Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and Recommendations

Abstract Geochemical mapping is a crucial tool that can provide valuable insights for a wide range of applications, including mineral resources prospecting, environmental impact assessment, geological process understanding, and climate change research. Despite its significance, geochemical mapping r...

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Main Authors: J. Wang, R. Zuo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-03-01
Series:Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC011301
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author J. Wang
R. Zuo
author_facet J. Wang
R. Zuo
author_sort J. Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Geochemical mapping is a crucial tool that can provide valuable insights for a wide range of applications, including mineral resources prospecting, environmental impact assessment, geological process understanding, and climate change research. Despite its significance, geochemical mapping requires spatial modeling based on sparse, heterogeneous, and potentially inaccurate data sets. Moreover, the underlying geological processes are often imperfectly understood. Therefore, uncertainty quantification (UQ) is vital in geochemical mapping to ensure accurate and reliable results, ultimately facilitating well‐informed decision‐making. In this contribution, we distinguish two primary types of uncertainties: systemic and stochastic. We identify the key sources of uncertainties in geochemical mapping and review the techniques that have been employed or hold potential for uncertainty quantification, communication, visualization, and sensitivity analysis. This contribution also illustrates the general procedure of UQ in geochemical mapping by a case study of mapping geochemical anomalies associated with gold mineralization in northwestern Sichuan Province, China. We also explore potential strategies for mitigating the critical uncertainties, such as gathering more geochemical data, developing more effective models, enhancing our understanding of the geochemical dispersion process, or leveraging other thematic information or knowledge. Future research should prioritize addressing underexplored uncertainties and implementing more practical applications to validate the UQ procedure in geochemical mapping.
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spelling doaj.art-0264f29be30e4d569dd57e0df72c54a62024-04-16T08:35:30ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272024-03-01253n/an/a10.1029/2023GC011301Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and RecommendationsJ. Wang0R. Zuo1College of Earth Sciences Chengdu University of Technology Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources China University of Geosciences Wuhan ChinaAbstract Geochemical mapping is a crucial tool that can provide valuable insights for a wide range of applications, including mineral resources prospecting, environmental impact assessment, geological process understanding, and climate change research. Despite its significance, geochemical mapping requires spatial modeling based on sparse, heterogeneous, and potentially inaccurate data sets. Moreover, the underlying geological processes are often imperfectly understood. Therefore, uncertainty quantification (UQ) is vital in geochemical mapping to ensure accurate and reliable results, ultimately facilitating well‐informed decision‐making. In this contribution, we distinguish two primary types of uncertainties: systemic and stochastic. We identify the key sources of uncertainties in geochemical mapping and review the techniques that have been employed or hold potential for uncertainty quantification, communication, visualization, and sensitivity analysis. This contribution also illustrates the general procedure of UQ in geochemical mapping by a case study of mapping geochemical anomalies associated with gold mineralization in northwestern Sichuan Province, China. We also explore potential strategies for mitigating the critical uncertainties, such as gathering more geochemical data, developing more effective models, enhancing our understanding of the geochemical dispersion process, or leveraging other thematic information or knowledge. Future research should prioritize addressing underexplored uncertainties and implementing more practical applications to validate the UQ procedure in geochemical mapping.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC011301geochemical mappinguncertainty quantificationsensitivity
spellingShingle J. Wang
R. Zuo
Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and Recommendations
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
geochemical mapping
uncertainty quantification
sensitivity
title Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and Recommendations
title_full Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and Recommendations
title_fullStr Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and Recommendations
title_full_unstemmed Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and Recommendations
title_short Uncertainty Quantification in Geochemical Mapping: A Review and Recommendations
title_sort uncertainty quantification in geochemical mapping a review and recommendations
topic geochemical mapping
uncertainty quantification
sensitivity
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC011301
work_keys_str_mv AT jwang uncertaintyquantificationingeochemicalmappingareviewandrecommendations
AT rzuo uncertaintyquantificationingeochemicalmappingareviewandrecommendations