Abstract
Remote sensing can support mineral exploration in geologically complex terrains, but distinguishing mineralisation-associated spectral responses from lithological and surficial variability remains challenging. This study presents and evaluates an integrated workflow for delineating and prioritising prospective zones for gold mineralisation at the Suzdal deposit, Kazakhstan. Sentinel-2 imagery was analysed using diagnostic band ratios, unsupervised spectral clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), and reference-signature-based spectral similarity classification. The resulting spectral patterns were integrated with lithological contacts, structural–geomorphological features, residual structures, denudation patterns, and lineaments; the delineated prospective zones were subsequently evaluated using independent exploration-drilling data and supporting geophysical information. PCA highlighted broad multispectral variability, whereas spectral similarity classification provided more spatially explicit delineation of mineralisation-associated surface responses. Higher-priority zones were identified where complementary remotely sensed responses converged within favourable geological–structural domains. Quantitative validation showed that 6 of 7 assay-confirmed Au-positive drill holes occurred within the delineated prospective zones, corresponding to a Spatial Capture Rate (SCR) of 85.7%. The novelty lies in combining deposit-specific geological criteria with complementary Sentinel-2 analyses within a unified targeting framework and subsequently evaluating the resulting prospectivity pattern against independent exploration evidence. The workflow provides a reproducible approach for exploration-target prioritisation at Suzdal and potentially in comparable gold-mineralised settings in Kazakhstan.