Open topic with navigation

You are here: Setup Schedule > About > Locations > Surface > Location Properties Pane
GEOVIA MineSched

|  | Print

# Surface Locations Properties Pane

The Location Properties pane displays the properties of the location that is selected in the 2D Canvas. The Location Properties pane is located on the right of the Setup Schedule > Locations tab.

The fields in the Location Properties pane vary depending on the type of location selected in the 2D Canvas. For a Location, the Location Properties pane also contains tabs for Mining and any Ancillary Activities.

You can select and modify the properties of the locations in the Location Properties pane, or you can use the spreadsheet view. The spreadsheet view is useful in mining scenarios where the number of locations is so large that dragging locations onto the 2D Canvas is not efficient.

To access the spreadsheet view, select Spreadsheet > Enable Spreadsheet Views, and then select the Mining and Fill Locations spreadsheet. When the Mining and Fill Locations spreadsheet is enabled, it replaces the Location Properties pane in the Locations tab.

### Fields on the Location Properties Pane for a Location

Field | Description
--- | ---
Name | Locations are automatically assigned a unique default name. You can change the name to any name you want, using any alphanumeric characters in your language and the characters dash (-), underscore (_), and forward slash (/). It is good practice to name your locations according to the following recommendations: choose names that allow you to specify groups of locations using wildcards choose names that are concise, yet descriptive use all uppercase or all lowercase lettering Note: Names are case-sensitive.
Model | The model that is associated with the location. This field lists all the models added to the scenario. If only one model is added to the scenario, it is selected by default.
Active | Selected: The location is active. Cleared: The location is inactive. Tip: When you clear the Active check box, you stop the location being used in the schedule without deleting the location. The location appears dimmed in the 2D Canvas when the Active check box is cleared.
Mining tab
Ancillary Activities tabs

### Fields on the Location Properties Pane for a Stockpile

Field | Description
--- | ---
Name | Stockpiles are automatically assigned a unique default name. You can change the name to any name you want, using any alphanumeric characters in your language and the characters dash (-), underscore (_), and forward slash (/). It is good practice to name your stockpiles according to the following recommendations: choose names that allow you to specify groups of stockpiles using wildcards choose names that are concise, yet descriptive use all uppercase or all lowercase lettering Note: Names are case-sensitive.
Values from | The location of the starting balances data. Options are: No starting balances: There are no starting balances. Data grid: The starting balances are taken from the Stockpile balance values data grid. CSV file: The starting balances are taken from the CSV file that you specify in the CSV file field.
Copy to all | Copies the Values from selection, and the stockpile balance information from the Stockpile balance values data grid or the CSV file, to all stockpiles in the scenario.
Open CSV file | Opens the CSV file that you have specified in the CSV file field. Note: This button is available only if CSV file is selected for Values from.
CSV file | The CSV file that contains the information for the starting balances for the stockpile. If you click the Ellipsis button in this field, the Select CSV File form appears, which you use to select the CSV file. In the CSV file the information must be contained in columns in the order; stockpile name, material class, property, value. The names of the stockpiles, material classes, and properties must match exactly the names in the scenario. All names are case-sensitive. Note: This field is available only if CSV file is selected for Values from.
Stockpile balance values data grid | The data grid that contains the information for the starting balances for the stockpile.

### Fields on the Location Properties Pane for a Process

Column | Description
--- | ---
Name | Processes are automatically assigned a unique default name. You can change the name to any name you want, using any alphanumeric characters in your language and the characters dash (-), underscore (_), and forward slash (/). It is good practice to name your processes according to the following recommendations: choose names that allow you to specify groups of processes using wildcards choose names that are concise, yet descriptive use all uppercase or all lowercase lettering Note: Names are case-sensitive.
Process rates data grid | The data grid that contains the information for the process rates for the process.
Process factors data grid | The data grid that contains the process factors for the process.

### Fields on the Location Properties Pane for a Fill Location

### Name

Fill Locations are automatically assigned a unique default name.

You can change the name to any name you want, using any alphanumeric characters in your language and the characters dash (-), underscore (_), and forward slash (/). It is good practice to name your fill locations according to the following recommendations:

- choose names that allow you to specify groups of fill locations using wildcards
- choose names that are concise, yet descriptive
- use all uppercase or all lowercase lettering

Note: Names are case-sensitive.

