Mapping Hydrothermally Altered Minerals and Gossans using Hyperspectral data in Eastern Kumaon Himalaya, India

Identification and delineation of alteration minerals and regolith play an important role in the discrimination of metallic and non-metallic minerals and are also significant for metallic and non-metallic mineralization zone identification. In this work, altered minerals and gossans have been identified in and around the Askot area in eastern Kumaon Himalaya using hyperspectral data. Analysis of the Hyperion data indicates alteration minerals in the alteration zones surrounding the Askot sulfide orebody. These minerals include alunite, axinite, illite, and pyrite. Besides, iron bearing minerals such as goethite and hematite are found in the gossans. These gossans are formed by surface weathering of sulfide orebodies and found in a northeast direction along the strike of the Askot orebody. Field surveys in two target prospective mineralized zones confirm the presence of gossan and altered minerals identified via the Hyperion hyperspectral data. This study demonstrates the ability of hyperspectral data and field investigations to identify hydrothermal alteration minerals, gossans, and potential mineralized zones in the Himalaya.