Reflectance spectroscopy and remote sensing data for finding sulfide-bearing alteration zones and mapping geology in Gilgit-Baltistan,Pakistan

Gilgit-Baltistan region is covering the northern most part of Pakistan where the rocks of the Kohistan-Ladakh island arc and Karakoram plate are exposed. The area has greater potential for precious and base metals deposits which are needed to be explored through spectroscopy and remote sensing techniques. Minerals and rocks can nowadays be identified through the measurement of their absorption and reflectance features by spectroscopic analysis. Spectral reflectance analysis is also very important in selecting the appropriate spectral bands for remote-sensing data analysis of unknown or inaccessible areas. In this study, reflectance spectra in the spectral range of 0.35–2.5 μm of different types of unaltered and altered rocks found in the Machulu and Astor areas of northern Pakistan were obtained using an ASD spectroradiometer. The fresh rock samples showed low spectral reflectance as compared to the altered rock samples. The minerals jarosite, goethite, and hematite showed depth of absorption minima in the range of 0.4–1.15 μm due to the presence of iron (Fe), while jarosite and limonite showed absorption depth at 2.2 μm due to the presence of hydroxyl ions (OH^¯). The clay minerals montmorillonite and illite showed absorption depth at 1.93 and 2.1 μm, respectively. Muscovite showed depth of absorption minima at 1.4 and 1.9 μm in some samples. Calcite showed deep absorption minima at 2.32 μm, while anorthite showed absorption features at 1.4, 1.9, 2.24, and 2.33 μm. Olivine showed a slight depressed absorption feature at 1.07 μm. The copper-bearing phases malachite, chrysocolla, and azurite showed, respectively, a broad absorption feature in the range of 0.6–0.9 μm, a small absorption at 1.4 μm, and a deep absorption at 1.93 μm. The unmineralized samples exhibited high reflectance in the wavelength ranges of 0.6–0.8, 1.6–1.9, 2.0–2.3, 2.1–2.25, and 2.4–2.5 μm, respectively, while the mineralized samples showed reflectance bands in the wavelength ranges of 0.4–0.6, 1.3–1.8, and 2.1–2.2 μm. On this basis, the band ratio combinations 7/5–4/3–6/3 and 7/5–6/3–4/3 of Landsat 8 and 4/7–4/3–2/1 for ASTER data were found to be very effective in the lithological differentiation of major rock units.     

A spatio-temporal three-dimensional conceptualization and simulation of Dera Ismail Khan alluvial aquifer in visual MODFLOW: a case study from Pakistan

Dera Ismail Khan (DIK) is situated in the Lower Indus Basin of Pakistan. The land use has been changed in the canal command area due to irrigation activities near the Indus River. To check the current status and predict the groundwater levels in the area, the unconfined aquifer has been simulated in Visual MODFLOW for a period of 35 years, i.e., from 1985 to 2020. The 2900-km² area has been modeled with a grid of 500 by 500 m and the depth set to 100 m. The aquifer in the study area has been divided vertically and laterally into three and ten zones, respectively, for the characterization. Water wells and streams were used as the sinks and hydrologic boundaries, respectively. The model was successfully calibrated in steady and the non-steady state. The simulation revealed that the whole simulation can be divided into two phases, i.e., before and after the construction of the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC), whereas the results were summarized in the form of water table depth maps and groundwater budget calculations. To determine the groundwater sustainability, a conjunctive use scenario has been employed to simulate the aquifer dynamics till 2020. The simulation revealed incremental drawdowns till the end.     

Hydrogeological assessment of the Tabarteh fault zone by physicochemical analysis and multivariate statistical methods

Hydrogeologically, faults may impede, conduit, exert no influence, or may play a combination of these roles on groundwater flow. The object of this paper is to study the hydrogeological role of the Tabarteh fault, which is located on the border of Zagros and Central Iran tectonic zones in an alluvial aquifer. The recorded data of water table levels, chemical parameters, and discharge rate of wells, in addition to geological maps and geophysical results, were collected and evaluated. The outcrop of travertine in limited areas and the emergence of a few small springs within the alluvium show a barrier role of the fault in the groundwater flow. The spatial analysis of chemical components, head time series, and groundwater flow direction assessment demonstrated that the fault acts as both a barrier and a non-barrier in different sections. The multivariate statistical methods of cluster and discriminant analyses also confirm the dual role of the fault.