Differentiation of Neotethyan ophiolitic melange and an approach revealing its surficial chromite deposits using ASTER image and spectral measurements (Sivas/TURKEY)

Abstract

This work is aimed at differentiation of ophiolitic melange rocks which were outcropped 60 km far from Sivas city center using image processing and spectral measurement methods. These rocks are known as oceanic crust remnants which were made up of different rocks. Turkey hosts several paleo-oceans and their realms in Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt. The Neotethyan ophiolites in Turkey are characterized by supra subduction zone (SSZ-type) ophiolites. Ophiolitic rocks are generally coloured with greenish tones and human eye could not separate these tone differences. But satellite images such as ASTER can realize these separation utilizing spectral enhancement methods such as classification and decorrelation stretching. Chromite is a valuable mineral and is formed in only ophiolitic rocks. Dunites and harzburgites named as also ultramafic tectonits of ophiolitic serie mainly contain these deposits in study area. In this study, an approach was also realized to find target regions of chromite deposits with the aid of spectral methods. Spectral measurements were realized to determine boundaries between different melange rocks using spectroradiometer. Reflectance curves collected from field and laboratory analysis were evaluated together and compared with ASTER image of the study area respectively. A detailed differentiation generally was accompanied with petrographic and geochemical analyses.