Surface Locations Mining Tab

You use the Mining tab to set the spatial properties for the mining locations selected in the 2D Canvas. The Mining tab is located on the Location Properties pane at the right of the Locations tab. By default, the Mining tab is selected on the Location Properties pane.

Note: The Mining and Ancillary Activities tabs are available only if you have defined ancillary activities. If you have not defined ancillary activities, the following fields appear in the Location Properties pane but they are not contained within a tab.

Fields on the Mining Properties Tab

Constraints

The spatial-based or value-based constraints that define the physical position of the mining locations in your block, grid, or string model.

You define the constraint in the Define Constraint form. For example, you can constrain a model below surface topography, above a pit design, inside a stope design, above or below a geological surface, above or below a specified elevation, or to blocks that are above or below a certain value.

You can define up to six constraints. The constraints you define are applied cumulatively. That is, the constraints are combined using the AND operator.

If you want to add more than six constraints to your model, or if you want to combine constraints using the OR operator, you can create a constraints file in GEOVIA Surpac and reference it in MineSched.

Mining

The mining method.

The method selected controls the other fields that are available on the Mining Location Properties tab. There are five mining methods available.

Benches

The locations are mined by horizontal elevation slices. The process can be top down, for surface mining, or bottom up, for some underground mining methods. The First bench elevation and Last bench elevation determine whether the benches are mined from top to bottom or from bottom to top. The Benches mining method is commonly used for medium and long-term surface scheduling, and underground stoping where the stope is mined in a series of lifts.

Fields on the Mining Tab When the Mining Method is Benches

Field	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 mine. For surface mining, the first bench is the bench of the pit that has the highest elevation. For underground mining where the stopes are being mined in horizontal lifts from bottom to top, the first bench is the lift of the stope that has the lowest elevation. If you do not know the exact elevation of the first bench, you can choose an elevation that you know is significantly above a known bench for surface mining, or significantly below a known bench for bottom to top underground mining. It is important that the elevation you use is an integer multiple of the bench height above or below a known bench. For example, if you have benches in a mining location at elevations of 95, 105, and 115, you could choose a First bench elevation of 195, which is an integer multiple of the bench height (10) above the known benches.
Last Bench elevation	The last bench to mine. For surface mining, the last bench is the lowest elevation bench in the pit. For underground mining where stopes are being mined in horizontal lifts from bottom to top, the last bench is the highest elevation left in the stope. If you do not know the exact elevation of the last bench, you can choose an elevation that is significantly below a known bench for surface mining, or significantly above a known bench for bottom to top underground mining.
Bench height	The vertical height of the bench or lift. If the bench height is uniform for the entire location, the bench 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 mined. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, geometry of the deposit, size and geometry of the pit, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Mining starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Mining starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Mining starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Mining starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The mining direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for mining once it is exposed by blocks above it. For example, in a multiple bench pit all blocks on the upper-most bench are available at the start of mining. A mining direction of None gives most flexibility for meeting targets. However, it allows "rat holing" in your bench. It can be useful to use None before mining directions have been established to help you determine optimum mining directions. When a mining direction of None is used with targets and scope levels, MineSched can identify where the best ore can be found and this information can help you define mining directions and choose pit phase limits. All: Mining can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the mining direction is All, at the start of mining, every block on the top bench is not available for mining. You must define where mining starts on the top bench. After mining is started on a bench, all blocks on the open face are available for mining. Therefore mining can proceed from the open face in all mining directions. A mining direction of All means that "rat holing" is not allowed, because only the blocks that are on the open face are available for mining. All is more limiting than a direction of None, but gives more flexibility than a direction of North, South, East, or West. Radial: The mining direction Radial is similar to the mining direction All, except that the Radial mining direction is more constrained. The blocks are mined radially outwards from a starting point. The start mining position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the mining start position from a string file allows mining to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The mining direction Roaming is similar to both the All and None mining directions. Roaming is the suggested mining direction when you want to define the start point on a bench and you want to give MineSched flexibility to "roam" in order to meet defined targets while keeping mining practical. Roaming honours a minimum mining width, as specified by the horizontal lag. The default mining width is three blocks. Honouring minimum mining width and horizontal lag is the advantage of Roaming over the All mining direction; All does not have a minimum mining width. The advantage of Roaming over the Radial mining direction is that Roaming gives more flexibility to meet the targets. It is not as restrictive as Radial and it also honours a minimum mining width. The Roaming direction is not supported with rotated block models. D-field: This option is applicable only when the mining 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 mining direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the mining direction. Azimuth: Mining 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: Mining starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Mining starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Mining starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Mining starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file, and a specific string within that string file. Mining can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string. Coordinate: Mining 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. Mining 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. For example, you can start mining at the ramp entry and exit points on each bench. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation exactly. CSV File: Mining starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using 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, Radial, or Roaming.
Consolidate blocks	Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the mining direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the polygons defined in the Source file as one mining 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. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually selected for strip mining applications, underground applications, and short-term scheduling when the mining method is Polygon or Solid. 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 mining direction is All, None, Radial, or Roaming, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Blocks are not consolidated. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually cleared when performing medium-term or long-term scheduling, and when you are scheduling using targets. When you use targets, if you consolidate blocks, less choice is available to MineSched when the scheduling engine determines which blocks best meet the targets. Note: When Consolidate blocks is selected, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is yes. When Consolidate blocks is cleared, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is no.
Source	The polygon file that is used to consolidate blocks. The source file must contain a closed polygon 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 location. Notes: Surpac, GEMS, and AutoCAD are the only supported file types to use to consolidate blocks when mining 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 X direction. The mining block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively mined with the mining equipment you have available. If you are not target scheduling and you choose Consolidating blocks, so that the location is mined in a fixed sequence, set the mining block size to your block model user block size to generate the most accurate scheduling results. Grade variation across the bench, polygon, or solid is then representative of the grade distribution within your block model. When you are target scheduling, take performance into account when choosing your mining block size. The target scheduling performance is related to the number of mining blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer it takes to create the schedule. You can choose to use a larger block size when you are initially setting up your schedule, so that the schedule runs in minutes, and then reduce the block size when you have defined your other parameters and want to run a final schedule. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your mining direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the mining direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages	Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the mining 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 mining 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. This field accepts the integer values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value 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. Rarely do you need to use a precision value higher than 3. 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 mining, before mining can start.
After activity	The delay, in days, after mining 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. Mining blocks are extracted from within each polygon. The Polygons mining method is used when the polygons are on only one bench. If you want to schedule polygons on multiple benches, you can choose the Bench Polygons mining method. The Polygons mining method is commonly used for short-term surface scheduling, where the polygons represent the blast polygons for the bench.

