Mine tailings characterization using PROBE data (preliminary results)

Acid mine drainage (AMD), caused by mine tailings, poses an environmental threat. AMD control is a major challenge facing the mining industries worldwide. An important initial step towards the reclamation of mine tailings sites is to identify the presence of sulphide-rich minerals and their spatial distribution. This study investigated the potential of hyperspectral PROBE data for mine tailings characterization over the Copper Cliff's tailings site in northern Ontario, Canada. The results indicated that PROBE data could provide information on locating oxidation zonations of the tailings. More importantly, it revealed that library mineral spectra could replace the scene-derived endmember spectra to unmix the PROBE image.