The study area is located in the Dehaj-Sarduyeh belt in Kerman
province. This belt forms the south eastern part of the Central Iranian
Volcanic Belt. Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) and Advanced
Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data
have been used for this study. Different image processing techniques such as
false color composite, band ratioing and principal component analysis are
used for recognizing the alteration zones related to the copper mineralisation.
The aim of this investigation is to compare ETM+ and ASTER data and
finding out their capabilities to recognize the altered and iron oxide bearing
areas. This investigation showed that ETM+ data due to its blue region
spectral band can enhance the iron oxide rich areas much better than ASTER
data. ASTER data due to its various spectral bands in the short wave infrared
is more capable of enhancing clay bearing areas.