Altered　rock　type　deposits　are　significant　gold　deposits　widely　distributed　throughout　the　world,　having　important　economic　and　industrial　value.　The　Eastern　Shandong　Peninsula　is　the　third　largest　gold　mining　camps　in　the　world　with　known　gold　reserves　of　more　than　5300　tons.　The　majority　of　the　gold　deposits　here　are　located　in　three　main　orefields,　namely　the　northwest　Jiaodong　(Laizhou-Zhaoyuan),　the　Qixia-Penglai-Fushan,　and　the　Muping-Rushan　orefields.　The　Hongbu　deposit　is　a　medium-sized　altered　rock　type　deposit　within　the　northwest　Jiaodong　orefield.　With　decades　of　mining,　the　Hongbu　deposit　faces　the　dilemma　of　resource　depletion　and　loss　of　undigitized　data.　Therefore,　prospecting　and　exploration　have　to　focus　on　deep　and　peripheral　areas　of　known　Au　mineralization.　This　study　built　a　three-dimensional　model　of　the　Hongbu　deposit　and　sliced　it　to　obtain　nine　cross-sections　to　conduct　multi-field　coupled　numerical　simulation　(including　heat　conduction,　fluid　migration,　chemical　reaction,　and　material　migration).　Locations　with　relatively　developed　Au　mineralization　(the　top　15　%　within　the　concentration　range　of　Au)　are　defined　as　having　metallogenic　potential,　which　are　highlighted　and　projected　to　the　geological　map　of　the　Hongbu　district.　The　results　also　show　that　the　spatial　distributions　of　Au　mineralization　within　these　nine　sections　are　different,　indicating　that　the　formation　of　Au　mineralization　is　controlled　by　the　morphology　of　the　Hexi　fault　(other　simulation　parameters　of　these　nine　sections　are　the　same)　and　the　pyrite　sericite　cataclasite.　This　research　proves　that　numerical　simulation　methods　is　effective　in　mineral　exploration,　especially　for　those　areas　with　insufficient　data　to　use　data-driven　prospectivity　modeling　approaches.　Future　development　into　both　mathematical　geosciences　and　computational　science　will　provide　more　detailed　answers　for　remaining　hot　issues　related　to　mineral　exploration.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.