A study area encompassing approximately 30,000 square kilometers in northern Nevada has been selected to illustrate the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to mineral exploration. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data have been processed to provide intensity-hue-saturation (IHS) and edge enhanced false color composites for lineament analysis, and ratio images for alteration analysis. In addition, a hue-hue-hue image and an unsupervised classification were prepared to discriminate lithology, vegetation, etc. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data have been processed to provide a color-coded topography image for lineament analysis. Geology has been digitized at several scales to augment the lineament and alteration analysis and the lithologic classification. Gravity and magnetic field data have been included as potentially significant exploration factors, and known metal occurrence data have been incorporated for metal content and metal ratio analysis.

Each of the primary data sets, as well as the derived data sets (e.g., lineament intersections density, magnetic gradient, or proximity to favorable source rock lithologies), are represented by overlays in the PANACEA Geographic Information System. Maps depicting exploration favorability can be rapidly generated through statistical and analytical manipulations of the data overlays. Favorability maps are compared to known metal distributions, and the associated exploration model revised accordingly. This iterative process leads to more accurate favorability maps and better exploration models.