### Model

The model that is associated with the fill location.

This field lists all the models added to the scenario. If only one model is added to the scenario, it is selected by default.

### Constraints

The spatial-based or value-based constraints that define the fill locations in your block, grid, or string model.

For example, you can constrain a model above surface topography and below a waste dump design.

You can define up to six constraints. If you want to add more than six constraints to your model, you can create a constraints file in GEOVIA Surpac.

### Method

The filling method.

The method selected controls the other fields that are available on the Location Properties pane. Options are:

#### Benches

The location is filled by horizontal elevation slices. The process is typically bottom up for filling. The First bench elevation and Last bench elevation determines whether the benches are filled top to bottom or bottom to top.

Fields on the Location Properties Pane When the Method is Benches

Column | Description
--- | ---
Bench position | The position on the bench at which the elevation is recorded. Options are Top, Middle, or Bottom.
First bench elevation | The first bench to fill. Usually, filling starts with the bench at the bottom of the waste dump design. If you do not know the exact elevation of the first bench, you can choose an elevation that you know is significantly below a known bench. It is important that the elevation you use is a multiple of the bench height below a known bench. For example, if you have benches at a fill location at elevations of 95, 105, and 115, you could choose a First bench elevation of 75, which is a multiple of the bench height (10) below the known benches.
Last bench elevation | The last bench to fill. Usually, in a fill location the last bench is the highest bench elevation. If you do not know the exact elevation of the last bench, you can choose an elevation that is significantly above a known bench for filling.
Bench height | The vertical height of the bench. If the bench height is uniform for the entire location, the height is a single number. If the bench height is variable, and is specified by a sequence of values separated by spaces or semicolons, the sequence is repeated for however many benches make up the location.
Direction | The direction in which the location is filled. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, size and geometry of the waste dump, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Filling starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Filling starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Filling starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Filling starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The filling direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for filling after the blocks below it have been filled. All: Filling can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the filling direction is All, at the start of filling, every block on the bottom bench is not available for filling. You must define where filling starts on the bottom bench. Radial: The filling direction Radial is similar to the filling direction All, except that the Radial filling direction is more constrained. The blocks are filled radially outwards from a starting point. The start filling position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the start position from a string file allows filling to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The roaming direction is not applicable to fill locations. D-field: This option is applicable only when the filling method is Polygons, Bench Polygons, or Solids and the polygons or solids are defined using a Surpac string file. The mining direction is taken from a description field of the closed string in the Source file. When you select this filling direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the filling direction. Azimuth: Filling proceeds in the direction defined by the azimuth value. A field appears to the right, in which you can type the value for the azimuth.
Start position | The position at which mining starts on each bench. Options are: North: Filling starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Filling starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Filling starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Filling starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: Filling can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string Coordinate: Filling starts in the block closest to a specified coordinate on that bench. String File: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file. Filling starts in the block closest to each point in a string file. Defining the start position using a string file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation. CSV File: Filling starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using coordinates stored in a CSV file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. The format of the headers in the CSV file must be Location Name, X, Y, Z. Note: This field is available only if the Direction is All or Radial.
Consolidate blocks | Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the filling direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the bench as one filling face, that advances at approximately the same rate. Consolidating blocks reduces the amount of data to schedule, and therefore reduces the time taken to run the schedule. If you want to produce consolidated graphical results where the original polygons are intersected to produce the graphical results, you must consolidate blocks. Note: If the filling direction is All or None, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Individual blocks at the dimensions of the specified fill block size are created at the fill location.
Source | The polygon file that is used to consolidated blocks. The polygon file must contain a closed string for each bench or lift elevation. Tip: For optimal results, the polygons should be coplanar. This source file is also used to create graphical results for the fill location. Notes: Surpac, GEMS, and AutoCAD are the only supported file types to use to consolidate blocks when filling by bench. For GEMS and AutoCAD files, the source file can contain only one polygon. Tip: To create the source file, in your GMP, slice the pit or stope at the elevation of each bench or lift.
Block Size | Y: The block size in the Y direction. X: The block size in the Z direction. The fill block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively filled with the mining equipment you have available. Note: Take performance into account when choosing your filling block size. Scheduling performance is related to the number of fill blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer the schedule takes to run. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your filling direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the filling direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages | Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the fill blocks for the location. Using partial percentages results in more accurate volume calculations. However, it also increases the time taken to Evaluate the location. Cleared: MineSched does not use partial percentage functionality when creating fill blocks for the location. Note: This field is available only if a polygon, solid, or surface constraint is defined.
Partial on | The entity for which you want to use the partial percentage calculation. The partial percentage calculation can be applied to any of the six Constraints, with the exceptions of constraints files, block constraints, and plane constraints.
Precision | The level of accuracy of the partial percentage calculation. You can use the values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value of 1 means that the original block is divided into 8 subblocks. A precision value of 2 means each of the 8 subblocks is further divided into 8, giving a total of 64 subblocks. The higher the precision value, the more accurate the calculation. However, high precision values also increase the time taken to Evaluate the location. Note: This field is available only if a polygon, solid, or surface constraint is defined.
Delays
Before activity | The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this filling , before filling can start.
After activity | The delay, in days, after filling finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.

