Pegmatite and Fault Spatial Distribution Patterns in Kalba-Narym Zone, East Kazakhstan: Integrated Field Observation, GIS, and Remote Sensing Analysis

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The study compiles and analyzes the structural features of the Kalba-Narym Zone in East Kazakhstan, an area known for rare-metal pegmatite mineralization. It uses 2D remote sensing and GIS methods to map faults and pegmatite dikes across multiple scales. Primary techniques include satellite-based lineament extraction, geospatial modeling (DNN, Ripley’s L’, orientation analysis), and comprehensive GIS integration at both district and regional levels. The research produces maps showing the presence, orientation, and relationships of faults and pegmatites and identifies new districts as potential exploration targets for critical metals.

There is a growing demand for strategic metals like Li, Be, Nb, and Ta, with pegmatites serving as key sources. Most pegmatite research to date emphasizes mineralogy, but structural controls and spatial distribution remain underexplored. In particular, the pegmatites of the Kazakh Altai are insufficiently studied, and their links to faults and tectonic structures—important for exploration—are not well documented.

The study investigates the spatial distribution of pegmatite dikes and their relationship with faults, using geospatial, statistical, and remote sensing methods for effective predictive mapping. Although the methodology is solid, improvements can enhance reliability and exploration potential.
Authors may include systematic cross-validation between manual and automatic lineament extraction to reduce bias and improve sensitivity, ideally supported by additional geophysical data. Enhancing spatial statistics by running multiple Complete Spatial Randomness (CSR) simulations with confidence envelopes will better validate clustering patterns. Addressing edge effects in spatial analyses is also essential.

The study’s conclusions are consistent with the evidence and address the main research question about the spatial distribution, structural controls, and exploration significance of granitic pegmatite dikes in the Kalba-Narym Zone. It confirms that pegmatite emplacement is structurally controlled, closely linked to specific fault trends and intersections. Quantitative and qualitative data show spatial clustering and orientation patterns matching regional geodynamic and magmatic events. The study also supports using GIS and remote sensing for future exploration, aligning with global models of structurally controlled rare-metal pegmatite deposits. However, the conclusions could be strengthened by explicitly addressing uncertainties or biases in spatial data, expanding comparative analyses with other global pegmatite provinces, and providing clear quantitative metrics, such as confidence limits from statistical simulations, to better substantiate clustering observations.

The references are appropriate.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer, 

Please find the attachment. 

Thanks, 

Azam 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

General comments

The manuscript presents a detail study and a compilation of structural data of the Kalba-Narym Zone (East Kazakhstan) belonging to western Central Asian Orogenic Belt, in which rare-metal pegmatite mineralizations are known. This study uses several methodologies (remote sensing, GIS and field work) as tools to mineral exploration, aiming to support predictive mapping of pegmatite occurrences. In particularly, the work shows the applicability of remote sensing and GIS, that has been increasing worldwide, allowing the combination different types of information and large volumes of information useful for mineral exploration. The work is well organized and structured, having been based on appropriate bibliographical references. The work used the data compilation of 743 pegmatite occurrences which constitute an add value to the regional metallogenetic model knowledge and mineral exploration and can be used in future research. As pretended in the objectives, the conclusions include new information about spatial and structural distribution of pegmatites and proposes several areas/districts of pegmatite occurrences as potential exploration targets for critical metals.

Specific comments

Captions of Figures 2a, b, c and 2d: Please, insert the ages of the lithologies.

Line 694: Please, review the sentence.

Line 808: Please, confirm the "E-W" trend.

Author Response

Dear reviewer, 

Please find the attachment.  

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

The study "Spatial Distribution and Structural Analysis on Pegmatite Occurrence: Prospecting Potential of Kalba-Narym Zone, East Kazakhstan, using GIS and Remote Sensing Approaches" represents the composite study involving field data, GIS, and RS. The exploration revolves around the Kalba-Narym Zone of the Central Asian belt. A study connects ore-bearing pegmatite dykes with the orogenic stage, which lasted until the Permian. The study is well-written, but there are numerous suggestions for improvement throughout the text. 
Decision: Moderate Revision

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English is fine

Author Response

Dear Reviwer, 

Please find the attachment. 

The changes are applied in the highlighted manuscript (in pink color). 

Regards, 

Azam 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I read with interest the paper "Spatial Distribution and structural Analysis on Pegmatite Occurrence: Prospecting Potential of Kalba-Narym Zone, East Kazakhstan using GIS and Remote Sensing Approaches" by Dehnavi and Co-authors. It addresses a fundamental, current research topic with an original approach aiming at providing a robust protocol to quantitatively establish the extent of the pegmatites and their relationships with fault systems.

The paper is well written and the figure clearly show the structural frame of the area of interest. I suggest, however, to add more figure about types of rocks from an adeguate point of view. There are many image of landscapes that can be hamper the comprehension of the manuscript by readers.

I have made some comments on the attached version of the manuscript. I hope that my comments and suggestions will improve an already good manuscript.  

I suggest MINOR revisions for this work.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear reviewer, 

Pleaese find the attachment. 

Thanks, 

Azam

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 5 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is an interesting paper for studying well-endowed with the occurrence of pegmatite rare-metal mineralization. Remote sensing and GIS-based 2D are used for mapping the geological structural lineaments of faults and granitic pegmatite and pegmatite dikes. the spatial relationship between pegmatite dikes and faults were analyzed.  Ripley’s L’ function and pegmatites orientations families were employed to study the spatial distribution pattern of the pegmatites. The results of this study demonstrate that the occurrence of pegmatite dikes in various Greenfields and Brownfields of Kalba-Narym Zone follow clustered distribution, pegmatite swarms’ orientation is dominantly NW-SE, and pegmatite emplacement is proximal to intersection of multiple faulting systems. To explore the previously unidentified mineral deposits, two holistic approaches are 85 proposed: (1) mineral deposit models and (2) quantitative models.

 

This investigation proposes several new districts of pegmatite occurrence in Kalba-Narym Zone as potential exploration targets for critical metals likesuch as Li, Be, Nb, Ta, Rb.This paper can benefit exploration geoscientists seeking critical metals in this area.

Author Response

Thanks

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf