Evidential belief functions for data-driven geologically constrained mapping of gold potential, Baguio district, Philippines

A data-driven application of the theory of evidential belief to map mineral potential is demonstrated with a redefinition of procedures to estimate evidential belief functions. The redefined estimates of evidential belief functions take into account not only the spatial relationship of an evidence with the target mineral deposit but also consider the relationships among the subsets of spatial evidences within a set of evidential data layer. Proximity of geological features to mineral deposits is translated into spatial evidence and evidential belief functions are estimated for the proposition that mineral deposits exist in a test area. The integrated maps of degrees of belief for the proposition that mineral deposits exist in a test area is classified into a binary mineral potential map. For the Baguio district (Philippines), the binary gold potential map delineates (a) about 74% of the training data (i.e., locations of large-scale gold deposits) and (b) about 64% of the validation data (i.e., locations of small-scale gold deposits). The results demonstrate the usefulness of a geologically constrained mineral potential mapping using data-driven evidential belief functions to guide further surficial exploration work in the search for yet undiscovered gold deposits in the Baguio district. The results also indicate the usefulness of evidential belief functions for mapping uncertainties in the geologically constrained integrated predictive model of gold potential.