Rare earth minerals occurrence in Zarigan Granite, Chadormalu mining area, Bafq Region, Central Iran, using multispectral and hyperspectral data

Monazite and xenotime are the main rare earth element (REE)–bearing minerals, typically extracted from placer deposits but also occurring in granitic rocks that act as their source. This study aims to map and conduct an initial evaluation of monazite minerals and REEs within the weathered and eroded sediments of the Zarigan Granite, located in the northern part of the Chadormalu paleocrater, Central Iran. Multispectral and hyperspectral datasets from ASTER, Sentinel-2 MSI, and PRISMA were employed to assess their capability in identifying and mapping REE-bearing minerals. Image processing techniques including the Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) transform, Mathematical Evaluation Method (MEM), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), and band ratio analysis were applied to the VNIR and SWIR spectral ranges. The comparative results indicate that the band ratio technique applied to PRISMA data provided the most reliable discrimination of monazite and REE occurrences in the Chadormalu paleocrater and the adjacent alluvial plain. These findings demonstrate that PRISMA’s hyperspectral capabilities offer an effective framework for REE mineral mapping in arid granitic terrains.