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GEOVIA MineSched

Glossary

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[Non-alphabetic characters]

2D Canvas

A two-dimensional graphical workspace in which you can define and view inputs to the scenario. For example, to define and view the locations in an open pit scenario.

3D Canvas

A three-dimensional graphical workspace in which you can define and view inputs to the scenario. For example, to define and view the locations in an underground scenario.

A

Activities

The types of tasks that are completed as part of the mining schedule. In MineSched, mining is the only mandatory activity.

Actual Haul Paths

The path that is followed from the initial source of a material to its final destination. The actual haul path includes the:

  • ramp haul path
  • bench haul path
  • path the material travels before it arrives at the bench haul path
  • path the material travels between the bench haul path and the ramp haul path
  • path the material travels from the ramp haul path to the final destination

Aggregate

The sum of a defined range of values.

Animation

Displaying information about the schedule graphically, using a method that gives the illusion of movement.

Attribute

A field in a model that defines a value for a particular feature of the model.

Average

The value determined by summing a range of values and dividing by the number of values. The average used in MineSched is the mean average.

B

Background Value

A baseline value that is applied when a specific value is not defined.

Bench Haul Paths

The paths that is it possible for trucks to travel on a bench.

Bench Polygon

A polygon that defines the shape and location of a bench.

Blending

The combination of material from several sources to achieve a target.

Block Model

A representation of a geological formation where the formation is defined by the shape of a three-dimensional grid of blocks and the data stored in the attributes of the blocks.

C

Calendar

A definition of the time in which resources can be working. In MineSched, Calendar also refers to the tool that allows you to select dates using a calendar widget.

Capacity

The maximum amount that something can contain or perform.

Case-Sensitive

A field is case-sensitive if letters are treated as different characters when they are uppercase or lowercase. For example, in a case-sensitive field "NAME" is considered a different value to "name".

Centreline

A line that represents the centre of a design feature, for example a drive.

Charts

Graphical representations of data. In MineSched, charts are available in the Define Geology > Validate, Setup Development > Evaluate, Setup Schedule > Evaluate, and Create Schedule tabs.

Collection

A group of items. In MineSched, collections are used to group development headings, production locations, and haulage paths.

Connection

A join between two or more items. To schedule correctly, MineSched requires that headings are connected correctly and haulage paths are connected correctly.

Constraint

A filter that is applied to data so that only the data that fits specified criteria is available to work with or view.

Coordinates

A set of measurements that specify the position or orientation of a point. The number of coordinates in the set depend on whether the point is:

  • on a 1-dimensional line : one coordinate
  • on a 2-dimensional plane : two coordinates
  • in 3-dimensional space : three coordinates

Cutoffs

An arbitrary value above or below which data is not considered. Multiple cutoffs can be applied to data to create multiple data groupings, for example low, medium, and high grade.

D

Data Grids

The grids in which you enter data to define the scenario. Many data grids can be replaced by a Spreadsheet View.

Density

The mass of a substance per unit of its volume. When compared against water as the reference substance the density and specific gravity have the same value.

Description Field

A field in a GEOVIA Surpac string file in which you can store information.

Destination

The location to which something is sent.

D-Field

See Description Field.

Dilution

The lowering of grade that occurs when waste is included with ore when the ore is extracted and then sent for processing. Some dilution of ore is common because of the practical difficulty of extracting 100% ore with no waste.

Directory

A location in which you can store a group of files on a computer. Another name for directory is folder.

Dongle

A hardware device that you plug into a physical port on your computer, such as a USB port, to allow you to run GEOVIA products using a licence. Another name for dongle is sentinel.

Dump

An area where waste material is stored.

E

Efficiency

The amount of time that something is available to perform its intended task or purpose.

Elevation

The height above a specified level, for example, above sea level.

Ellipsis Button

Three periods in a row on a button. In MineSched, the action of the Ellipsis button is context specific. Depending on the field in which you click the Ellipsis button, you can:

  • browse for data
  • use the Wildcard Expression Builder
  • use the Named Wildcard Builder
  • use the Event Builder
  • use the Visibility Constraints form
  • use a Calendar

Event

A feature of the schedule for which it is possible that the date is not known until the schedule is run. MineSched provides an Event Builder to allow you to set rules that take effect when an event occurs rather than on a particular date. For example, to define that mining does not start in location B before mining is complete in location A.

F

Formatted Report

A file in which the standard data is arranged in a particular way, usually in rows and standard width columns.

Free Format CSV Model

A representation of a geological formation where the formation is defined by the data stored in a comma separated values (.csv) file.

G

GEMS Model

A block model created in GEOVIA GEMS, stored in a workspace in a GEMS project.

Global Setting

A setting that is applied to all relevant parameters of the schedule.

Grid Model

A representation of a geological formation where the formation is defined by the shape and data stored in a grid structure.

H

Haulage Route

The path that a truck travels. The haulage route includes the ramp haul paths and the bench haul paths.

Heading

An area in which mining must occur to be able to get access to the mining locations.

I

Increment

An increase or addition using a fixed scale.

Isometric

A method of representing a three dimensional object in two dimensions where the three axis seem equally foreshortened and the angle between the axis are equal.

Lag

When one thing or action follows another after a particular distance or time.

M

Material Class

The classification to which a material belongs. In MineSched, you can use any material class system that you define.

Material Ratio

The ratio of ore and waste you want to remove from a source location.

Model

A computerised representation of a geological formation.

O

Object

A structure in a surfaces or solids file.

Note: GEOVIA Surpac objects contain substructures, known as trisolations.

