Page 186 - Geochemical Anomaly and Mineral Prospectivity Mapping in GIS

Analysis of Geologic Controls on Mineral Occurrence 187

based on a number of occurrences of mineral deposits of the type sought. The derived
components of a conceptual model of geologic controls and surficial expressions of
mineral deposits of the type sought (i.e., prospectivity recognition criteria) may not
represent the whole story of mineral deposit occurrence. However, they describe spatial
relationships among certain geological features that may have been involved in
mineralisation and thus provide insights in part as to how and mainly as to where
mineral deposits of the type sought might occur.
The representation and integration of mineral prospectivity recognition criteria as
spatial evidence maps in a GIS constitute a deductive process of developing a spatial
model (i.e., a map) of mineral prospectivity. This can be either knowledge-driven (i.e.,
based on qualitative analysis) or data-driven (i.e., based on quantitative analysis). The
types of techniques for modeling mineral prospectivity are explained and demonstrated
in the succeeding chapters.