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# Development Rate Parameters

The following parameters can be defined in the Development rates data grid.

- MAX_RATE
- CAPFACT
- NOMAVAIL
- PRODFACT
- PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES

## MAX_RATE

MAX_RATE is the maximum mining rate that a resource can achieve within a single heading.

The MAX_RATE of a resource within the heading is never exceeded. The MAX_RATE is not always achieved. Whether or not the MAX_RATE is achieved depends on factors, such as the resource capacity, heading availability, and priorities.

Specifying a value for the MAX_RATE parameter assigns a resource to a development heading. MAX_RATE is the only mandatory development parameter. The MAX_RATE parameter defines when mining starts in a heading. If you do not set MAX_RATE parameters there is no mining. The default value for MAX_RATE is 0, meaning there is no mining in that heading. Mining occurs only when the MAX_RATE is set to a positive number.

MAX_RATE is a daily rate. If you know your development rate as a monthly or annual rate, using the mathematical formulas available in the spreadsheet view for Development Rates can be useful. For example, you could put the annual rate in the Comments cell , then in the Value cell reference the Comments cell divided by 365 to get the daily rate.

The units for the MAX_RATE can be length, mass, volume, or any user-defined aggregate quality (defined in the Qualities data grid). The unit for the MAX_RATE is defined with the resource capacity in the Resource capacities data grid. If multiple resources are assigned to the same heading, they must have the same development rate units. The unit for resource capacity for resources that are scheduling development is usually length. In a scenario with metric measurements, this means the resource capacities and rates are usually defined in metres per day.

You can assign multiple resources to a heading by entering multiple resources with space separators or by using wildcards. However, it is recommended that you apply only one resource to each heading. The value for MAX_RATE applies to each resource separately, not to the total of all resources. This means that applying multiple resources to the same heading results in MineSched applying multiple resources concurrently to a heading that, in reality, can be mined by only one resource at a time.

## CAPFACT

CAPFACT is the capacity factor of a resource in a heading.

This parameter acts as a multiplier on only the MAX_RATE parameter. The value for CAPFACT is entered as a percentage. Therefore a value of 100 has no effect on the specified MAX_RATE. Values below 100 reduce the effective MAX_RATE, and values above 100 increase the effective MAX_RATE. The default value of CAPFACT is 100.

## NOMAVAIL

NOMAVAIL is the nominal availability of a resource in a heading.

This parameter acts as a multiplier on only the MAX_RATE parameter. The value for NOMAVAIL is entered as a percentage. Therefore a value of 100 has no effect on the specified MAX_RATE. Values below 100 reduce the effective MAX_RATE, and values above 100 increase the effective MAX_RATE. The default value of NOMAVAIL is 100.

## PRODFACT

PRODFACT is the production factor of a resource in a heading.

This parameter acts as a multiplier on both the MAX_RATE parameter and the resource capapcity. The value for PRODFACT is entered as a decimal. Therefore a value of 1 has no effect on the specified MAX_RATE or the resource capacity. Values below 1 reduce the effective MAX_RATE, and values above 1 increase the effective MAX_RATE. The default value of PRODFACT is 1.

PRODFACT can be specific to each material class. In some cases mining rates can vary based on the material class being mined. For example, mining in ore can be slower than mining of waste because more care is taken mining the ore, and mining of oxide material can be faster than mining fresh rock material. To use material-specific PRODFACTs, use a Parameter name of PRODFACT and the material class name separated by a space, for example "PRODFACT OXIDE".

Note: To specify multiple material classes in a single row, you can use wildcards in the material class name.

While the PRODFACT, CAPFACT, and NOMAVAIL parameters all act as multipliers on the MAX_RATE, it is important to remember that PRODFACT is different because it also acts as a multiplier on the resource capacity. The following example illustrates the difference between applying a PRODFACT parameter to a resource and applying a CAPFACT or NOMAVAIL parameter to a resource.

JUMBO has a resource capacity of 10. The jumbo has MAX_RATE in a location called DECLINE set at 10 and a PRODFACT in this heading of 0.5. The development rate from the DECLINE is 5 metres per day and this is all the work of which JUMBO is capable of completing in a day. There is no excess resource capacity that will be made up in another heading because PRODFACT also acts as a multiplier on the resource capacity.

The same JUMBO resource with the MAX_RATE in the DECLINE location of 10 instead has a CAPFACT or NOMAVAIL set at 50 in the heading. The development rate from the DECLINE is 5 metres per day but this is not all the work of which JUMBO is capable of completing in a day. The total capacity of JUMBO is 10 and this is not affected by CAPFACT or NOMAVAIL. JUMBO has excess capacity of 5 that can be made up in another development heading if one is available.

## PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES

PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES modify the MAX_RATE based on values in the mining block being mined. For example, the MAX_RATE can be multiplied by a value that corresponds to the rock type that is being mined. PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES act as multipliers on the resource capacity as well as the MAX_RATE.

The value for this parameter is one or more qualities as defined in the Qualities data grid. To assign a quality, type the quality Name (exactly as is appears in the Qualities data grid) in the Value column of the row for which PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES is the Parameter. To use more than one quality, type each Name, separated by a space. The values within the mining blocks act as multipliers on the MAX_RATE and resource capacity when that block is being mined. The values for PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES are stored as decimals. Therefore a value of 1 has no effect on the MAX_RATE or the resource capacity for the block. Values below 1 reduce the effective MAX_RATE, and values above 1 increase the effective MAX_RATE. The production factor attributes are typically created for MineSched and calculated based on other attributes in the model.

When you apply more than one quality for the PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTE, the values of all qualities are applied as multipliers to the mining rate. For example, a resource has a mining rate of 10 metres per day for a particular heading, and PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES for that heading is defined by two qualities: QUALITY_1 and QUALITY_2. For a specific block in that location, if QUALITY_1 has a value of 0.9, and QUALITY_2 has a value of 0.85, the mining rate for that block is 10 x 0.9 x 0.85, or 7.65 metres per day.

Note: If grade calculations are not selected for a materials class, PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES are not applied to the mining rate for that material class. For example, if you select grade calculations for the material class ORE and do not select grade calculations for the material class WASTE, PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES are applied to ORE blocks but not to WASTE blocks. To use PRODFACT_ATTRIBUTES on a material class, select grade calculations for the material class.

### See also

- Development
- Development Rates Data Grid
- Resource Capacities Data Grid
- Create a Resource
- Specify a Resource Capacity
- Specify Additional Development Rate Parameters

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