Litho-structural mapping using remote sensing, petrographic characterization, and SEM/EDX mineralization analysis: insights from the Arabian-Nubian Shield

Abstract

This study conducts a thorough geological assessment of the Gabal Harga Zarga (Hadal Darjah) district in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt using an integrated approach that combines advanced remote sensing, petrographic, and structural techniques. By leveraging hyperspectral PRISMA, Sentinel-2, and PlanetScope satellite data, the research achieves substantial improvements in lithological and structural mapping of an area previously represented as a single metavolcanic unit. The findings reveal a diverse array of lithologies-such as serpentinite, talc-carbonate rocks, metabasalt, and monzogranite-highlighting pronounced tectonic and metamorphic modifications. Structural analysis reveals multiple phases of deformation and underscores the significant influence of NW-SE sinistral faults on hydrothermal fluid flow and associated mineralization. Field validation, together with SEM-EDX mineralogical analyses, confirms the occurrence of economically important minerals, including pyrite, galena, chalcopyrite, silver, bismuth, chromite, zircon, apatite, and molybdenite. These results not only redefine the geological understanding of the area but also point to its significant potential for polymetallic mineralization. The multidisciplinary approach presented here serves as a practical model for mineral exploration and tectonic analysis in other remote and understudied parts of the Arabian-Nubian Shield.