Utilization of SPOT 5 data for mapping gold mineralized diorite-tonalite intrusion, Bulghah gold mine area, Saudi Arabia

The present study utilizes the processed SPOT 5 data to discriminate and to generate 1:10,000 geologic image map to delineate the mineralized diorite-tonalite intrusion around Bulghah gold mine area, Saudi Arabia. The rock units exposed in the area include gossan, marble, Hulayfah volcanics, diorite-tonalite, gneissose granite, and alkali granite. Gold mineralization at Bulghah mine is hosted mainly by Syn- to Late-tectonic diorite-tonalite intrusion aligned along N-S direction and is associated mainly with cataclastic zones and quartz veins. Gossans and jasparoidal gossans (Hulayfah group), recorded at the western side of Bulghah mine area as discontinuous small lenses, can be easily discriminated on 4/2 and 4/3 band ratio SPOT images by their white and black image signatures, respectively. Granitoids (gneissose granite and alkali granite) are easily discriminated in 3/2 ratio image, in which gneissose granite has gray image signature, whereas alkali granite has dark gray image signature. On the SPOT false color composite band ratios image (3/2 R, 4/2 G, and 4/3 B), gossan, marble, Hulayfah volcanics, diorite-tonalite, gneissose granite, and alkali granite have sky blue, blood red, bluish light brown, orange, brick red, and deep blue colors, respectively. Fusion of the false color composite SPOT ratios image (3/2 R, 4/2 G, and 4/3 B) with the high spatial resolution SPOT pan image is performed using IHS transformation method. The fused image is used to delineate the mineralized diorite-tonalite intrusion and to produce 1:10,000 geologic image map for Bulghah gold mine area. The present study reveals the usefulness of the processed SPOT 5 data for adding new extensions at the southern and northern boundaries of diorite-tonalite intrusion.