IAPRS & SIS, Vol.34, Part 7, “Resource and Environmental Monitoring”, Hyderabad, India, 2002
APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING AND GIS TECHNIQUES FOR
MINERAL EXPLORATION IN PUR-BANERA ARFA, RAJASTHAN, INDIA
Ri Kuk-Hun°, S.K. Srivastav"', R.C. Lakhera^ and D.K. Jugran"
"Institute of Geology, Academy of Sciences, Kwahak-1Dong, Unjong Distr., Pyongyang, DPR Korea
"Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehra Dun, India — sksrivastav. ind ? yahoo.com,
rclakhera@rediffmail.com, dkjugran ? yahoo.com
KEY WORDS : Remote Sensing, GIS, Mineral Exploration, Base Metal, Landsat TM, IRS PAN
ABSTRACT:
Pur-Banera mineralized belt occurring in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan State, India is known for base metal (lead, zinc and
copper) mineralization. The present study has been carried out in this known mineralized belt to evaluate the efficacy of remote
sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques for mineral exploration and to explore the possibility of finding the
extension(s) of this known mineralized belt, if any, for detailed exploration follow-up. The IRS PAN and Landsat TM data have
been digitally processed to enhance the ferruginous quartzite, the host rock for base metal mineralization. Out of all the digital
enhancement techniques, the PAN-sharpened colour ratio composite of TM (3/1 5/4 and 5/7 2 R G B) has given the best result,
wherein the ferruginous quartzite, which is gossanised at places, appears in distinct reddish brown colour. The field investigations
carried out subsequently revealed the presence of ferruginous quartzite in the eastern outskirts of Bhilwara town, away from the
known mineralized belt. Chemical analysis of a rock sample collected at this location indicates high values of lead and zinc. An
attempt has been made to map the Apparent Thermal Inertia (ATI) to study the density of the rock formations vis-à-vis
mineralization based on the ground-based temperature measurements and TM thermal infrared data. GIS has been used to integrate
remote sensing, geological and geophysical datasets for locating mineral potential zones using the weights of evidence method. The
results have been compared with the existing data of this known mineralized belt. The study demonstrates that the remote sensing
and GIS could be used as effective complementary tools in mineral exploration.
1. INTRODUCTION
2. STUDY AREA
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS)
have emerged as time- and cost-effective techniques in recent
times for isolating the favorable zones of mineralization from
the unfavorable ones. While the synoptic and multispectral
nature of the remotely sensed satellite data helps to map the
host rock, geological structures and oxidized / hydrothermally
altered zones, the GIS facilitates integration of different types
of spatial datasets. The advanced GIS packages bridge the gap
between the traditional manual overlay approach and
mathematical methods using multivariate statistics and image
analysis (Bonham-Carter et al., 1988).
The present paper highlights the results a case study carried out
in Pur-Banera mineralized belt in the Bhilwara district of
Rajasthan State, India using remote sensing and GIS
techniques. Pur-Banera area is known for base metal
mineralization (lead, zinc and copper) and is a part of the 135
km long north-south trending mineralized belt from Banera in
the north to Bhinder in the south. Though, the occurrence of
base metal mineralization was reported as early as in early
1930s (Gupta, 1934), but systematic geological mapping of this
belt was undertaken by the Geological Survey of India (GSI)
during 1963-64 (Basu, 1971). Since then, it has been studied
and mapped by various geologists and geophysicists of GSI and
also other organizations (Raja Rao & Seth, 1977; AMSE, 1979;
Bakliwal et al., 1985; Patel, 1987; Mehta et al., 1994).
The present study has been carried out in this known
mineralized belt to evaluate the efficacy of remote sensing and
Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques for mineral
exploration and to explore the possibility of finding the
extension(s) of this known mineralized belt, if any, for detailed
exploration follow-up.
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The study area forms the middle and northern parts of the Pur-
Banera mineralized belt. It is covered in the Survey of India
(SOI) topographic map No. 45 K/11 and forms a part of the
Bhilwara district of the Rajasthan State, India. Apart from
Bhilwara, Pur, Mandal and Banera are some of the important
locations. Bhilwara is well connected through the rail & road
network. Physiographically, the mineralized belt consists of
alternate linear ridges and valleys trending NE-SW occurring
within the monotonous undulating plain. The elevation of the
study area varies from about 100m to 540m. The area is drained
by Kothari River and its tributaries, which are of ephemeral
nature.
3. DATA USED
The following data sets have been used in the present study —
IRS PAN (Path/Row-94/54, 11" Feb, 2001),
Landsat TM (Path/Row-148/42, 18" Jan, 2001),
Data of Temperature Measurement in the field and
Existing geological and geophysical maps and data.
4. GEOLOGY
The metasediments of argillaceous, arenaceous and calcareous
nature exposed in the Pur-Banera belt belong to the Pre-
Aravalli ‘Bhilwara Group’ of Raja Rao et al. (1971) or
‘Bhilwara Supergroup’ (older than 2500 Ma) of Gupta et al.
(1981). Basu (1971) and AMSE (1979) worked out the
stratigraphic succession of this belt. These metasediments were
presumably deposited in a intercratonic basin under restricted
circulation, the later phase of which promoted deposition of
