A geology index — 0 compatible sensors — Last revised June 1, 2025
FOX

Ferric Oxides Index

Geological index for detecting ferric oxide concentrations in rocks and soils. Useful for identifying iron-rich minerals and oxide formations in geological mapping and mineral exploration.

Used in mineral exploration.

When to use

  • Mineral exploration target identification in arid and bare-ground regions
  • Hydrothermal alteration zone mapping
  • Lithological unit discrimination
  • Iron oxide and clay mineral mapping
  • Pre-field reconnaissance for geological surveys
  • Geology
  • Iron Oxide Detection

Limitations

  • Vegetation cover masks underlying mineral signatures — works best on bare ground
  • Atmospheric water vapour absorbs in similar SWIR regions, requiring correction
  • Particle size and mineral mixtures produce non-linear spectral mixing
  • Should be combined with field validation — single-index identification is unreliable
  • Different mineral assemblages can produce similar spectral signatures

General Formula

Red 760-860 nm
NIR 1600-1700 nm

Sensor-Specific Formulas

Most-used sensors — click to show code below

SensorProviderFormulaBand Mapping

Code Examples

ferric_oxides_generic.py

FOX vs other geology indices

IndexNameHow it differs
AKPAlunite/Kaolinite/Pyrophylite IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination
ALTAlteration IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination
AMPAmphibole IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination
ClayClay IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination

Related Geology Indices

AKP
Alunite/Kaolinite/Pyrophylite Index
ALT
Alteration Index
AMP
Amphibole Index
Clay
Clay Index
DOL
Dolomite Index
ECA
Epidote/Chlorite/Amphibole Index
Fe3+
Ferric Iron Index
FEI
Ferrous Iron Index

References

ASTER sensor applications

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