Mapping the Spatial Distribution and Characteristics of Lineaments Using Fractal and Multifractal Models: A Case Study from Northeastern Yunnan Province, China

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.