Exploring and mining new resources is essential to meet the growing demand for raw materials during the green transition. Addressing this challenge requires advanced technologies that improve the success of mineral exploration. One such technology is hyperspectral remote sensing, which enables detailed and accurate mapping of surface mineralogy.

The EnMAP satellite mission delivers high-quality hyperspectral data of Earth’s surface at 30 m spatial resolution, fine spectral sampling (6.5 nm in the VNIR and 10 nm in the SWIR), and a high signal-to-noise ratio. To highlight its diverse applications in resource exploration, we present several case studies spanning different deposit types and exploration stages—from greenfield to brownfield, and from regional to deposit-scale studies.

These include porphyry copper systems, high-sulfidation epithermal gold deposits, sediment-hosted deposits (MVT and SEDEX types), REE-bearing carbonatites, and volcano-sedimentary lithium deposits. Our results show that EnMAP provides consistent and accurate mineralogical and compositional information, unprecedented by other multi- and hyperspectral satellite sensors, thanks to its accurate calibration and stability.

The mineral maps generated offer valuable insights into ore-forming processes, alteration zoning, and, in the cases of REE and Li deposits, direct indications of ore locality. These findings demonstrate that spaceborne hyperspectral systems such as EnMAP can play a crucial role in mineral exploration across exposed terrains, significantly enhancing the efficiency of exploration programs from grassroots to detailed deposit studies.