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Identification of Mineral Resources in Afghanistan—Detecting and Mapping Resource Anomalies in Prioritized Areas Using Geophysical and Remote Sensing (ASTER and HyMap) Data

Open-File Report 2011-1229
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations and the Afghanistan Geological Survey
Edited by: Trude V. V. King, Michaela R. Johnson, Bernard E. Hubbard, and Benjamin J. Drenth
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20111229

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Abstract

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) natural resources revitalization activities in Afghanistan (Peters and others, 2011), three new datasets have been collected, compiled, and analyzed. These data have been used to more fully evaluate the areas of interest (AOIs; fig. 1 ) where, on the basis of previous U.S.S.R. and Afghanistan studies, the opportunity for early economic development of a number of different mineral, commodity, and deposit types had been identified (Peters and others, 2007; Peters and others, 2011). The new data compilations include (1) regional magnetic and gravity data for use in the characterization of subsurface composition and structure (Sweeney and others, 2006a,b; Ashan and others, 2007; Sweeney and others, 2007; Ashan and others, 2008; Shenwary and others, 2011), (2) Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data to identify and evaluate surficial alteration patterns related to industrial minerals and other selected targets, and (3) HyMap imaging spectrometer data for characterization and mapping of surficial mineralogy (Cocks and others, 1998; Kokaly and others, 2008; Peters and others, 2011). These datasets have served as fundamental building blocks for the resource evaluation by Peters and others (2011).

During the independent analysis of the geophysical, ASTER, and imaging spectrometer (HyMap) data by USGS scientists, previously unrecognized targets of potential mineralization were identified using evaluation criteria most suitable to the individual dataset. These anomalous zones offer targets of opportunity that warrant additional field verification. This report describes the standards used to define the anomalies, summarizes the results of the evaluations for each type of data, and discusses the importance and implications of regions of anomaly overlap between two or three of the datasets.

Suggested Citation

King, T.V.V., Johnson, M.R., Hubbard, B.E., and Drenth, B.J., eds., 2011, Identification of mineral resources in Afghanistan—Detecting and mapping resource anomalies in prioritized areas using geophysical and remote sensing (ASTER and HyMap) data: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1229, 327 p.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Chapter 1: Detecting and Mapping Resource Anomalies—Introduction and Background
  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Anomaly Identification and Compilation
  • 1.3 Datasets Used for Evaluation
  • 1.4 Data Application
  • 1.5 References Cited
  • Chapter 2: Description of Structure and Content of Spatial Dataset of Identified Anomalies in Afghanistan
  • 2.1 Anomaly Geodatabase Overview
  • 2.2 References Cited
  • Chapter 3: Identification of Gravity, Magnetic, and Radiometric Geophysical Anomalies in Afghanistan
  • 3.1 Geophysical Anomalies
  • 3.2 Presentation of Geophysical Anomalies
  • 3.3 References Cited
  • Chapter 4: Identification of Mineral Anomalies in Afghanistan Using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
  • 4.1 Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Overview
  • 4.2 Presentation of ASTER Anomalies
  • 4.3 References Cited
  • Chapter 5: Mapping Anomalous Mineral Zones Using HyMap Imaging Spectrometer—Data for Selected Areas of Interest in Afghanistan
  • 5.1 Imaging Spectrometer Overview
  • 5.2 Imaging Spectrometer Data
  • 5.3 HyMap Identification of Anomalies
  • 5.4 Presentation of HyMap Anomalies
  • 5.5 References Cited
  • Chapter 6: Discussion of Anomaly Overlap Areas and Potential for Economic Development
  • 6.1 Anomaly Overlap—Conclusions and Discussion
  • 6.2 Potential for Economic Development from Mineral Resources
  • 6.3 References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Identification of mineral resources in Afghanistan—Detecting and mapping resource anomalies in prioritized areas using geophysical and remote sensing (ASTER and HyMap) data
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2011-1229
DOI 10.3133/ofr20111229
Year Published 2011
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Projects in Afghanistan
Description Report: vi, 327 p.; Dataset; 4 Figures
Country Afghanistan
Additional Online Files (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details