apping hydrothermal alteration zones using Landast 9 multispectral imagery in the Tata region, Southeastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco

This study investigates the potential of multispectral remote sensing data, specifically Landsat 9 imagery, to map hydrothermal alteration zones in the Tata region, located in the southeastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco.The research focuses on identifying iron oxide and hydrothermal alteration zones using advanced image processing techniques, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), band ratios, and spectral indices.The methodology also incorporates directional filters for lineament extraction and field validation to ensure accuracy.The PCA approach effectively reduced data dimensionality while enhancing relevant spectral features, particularly those indicative of iron oxide and hydrothermal mineralization.Band ratios and spectral indices further delineated iron oxide and hydrothermal alteration areas, which were corroborated by field investigations revealing polymetallic mineralization, including copper, lead, and iron oxides.The results highlight the strong structural control on mineralization and demonstrate the usefulness of multispectral remote sensing for regional mineral exploration.Field validation based on approximately 38 mineralized observation points shows a strong spatial coincidence between mapped alteration zones and known surface mineralization.