Mapping Ni-Cu (PGE) bearing ultramafic rocks and associated gossans with airborne and simulated EnMAP satellite hyperspectral imagery, Nunavik, CANADA

Abstract

This study investigates the use of AISA optical airborne hyperspectral (2 m spatial resolution) and simulated satellite EnMAP (30 m) to produce detailed lithologic maps in a subarctic region (Nunavik, Canada) where ultramafic rock units associated with Ni-Cu-(PGE) mineralization are exposed in the presence of lichen coatings. Spectral mixture analysis methods were used to first derive image endmembers and subsequently unmix the image pixels to generate abundance maps that can be used to map the geological materials of interest, specifcally mafic, ultramafic and gossan units. Results demonstrates the feasibility of both AISA and EnMAP to provide large scale reconnaissance mapping capability of geologic materials over vast subarctic and arctic regions where field access is limited.