MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

21st Annual Seminar

MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

MineSight Interactive Planner (IP) is a planning tool that can be used for short-, mid-, and long-range planning on 3-D block models (3dbm), Gridded Seam Models (GSM), and Gridded Surface Files (GSF). How the reserves are calculated and reported depends upon how the MineSight IP setup is done. This paper will describe most of the different setup alternatives. MineSight IP requires an ODBC compliant database to store the setup parameters, cut geometry and attributes, and reserves. The database can then be accessed by scripts, queries, reports, or third party tools allowing the reserves to be computed and displayed using a variety of methods. The MineSight IP database can be either Microsoft Access (MDB), MSDE, or SQLServer. Oracle will be added in the future. This paper will describe the MDB setup. A starting database called attrib13_16.mdb is provided in the MineSight executable folder (usually winexe). This file should be copied to the working folder and renamed to an appropriate name for the IP Plan. A new IP Object is then created from within the MineSight 3-D (MS3D) Data Manager by clicking right on the appropriate folder and doing New | Interactive Planner Object. After selecting a name for the IP Object, you will be asked to make a connection to your database with the ODBC connection manager available under Microsoft Windows. Make the connection by selecting your Data Source from the list on the Machine Data Source page if the connection already exists, or make a new connection by clicking New | System Data Source | Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb) | Finish. This will open a dialog where you can specify a Data Source Name, click on Select, and pick the appropriate database. The following figure shows an example of setting up a connection to csamp-seminar.mdb.

Currently, only one connection can be active in a MineSight 3-D session. Once a connection has been made, the connection is saved with the IP Object. If a connection to another object is made (IP Object or Geometry View Object), and the connection string for that object is not the same as the current connection string, the user will be prompted with the choice of using the new connection string or the current connection. If the new connection is chosen, all objects using the current connection will be closed. After the connection to the database has been established, you will be prompted for some initial setup information in the IP Set Creation dialog (see sample below). Once this information has been input for any given IP Set, it cannot be changed. This dialog is

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

also where you can clone an existing IP Set if one exists in this database. Each IP Object corresponds to an IP Set in the database. The IP Set is the collection of the IP Objects Areas, Material Sets, and cuts (geometry, attributes, and reserves). A database may contain many IP Sets, each with a unique name and each can be referenced by one or many IP Objects.

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When the first IP Object is created in a database, no IP Sets exist. Select Create New for the type of IP Set and give the IP Set a name. Use Exposed Geometry for the new set to store polygonal cuts as XYZ points in the database. While this storing method is less efficient, it allows external, third party programs easier access to the data. The Exposed Geometry option can only be assigned to a new IP Set and cannot be used to change the store method for existing sets. If you do not want to access the polygonal cut points from any external program, you do not need to choose this option. You also have the choice of reporting from a model with Multiple Ore Percents, as well as the option for Partials Mapping. The Multiple Ore Percent options is typically used when your 3dbm contains more than a single ore percent. Normally, this type of model is built with 2 or more ore percents items and corresponding zone items, with a naming convention of ORE1, ORE2, and ZONE1, ZONE2. The reserve logic initialization is more involved for a multiple ore percent model than for a single ore percent model. The Multiple Ore Percent option also needs to be used when you have a single ore% model but want to use priority mining and partials mapping. Partials Mapping can be optionally chosen when you have a multiple ore percent model and you wish to use priority mining. When Partials Mapping is chosen, you must have a percent item available in your model so you can store a partials value back into it. The item should have a minimum of 0, maximum of 100, and a precision of .01 or .001 to ensure that you get adequate material balance. This partials value is used to record the amount of a block that remains after each cut is mined. It is initialized to 100% and decreased by the amount of the block mined out. There are two options for how the topo% and the partial% interact with each other. If the Min(Topo/Part) option is selected, then when a cut partially mines a block, the minimum of the partial and the topo in that block is used. When the option is off, the product of the two is used. If you digitize cuts that follow the topo contours, then the option should be used, otherwise the reserves will be under-estimated. For example, if a block has a topo of 50 and a cut is digitized to follow the topo contour (to in effect mine the block) so that you get a partial of 50, then the Min option would take 50% of the block. The Product option would only mine 25%, leaving the other 25% unaccounted. If you build a model and clip the ore at the topography surface, then the Ore Clipped option should be used. The Ore Clipped option applies the ore percentage to a full block while not using Ore Clipped takes the product of the topo and ore percentages. For example, if a block has an ore percentage of 40 and a topo percentage of 50, the Ore Clipped option will mine 40% of a block while not having the option would mine 20%.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

