A review on theory, modeling, inversion, and application of self-potential in marine mineral exploration

The self-potential (SP) method is one of the passive geophysical exploration techniques, which employs measurements of naturally occurring electric potential differences on the ground surface and in boreholes or (sea-)water due to causative sources from electrochemical, electrokinetic, and thermoelectric mechanisms. SP signals are directly related to groundwater flow and (electro-)chemical gradient. There has been increasing interest in the application of SP measurements in mineral exploration, environmental surveys, and hydrogeophysical problems. This review focuses primarily on the theory concerning the causative source mechanism, numerical modeling, and inversion and interpretation of SP signals related to ore bodies and applications in mineral exploration. Three field examples focusing on seafloor sulfide deposits exploration are summarized to show the application effect of SP measurements in marine mineral exploration. This study would be helpful to investigating the use of SP surveys in ore prospecting, especially in marine environments.