Mapping Mineral Potential Using Geospatial Techniques: A Case Study Of Mui Basin In Kitui County
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Date
2019Author
Musangi, Mutua Sabina
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The process of mineral exploration over the past has been expensive and time consuming and for
this reason advanced techniques are being applied in order to save on cost and time and to
identify the mineral potential zones. Geospatial techniques are among the techniques that are
being applied in mineral exploration and this study shows how this is achieved using Mui Basin
in Kitui County as the case study.
In the study, a Landsat 8 image was used for hydrothermal alteration mapping and an existing
geology map of the study area was used to identify the lithological units as well as faults.
Hydrothermal alteration which is a geochemical factor and geological factors which include
lithological units and faults are the primary factors used to show how suitable the study area is
for mineral exploration. Color composites and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) techniques
were applied in hydrothermal alteration mapping and the results showed hydroxyls which are
associated with altered areas while the geology map was used in the preparation of geological
suitability factor maps. These layers were then assigned weights using the Delphi model and
integrated in a GIS environment using Weighted Index Overlay technique which yielded the
mineral potential map of Mui Basin.
The map classifies the study area according to its suitability for mineral exploration i.e. Most
Suitable, Moderately Suitable and Least Suitable. The study was meant to show how suitable the
area is for mineral exploration especially potential for coal since it has already been discovered
in the study area. The results showed potential for coal where the most suitable area for mineral
exploration covers the biggest part of the coal mining block.
This research project can therefore be applied for mineral potential mapping at any other area
and use of geophysical data in addition to the data used in this project would yield better results
since more factors will have been considered to identify areas suitable for mining. The results of
this study have therefore shown that geospatial techniques are crucial in reducing the massive
fieldwork and identifying potential areas for mineral exploration.
Publisher
UoN
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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