Mapping Alteration Zones for Mineral Exploration using Hyperspectral Spectroscopy –
Kinross Round Mountain Gold Mine, Nevada
Daniel Amoakoh
The Round Mountain mine is located near Round Mountain, Nevada, in Nye County. The mine
is approximately 3km west of the City of Round Mountain in Big Smoky Valley on the western
margin of the Toquima Range. Round Mountain is an open-pit mine owned by Kinross
corporation. One of the best mining jurisdictions in the world.
The strategic location of the Round Mountain mine in the desert terrain of Nevada makes it ideal
for hyperspectral spectroscopic studies since minerals of interest are surficial for reflectance
measurement.
The proposed project explores the possibility of mapping alteration minerals in the vicinity of the
mine to use as pointers for prospective mineralized centers and future mineral exploration and
resource development to extend mine life.
Hydrothermally altered minerals are more widespread than the target mineral center. Therefore,
identifying alteration zones provides a clue to the ore path and eventual mineralized centers. The
ENVI software can perform spectral matching between the AVIRIS image and USGS spectral
library. The diagnostic absorption features of minerals such as chlorite, sericite (white
phyllosilicate), and K-feldspar. Airborne hyperspectral spectroscopy is a rapid and cost-efficient
approach for mineral mapping. The technique is beneficial for mineral mapping over a more
extensive and poorly accessible area of the mineral property to investigate hydrothermally
altered zones.
The end goal of my proposed project is to produce a map using diagnostic absorption features of
known alteration minerals in the area to map alteration zones and delineate prospective
mineralized centers around the Round Mountain mine pit.