21st Annual Seminar

For GSMs, there is no Multiple Ore Percents, Partials Mapping, priorities, Ore Clipped, or Min(Topo/Part). Reserves are based upon a thickness item, optional single ore%, and grade. After finishing the setup of the IP Set, the IP Tool dialog is displayed and the Area and Material Set information is input. The Area tab is where the appropriate model view, model items, and optional priorities are assigned (see sample below). At least one grade item is required (maximum is 50). Usually, the grade items are tonnage weighted but they can also be items to be accumulated (eg: ounces, barrels, etc). The Volume reduction item is used to indicate the percentage remaining in a block, while the Mined out item indicates how much is gone. The Thickness item is required for GSMs and GSFs and is optional for 3dbms. The 2d partials number of slices and direction refers to the number of vectors to slice through each block for the partial integration (same as M650IP, M667V1, etc) and whether to slice horizontally (default) or vertically (Switch slice direction tick box) The Material Set tab is where the materials, densities, and cutoffs (on first grade item) are input.

The display properties of the mining cuts can be set from the Edit | Properties of the IP Tool dialog using any of the attributes. For example, the cuts display properties can be set by period id as shown.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

The IP Tool Area/Material Sets dialogs for each case will be shown and described later in the paper. After the Area and Material Set information has been input, the Cut Design dialog can be opened. As part of the initial setup, the Defaults should be setup and the required Scripts selected. The following shows a sample of each. The current Mining area and Period ID are assigned to each new cut. Cuts can also be autonamed. Any values assigned to a cut can be changed at any time. The Accumulation scripts are run each time a cut is made/picked if Autorun is on, and each time the summation icon is clicked. The other scripts can be run automatically each time a cut is saved, or by clicking on the GO button.

21st Annual Seminar

Also, the 2-D cut options can be set including an optional minimum and maximum coordinate and additional attributes can be set up which can be assigned to each cut. To add/update an attribute in the database, click on Edit button of the Attributes tab and add the new attribute and the optional validation information. To add the attribute to the existing IP Set, click on the Add button of the Attributes tab and pick the appropriate attributes. The following shows a sample of each.

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Once the initial setup for the IP Cut Design dialog has been completed, cuts can be digitized or polygons/solids selected, and reserves reported. The details of the cut design step will be covered in the MineSight Interactive Planner Tips & Tricks workshop.

Setup of Area and Material Set for 3dbm Grade Only Case
This is the simplest case where the model only contains grade values and no zone or ore percentage items. Each block has a single material type within a single cutoff (ie: everything is whole block basis). The reserves are reported by cutoff usually with the lowest cutoff being waste.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup Setup of Area and Material Set for 3dbm Zone, no Ore% Case
This is a similar case to the grade only case in that there is no ore% in the blocks and the reserves are reported by grade cutoff with the lowest cutoff usually being waste. The difference is that the reserves are split out by zone based upon the zone code item. Each block has a single material type within a single cutoff (ie: everything is whole block basis).

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

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Setup of Area and Material Set for 3dbm Ore%, No Zone Case
In this case, there is only a single ore zone so no zone code is needed. A block can consist of both ore and waste. The reserves are reported in the same fashion as the Grade case. The only difference is that the non-ore% material is put into the lowest cutoff bin.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup Setup of Area and Material Set for 3dbm Zone, Ore% Case
This is a more typical case in that most deposits tend to have multiple zones that are defined by polygons, surfaces, or solids and the precision of a partial block is needed. (i.e., whole block for ore/waste is too inaccurate). Usually only simpler deposits use a single zone per block. If there is more complexity or the additional accuracy by zone is required, then the multiple ore percentage case should be used. Reserves are reported by zone, by cutoff with an additional separate waste material.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

