Use of multiscalar processing of remotely sensed data in Kalan fracturation networks, west Kalimantan, Indonesia, for future mineralisations research

Abstract

The Kalan area is located on the northern margin of the Schwaner Mountains. Its regional geology comprises essentially more or less metamorphosed Permo-Carboniferous sedimentary rocks about 3000–4000 m thick which make up a metasilt, metapelite and meta-argillite series surrounded by a tonalitic complex. These were affected by at least two main periods of tectonic deformation. The first was a plastic deformation that formed the schistosity in the metapelite, the fracture cleavage in the metasilt and the regional folding with the N70°E axial direction which plunges 30°NE and strikes N50°E/50°S. There is also uranium mineralisation in the fractures and schistosity. The second was a brittle deformation that did not cause any extensive bed sliding, fracture or schistosity displacements. However, the regularity of fractures and faults patterns of this area revealed by the present young relief and morphology is visible on remote sensing, pictures in spite of a thick cover of equatorial forest. The 4 direction systems, from tens to thousand of meters long, visible on aerial photographs and satellite images, give various networks of fractures in different lithologies that are measurable in the field. Generally, these tectonic accidents are superimposed on the drainage pattern. The reorganisation of these systems observed on the ERST image analysis might be the result of a large, N40–N50°E, sinistral strike-slip fault, called the Kalan alignment. Another remote sensing method applied to the Landsat scene with the path row number 120-60 LS4 has revealed more details in several sectors. Their combination with the field tectonic analysis provides an improved base document for mineral research.