Future Trends in Mapping Potential Zones of Critical Minerals Using Advanced Imagery Techniques

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Demand for critical minerals is growing rapidly (tripling by 2030 and quadrupling by 2040) as they are essential components for clean energy technologies. Rare earth elements (e.g., Nd, Pr, Dy and Tb), which are used in the magnets of electric motors and wind turbine generators, are critical. Cobalt (Co), lithium (Li) and graphite are considered critical due to their wider use in various battery chemistries and the rapid growth of the electric vehicle industry. Platinum group metals, e.g., Pr and Ir, which are used in hydrogen electrolyzers, are critical as hydrogen technologies increasingly aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions. Gallium (Ga) remains important due to its use in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), in the manufacture of magnets and in semiconductors. Aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and silicon (Si) will increase from non-critical to almost critical in the medium term due to their importance for electrification. Electrical steel is almost critical due to its use in transformers for the power grid and in electric motors in electric vehicles. Therefore, innovative and cost-effective techniques are needed to map and locate potential areas with new primary resources of critical minerals in the coming future. Earth observation using advanced remote sensing imagery is the only technique with large spatial coverage to explore new future deposits of critical minerals on a regional to global scale. The fusion, analysis and selection of multidisciplinary geoscientific information layers from remote sensing, geophysical, geochemical and geological datasets using machine learning algorithms and geostatistical techniques is an important phase towards the accurate exploration of critical minerals and the generation of probability maps. The main objective of this topic is to focus on advanced imaging techniques, e.g., drone- and air-borne sensors, as well as ideas for merging data from different sources to locate and explore new future deposits of critical minerals on a regional to global scale. The focus is on the increasing integration of advanced multi-sensor technologies and methods in conjunction with more intensive mineral exploration techniques and mineral prospectivity mapping (MPM). Multidisciplinary, innovative mineral exploration studies that draw on a variety of datasets, algorithms, field and laboratory techniques and cover different research aspects of critical mineral exploration are highly valued and welcome.

Dr. Amin Beiranvand Pour
Prof. Dr. Mazlan Hashim
Dr. Shojaeddin Niroomand
Prof. Dr. Basem Zoheir
Dr. Jong Kuk Hong
Prof. Dr. Hojjatollah Ranjbar
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Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Geosciences geosciences	2.4	5.3	2011	23.5 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Minerals minerals	2.2	4.1	2011	18 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Geomatics geomatics	-	-	2021	22.1 Days	CHF 1000	Submit

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29 pages, 31311 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Mapping Alteration Minerals Associated with Aktogay Porphyry Copper Mineralization in Eastern Kazakhstan Using Landsat-8 and ASTER Satellite Sensors

by Elmira Orynbassarova, Hemayatullah Ahmadi, Bakhberde Adebiyet, Alma Bekbotayeva, Togzhan Abdullayeva, Amin Beiranvand Pour, Aigerim Ilyassova, Elmira Serikbayeva, Dinara Talgarbayeva and Aigerim Bermukhanova

Minerals 2025, 15(3), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15030277 - 9 Mar 2025

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Abstract

Mineral resources, particularly copper, are crucial for the sustained economic growth of developing countries like Kazakhstan. Over the past four decades, the diversity and importance of critical minerals for high technology and environmental applications have increased dramatically. Today, copper is a critical metal [...] Read more.

Mineral resources, particularly copper, are crucial for the sustained economic growth of developing countries like Kazakhstan. Over the past four decades, the diversity and importance of critical minerals for high technology and environmental applications have increased dramatically. Today, copper is a critical metal due to its importance in electrification. Porphyry deposits are important sources of copper and other critical metals. Conventional exploration methods for mapping alteration zones as indicators of high-potential zones in porphyry deposits are often associated with increased cost, time and environmental concerns. Remote sensing imagery is a cutting-edge technology for the exploration of minerals at low cost and in short timeframes and without environmental damage. Kazakhstan hosts several large porphyry copper deposits, such as Aktogay, Aidarly, Bozshakol and Koksai, and has great potential for the discovery of new resources. However, the potential of these porphyry deposits has not yet been fully discovered using remote sensing technology. In this study, a remote sensing-based mineral exploration approach was developed to delineate hydrothermal alteration zones associated with Aktogay porphyry copper mineralization in eastern Kazakhstan using Landsat-8 and ASTER satellite sensors. A comprehensive suite of image processing techniques was used to analyze the two remote sensing datasets, including specialized band ratios (BRs), principal component analysis (PCA) and the Crosta method. The remote sensing results were validated against field data, including the spatial distribution of geological lineaments and petrographic analysis of the collected rock samples of alteration zones and ore mineralization. The results show that the ASTER data, especially when analyzed with specialized BRs and the Crosta method, effectively identified the main hydrothermal alteration zones, including potassic, propylitic, argillic and iron oxide zones, as indicators of potential zones of ore mineralization. The spatial orientation of these alteration zones with high lineament density supports their association with underlying mineralized zones and the spatial location of high-potential zones. This study highlights the high applicability of the remote sensing-based mineral exploration approach compared to traditional techniques and provides a rapid, cost-effective tool for early-stage exploration of porphyry copper systems in Kazakhstan. The results provide a solid framework for future detailed geological, geochemical and geophysical studies aimed at resource development of the Aktogay porphyry copper mineralization in eastern Kazakhstan. The results of this study underpin the effectiveness of remote sensing data for mineral exploration in geologically complex regions where limited geological information is available and provide a scalable approach for other developing countries worldwide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Future Trends in Mapping Potential Zones of Critical Minerals Using Advanced Imagery Techniques)

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