Examples of using hyperspectral remote sensing technology for mineral resource evaluation and mining environment monitoring

During the past 20 years, it has witnessed a rapid development of hyperspectral remote sensing technology which has been a frontier method of remote sensing widely applied to various fields, of which mineral resource evaluation and mine environment monitoring are the most successful ones. Hyperspectral remote sensing is characterized by high resolution rate, by identification of mineral category, abundance and composition especially of those altered minerals closely linked to mineralization or pollution source, such technology can be used to effectively delineate hydrothermal mineralized alteration zone, and quantitatively and semi-quantitatively estimate relative alteration intensity and content of altered minerals, so as to conduct rock and mineral classification and mapping, which will be a guide for further geological prospecting and mine environment monitoring. This paper introduces basic principles of hyperspectral remote sensing used in related fields and has given a thorough developing progress of imaging spectroscopy. Then the authors specified some indicative examples in terms of porphyry copper, hydrothermal gold, oil and gas, kimberlite and ISL sandstone-type uranium deposits, as well as application in mine environment monitoring of generating and buffering acid from mine wastes.