Interpretation analysis of mineral potential targets based on ETM+ data and GIS technology: A case study of copper and gold mineralization in Myanmar

The extraction of mineralization-alteration and structure information by using remote sensing data and geographical Information System (GIS) technology plays an important role in mineral resources prospecting and assessment. Choosing a copper and gold mine in Myanmar as an example, the authors adopt band ratio, threshold segmentation and principal component analysis (PCA) to extract the hydroxyl alteration information using ETM+ remote sensing images. Digital elevation model (DEM) (30m spatial resolution) and ETM+ data are used to extract linear and circular faults that are associated with copper and gold mineralization. Combining geological data with the above information, the authors use weight of evidence and fractal method to integrate and identify the favorable ore-forming zones in this area. The research results show that the known copper and gold deposits are located within high grade potential targets, and the integrated information can be used to the mineral resources decision-making for further exploration.