Application of Airborne Geophysical and ASTER Data for Hydrothermal Alteration Mapping in the Sar-Kuh Porphyry Copper Area, Kerman Province, Iran

Abstract

Known deposits are appropriate sites for investigating significant exploratory keys that could be helpful in mineral exploration in corresponding regions or similar areas. This study was performed to delineate hydrothermal alteration model and some geophysical characteristics of the SarKuh porphyry copper deposit located within the southern part of the central Iranian Cenozoic magmatic belt (CICMB). Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) im-ages have been used to produce hydrothermal alteration map using a fractal-aided spectral angle mapper (SAM) method. Airborne data were used to study magnet-ic-radiometric properties of the deposit. Image processing of ASTER images and la-boratory studies proved the presence of two types of phyllic ale ration called intense and weak phyllic based on abundance of sericite mineral. It realized that radiometric anomalies of 40 K, eTh and eU are limited to boundary of phyllic zone. Radiometric ratios e.g. eTh/ 40 K were good enough to enhance phyllic zone.