Lithium (medication)

Mineralogy

Cartography

Computer science

Spectral signature

Geology

Pegmatite

Geography

Internal medicine

RGB color model

Artificial intelligence

Remote sensing

Medicine

Bearing (navigation)

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation

Remote sensing has proved to be a powerful resource in geology capable of delineating target exploration areas for several deposit types. Only recently, these methodologies have been used for the detection of lithium (Li)-bearing pegmatites. This happened because of the growing importance and demand of Li for the construction of Li-ion batteries for electric cars. The objective of this study was to develop innovative and effective remote sensing methodologies capable of identifying Li-pegmatites through alteration mapping and through the direct identification of Li-bearing minerals. For that, cloud free Landsat-5, Landsat-8, Sentinel-2 and ASTER images with low vegetation coverage were used. The image processing methods included: RGB (red, green, blue) combinations, band ratios and selective principal component analysis (PCA). The study area of this work is the Fregeneda (Salamanca, Spain)-Almendra (Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Portugal) region, where different known types of Li-pegmatites have been mapped. This study proposes new RGB combinations, band ratios and subsets for selective PCA capable of differentiating the spectral signatures of the Li-bearing pegmatites from the spectral signatures of the host rocks. The potential and limitations of the methodologies proposed are discussed, but overall there is a great potential for the identification of Li-bearing pegmatites using remote sensing. The results obtained could be improved using sensors with a better spatial and spectral resolution.

Remote sensing data in lithium (Li) exploration: A new approach for the detection of Li-bearing pegmatites