QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF POLYMETALLIC NODULES RESOURCE OF CC ZONE BASED ON FUZZY ARTMAP

The eastern CC zone, known with detailed survey and availability of abundant data, was selected as the study area in this paper. The Fuzzy ARTMAP algorithm was adopted for model training at surveyed stations, and the relation models were established between grade of metal Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and regional ore-controlled elements, such as mean oceanic crust age, sediment thickness, hypsography and sediment types. Upon the basis, a Fuzzy ARTMAP quantitative assessment model was obtained. Applying the model, the resources in both surveyed and unsurveyed regions was estimated. Comparing the surveyed data with the calculated data for surveyed stations, the relative error of Mn, Cu, Co, Ni was 4.5%, 9.1%, 20.8% and 7.4%. Taking 30% as the error allowed, the accuracy of the results was 100%, 96.7%, 72.5% and 98.9% respectively. The error test suggests that the model is feasible for polymetallic nodules resource assessment as the reliability required, and can be used for study of the spatial distribution of polymetallic nodules.