Mapping and discrimination of the mineralization potential in granitoids from Banyo area (Adamawa, Cameroon), using Landsat 9 OLI, ASTER images and field observations

The Banyo area is situated in the west Cameroon domain of the Central African Fold Belt. In this study, field data and remote sensing conventional mapping techniques including Red-Green-Blue (RGB) colour combination, principal component analysis (PCA), Crosta-PCA, Band Ratios (BR), Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM), Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) classification and Linear Spectral Unmixing (LSU) algorithms were used to process Landsat 9 OLI and ASTER data in order to discriminate various rock units such as biotite-amphibole granites, hornblende-biotite orthogneiss and map associated mineral deposits (e.g., iron-oxide, hydroxyl and corundum minerals). In addition, it was found that RGB combination (743) of OLI bands, PCA of OLI bands (PC123), BR of OLI bands (4/2, 6/7, 6/5), BR of ASTER (4/2, 7/6, 8/9), Crosta-PCA of OLI bands, MNF (123) of OLI bands, SAM, and LSU techniques applied to ASTER bands ascertain potential locations of granitoids and gneisses bearing iron and hydroxyl minerals. On the other hand, this study also revealed that corundum deposits are detected by applying the CEM method to OLI band ratio 6/7 highlighting red tones and processing SAM classification algorithm both using laboratory reference spectra. Automatic (using PCI Geomatica line tool) and manual extractions of lineaments revealed three major trends (N-S, E-W, and WNW-ESE to NW-SE) and an accessory trend (NE-SW to ENE-WSW) that surround hydrothermally altered rocks recognized as containing iron oxide, hydroxyl, and corundum mineral deposits. In the field, these lineaments may group to the tree deformation phases. The D₁ phase (NW-SE); the D₂ phase (NE-SW to ENE-WSW) and the D₃ phase (N-S). Maximum Likelihood Calssification (MLC) and SAM classification methods showed to be more effective in discriminating rocks bearing Iron-oxide, hydroxyl and corundum minerals in the study area.

This result permits to confirm that, the combination of remote sensing (Landsat 9 OLI and ASTER data in this case) and field data constitute a useful tool for mineral exploration in the shear zone. However, the accuracy assessment was relied on comparing the different maps produced from Landsat 9 OLI and ASTER data with the ground truth sample points and also, with the earliest geological map of Banyo area. Thus, quantitatively the results were accurate at 99%.