Analysis and Integration of Airborne Data and their Correlation with ETM Image for Detecting Alteration Zones in Mianeh (East-Azarbaijan)

Alteration zones with their extended halos are considered as greater targets than ore zones in exploration. Therefore, an attempt was made to study these zones and their respective anomalies by integration method for base metals, radioactive elements and precious metals in Mianeh, East Azarbaijan. Alteration zones in the region were recognized by principal component analysis (PCA), ETM image and band ratio techniques. In a later stage, these zones were precisely detected by integration of radiometric data (eU, eTh, eK) and airborne magnetometric technique. By means of PCA, the linear combination of the four parameters was presented and used for detecting the alteration zones. The results reveal that the combined application of the three methods can be used successfully as an optimized technique in detecting true alteration zones and delineating false anomalies.