Mineral Exploration Potential Mapping through Fuzzy AHP Integration: A Case Study from the Kamoshgaran Region, Northwestern Iran

The crucial initial step in any successful mineral exploration endeavor involves the careful selection of potential target areas, a process that requires consideration of a wide array of diverse and often interconnected criteria. To effectively navigate this complex decision-making landscape, researchers and exploration geologists frequently employ sophisticated spatial analysis techniques. Among these, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) modeling stands out as a particularly effective method for conducting studies that evaluate and map mineral potential. This study applies the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy AHP) to produce a detailed potential map specifically for elemental mineralization within the Kamoshgaran region, northwestern Iran. The analysis meticulously considered several key criteria indicative of mineral deposit formation, such as underlying geology, geochemical signatures, hydrothermal alteration zones, and the presence of fault systems. Each criterion was rigorously evaluated using the Fuzzy AHP framework, allowing their relative importance to be determined through pairwise comparisons. A significant strength of this method lies in its ability to accommodate the integration of both quantitative data, such as geochemical assay values, and qualitative information, like geological mapping interpretations, within a unified analytical structure. Furthermore, the AHP framework inherently supports group decision-making, enabling the incorporation of expert knowledge and diverse perspectives from multiple stakeholders involved in the exploration process. Results showed that the central and eastern parts of the region have the highest ore mineralization potential; accordingly, detailed exploration activities should focus on these areas. According to the fuzzy method and the integration of these five important factors, their aggregate indicates that the central region is conditionally identified as the strongest anomaly. In addition, the second enrichment phases are located in the western and southwestern regions.