Finding new mineral prospects with HYMAP: Early results from a hyperspectral remote-sensing case study in the west Pilbara

New research conducted in the Pilbara region of Western Australia has demonstrated that high-resolution remote sensing can detect minerals associated with ore deposits. The flat terrain, sparse exposure, and weathering and 'calcretisation' of bedrock in this area hamper the visual identification of hydrothermal alteration minerals. HYMAP (airborne hyperspectral remote sensing) is a rapid and cost-effective exploration tool that provides valuable new information on the geology and the distribution of surface minerals.