Recognition of a Propylitic–Skarn Hydrothermal System through Remote Sensing and Geochemistry for Mineral Prospectivity in La Salina, Casanare, Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32685/0120-1425/bol.geol.53.1.2026.761Keywords:
: Remote sensing; Hydrothermal alteration; Google Earth Engine; Skarn; Geochemical validation: MTMF/SAM
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Copyright (c) 2026 Servicio Geológico Colombiano
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Abstract
This study aimed to delineate hydrothermal alteration zones associated with mineral potential in the municipality of La Salina (Casanare, Colombia) through the integration of ASTER imagery, processing in Google Earth Engine (GEE), advanced spectral analysis, and geochemical validation. ASTER Level-1T images were processed using multitemporal composites, alteration spectral indices, land surface temperature (LST) estimation, and statistical normalization. Subsequently, the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) algorithms were applied using spectral signatures from the USGS library, and the results were integrated with geochemical analyses obtained by portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and a multicriteria weighting model to generate a mineral prospectivity map. The results identified a well-defined hydrothermal zonation characterized by advanced argillic alteration in the northwestern sector and propylitic alteration toward the northeast, with a high spatial correspondence among spectral responses, geochemical anomalies of tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), silver (Ag), and zinc (Zn), structural controls, and the presence of gabbroic bodies. The integration of spectral, thermal, geochemical, and geological information provides evidence for the superposition of a regional propylitic halo with skarn-type metasomatic events, allowing the delineation of priority exploration targets. The proposed methodology constitutes a reproducible and relatively low-cost procedure for the early-stage prospecting of hydrothermal systems in volcano-sedimentary environments and reinforces the integrated use of remote sensing and geochemistry in mineral exploration.
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