Structural-metasomatic model of epithermal ore deposits, based on remote sensing data: a case study of the Maletoyvayam and Mutnovsky ore fields, Kamchatka

DOI: 10.47765/0869-5997-2026-10012

Abstract

The paper presents results of geological interpretation of the Maletovayayam and Mutnovsky ore fields, that was performed based on the Landsat-8 and ASTER (Advanced

Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) remote sensing data. The Google Earth imagery and the global digital elevation models ASTER GDEM and ArcticDEM were also used to identify the structural patterns. The wallrock metasomatites were revealed using spaceborne infrared spectroscopy methods, including the constrained energy minimization, false-color composites, mineral indices, and spectral angle mapping ones. It was determined that the epithermal ore fields are situated within areas of volcanic activity. At the regional scale, location of the productive zones is controlled by the major faults oriented longitudinally and diagonally relative to the volcano-plutonic belts. At the local scale, veins of the low-sulfate mineralization of the Mutnovsky ore field are structurally controlled by steeply dipping intra-caldera faults, whereas the high-sulfate mineralization of the Maletovayayam ore field is controlled by zones of conjugation of the concentric and radial intra-caldera faults. The wallrock metasomatites are also controlled by zones of conjugation of the radial and concentric structures. Analysis of the ASTER data has identified four varieties of the metasomatically altered rocks: mono-quartz, sericite-quartz, sericite-kaolinite-quartz, and alunite-quartz ones. At the low-sulfate type ore deposits, sericite-quartz metasomatites may be present, and mineralization may either overprint them or occur spatially independently. At the high-sulfate type ore deposits, the mineralization is superimposed on the zonal secondary quartzites.