Multidisciplinary approaches to lithological discrimination and structural mapping for mineral resource assessment

Area of Science:

• Geology
• Geophysics
• Remote Sensing

Background:

• Understanding geological and structural controls is vital for sustainable resource exploration.
• The Gardan Ophiolitic Mélange (GOM) and Shait Granite Complex (SGC) in Egypt are key study areas.
• These areas represent tectonically complex terranes with potential mineralization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the geological and structural controls on mineralization in the Wadi Shait area.
• To integrate remote sensing and aeromagnetic data for detailed subsurface analysis.
• To identify structural patterns and their influence on gold and radioactive element distribution.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Sentinel-2 satellite imagery with FCCs, PCA, band ratios, and textural correlation.
• Employed high-resolution aeromagnetic data analysis with edge-detection filters (impTDX, STDR, FVD, HGM, TDR).
• Applied 3D Euler deconvolution and 3D magnetic modeling to determine fault depths and structures.

Main Results:

• Successfully discriminated lithological units and structural patterns using remote sensing.
• Identified a network of NW-SE, NE-SW, N-S, and E-W trending faults at depths of 124-782 m.
• Revealed NW-trending shear zones in the SGC linked to late orogenic tectonics.

Conclusions:

• The identified structures significantly control the distribution of gold and radioactive mineralization.
• Integration of remote sensing and aeromagnetic techniques is highly effective for complex terranes.
• This approach enhances understanding of lithological complexity, subsurface architecture, and mineral potential.