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GEOVIA MineSched

Block Results

The numbers for the polygons and objects created for blocks, bench plans, and graphical results of development are the same as the period number in which the heading or location was mined or filled. When you create results where the polygon and object numbers are the same as the period numbers in which mining or filling occurs, you can view and plot the files, coloured by number, to represent the progress of mining or filling over time.

Block results create polygon or solid files that contain data that represents the blocks that are mined and filled in the production mining and fill locations. Solid files are useful if you want to view the blocks mined and filled in another program. Polygon files are useful if you want to plot the blocks mined and filled. If the Consolidate blocks check box is selected for the locations in the Setup Schedule > Locations tab, blocks are consolidated in the results files. Material quantities and qualities are written to the description fields of the polygon files, which allows you to view and plot tonnage and grade for each block.

The fields in the Blocks section are the same for all output formats except GEMS. The first table describes the fields in the section for all files except GEMS. The second table describes the fields in the section for GEMS.

Fields on the Blocks Section of the Graphical Results Tab

Field Description
Active
  • Selected: Block results are created when you click the Create button.
  • Cleared: Block results are not created when you click the Create button.
Filename prefix

The prefix for the name of the polygon and solid files that are created.

This prefix is added to before the locations name, separated by an underscore, to create the complete file name.

Create

The type of files created. Options are:

  • Solids: Each block mined or filled is output as an object in a solids file.
  • Strings: Each block mined or filled is output as a closed polygon in a string file.

Note: This option is not available if the scenario includes only underground mining locations and the mining method for all underground locations is Whole. If the scenario includes only underground mining locations and the mining method for all locations is Whole, solids are always created.

File type The file format to which you want to save the block results.
Drape blocks on DTMs

Blocks are draped vertically onto the upper and lower surfaces that are specified for each location.

When your mining method is Polygons or Whole and the top and bottom of your locations are irregular surfaces, draping blocks allows you to represent the correct volume of material mined graphically. Draping blocks on the surfaces can be useful for seam mining, where benches follow geological contacts, for example, in coal and mineral sands.

Note: This option is available when the mining method for one or more locations is Polygons or Whole.

Location geometry

Opens the Edit Location Geometry form.

You use this form to specify the upper and lower DTM for each location.

If you select Drape blocks on DTMs, you must specify the upper and lower DTMs for each location.

Fields on the Edit Location Geometry Form

Field Description
Name The location name.
Upper DTM

The surface that is the upper limit of the location.

You can type the file path and name of the surface or click the Ellipsis button to use the Choose a Geometry form to select the surface.

Lower DTM

The surface that is the lower limit of the location.

You can type the file path and name of the surface or click the Ellipsis button to use the Choose a Geometry form to select the surface.

Locations

The mining and fill locations for which you want to create graphical results files.

Tip: You can use wildcards to specify more than one location. To specify the locations using the Wildcard Expression Builder, click the Ellipsis button.

Qualities

The qualities, numeric user parameters, and user calculations which you would like output to the attribute fields of the polygon files.

Notes:

  • By default, the qualities, user parameters, and user calculations for material classes for which Calculate Qualities is selected are not output to the attribute fields. Qualities, numeric user parameters, and user calculations are output to the polygon files only when they are specified in the Qualities field.
  • Surpac string files have a 512 character limit for the sum of all attribute field data.

Tip: You can use wildcards to specify multiple qualities. To specify the qualities using the Wildcard Expression Builder, click the Ellipsis button.

For file formats that support attribute ordering, the information found in the attribute fields is as follows:

  • The first seven attributes contain general schedule information:
    • Period Number
    • Period Start Date
    • Mining Direction
    • Bench Height
    • Location Name
    • Polygon Number
    • Fraction Mined
  • The eighth and subsequent attributes contain information for each material class for which you selected the Calculate qualities check box. For each material class in turn the attributes contain:
    • Material class values: the material class name, volume, and mass.
    • Quality values: the values for the qualities specified. The number of description fields used is the same as the number of qualities selected.
    • User Parameter values: the values for the user parameters specified. The number of attributes used is the same as the number of user parameters selected.
    • User calculation values: the values for the user calculations specified. The number of attributes used is the same as the number of user calculations selected.

Note: This option is not available if the scenario includes only underground locations and the mining method for all underground locations is Whole.

Decimal places

The number of decimal places output for the numeric values in the description fields.

Note: This option is not available if the scenario includes only underground locations and the mining method for all underground locations is Whole.

Shrinkage

The percentage by which the block coordinate values are reduced.

The Shrinkage value does not affect the quantity or quality data written to the blocks; it controls only the size of the blocks for graphical display and plotting.

CautionCaution: The values written to the blocks for attributes such as tonnage and volume are not affected by the shrinkage factor. However, the dimensions of the blocks are changed. If you use the block results to calculate volumetrics in a GMP, the values will be affected by the shrinkage factor.

Note: This option is not available if the scenario includes only underground locations and the mining method for all underground locations is Whole.

Fields on the Blocks Section of the Graphical Results Tab for GEMS

Field Description
Active
  • Selected: Block results are created when you click the Create button.
  • Cleared: Block results are not created when you click the Create button.
Target workspace

The workspace in the GEMS project to which you want to export the block results.

To select the workspace, click the Ellipsis button. The Select a GEMS target project form appears in which you select the GEMS project, and then the Workspace Browser form appears, in which you select the workspace.

Names 1, 2, and 3 The GEMS triangulation names that are exported with the block results. You must select at least one name.
Shrinkage

The percentage by which the block coordinate values are reduced.

The Shrinkage value does not affect the quantity or quality data written to the blocks; it controls only the size of the blocks for graphical display and plotting.

CautionCaution: The values written to the blocks for attributes such as tonnage and volume are not affected by the shrinkage factor. However, the dimensions of the blocks are changed. If you use the block graphical results to calculate volumetrics in a GMP, the values will be affected by the shrinkage factor.

Note: This option is not available if the scenario includes only underground locations and the mining method for all underground locations is Whole.

Field mappings

The fields of the GEMS workspace to which you want to output the attributes of the block results. To map the attributes to the fields, click the Ellipsis button. The Field Mappings form appears, in which you can select the fields of the GEMS workspace.

Tip: If you do not want to export one or more of the attributes, leave the Field cell empty.

See also