#### Polygons

The outlines of the polygons, in plan view, are used to constrain the location through the full vertical extent of the location. Fill blocks are extracted from within each polygon. The Polygons filling method is used when the polygons are on only one bench. If you want to schedule polygons on multiple benches, choose the Bench Polygons filling method.

Fields on the Location Properties Pane When the Method is Polygons

Column | Description
--- | ---
Source | The source file that contains the polygons. The polygons contained in the source file must be closed. Tip: For optimal results, the polygons should be coplanar.
Polygon range | The polygon range for the polygons contained in the Source. If the source file is a Surpac string file, you can specify the string range using the standard GEOVIA Surpac syntax. The polygon range defines the filling sequence of the polygons within the location. You can also select the polygon sequence using the Graphical Sequencer. The polygon range entered in this field is independent of any polygon range entered as a constraint. Usually polygons are not added as a constraint because, when the filling method is Polygons, the source file listed is automatically added as an additional constraint. If the source file contains more polygons than are registered in the polygon range, the additional polygons are also used when the location is evaluated. For example, if a source file contains polygons 1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9 and 10 but the polygon range entered is polygons 1;2;3;4 and 5, when the location is evaluated, polygons 6;7;8;9 and 10 are also evaluated. The additional polygons are evaluated so that if the polygon range is changed, the entire location does not need to be reevaluated. If your source file contains significantly more polygons that you are using for the schedule, you should add the source file as a constraint to stop the additional polygons being evaluated.
Graphical Sequencer | Opens the Graphical Sequencer, which you can use to select the sequence for your polygons graphically. When you use Graphical Sequencer the 3D Canvas, reports, and charts are updated as you select the polygons. Updating the 3D Canvas, reports, and charts helps you to choose the best polygon sequence.
String position | The location of the polygon in relation to the filling location. Options are Top, Middle, and Bottom.
Direction | The direction in which the location is filled. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, size and geometry of the waste dump, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Filling starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Filling starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Filling starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Filling starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The filling direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for filling after the blocks below it have been filled. All: Filling can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the filling direction is All, at the start of filling, every block on the bottom bench is not available for filling. You must define where filling starts on the bottom bench. Radial: The filling direction Radial is similar to the filling direction All, except that the Radial filling direction is more constrained. The blocks are filled radially outwards from a starting point. The start filling position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the start position from a string file allows filling to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The roaming direction is not applicable to fill locations. D-field: This option is applicable only when the filling method is Polygons, Bench Polygons, or Solids and the polygons or solids are defined using a Surpac string file. The mining direction is taken from a description field of the closed string in the Source file. When you select this filling direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the filling direction. Azimuth: Filling proceeds in the direction defined by the azimuth value. A field appears to the right, in which you can type the value for the azimuth.
Start position | The position at which mining starts on each bench. Options are: North: Filling starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Filling starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Filling starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Filling starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: Filling can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string Coordinate: Filling starts in the block closest to a specified coordinate on that bench. String File: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file. Filling starts in the block closest to each point in a string file. Defining the start position using a string file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation. CSV File: Filling starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using coordinates stored in a CSV file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. The format of the headers in the CSV file must be Location Name, Y, X, Z. Note: This field is available only if the Direction is All or Radial.
Consolidate blocks | Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the filling direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the polygon as one filling face, that advances at approximately the same rate. Consolidating blocks reduces the amount of data to schedule, and therefore reduces the time taken to run the schedule. If you want to produce consolidated graphical results where the original polygons are intersected to produce the graphical results, you must consolidate blocks. Note: If the filling direction is All or None, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Individual blocks at the dimensions of the specified fill block size are created at the fill location.
Block Size | Y: The block size in the Y direction. X: The block size in the X direction. Z: The block size in the Z direction. The fill block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively filled with the mining equipment you have available. Note: Take performance into account when choosing your filling block size. Scheduling performance is related to the number of fill blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer the schedule takes to run. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your filling direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the filling direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages | Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the fill blocks for the location. Using partial percentages results in more accurate volume calculations. However, it also increases the time taken to Evaluate the location. Cleared: MineSched does not use partial percentage functionality when creating fill blocks for the location.
Partial on | The entity for which you want to use the partial percentage calculation. The partial percentage calculation can be applied to the polygons or any of the six Constraints, with the exceptions of constraints files, block constraints, and plane constraints.
Precision | The level of accuracy of the partial percentage calculation. You can use the values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value of 1 means that the original block is divided into 8 subblocks. A precision value of 2 means each of the 8 subblocks is further divided into 8, giving a total of 64 subblocks. The higher the precision value, the more accurate the calculation. However, high precision values also increase the time taken to Evaluate the location.
Delays
Before activity | The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this filling , before filling can start.
After activity | The delay, in days, after filling finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.

