QUANTITATIVE PREDICTION AND EVALUATION OF POLYMETALLIC SULFIDE MINERAL DEPOSITS ALONG THE CENTRAL INDIAN OCEAN RIDGE

The Ocean Drilling Program has proven that the large quantity of seafloor polymetallic sulfide, which is widely distributed in the ocean, has great potential for exploitation. Based on the regional geological data, such as water depth, geological structure, sea flow spreading rate, geophysics, volcanism and earthquake, the authors scrutinized the metallogenetic conditions, ore-controlling factors and geophysical anomalies of the polymetallic sulfide deposits along the Central Indian Ocean Ridge. We extracted 9 evidence factors and established a model of regional ore deposits, and adopted the weights of evidence method to predict and evaluate the polymetallic sulfide along the Central Indian Ocean Ridge. The favorable prospecting areas were delineated by the values of posterior probability. The results of the research will provide a scientific basis for the future exploration and utilization of polymetallic sulfide in Indian Ocean.