RMSI Team Finds New Benefits to Hypersectral Mineral Mapping

NEWARK CA, November, 2006: Hyperspectral remote sensing is an established but sometimes under-utilized tool in the quest to cost-effective exploration for potential mineral mapping. Recent findings by a team of RMSI technicians has revealed new and refined techniques for remotely identifying ore-bearing landforms. These commercially viable techniques can now be applied to both the collection and conversion of data.

Relying on the Hyperion sensors of NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite, senior RMSI engineers tested the new methods by using data collected from Jharkhand and Bihar states of India. The multi-step process included atmospheric correction, georeferencing, application of a pixel purity index and other steps leading ultimately to classification algorithms. Both rock and soil types were analyzed.

The resulting mineral abundance map was then compared with GPS-aided field surveys of the target areas. This correlation confirmed the success of the new satellite-based techniques, which were particularly effective in identifying Muscovite, Quartz and Beryl. The RMSI techniques are expected to significantly benefit companies exploring for minerals in remote areas, and also in areas where there is no large exposure of any particular mineral end member.