Recognition of Minerals Using Multispectral Remote Sensing Data: A Case Study in the Sultanate of Oman

The present study demonstrates the capability of a multispectral sensor for the detection of the minerals in the rocks surrounding the Rusayl and Al Jafnayn regions, Sultanate of Oman. The study of spectral absorptions of rocks and minerals in the visible and near infrared (VNIR) and short wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectral bands of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) using the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) supervised image classification technique has provided information on the occurrence of minerals in the rock types of the regions. The study shows the occurrence of carbonate minerals in the limestone formations and of poorly altered silicate minerals in the basic dyke rocks of the study regions. The analysis of minerals over the ancient terraces and recent alluvial deposits show that the deposit materials are derived from the dykes and foliated gabbro source rocks. The image interpretation is compared to the geological map, verified in the field and confirmed through laboratory analyses. The satellite data and the image processing techniques used have potential in the recognition of minerals in the rocks of the study region and could be used in similar arid regions elsewhere in the world.