GRSG 35th Conference 2024 Abstract

Title: Mapping alteration minerals in the Andong serpentine mine, South Korea using drone-based VNIR-SWIR hyperspectral data

Author: Young-Sun Son

Organisation: Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM)

Drone-based hyperspectral technology, which has the advantage of high spatial resolution compared to satellite or airborne hyperspectral data for mapping minerals and distinguishing rocks, is attracting attention. In this study, drone-based hyperspectral data collected at the Andong serpentine mine in South Korea were used to map minerals associated with altered rock.

Hyperspectral data was acquired by mounting a HySpex Mjolnir VS‐620 camera with 490 spectral channels in the spectral range of 0.4–2.5 μm on a drone (BFD 1400-SE8-D). The raw data was converted to at-sensor radiance, orthorectified using GPS/IMU and DEM data, and generated reflectance images using atmospheric correction.

Specific minerals were identified in the Andong mine outcrop using the Minimum Wavelength Mapper (MWM) which provides information on the dominant mineral occurrence per pixel by mapping the wavelength position of the deepest absorption feature in the spectral image. Two types of alteration, serpentinization and iron oxidation, were mapped predominantly using drone-based hyperspectral data.

The alteration zones identified using drone-based hyperspectral data were in good agreement with the field mapping and laboratory spectral measurements. The mineral detection performance according to the atmospheric correction method of drone hyperspectral data was also evaluated.