Using ETM+ and ASTER sensors to identify iron occurrences in the Esfordi 1:100,000 mapping sheet of Central Iran

•Using ETM+ and ASTER sensors to identify iron occurrences, Central Iran.•Some methods, LS-Fit, MF, SAM, SFF, Band Ratio and Visual interpretation were used.•Structures were identified by visual interpretation and some other methods.•Comparison among results obtained from all methods that used.•Correlation between results from remote sensing and geological characteristics.

Many iron occurrences and deposits exist in the Central Iranian structural zone, especially in the Bafq district. The Esfordi 1:100,000 mapping sheet is located in this region and there are several iron mines and deposits, e.g. Chadormalu, Choghart, Seh-Chahoon, Mishdowan and Zaghia. The aim of this study is to identify and detect the iron bearing occurrences by utilizing the Landsat ETM+ and the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) satellite data. Several methods consist of Linear Band Prediction (LS-Fit), Matched Filtering (MF), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), Spectral Feature Fitting (SFF), Band Ratio (BR: 2/1 and 3/1) and Visual interpretation (RGB: 531) were used for this purpose. Structures were identified by visual interpretation of images and band combinations (RGB: 431). Target areas were found by LS-Fit, MF and SAM overlapping being situated in the North and the North-East, Central and North Western parts of the Esfordi mapping sheet which is now proposed for iron occurrences prospecting.

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