Fields on the Mining Tab When the Mining Method is Polygons

Field	Description
Source	The source file that contains the polygons. The polygons contained in the 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 file. If the source is a Surpac string file, you can specify the string range using the standard GEOVIA Surpac syntax. The polygon range defines the mining sequence of the polygons within the location. You can also use the Graphical Sequencer select the polygon sequence. 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 mining method is Polygons, the polygon 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, it does not mean the entire location needs to be reevaluated. If your source file contains significantly more polygons that you are using for the schedule, to stop the additional polygons being evaluated, you should add the source file as a constraint. Notes: For the Polygons mining method, if the precedence parameters GROUPS_IN_DEFINED_SEQUENCE or BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE are set to yes, or if BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE it is not set and the Consolidate blocks check box is selected, the polygons are mined in the order that is defined the Polygon range. If you are target scheduling, you can specify the number of maximum active polygons that MineSched can assign as being mined at one time. You select the number of polygons that can be mined using the MAX_ACTIVE_GROUPS parameter in the Parameters data grid of the Setup Schedule > Parameters tab. MineSched chooses the best polygons to mine from in the order that best meets your targets. After mining is complete for a polygon, MineSched chooses the next best polygon to mine from. Scheduling using a set maximum number of active polygons can be an effective way to constrain mining within given areas while maintaining the flexibility to meet targets.
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 select the best polygon sequence.
String position	The location of the polygon in relation to the mining location. Options are Top, Middle, and Bottom.
Direction	The direction in which the location is mined. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, geometry of the deposit, size and geometry of the pit, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Mining starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Mining starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Mining starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Mining starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The mining direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for mining once it is exposed by blocks above it. For example, in a multiple bench pit all blocks on the upper-most bench are available at the start of mining. A mining direction of None gives most flexibility for meeting targets. However, it allows "rat holing" in your bench. It can be useful to use None before mining directions have been established to help you determine optimum mining directions. When a mining direction of None is used with targets and scope levels, MineSched can identify where the best ore can be found and this information can help you define mining directions and choose pit phase limits. All: Mining can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the mining direction is All, at the start of mining, every block on the top bench is not available for mining. You must define where mining starts on the top bench. After mining is started on a bench, all blocks on the open face are available for mining. Therefore mining can proceed from the open face in all mining directions. A mining direction of All means that "rat holing" is not allowed, because only the blocks that are on the open face are available for mining. All is more limiting than a direction of None, but gives more flexibility than a direction of North, South, East, or West. Radial: The mining direction Radial is similar to the mining direction All, except that the Radial mining direction is more constrained. The blocks are mined radially outwards from a starting point. The start mining position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the mining start position from a string file allows mining to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The mining direction Roaming is similar to both the All and None mining directions. Roaming is the suggested mining direction when you want to define the start point on a bench and you want to give MineSched flexibility to "roam" in order to meet defined targets while keeping mining practical. Roaming honours a minimum mining width, as specified by the horizontal lag. The default mining width is three blocks. Honouring minimum mining width and horizontal lag is the advantage of Roaming over the All mining direction; All does not have a minimum mining width. The advantage of Roaming over the Radial mining direction is that Roaming gives more flexibility to meet the targets. It is not as restrictive as Radial and it also honours a minimum mining width. The Roaming direction is not supported with rotated block models. D-field: This option is applicable only when the mining 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 mining direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the mining direction. Azimuth: Mining 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: Mining starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Mining starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Mining starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Mining starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file, and a specific string within that string file. Mining can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string. Coordinate: Mining 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. Mining 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. For example, you can start mining at the ramp entry and exit points on each bench. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation exactly. CSV File: Mining starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using 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, Radial, or Roaming.
Consolidate blocks	Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the mining direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the polygon as one mining 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. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually selected for strip mining applications, underground applications, and short-term scheduling when the mining method is Polygon or Solid. 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 mining direction is All, None, Radial, or Roaming, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Blocks are not consolidated. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually cleared when performing medium-term or long-term scheduling, and when you are scheduling using targets. When you use targets, if you consolidate blocks, less choice is available to MineSched when the scheduling engine determines which blocks best meet the targets. Note: When Consolidate blocks is selected, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is yes. When Consolidate blocks is cleared, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is no.
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 mining block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively mined with the mining equipment you have available. If you are not target scheduling and you choose Consolidating blocks, so that the location is mined in a fixed sequence, set the mining block size to your block model user block size to generate the most accurate scheduling results. Grade variation across the bench, polygon, or solid is then representative of the grade distribution within your block model. When you are target scheduling, take performance into account when choosing your mining block size. The target scheduling performance is related to the number of mining blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer it takes to create the schedule. You can choose to use a larger block size when you are initially setting up your schedule, so that the schedule runs in minutes, and then reduce the block size when you have defined your other parameters and want to run a final schedule. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your mining direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the mining direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages	Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the mining 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 mining 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. This field accepts the integer values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value 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. Rarely do you need to use a precision value higher than 3.
Delays
Before activity	The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this mining, before mining can start.
After activity	The delay, in days, after mining finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.

