This study describes the fractal dimensions of the spatial distributions of lineaments as an index of the complexity of faults, and the results could provide new insights into the migration of ore-bearing fluid. The Segment Tracing Algorithm method is employed to extract the lineaments in northeast Yunnan Province from a remote sensing image. Box-counting fractal and multifractal models are used to analyze the fractal and multifractal spatial distribution characteristics of the linear structures. The different directions of the linear structure fractal dimensions are similar in the study area. The fractal dimensions of all lineaments, northeast trending lineaments and northwest trending lineaments are 1.98, 1.94 and 1.95, respectively. The dimensions of four large ore deposit fields, Kuangshanchang, Qilinchang, Maozu, and Lemachang, are 1.93, 1.92, 1.95, and 1.93, respectively. The fractal dimensions of these four fields are greater than those of the South China lineaments. The super-large and large ore deposits are consistent with fractal dimensions with high values. The scale index and the singular index show nonlinear relationships with any real number, and the fractal dimension spectrum has a unimodal curve. This study provides a useful reference for deposit exploration in areas with topographies similar to that in northeastern Yunnan.

This study used the Segment Tracing Algorithm (STA) to extract lineaments from remotely sensed images. A computer program was then written to calculate the lineament densities and lengths. In Gaosong field, 3,233 lineaments were extracted based on a 200 m × 200 m grid size. The results indicate that most lineaments lengths are between 30 m and 50 m, and the number of lineaments within each cell ranges from 1 to 6. Areas with high distributions exist on both sides of the central region. According to the contour map of lineament length, the maximum lineament length is 380 m, and the minimum length is 30 m. The contours mainly extend in two directions, including NE and NW trends. This is consistent with the prominent NE and NW strike faults that prevail in the mining area. The results are similar to those obtained in the Machishui ore block, which has become a mine production area. High values of lineament length and density in the contour map of Gaosong field may be associated with hydrothermal tin mineralization in the study area. The results of this study potentially provide a new approach to mineral exploration in the early stage of geological prospecting.

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Remote sensing technology is widely used in the application of the extraction of lineaments in geological research. However, most of the current traditional lineament extraction methods are based on edge detection technology using a digital filter to extract the mitochondrial features in the image. These previously used algorithms are generally unable to extract the mitochondrial features in the shadow area on the mountain and the area parallel to the direction of the solar incident angle. In this paper, we have improved the STA algorithm (Line Segment Tracking method). The line segmentation and connection methods were firstly proposed, and then 32 search directions were set with one pixel as the center to find the best continuity direction of the lineament. A threshold was then set in this direction to determine whether it was a line element. Finally, line elements were connected into lineaments for further lineament interpretation. The lineament data from three different directions were collected in the Gaosong ore field in the Gejiu mining area, namely at the first place the traditional Canny algorithm, then the improved line segment tracking method, and finally the field measurement. The coefficients of the three-type lineament variations were compared by calculating the lineaments’ strength and their density attributes. It shows that the lineament variability extracted based on the improved line segment tracking method is closer to the measured lineament variability. The results show that the lineaments extracted by the improved algorithm are closer to the measured data. The improved algorithm has higher precision than the traditional Canny algorithm. More realistic and comprehensive lineaments can be attained by using the improved method to extract lineaments in the mining area, which is helpful to the study of the geology of the mining area and helps to construct a more accurate structure model to serve the needs of the mine production.

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