Lithium-bearing Pegmatite Exploration in Western Altun,Xinjiang,using Remote-Sensing Technology

Western Altun in Xinjiang is an important area,where lithium(Li)-bearing pegmatites have been found in recent years.However,the complex terrain and harsh environment of western Altun exacerbates in prospecting for Li-bearing pegmatites.Therefore,remote-sensing techniques can be an effective means for prospecting Li-bearing pegmatites.In this study,the fault information and lithologyical information in the region were obtained using the median-resolution remotesensing image Landsat-8,the radar image Sentinel-1 and hyperspectral data GF-5.Using Landsat-8 data,the hydroxyl alteration information closely related to pegmatite in the region was extracted by principal component analysis,pseudoanomaly processing and other methods.The high spatial resolution remote-sensing data WorldView-2 and WorldView-3 short-wave infrared images were used and analyzed by principal component analysis(PCA),the band ratio method and multi-class machine learning(ML),combined with conventional thresholds specified the algorithms used to automatically extract Li-bearing pegmatite information.Finally,the Li-bearing pegmatite exploration area was determined,based on a comprehensive analysis of the faults,hydroxyl alteration lithology and Li-bearing pegmatite information.Field investigations have verified that the distribution of pegmatites in the central part of the study area is consistent with that of Li-bearing pegmatites extracted in this study.This study provides a new technique for prospecting Li-bearing pegmatites,which shows that remote-sensing technology possesses great potential for identifying lithium-bearing pegmatites,especially in areas that are not readily accessible.