Mengyi Ren, Jianping Chen and Ke Shao
School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
Seafloor polymetallic sulfide becomes one kind of seabed mineral resources with a huge development prospect after the discovery of the Fe-Mn nodules and Cobalt-rich crusts. Polymetallic sulfides have attracted significant attention as a potential seabed mineral resource due to their high grade of precious metal elements, such as Cu, Zn, Pb, Au, and Ag. Survey for seafloor polymetallic sulfides is still in the general exploration stage at home and abroad, and the prediction and evaluation of seafloor sulfide resource potential is still in the blank. In this paper, we select Southwest Indian Ridge as the prediction area and uses weights-ofevidence method to carry out the comprehensive metallogenic prognosis research with multivariate information. We extensively collect geological, geophysical and other related information, summarize the ore-controlling factors, and establish an ore deposit prediction model of polymetallic sulfides. The result of the prediction shows us the locations of prospecting targets that will provide a basis for the further exploration and development of the seafloor sulfide mineral resources in southwest Indian Ridge.
Keywords: Seafloor polymetallic sulfide, Metallogenic information extraction, Prediction model, Weights-of-evidence.