Dynamic shells

You can use this function to interactively create grade shells from sample data. Dynamic Shells is designed to make the process of initially evaluating deposits faster. It can also help you generate surfaces and solids, reducing the time required to generate them.

To run this function: Choose Database > Analysis > Create dynamic shells, or...

• In the Function Chooser, type DYNAMIC SHELLS, and press ENTER.

With Dynamic Shells you can:

• select data points and immediately create modelled shells
• create several models based on different estimation parameters, and view the models simultaneously
• generate multiple shells for each attribute value that you select, using an interactive slider
• automatically adjust the colours of shells that are created, with the colour based on the value of each attribute you are modelling
• export the shells back to Surpac for further processing in geological modelling or mine planning workflows

For more information about how to use the functions in Dynamic Shells, use the Dynamic Shells Help.

When you run Dynamic Shells, the Sample Data Selection Wizard appears, prompting you to choose the data that you want to use. The wizard consists of four forms:

1. Select sample data
2. Define geological zones
3. Define query constraints
4. Selected sample data summary

Note: To select your data, you must be connected to the database that contains the samples you want to estimate.

To select your data using the Sample Data Selection Wizard:

1. On the Select sample data form:
   1. Choose the Table name.
   2. For each field you want to use, select it in the Available fields list, and click Add to add it to the Selected fields list.
   3. If you want to ignore negative samples, select the Ignore negative samples check box.

   When a negative sample is ignored, the estimation continues as if that sample did not exist. It does not set the sample to a value of zero. Leave Ignore negative samples cleared unless you are certain that negative samples should be ignored.

   4. Click Next.
2. On the Define geological zones form:
   1. Select No zone definition, Multiple zones, or Zone From/To.

   You can use Multiple zones to limit the samples, that are input to dynamic shells, for example by rock type or by geological domain. To do so, you need to have a field for rock type, or a field for domain, in your database.

   Similarly, you can use Zone From/To to limit the samples that are input. Zone From/To is useful for layered deposits. You can use it, for example, to include samples from a conglomerate layer near the top of each sample, to the layer of shale further down each sample.

   2. Click Next.
3. On the Define Query Constrains form:
   1. Select the Field name for the field you want to constrain.
   2. Select the Operand that you want to use to constrain the field.
   3. Type the Constraint value.
   4. Repeat steps a-c for all fields that you want to constrain.

   For example you might constrain by the x, y, and z fields when you have samples over a large area but you want to estimate only within a relatively small volume of ground. For another example, if you have stored data for more than one project in the same geological database, you might constrain to project=<name of one of your projects>.

4. On the Selected sample data summary form:
   1. Check that the Attribute, Min value, Max value, and Sample count are accurate for the data you want to select.
   2. Click Finish.

   Dynamic Shells opens, and the drillhole traces for the data you have selected are displayed in Graphics.

After you have selected your data, the Dynamic Shells window appears and you can use the tools available to estimate and model your data. See the Dynamic Shells Help for more information about how to use the tools in this module.