Integrating Remote Sensing and Aeromagnetic Data for Enhanced Geological Mapping at Wadi Sibrit-Urf Abu Hamam District, Southern Part of Nubian Shield

The present study aims to characterize complex geological structures and significant mineralization using remote sensing and aeromagnetic studies. Structural lineaments play a crucial role in the localization and concentration of mineral deposits. For the first time over the study district, a combination of aeromagnetic data, Landsat 9, ASTER, and PRISMA hyperspectral data was utilized to enhance the characterization of both lithological units and structural features. Advanced image processing techniques, including false color composites, principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA), and SMACC, were applied to the remote sensing datasets. These methods enabled effective discrimination between Phanerozoic rock formations and the complex basement units, which comprise the island arc assemblage, Dokhan volcanics, and late-orogenic granites. The local and deep magnetic sources were separated using Gaussian filters. The Neoproterozoic basement rocks were estimated using the radial average power spectrum technique and the Euler deconvolution technique (ED). According to the RAPS technique, the average depths to shallow and deep magnetic sources are approximately 0.4 km and 1.6 km, respectively. The obtained ED contacts range in depth from 0.081 to 1.5 km. The research area revealed massive structural lineaments, particularly in the northeast and northwest sides, where a dense concentration of these lineaments was identified. The locations with the highest densities are thought to signify more fracturization in the rocks that are thought to be connected to mineralization. According to the automatic lineament extraction methods and rose diagram, NW-SE, NNE-SSW, and N-S are the major structural directions. These trends were confirmed and visually represented through textural analysis and drainage pattern control. The lithological mapping results were validated through field observations and petrographic analysis. This integrated approach has proven highly effective, showcasing significant potential for both detailed structural analysis and accurate lithological discrimination, which may be related to further mineralization exploration.