Metallogenic conditions and prediction of the Tugeman lithium-beryllium deposit in Xinjiang: Insights from geology and Worldview-3 imagery

Abstract

The metallogenic conditions and prediction of granitic pegmatite rare metal deposits have been a hot and frontier issue in in recent years. The Tugeman granite pegmatite-type lithium-beryllium deposit, a newly discovered rare metal resource in the Middle Altyn area, is hosted within the center of the Tugeman layered granite body. Its orebody has reached a medium scale. This study capitalizes on the high-resolution (0.3 m) multispectral capabilities of WorldView-3 data (16 bands spanning visible, near-infrared, and shortwave infrared regions) to enhance the recognition of geometric morphological and spectral characteristics. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Independent Component Analysis (ICA), and Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) transformations were systematically employed to identify, extract, and analyze structural features and diverse pegmatite lithologies within the Tugeman mining area and its surrounding prospective zone. A total of 55 linear faults and 252 pegmatite veins were identified. Critically, both NE- and NW-trending fault structures exert significant structural control on pegmatite distribution. Within the ArcGIS platform, legacy research data, remote sensing-derived information, and field exploration results were integrated into a unified geospatial database. Through assessment of favorable metallogenic conditions and development of predictive targeting models, three beryllium and two lithium exploration targets were delineated, while a specialized “vein-centered buffer zone method” for identifying ore-bearing pegmatites was established for the study area. Field verification of the target areas confirmed spatially concentrated mineral assemblages and consistent zonation patterns. This work establishes a robust predictive methodology for granitic pegmatite-hosted Li-Be deposits in the region.