ABSTRACT
Analytical process of prognosticating mineral resources at a particular terrain is based on recognition of different indicators, namely, features (geological, geochemical, geophysical etc.) as well as on correlative binding to a certain type of deposit and metallogenic environment. Prognostication is grounded on the very concept of balance, what understands definition of the overall relative significance of groups of features (attributes), and relies generally, within this process, on both geological information on characteristic features of mineralization and information on specific features for the particular type of deposit and metallogenic environment.
This may be reached by structuring a prognostication problem, the solution of which requires involvement of several persons (experts) with the aim to define objectively the criteria to determine degree of significance to attributes, generalize preferences for a single group of attributes, state precisely a composite-normalized vector of estimation, and define ranks and composite vectors of prognostication.
In principle, prognostication represents an extremely complex process due, as a rule, to a fuzzy nature of indicators, incorporation of numerous attributes and complex correlation bonds.
This indicates a conclusion that it is impossible to authomatize completely the process of prognostication using mathematical-modelling and computerization, and that a pragmatic solution of the problem should be found in a hybrid approach by combining expert knowledge and logistic support offerred by mathematics and computer technics.
Those are the principles the Method of Multiattributive Prognostication, abbreviated to MAP, is based on, the presentation of which is given below.
