The Use of Remote Sensing Technology in Geological Investigation and Mineral Detection in Ban Vang area, Kham District, Xieng Khoang Province, Laos

Abstract

Ban Vang area, Kham District, Xieng Khouang province, Laos is interested by many geologists. Remote sensing analytical results have identified some prospective mineral areas. One of them is the Ban Vang area. On that basis, Indochina Mining Joint Venture Company (IMC) cooperated with the Northwest Geological Division (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam) to conduct mineral exploration in the Ban Vang area. The research results suggest that the Ban Vang area, Kham District, Xieng Khouang province, Laos has 2 iron ore bodies, 3 copper ore bodies, and potential ore outcrops. The Fe content of the iron orebodies varied from 28.5% to 58.7%. The ore-bearing rocks and the adjoining rocks are gray skarns having a solid structure with the main mineral composition of pyroxene and garnet. The copper content of the copper orebodies ranged from 0.14% to 5.59%. Copper ore bodies’ bedding is inclined to the west with a dip angle from 55o to 85o and thickness from 0.7m to 20.59m. The ore-bearing rocks and adjoining rocks are gray metamorphic rocks (skarn) with massive structure, granule, panidiomorphic, and grain textures. The mineral composition is mainly garnet and pyroxene. This article introduces remote sensing applications of mineral search in the Ban Vang area. The mineral search was conducted by the Northwest Geological Division. In this project, the author is a supervisor of the IMC Company.