Application of stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) for copper prospectivity mapping in the Anarak region, central Iran

Abstract

Nowadays, using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques are common in all fields of study because of their advantage for finding optimal results. Some of the MCDM techniques like analytic network process (ANP), factor relationship (FARE), and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) are so popular in mining exploration due to the obtaining of geochemical anomalies and mineral prospectivity maps. The aim of this study is to utilize the stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) method for prospecting copper in the Anarak region, central Iran. The SWARA method is a developed MCDM knowledge-based technique in accordance with ratio of the different criteria. Informative layers include geological, geochemical, geophysical, and remote sensing data and have been integrated in this study. The data was classified according to the relation of copper occurrences/deposits in the Anarak region by the geographical information system (GIS). Following that, the every classified sub-criteria was weighted by the SWARA method and the weighted classified factors for determination of copper prospects were overlapped. Subsequently, the gained results illustrated the main copper prospects in the NW and NE parts of the region. Furthermore, the prospectivity map has a meaningful correlation with copper occurrences/deposits in the Anarak region. As a result, using the operating receiver characteristics (ORC) technique validates copper prospects derived via the SWARA method in the study region as high as 70% and validation result shows that the area under curve (ROC) is 0.79. Results derived via the SWARA were compared with the AHP method and the SWARA method is validated especially in NW part.