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Setup of Area and Material Set for 3dbm Multiple Zone, Ore% Case
This case is used for deposits that have multiple zones that are defined by polygons, surfaces, or solids and the precision of a partial block and accurate tracking of each zone is required. Reserves are reported by zone, by cutoff with an additional separate waste material. (same as single zone, ore% case, just more accurate tracking by zone). This sample is without partials mapping.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup Setup of Area and Material Set for 3dbm Multiple Zone, Ore%, Multiple Waste Case
This case is the most complicated that non-complex coal users will have. Each block can contain multiple ore percentages as well as multiple waste percentages. Reserves are reported by zone, by cutoff (same as the multiple ore percentage case) with an additional reporting of waste by type. This sample also has partials mapping and priority mining.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

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Setup of Area and Material Set for 3dbm Complex Coal Case

This case is the most complicated case of all. It includes all the setup from the multiple ore-waste case with an additional oxide coal %. This sample also has partials mapping and priority mining.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

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Setup of Area and Material Set for GSM Grade Only, No Level Number
This case is the simplest for a GSM with the reserves being summarized as a single material based upon the grade cutoffs. It can only be used for GSMs without any interburden and where just total ore/waste by grade reporting is sufficient. This is very similar to the 3dbm grade only case. Any of the GSM setups can be used against a vertical GSM as well although the most common cases are without interburden.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup Setup of Area and Material Set for GSM Grade Only, with Level Number
This case is usually applied to GSMs without interburden where reporting by level (often bench) is required. The only difference in the model setup from the previous case is that each grid is assigned a level number so that the reserves can be split out. A single cut can be applied against a single or multiple levels depending upon the Range setup of the model view.

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Single level cut.

Multiple level cut.

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Setup of Area and Material Set for GSM with Ore% without Level Number
This case is usually applied to GSMs with interburden where the ore% is a ratio of the ore thickness within the grid to the total thickness from the seam bottom to the seam bottom above (including interburden) and reporting by level isnt required. (ie: total ore and waste is sufficient). Typically, these are simple cases where cuts are applied to all levels to get an idea of total ore and waste in an area.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup Setup of Area and Material Set for GSM with Ore% with Level Number
This case is usually applied to GSMs with interburden where the ore% is a ratio of the ore thickness within the grid to the total thickness from the seam bottom to the seam bottom above (including interburden) and reporting by level is required but total waste is sufficient (as compared to waste above each seam).

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Sample of single seam cut below and multiple seam cut to the right. Seams to use are controlled by the model view range .

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Setup of Area and Material Set for GSM with Level Number and Waste by Seam
This case is similar to the previous case except that an extra level (OB) has been set up in the GSM that has a ZTOP and ZBOT equal to topography and a thickness of 0. An ore% item is not needed as MineSight Interactive Planner will automatically calculate the interburden above each seam (because of the negative zone values in the Material Set). The reserves will be reported by seam including the waste above each seam. When using this case, the model view range should include all levels to ensure all interburden is reported. The coordinate range can also be used to limit the elevation to a mining bench.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup Setup of Area and Material Set for Gridded Surface File
MineSight Interactive Planner can be run against a GSF thickness using a similar setup to the GSM. An ore% item can also be used. The following example has a total thickness from topography to the bottom of ore with a bitumen grade associated to the ore.

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MineSight Interactive Planner Setup

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Cloning IP Sets
If a database already contains IP Sets when you go to set up a new one, you can choose to Clone an IP Set for use with the new IP Object by selecting the set from the popdown. By default, all Areas, Material Sets, and cuts will be cloned in the database and grouped into the new IP Set. You can optionally filter which cuts to clone using the Filter Geom option. You can also choose to clone only the sets Areas and Material Sets by toggling the Settings Only option (see example below for cloning settings only).

Use of an Topo Item clipped to the Ultimate Pit (ITOPO)

A topo item can be set up to be the percentage below the topography surface and above the ultimate pit. This will ensure that cuts never pick up any reserves outside the pit even if the cut goes into the air or outside the pit. It will also accurately report the tonnage against any highwall roads where only part of the bench is being mined. To set up the ITOPO item, just make a solid of the pit using the surface intersector with the topo as the primary, the pit as the secondary, keeping the cut solid. Then use the solid to set the ITOPO percentage using a model view to the 3dbm.

Multiple IP Sets
Multiple IP Sets can be used within the same plan. Each set can use the same model view with different grades and cutoffs, or can use different model views. When a new cut is digitized/picked, the IP Set (and Mining Area if need be) can be assigned as shown below.

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