#### Whole

The whole constraint is filled in the filling direction specified.

Fields on the Location Properties Pane When the Method is Whole

Column | Description
--- | ---
Source | The source file that contains the polygon that represents the outline of the fill location. The polygons contained in the source file must be closed. Tip: For optimal results, the polygons should be coplanar. Notes: This polygon file is used only to create graphical results. Surpac, GEMS, and AutoCAD are the only supported file types to use to represent whole mining locations for graphical results. For GEMS and AutoCAD files, the polygon file can contain only one polygon for the location.
String number | The number of the polygon that represents the outline of the fill location in plan view. Note: This polygon is used only to generate graphical results.
String position | The location of the polygon in relation to the filling location. Options are Top, Middle, and Bottom.
Direction | The direction in which the location is filled. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, size and geometry of the waste dump, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Filling starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Filling starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Filling starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Filling starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The filling direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for filling after the blocks below it have been filled. All: Filling can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the filling direction is All, at the start of filling, every block on the bottom bench is not available for filling. You must define where filling starts on the bottom bench. Radial: The filling direction Radial is similar to the filling direction All, except that the Radial filling direction is more constrained. The blocks are filled radially outwards from a starting point. The start filling position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the start position from a string file allows filling to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The roaming direction is not applicable to fill locations. D-field: This option is applicable only when the filling method is Polygons, Bench Polygons, or Solids and the polygons or solids are defined using a Surpac string file. The mining direction is taken from a description field of the closed string in the Source file. When you select this filling direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the filling direction. Azimuth: Filling proceeds in the direction defined by the azimuth value. A field appears to the right, in which you can type the value for the azimuth. Note: This field is available for all filling methods.
Start position | The position at which mining starts on each bench. Options are: North: Filling starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Filling starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Filling starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Filling starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: Filling can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string Coordinate: Filling starts in the block closest to a specified coordinate on that bench. String File: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file. Filling starts in the block closest to each point in a string file. Defining the start position using a string file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation. CSV File: Filling starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using coordinates stored in a CSV file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. The format of the headers in the CSV file must be Location Name, Y, X, Z. Note: This field is available only if the Direction is All or Radial.
Consolidate blocks | Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the filling direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the location as one filling face, that advances at approximately the same rate. Consolidating blocks reduces the amount of data to schedule, and therefore reduces the time taken to run the schedule. If you want to produce consolidated graphical results where the original polygons are intersected to produce the graphical results, you must consolidate blocks. Note: If the filling direction is All or None, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Individual blocks at the dimensions of the specified fill block size are created at the fill location.
Block Size | Y: The block size in the Y direction. X: The block size in the X direction. Z: The block size in the Z direction. The fill block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively filled with the mining equipment you have available. Note: Take performance into account when choosing your filling block size. Scheduling performance is related to the number of fill blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer the schedule takes to run. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your filling direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the filling direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages | Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the fill blocks for the location. Using partial percentages results in more accurate volume calculations. However, it also increases the time taken to Evaluate the location. Cleared: MineSched does not use partial percentage functionality when creating fill blocks for the location. Note: This field is available only if a polygon, solid, or surface constraint is defined.
Partial on | The entity for which you want to use the partial percentage calculation. The partial percentage calculation can be applied to any of the six Constraints, with the exceptions of constraints files, block constraints, and plane constraints.
Precision | The level of accuracy of the partial percentage calculation. You can use the values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value of 1 means that the original block is divided into 8 subblocks. A precision value of 2 means each of the 8 subblocks is further divided into 8, giving a total of 64 subblocks. The higher the precision value, the more accurate the calculation. However, high precision values also increase the time taken to Evaluate the location. Note: This field is available only if a polygon, solid, or surface constraint is defined.
Delays
Before activity | The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this filling , before filling can start.
After activity | The delay, in days, after filling finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.

