PRISMA hyperspectral satellite imagery for mapping alteration minerals and zones in Aktogay porphyry copper deposit, Kazakhstan: implications for new discoveries

The sustainable exploration of critical mineral resources, especially copper, is crucial for economic progress in developing countries. Kazakhstan has significant porphyry copper deposits that demonstrate the potential for further resource discoveries. Nevertheless, the potential of hyperspectral data to explore these deposits has not yet been fully exploited. This investigation presents a sophisticated remote sensing-based method that utilizes PRISMA hyperspectral data to effectively map hydrothermal alteration minerals associated with the Aktogay porphyry copper deposit in East Kazakhstan. An integrated approach using advanced spectral analysis was applied to analyze the PRISMA dataset, incorporating customized band ratios (BRs) and selective principal component analysis (SPCA). The accuracy of the remote sensing results was systematically validated through extensive fieldwork data. The results show that the PRISMA data, especially when processed using the proposed techniques, effectively delineated the main hydrothermal alteration zones: potassic, propylitic, and argillic as important indicators of potential porphyry copper mineralization.