New Delhi, India: B.K. Handique, Minister of Mines and Minister of Development, of North Eastern Region ( India), has said that Satellite imagery and aerial photography are components of remote sensing (RS) surveys and have been/are being used for identifying suitable structures favourable for mineral deposits. Geological Survey of India (GSI) has been conducting remote sensing surveys to examine mineral potential of the country including backward and rural areas.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today he said, recent investigations of mineral exploration carried out by GSI (Field Season 2009-2010) using remote sensing in the country are as under:
– Interpretation and integration of geological, remote sensing and aerogeophysical data of part of Bangalore – Penakonda area, Karnataka for delineating of target blocks for different kind of mineralisation.
– Pilot study on the application of hyperspectral remote sensing in Hutti-Maski schist belt, Karnataka.
– Evaluation of placer mineral occurrence near Hownavra town, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka.
– Geological appraisal of the area east of Bisrampur Coalfield, Surguja district, Chhattisgarh by the application of remote sensing techniques with special reference to the stratigraphy frame work and tectonic style.
– Use of hyperspectral remote sensing data for the search of mineralized provinces / area in Precambrian terrain of Eastern and Northern Gujarat.
– Identification of alternate sand resources in Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil and Muwattupuzha river basins of Pattianamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts, Kerala.
– Investigation for basemetal and associated gold in Dholpur area, Jaipur district, Rajasthan.
He also shared the details of the minerals explored during each of the last three years and the current year (including remote sensing investigations) as following:
The Minister said, “Remote sensing technique is an indirect tool which in itself cannot lead to discovery of mineral deposits. It is used in initial stage of mineral exploration to be followed by other exploration techniques on ground for establishing a mineral deposit. Study of mineralised zones / alteration zones in identifying extension of mineralised belt or a new occurrence in geologically potential areas are carried out using remote sensing techniques. Recently GSI is undertaking hyperspectral mapping using satellite and aerial platforms as a modern tool to strengthen the search of minerals in the country.”
Source: Press Information Bureau
