| Citation: |
Lakhlifa Benaissi, Amraoui Tarek, Adnane Tobi, Hassan Ibouh, Khadra Zaid, Khalid Elamari, Mohamed Hibti, 2022. Geological mapping and mining prospecting in the Aouli inlier (Eastern Meseta, Morocco) based on remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS), China Geology, 5, 614-629. doi: 10.31035/cg2022035
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Geological mapping and mining prospecting in the Aouli inlier (Eastern Meseta, Morocco) based on remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS)
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Abstract
Landsat 8 Oli, ASTER, and Sentinel 2A satellite images processing was used to map geological formations, lineaments and hydrothermal alteration minerals in the Aouli inlier, as a case study to illustrate the application of digital images processing and Geographic Information System (GIS) in geological mapping and mining prospecting. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied to the Landsat images allowed good lithological discrimination and contributed to the updating of available geological maps. The Automatic lineament extraction from Sentinel images revealed the main tectonic structures affecting Aouli inlier. The ratio bands (b5+b7)/b6 and the false color composite (b4/b6, b2/b1, b3/b2) allowed the hydrothermal alteration minerals mapping from Aster images. Combined with available geological data and field observations, the satellite derived data were integrated and analyzed in a GIS software to establish mining prospecting guides. The results showed that the anomaly zones are intimately linked to NNE–SSW and NW–SE oriented faults and to highly fractured areas developing argillic and Fe rich alterations. Verified via field survey, this approach was successfully applied to the Aouli inlier to rapidly target potential areas to be explored in the tactical phase. This provides a model for future prospecting efforts for similar mineral deposits in other areas.
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Keywords:
- Remote sensing /
- GIS /
- Aouli inlier /
- Mining prospecting /
- Multi–criteria analysis
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References
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Lakhlifa Benaissi, Amraoui Tarek, Adnane Tobi, Hassan Ibouh, Khadra Zaid, Khalid Elamari, Mohamed Hibti, 2022. Geological mapping and mining prospecting in the Aouli inlier (Eastern Meseta, Morocco) based on remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS), China Geology, 5, 614-629. doi: 10.31035/cg2022035
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Figure 1.
Geological map of Aouli inlier (Margoum DA, 2015; Emberger A, 1965a, 1965b).
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Figure 2.
Geologic cross section NW–SE of Aouli inlier (Margoum DA, 2015. modified from Emberger A, 1965a, 1965b).
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Figure 3.
Flowchart of the methodology for processing satellite images.
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Figure 4.
PCA-derived image (RGB: PC1, PC2 and PC4) with overlaid geological vector layers (Lithological boundary in white). Sc1–Schists; Sc2–Hornfels; Gr1–Aouli granite; Gr2–El Hassir granitoid; Gr3–Biotite and muscovite granite; T1–Triassic Claystone; T2–Basalt; J–J2–Jurassic. C1–C2–Cretaceous.
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Figure 5.
Updated Geological map of Aouli inlier resulting from remote sensing interpretation, field survey and archive data (after Margoum DA, 2015).
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Figure 6.
Lineament map of the study area.
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Figure 7.
Lineament orientations in the basement; a–Rosacea of lineament orientations with an interval of 10°; b–frequency of lineament orientations (interval of 10°).
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Figure 8.
Lineaments density map.
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Figure 9.
Map of lineaments superposed to faults from data archive.
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Figure 10.
a–Lineament in the schist extracted from ACP5; b–schistosity trajectories (after Filali FO et al., 1999).
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Figure 11.
a–Schists; b–N30 fault; c–N45 fault zone; d–barite vein in the boundary between Palaeozoic schist and Triassic clay stones; e–rosacea of fractures measured in the field.
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Figure 12.
a–Subvertical Barite vein hosted in schist; b–Ba vein showing surface oxidation; c, g–mineralogy of the mineralization. Brt–barite; Gn–galena; Qtz–quartz; Fl–fluorite; Py–pyrite; Ccp–chalcopyrite; Mlc–malachite; Az–azurite; (h)–sample from the oxidation zone with goethite (Ght) and limonite (Lm).
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Figure 13.
Gossan ratio (b4/b2) highlighting Fe rich zones.
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Figure 14.
Aster (b5+b7)/b6 ratio highlighting Alunite, Kaolinite, Pyrophyllite rich zones.
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Figure 15.
ASTER hydrothermal component image (RGB: b5/b7, b3/b1 and b4/b3).
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Figure 16.
Superposition of the lineament and mineral alteration maps.
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Figure 17.
Superposition of ASTER hydrothermal image (RGB: b5/b7, b3/b1 and b4/b3) with ore veins.