ELECTRE III: A knowledge-driven method for integration of geophysical data with geological and geochemical data in mineral prospectivity mapping

This paper describes the application of a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) technique called ELECTRE III, which is well-known in operations research, to mineral prospectivity mapping (MPM), which involves representation and integration of evidential map layers derived from geological, geophysical, and geochemical geo-data sets. In a case study, thirteen evidential map layers are used for MPM in the area containing the Now Chun copper prospect in the Kerman province of Iran. The ELECTRE III technique was applied for MPM, and the outputs are validated using 3D models of Cu and Mo concentrations from 21 drill hole data. This proposed method shows high performance for MPM.

► A new knowledge-driven approach is proposed. ► Various data layers, including geological, geophysical and geochemical data, are used to prepare a prospectivity map. ► Porphyry deposit prospectivity map has acceptable matching with ore mineral concentration. ► This approach has potential to be developed for preparing mineral prospectivity map.