Orthographic

A method of representing a three dimensional object in two dimensions. Orthographic representation uses parallel projection, where all projection lines are at right angles to the projection plane.

P

Pane

A feature of the MineSched interface in which fields allow you to enter parameters for features of the schedule.

Parameter

A measurable factor that is part of a set of factors that sets the conditions of the scenario.

Partial Percentage

An attribute that defines the fraction of a block that is within a constraint. The value of the attribute is used in volume calculations.

Persistent Spreadsheet View

For data grids with persistent spreadsheet view, the spreadsheet replaces the data grid. You turn on persistent spreadsheets using the Spreadsheets menu.

Perspective

A method of representing a three dimensional object in two dimensions. Perspective representation uses parallel projection, where the representation appears as it would when viewed in three dimensions by the human eye. That is, the dimensions of the object along the line of slight are relatively shorter than the dimensions of the image across the line of sight.

Polygon

A planar structure with at least three straight sides and angles.

Precedence

A precedence defines an activity that cannot happen until something else has happened. For example, a development heading must be mined to a certain length before drilling can start in a production location.

Precision

The number of times the user block size is divided into 8 equally sized subblocks when calculating partial percentage.

Predecessor

An event that must occur before another event can occur.

Prefix

A word or phrase that is appended to the beginning of a term.

Priority

The value given to the importance or an item or event. In MineSched priority is relative. For example, defining priorities 50 and 100 to specify that one location is twice as important as the other is the same as defining priorities of 1 and 2.

Profile

The shape of a heading in cross-section. The shape can be defined using measurements for a defined polygon shape (for example, rectangle or circle) or by a file which contains an irregular polygon.

Q

Qualities

Values that represent anything that can be modelled numerically, for example mineral grade.

R

Ramp Haul Paths

The paths it is possible for trucks to travel to get from the source to the destination after they have left the bench.

Rescale

The act of changing the scale of something compared to either its true size or an existing scale.

Reserved Words

Words that can only be used internally in MineSched. If you try to use a reserved word to define a parameter in your schedule, an error message appears.

S

Scenario

The collection of scheduling inputs that are saved to a .minesched file.

Scenario Configuration

The type of scenario. Scenarios can be Surface, Underground, or Surface and Underground. Surface scenarios contain only surface mining. Underground scenarios contain only underground mining. Surface and Underground scenarios contain surface mining and underground mining in the scenario.

Segment

One or more points, connected in sequence.

Solid

A data type for a three-dimensional object, created by triangulation of points, that is closed. Solids are also known as wireframes.

Source

The location from which something is moved.

Spatial

Something which exists or occurs in space.

Specific Gravity

The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance. In MineSched, the reference substance is water. This means that the density and specific gravity have the same value.

Splits

A subdivision of a location. For example, you can split a bench using the blast polygons of that bench, and you can split a stope using the blast rings of that stope. When splits are used, you can control the activities within and between the splits.

Spreadsheet View

An alternative to the data grids in which you enter data to define the scenario. Spreadsheets allow you to use common spreadsheet functionality (for example, the use of mathematical formulas) to quickly define multiple rows of data. Spreadsheet views can be temporary or persistent.

Stockpile

An accumulation of material at a defined location.

String Model

A representation of a geological formation where the formation is defined by the shape and data stored in line structures.

Successor

An event that cannot occur until another event has occurred.

Suffix

A word or phrase that is appended to the end of a term.

Swell

The change in volume of a material due to it undergoing a process. For example, the swelling of rock because of blasting.

T

Temporary Spreadsheet View

For data grids with temporary spreadsheets, the spreadsheet appears as a form that you can use to define data that is entered in the data grid. When you close the window the data is filled into the data grid. You can use formulas while you are filling in the temporary spreadsheet, but the formulas are lost when you close the window. You access the temporary spreadsheets by clicking the Edit in spreadsheet view icon on the relevant data grid.

Threshold

A minimum or maximum value below which or above which something takes effect.

TKM

Tonne kilometres. This is a measure of the mass of material moved multiplied by the distance that the material is moved. For scenarios using metric measurements, the tonnes kilometres of material moved. For scenarios using imperial measurements, the ton thousand feet of material moved. The TKM is calculated as the mass of material moved multiplied by the distance, divided by 1000.

Tolerance

The amount of variation allowed for a specified quantity. For example the tolerance in length allowed between headings for two headings to be considered connected even if the lines do not directly intersect.

Trisolation

A subsection of a GEOVIA Surpac object that consists of one or more triangles.

Truck Hours

The total trucking time required to move a specified material. The number of hours is based on; the haulage capacity of the truck types, the full and empty velocities along the haul routes, the spotting and loading time, and the turning and dumping time.

U

Utilisation

The percentage of the time that something is available that it is used to perform its duties.

V

Velocity

The speed of something in a specified direction.

Visibility Constraint

Tools located at the top of the 3D Canvas that allow you to choose to display only a portion of your data. Visibility constraints are useful when data at a higher elevation obscures the view of underlying data.

W

Wildcard Character

A character that can be substituted for any of a defined set of possible characters.

Wildcard Expression

A word or statement that includes one or more wildcard characters. MineSched provides a Wildcard Expression Builder in many data grids to make it easier to construct a wildcard expression that captures the items for which you are interested in setting rules.

Workbook

A spreadsheet file.

Workbook Link

A link that is created between the MineSched workbook that contains scenario data and an external workbook.

Working Directory

The currently active directory in which the .minesched file is located and in which the Results folder, which stores all of the MineSched generated data for the scenario, is located.