The North China Craton is one of China’s major gold-producing areas. Breakthroughs have been continually made in deep prospecting at depths of 500–2000 m in the Jiaodong Peninsula, and geophysical methods have played an important role. Given that the geophysical signals of deep-seated gold deposits are difficult to detect, due to their thick overburden layers, conventional geophysical methods are not suitable for deep prospecting. Therefore, this study upgrades the geological-geophysical prospecting model, which is based on the deep metallogenic model and geophysical method of large exploration depths. Based on the analysis of the metallogenic geological factors of the altered-rock-type gold deposits in the fracture zones of the Jiaodong Peninsula, this study proposes that the gold deposits are controlled by large-scale faults, generally occur near the contact interfaces between the Early Precambrian metamorphic rock series and Mesozoic granitoids, and exhibit a stepped metallogenic model. This model then becomes the prerequisite and basic condition for deep prospecting by geophysical methods. For this reason, the traditional geophysical model, which focuses on the exploration of shallow mineralization anomalies, is transformed into a comprehensive multi-parameter geological-geophysical qualitative prospecting model highlighting the exploration of ore-controlling structural planes. The model adopts various frequency domain methods (e.g., CSAMT, AMT, WFEM), reflection seismology, and other methods to detect the deep geological structure. The characteristics of parameters such as gravity and magnetism, resistivity, polarizability, and the seismic reflection spectrum are applied to identify the ore-controlling fault location and dip angle change, and to estimate the ore-bearing location according to the stepped metallogenic model. The prospecting demonstration of deep-seated gold deposits in the Shuiwangzhuang mining area indicates the effectiveness of the comprehensive model. The comprehensive deep prospecting model effectively solves the problem of deep prospecting of gold deposits controlled by faults, promotes the great breakthrough of deep prospecting in the Jiaodong Peninsula, and provides an important technology demonstration for deep prospecting throughout China.

With the rapid depletion of mineral resources, deep prospecting is becoming a frontier field in international geological exploration. The prediction of deep mineral resources is the premise and foundation of deep prospecting. However, conventional metallogenic predictive methods, which are mainly based on surface geophysical, geochemical, and remote sensing data and geological information, are no longer suitable for deep metallogenic prediction due to the large burial depth of deep-seated deposits. Consequently, 3D metallogenic prediction becomes a critical method for delineating deep prospecting target areas. As a world-class giant gold metallogenic province, the Jiaodong Peninsula is at the forefront in China in terms of deep prospecting achievements and exploration depth. Therefore, it has unique conditions for 3D metallogenic prediction and plays an important exemplary role in promoting the development of global deep prospecting. This study briefly introduced the method, bases, and results of the 3D metallogenic prediction in the northwest Jiaodong Peninsula and then established 3D geological models of gold concentration areas in the northwest Jiaodong Peninsula using drilling combined with geophysics. Since gold deposits in the northwest Jiaodong Peninsula are often controlled by faulting in the 3D space, this study proposed a method for predicting deep prospecting target areas based on a stepped metallogenic model and a method for predicting the deep resource potential of gold deposits based on the shallow resources of ore-controlling faults. Multiple characteristic variables were extracted from the 3D geological models of the gold concentration areas, including the buffer zone and dip angle of faults, the changing rate of fault dip angle, and the equidistant distribution of orebodies. Using these characteristic variables, five deep prospecting target areas in the Jiaojia and Sanshandao faults were predicted. Moreover, based on the proven gold resources at an elevation of −2000 m and above, the total gold resources of the Sanshandao, Jiaojia, and Zhaoping ore-controlling faults at an elevation of −5000–−2000 m were predicted to be approximately 3377–6490 t of Au. Therefore, it is believed that the total gold resources in the Jiaodong Peninsula are expected to exceed 10,000 t. These new predicted results suggest that the northwest Jiaodong Peninsula has huge potential for the resources of deep gold deposits, laying the foundation for further deep prospecting.