Description

Epithermal systems are important sources for mineral commodities, such as gold. Many of the hydrothermal minerals that are also present in these systems have a spectral signature in the infrared and can be detected. Most commonly, the short-wave infrared is applied for studying these minerals and it gives a good indication of the geometry od the system. Some minerals, like quartz, occur in the central part of the alteration system and can be a good indicator for fluid pathways that brought in mineralized fluids, but cannot be detected with the shortwave-infrared alone and require a combination with the thermal infared (or longwave infrared).

Objectives and Methodology

In 2020, ITC MSc student Bruno Portela has studied an epithermal system in Nevada with the help of short-wave infrared imagery. His results are currently being published in Ore Geology Reviews. As part of this research you will take the information that Bruno has created with the SWIR data, and combine it with LWIR information that you create yourself. You will use airborne hyperspectral images at a very high spatial resolution, as well as laboratory-based images of thinksection billets that were measured in conjunction with Oregon State University.

Further reading

- MSc Thesis Bruno Vergilio Portela (2020)
- Portela et al. (in press) Using hyperspectral imagery for identification of pyrophyllite-muscovite intergrowths and alunite in the shallow epithermal environment of the Yerington porphyry copper district. Ore Geology Reviews