerals and gossans were discriminated from the surrounding areas which illustrate the ASTER ability to provide information on alteration minerals which are valuable for mineral exploration and support the role of MTMF as a very effective image processing technique for mineral mapping.