#### Bench Polygons

The outlines of the polygons, in plan view, are used to constrain the location vertically between the horizontal constraints automatically added as true horizontal planes at the top and bottom of each bench. You do not need to have specific polygons defined for each bench when using the Bench Polygons filling method. You can define a set of polygons, and then specify the benches to which the polygons are applied.

Fields on the Location Properties Pane When the Method is Bench Polygons

Column | Description
--- | ---
Bench position | The position on the bench at which the elevation is recorded. Options are Top, Middle, or Bottom.
First bench elevation | The first bench to fill. Usually, filling starts with the bench at the bottom of the waste dump design. If you do not know the exact elevation of the first bench, you can choose an elevation that you know is significantly below a known bench. It is important that the elevation you use is a multiple of the bench height below a known bench. For example, if you have benches at a fill location at elevations of 95, 105, and 115, you could choose a First bench elevation of 75, which is a multiple of the bench height (10) below the known benches. There are four options for defining bench elevations: Leave the First bench elevation blank. The bench elevation is taken from the bench polygon. Defining the bench elevation using the bench polygon allows you to specify polygons on different benches. Use the same elevation for the First bench elevation and Last bench elevation. This elevation is used instead of the elevation of the polygon. Use different elevations for the First bench elevation and Last bench elevation. Each polygon is filled in multiple benches from the first to the last bench elevation. Define the First bench elevation, Last bench elevation, or both elevations, using a description field in the polygon (for example, d1, d2, d3). Using description fields to define the bench elevations allows different bench ranges to be filled in different polygons. Note: You can define elevation using description fields only when you use a Surpac string file to define the bench polygons.
Last bench elevation | The last bench to fill. Usually, in a fill location the last bench is the highest bench elevation. If you do not know the exact elevation of the last bench, you can choose an elevation that is significantly above a known bench for filling. There are four options for defining bench elevations: Leave the Last bench elevation blank. The bench elevation is taken from the bench polygon. Defining the bench elevation using the bench polygon allows you to specify polygons on different benches. Use the same elevation for the First bench elevation and Last bench elevation. This elevation is used instead of the elevation of the polygon. Use different elevations for the First bench elevation and Last bench elevation. Each polygon is filled in multiple benches from the first to the last bench elevation. Define the First bench elevation, Last bench elevation, or both elevations, using a description field in the polygon (for example, d1, d2, d3). Using description fields to define the bench elevations allows different bench ranges to be filled in different polygons. Note: You can define elevation using description fields only when you use a Surpac string file to define the bench polygons.
Bench height | The vertical height of the bench. If the bench height is uniform for the entire location, the height is a single number. If the bench height is variable, and is specified by a sequence of values separated by spaces or semicolons, the sequence is repeated for however many benches make up the location. If the bench height is variable and the bench polygons are defined using a Surpac string file, you can specify a description field in the string file that contains the bench height values in the first point of each polygon.
Source | The source file that contains the polygons. The polygons contained in the source file must be closed. Tip: For optimal results, the polygons should be coplanar.
Polygon range | The polygon range for the polygons contained in the Source. If the source file is a Surpac string file, you can specify the string range using the standard GEOVIA Surpac syntax. The polygon range defines the filling sequence of the polygons within the location. You can also select the polygon sequence using the Graphical Sequencer. The polygon range entered in this field is independent of any polygon range entered as a constraint. Usually polygons are not added as a constraint because, when the filling method is Polygons, the source file listed is automatically added as an additional constraint. If the source file contains more polygons than are registered in the polygon range, the additional polygons are also used when the location is evaluated. For example, if a source file contains polygons 1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9 and 10 but the polygon range entered is polygons 1;2;3;4 and 5, when the location is evaluated, polygons 6;7;8;9 and 10 are also evaluated. The additional polygons are evaluated so that if the polygon range is changed, the entire location does not need to be reevaluated. If your source file contains significantly more polygons that you are using for the schedule, you should add the source file as a constraint to stop the additional polygons being evaluated.
Graphical Sequencer | Opens the Graphical Sequencer, which you can use to select the sequence for your polygons graphically. When you use Graphical Sequencer the 3D Canvas, reports, and charts are updated as you select the polygons. Updating the 3D Canvas, reports, and charts helps you to choose the best polygon sequence.
