Mapping Hydrothermal Alteration Targets from Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS and Magnetic Data Using Digital Image Processing Techniques in Garoua, North Cameroon

Quentin Marc Anaba Fotze^{1, 2,} , Anatole Eugene Djieto Lordon¹, Joseph Penaye², Jean Paul Sep² and Mary Immaculate Neh Fru^{1, 2}

¹Department of Geology, University of Buea, P.O Box 63 Buea, Cameroon

²Centre for Geological and Mining Research, P.O Box 333 Garoua, Cameroon

Cite this paper

Quentin Marc Anaba Fotze, Anatole Eugene Djieto Lordon, Joseph Penaye, Jean Paul Sep and Mary Immaculate Neh Fru. Mapping Hydrothermal Alteration Targets from Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS and Magnetic Data Using Digital Image Processing Techniques in Garoua, North Cameroon. Journal of Geosciences and Geomatics. 2019; 7(1):28-41. doi: 10.12691/JGG-7-1-4

Abstract

A geological based remote sensing study was carried out over the Poli group in Garoua (northern Cameroon), renowned for its hydrothermally occurring mineralizations (Gold and Uranium). In this study, Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS coupled with magnetic data were used in order to realize a regional litho-structural mapping of hydrothermal alteration targets, required for mineral exploration. Hence, the enhancement of both Landsat 8 and magnetic data was achieved via digital image processing (DIP) techniques notably Band rationing (BR), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Horizontal gradient (HG), and lineament extraction algorithms. Based on reference band ratio combinations (Sultan’s and Kaufmann’s) and Crosta Technique (PCA analysis), hydrothermally altered minerals such as hydroxyl-bearing minerals and iron oxides were identified. The PCA map was shown to better illustrate hydrothermally altered areas than Band ratios. Thus, a classification map emphasizing on mineral targets was obtained from the PCA map. Besides, the CET grid analysis tool (horizontal gradient) from Geosoft software 8.4 and the line algorithm (pan band 8) from Geomatica 2013 allowed the extraction of subsurface and surface lineaments respectively. The resulting lineaments showed a predominant E-W trending direction, which suggests a major tectonic event having prevailed within the area. Other directions include NE-SW/ENE-WSW, and N-S. The generation of a target exploration map, via ArcGIS 10.4.1, was performed by the overlay of hydrothermal alteration mapping and structural mapping. New regional maps, providing a useful insight for further mining exploration, were obtained.

Keywords

digital image processing, hydrothermal alteration mapping, landsat 8, magnetic data, Poli group, structural mapping

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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