Geochemistry

Adsorption

Lithology

Mineralogy

Muscovite

VNIR

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer

Digital elevation model

Seismology

Physical geography

Carbonate

Geology

Soil water

Paleontology

Organic chemistry

Quartz

Hydrothermal circulation

Geography

Alunite

Hyperspectral imaging

Soil science

Remote sensing

Goethite

Chemistry

Mineralization (soil science)

Sericite

Geocarto International

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and WorldView-3 (WV-3) satellite remote sensing data were used for mapping lithological units and hydrothermal alteration zones associated with Pb-Zn mineralization in the Kerman–Kashmar Tectonic Zone (KKTZ), Iran. The visible near infrared (VNIR), shortwave infrared (SWIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) bands of ASTER were used to map iron oxide/hydroxides, Al-OH minerals, Fe,Mg-OH minerals, quartz and carbonate minerals. The VNIR bands of WV-3 were used to discriminate Fe3+ and Fe2+ absorption intensities. Selective Principal Component analysis (SPCA), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), Linear Spectral Unmixing (LSU) and Automatic Lineament Extraction techniques were implemented. Lithological units were discriminated based on Al/Fe-OH, Fe2+/Fe3+ and Mg-Fe-OH/CO3 absorption properties. The spatial distribution of hematite, goethite, jarosite, gypsum, calcite, dolomite, kaolinite and muscovite were comprehensively detected. Some prospective zones were identified in the intersection of N-S, NW-SE and NE-SW trending fault systems, gossan, argillic/phyllic and dolomitic units.

ASTER and WorldView-3 satellite data for mapping lithology and alteration minerals associated with Pb-Zn mineralization