Direction | The direction in which the location is filled. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, size and geometry of the waste dump, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Filling starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Filling starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Filling starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Filling starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The filling direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for filling after the blocks below it have been filled. All: Filling can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the filling direction is All, at the start of filling, every block on the bottom bench is not available for filling. You must define where filling starts on the bottom bench. Radial: The filling direction Radial is similar to the filling direction All, except that the Radial filling direction is more constrained. The blocks are filled radially outwards from a starting point. The start filling position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the start position from a string file allows filling to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The roaming direction is not applicable to fill locations. D-field: This option is applicable only when the filling method is Polygons, Bench Polygons, or Solids and the polygons or solids are defined using a Surpac string file. The mining direction is taken from a description field of the closed string in the Source file. When you select this filling direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the filling direction. Azimuth: Filling proceeds in the direction defined by the azimuth value. A field appears to the right, in which you can type the value for the azimuth.
Start position | The position at which mining starts on each bench. Options are: North: Filling starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Filling starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Filling starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Filling starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: Filling can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string Coordinate: Filling starts in the block closest to a specified coordinate on that bench. String File: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file. Filling starts in the block closest to each point in a string file. Defining the start position using a string file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation. CSV File: Filling starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using coordinates stored in a CSV file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. The format of the headers in the CSV file must be Location Name, Y, X, Z. Note: This field is available only if the Direction is All or Radial.
Consolidate blocks | Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the filling direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the bench polygon as one filling face, that advances at approximately the same rate. Consolidating blocks reduces the amount of data to schedule, and therefore reduces the time taken to run the schedule. If you want to produce consolidated graphical results where the original polygons are intersected to produce the graphical results, you must consolidate blocks. Note: If the filling direction is All or None, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Individual blocks at the dimensions of the specified fill block size are created at the fill location.
Block Size | Y: The block size in the Y direction. X: The block size in the X direction. The fill block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively filled with the mining equipment you have available. Note: Take performance into account when choosing your filling block size. Scheduling performance is related to the number of fill blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer the schedule takes to run. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your filling direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the filling direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages | Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the fill blocks for the location. Using partial percentages results in more accurate volume calculations. However, it also increases the time taken to Evaluate the location. Cleared: MineSched does not use partial percentage functionality when creating fill blocks for the location.
Partial on | The entity for which you want to use the partial percentage calculation. The partial percentage calculation can be applied to the polygons or any of the six Constraints, with the exceptions of constraints files, block constraints, and plane constraints.
Precision | The level of accuracy of the partial percentage calculation. You can use the values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value of 1 means that the original block is divided into 8 subblocks. A precision value of 2 means each of the 8 subblocks is further divided into 8, giving a total of 64 subblocks. The higher the precision value, the more accurate the calculation. However, high precision values also increase the time taken to Evaluate the location.
Delays
Before activity | The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this filling , before filling can start.
After activity | The delay, in days, after filling finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.

#### Solids

The Solids mining method can be used when you cannot define the bench top and bottom using horizontal planes.

