Recent advances in the use of public domain satellite imagery for mineral exploration: A review of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 applications

Thanks to their wide coverage and the valuable spectral information, remote sensing data constitute a popular instrument in the mineral exploration toolbox. In recent times, the remote sensing community has witnessed the launch of the new and improved Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 multispectral sensors. The former constitutes the eighth sensor of the Landsat series launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), while the latter is linked to the Sentinel-mission launched by the European Space Agency (ESA). The main objective of our contribution is to provide a comprehensive review of the use of the Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 multispectral sensors in mineral exploration. The free and open access to these data and their enhanced spectral and spatial characteristics (compared to the existing multispectral sensors) has clearly promoted the use of remotely sensed in mineral exploration. In addition, as illustrated by the case studies presented in this paper, Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 data present effective and accurate mapping tools for mineral exploration. Both sensors identified iron oxides and Al-OH absorption features, in addition to silicate and carbonate minerals. Our review indicated that Landsat-8 is by far the more popular sensor in mineral exploration applications. Greater uptake of Sentinel-2 and further case studies will be necessary to better demonstrate its capabilities and potential.