54 Eastern Activities of the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative

Sunday, 22 March 2020
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Lake Audubon

RARE-EARTH ELEMENTS MINERALS PLACER DEPOSITION MODELING FROM SATELLITE MULTISPECTRAL REMOTE SENSING IMAGING IN A SECTION OF NORTH CAROLINA’S NORTHERN FALL ZONE

Paper number: 54-11
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM

Authors

Abstract

The advent of multispectral satellite imaging has allowed surface mapping to be performed remotely. Using light wavelength ranges in both the visible and non-visible spectra, these images can be utilized to interpret surface lithologies and placer deposits. This study has used both combinations and ratios of spectra bands within the visible (0.45 µm - 0.67 µm), near infrared (0.85 µm – 0.88 µm), and shortwave infrared (1.57 µm – 2.29 µm) light wavelength ranges from imagery acquired by the medium-spatial-resolution capturing Operational Land Imager (OLI) onboard the Landsat 8 satellite (an Earth observation collaboration between NASA and USGS) in order to locate surface deposits of iron oxide- and hydroxyl-rich materials. In humid environments lateritic deposits are frequently associated with phosphate minerals such as monazite, which is one of the most abundant rare earth-bearing phosphate minerals. High-density siliciclastic minerals, such as zircon, have recently been observed in the coarse fractions of mined kaolins to be potential and significant sources of rare-earth elements (REE). By identifying areas rich in iron oxide- or hydroxyl-bearing minerals, then comparing these identified areas to other sources of lithologic data - including previously constructed geologic maps and drilling borehole records, this study anticipates aiding in locating areas of high potential for REE-bearing minerals recovery.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 52, No. 2

doi: 10.1130/abs/2020SE-344853

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