Fields on the Location Properties Pane When the Method is Solids

Column | Description
--- | ---
Source | The source file that contains the solid objects. The objects contained in the solids file must be closed.
String file | The string file that defines the elevation of the solid in the graphical results. When Consolidate blocks is selected, this polygon file also defines the width of the face being filled in the graphical results. The string file must contain a closed polygon for each object in the solids file, and the polygon number of each polygon must match the object number of the associated solid object in the solids file. Tip: For optimal results, the polygons should be coplanar. Notes: Surpac, GEMS, and AutoCAD are the only supported file types to use to define the elevation and width of a solid location for graphical results. For GEMS and AutoCAD files, each string file can contain only one polygon. This means that you can only select a GEMS or AutoCAD string file when there is a single solid object representing the location.
Object range | The range of objects which contain filling blocks for the location. Only the blocks that are contained in the objects specified by this range are included in the location. The object range defines the filling sequence of the objects within the location. You can also select the object sequence using the Graphical Sequencer.
Graphical Sequencer | Opens the Graphical Sequencer, which you can use to select the sequence for your objects graphically. When you use Graphical Sequencer the 3D Canvas, reports, and charts are updated as you select the objects . Updating the 3D Canvas, reports, and charts helps you to choose the best object sequence.
String position | The location of the polygon in relation to the filling location. Options are Top, Middle, and Bottom.
Direction | The direction in which the location is filled. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, size and geometry of the waste dump, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Filling starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Filling starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Filling starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Filling starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The filling direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for filling after the blocks below it have been filled. All: Filling can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the filling direction is All, at the start of filling, every block on the bottom bench is not available for filling. You must define where filling starts on the bottom bench. Radial: The filling direction Radial is similar to the filling direction All, except that the Radial filling direction is more constrained. The blocks are filled radially outwards from a starting point. The start filling position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the start position from a string file allows filling to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The roaming direction is not applicable to fill locations. D-field: This option is applicable only when the filling method is Polygons, Bench Polygons, or Solids and the polygons or solids are defined using a Surpac string file. The mining direction is taken from a description field of the closed string in the Source file. When you select this filling direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the filling direction. Azimuth: Filling proceeds in the direction defined by the azimuth value. A field appears to the right, in which you can type the value for the azimuth.
Start position | The position at which mining starts on each bench. Options are: North: Filling starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Filling starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Filling starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Filling starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: Filling can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string Coordinate: Filling starts in the block closest to a specified coordinate on that bench. String File: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file. Filling starts in the block closest to each point in a string file. Defining the start position using a string file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation. CSV File: Filling starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using coordinates stored in a CSV file allows you to specify different start positions for different benches. The format of the headers in the CSV file must be Location Name, Y, X, Z. Note: This field is available only if the Direction is All or Radial.
Consolidate blocks | Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the filling direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the solid as one filling face, that advances at approximately the same rate. Consolidating blocks reduces the amount of data to schedule, and therefore reduces the time taken to run the schedule. If you want to produce consolidated graphical results where the original polygons are intersected to produce the graphical results, you must consolidate blocks. Note: If the filling direction is All or None, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Individual blocks at the dimensions of the specified fill block size are created at the fill location.
Block Size | Y: The block size in the Y direction. X: The block size in the X direction. Z: The block size in the Z direction. The fill block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively filled with the mining equipment you have available. Note: Take performance into account when choosing your filling block size. Scheduling performance is related to the number of fill blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer the schedule takes to run. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your filling direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the filling direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages | Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the fill blocks for the location. Using partial percentages results in more accurate volume calculations. However, it also increases the time taken to Evaluate the location. Cleared: MineSched does not use partial percentage functionality when creating fill blocks for the location.
Partial on | The entity for which you want to use the partial percentage calculation. The partial percentage calculation can be applied to the solids or any one of the six Constraints, with the exceptions of constraints files, block constraints, and plane constraints.
Precision | The level of accuracy of the partial percentage calculation. You can use the values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value of 1 means that the original block is divided into 8 subblocks. A precision value of 2 means each of the 8 subblocks is further divided into 8, giving a total of 64 subblocks. The higher the precision value, the more accurate the calculation. However, high precision values also increase the time taken to Evaluate the location.
Delays
Before activity | The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this filling , before filling can start.
After activity | The delay, in days, after filling finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.

### See also

- Mining Tab
- Ancillary Activities Tabs
- Spreadsheet Views
- 2D Canvas
- 3D Canvas
- Evaluate
- Create a Constraint

Open topic with navigation