Pakistan Journal of Geology (PJG)

Journal: Pakistan Journal of Geology (PJG)
Author: Khlieeq Ul Zaman, Mahmood Iqbal, Enayatallah Emami Meybodi, Hasnain Haider, Muhammad Awais Khan, Shaharyar

This is an open access journal distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/pjg.01.2025.49.56

Because of limited accessibility and the phantom nature of mineral occurrences, northern regions of Pakistan have no or very little understanding of the area’s mineral potential. Still, these regions are known to be rich in mineral resources. This research aimed to apply Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing technology for the identification and examination of different mineral deposits in the northern areas of Pakistan. The subject study area was analyzed for its mineral potential through ArcMap 10.5 and the ENVI software. ENVI software also includes satellite image processing capabilities, so it was used to apply the band ratio methods which contained relevant mineralogical information. The study area selection done previously was based on known deposits with unexplored extension region. The processing of the satellite images was done in the hopes of discovering certain minerals that signify the presence of valuable deposits. To achieve this, the band ratio technique was used separately for each spectral signature of various minerals. The b2/b1 ratio was used for detecting ferric iron, while the b1/b3 ratio was used in connection with clay mineral identification. Detection of sulphates was accomplished with the use of b1/b2, and identification of quartz was done with b13/b10 ratios. The b1/b14 ratio determined carbonates, while kaolinite was identified with b11/b12. Together, these data enabled the differentiation of various mineral compositions of the study area. This research demonstrates that eastern Hunza Valley contain major zones enriched in carbonated minerals and ferric iron, especially in Region A and Region B, which both showed high values for concentration of these resources. Furthermore, significant amount of clay minerals was also found to exist in these regions. These areas with rich mineral content can further investigated for mining purposes and developmental projects to boost the economy of the region while aiding future mineral exploration work.