Integration and analysis of airborne geophysical data of the Darrehzar area, Kerman Province, Iran, using principal component analysis

This paper describes a methodology for the integrated interpretation of air borne magnetic and airborne gamma -ray spectrometer data. The Darrehzar por phyry copper deposit is situated in the Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic assemblage of Central Iran. Phyllic and propylitic alterations are pervasive in the a rea but potassic and argillic alterations are not readily recognized on the surface. The spatial distributions of geophysical data resemble the lithol ogical and alteration patterns in the area. The Darrehzar porphyry copper d eposit is considered as a control site for determination of the degrees tha t the geophysical data is correlated with the mineralization zone. Airborne magnetic/radiometric, and geochemical/alteration data sets have been integ rated and analyzed using principal component analysis. This technique is fo und to be useful for the delineation of hydrothermally altered areas and da ta compression. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.