Whole

The whole constraint is mined in the mining direction specified. This mining method is commonly used in underground mining where a location is a stope and the entire vertical extent of the stope is mined in a specified mining direction.

Fields on the Mining Tab When the Mining Method is Whole

Field	Description
Source	The source file that contains the polygons that represent the location. The polygons contained in the 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 location in plan view. Note: This polygon is used only to create graphical results.
String position	The location of the polygon in relation to the mining location. Options are Top, Middle, and Bottom.
Direction	The direction in which the location is mined. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, geometry of the deposit, size and geometry of the pit, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Mining starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Mining starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Mining starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Mining starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The mining direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for mining once it is exposed by blocks above it. For example, in a multiple bench pit all blocks on the upper-most bench are available at the start of mining. A mining direction of None gives most flexibility for meeting targets. However, it allows "rat holing" in your bench. It can be useful to use None before mining directions have been established to help you determine optimum mining directions. When a mining direction of None is used with targets and scope levels, MineSched can identify where the best ore can be found and this information can help you define mining directions and choose pit phase limits. All: Mining can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the mining direction is All, at the start of mining, every block on the top bench is not available for mining. You must define where mining starts on the top bench. After mining is started on a bench, all blocks on the open face are available for mining. Therefore mining can proceed from the open face in all mining directions. A mining direction of All means that "rat holing" is not allowed, because only the blocks that are on the open face are available for mining. All is more limiting than a direction of None, but gives more flexibility than a direction of North, South, East, or West. Radial: The mining direction Radial is similar to the mining direction All, except that the Radial mining direction is more constrained. The blocks are mined radially outwards from a starting point. The start mining position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the mining start position from a string file allows mining to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The mining direction Roaming is similar to both the All and None mining directions. Roaming is the suggested mining direction when you want to define the start point on a bench and you want to give MineSched flexibility to "roam" in order to meet defined targets while keeping mining practical. Roaming honours a minimum mining width, as specified by the horizontal lag. The default mining width is three blocks. Honouring minimum mining width and horizontal lag is the advantage of Roaming over the All mining direction; All does not have a minimum mining width. The advantage of Roaming over the Radial mining direction is that Roaming gives more flexibility to meet the targets. It is not as restrictive as Radial and it also honours a minimum mining width. The Roaming direction is not supported with rotated block models. D-field: This option is applicable only when the mining 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 mining direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the mining direction. Azimuth: Mining 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: Mining starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Mining starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Mining starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Mining starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file, and a specific string within that string file. Mining can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string. Coordinate: Mining 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. Mining 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. For example, you can start mining at the ramp entry and exit points on each bench. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation exactly. CSV File: Mining starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using 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, Radial, or Roaming.
Consolidate blocks	Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the mining direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the location as one mining 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. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually selected for strip mining applications, underground applications, and short-term scheduling when the mining method is Polygon or Solid. 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 mining direction is All, None, Radial, or Roaming, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Blocks are not consolidated. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually cleared when performing medium-term or long-term scheduling, and when you are scheduling using targets. When you use targets, if you consolidate blocks, less choice is available to MineSched when the scheduling engine determines which blocks best meet the targets. Note: When Consolidate blocks is selected, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is yes. When Consolidate blocks is cleared, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is no.
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 mining block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively mined with the mining equipment you have available. If you are not target scheduling and you choose Consolidating blocks, so that the location is mined in a fixed sequence, set the mining block size to your block model user block size to generate the most accurate scheduling results. Grade variation across the bench, polygon, or solid is then representative of the grade distribution within your block model. When you are target scheduling, take performance into account when choosing your mining block size. The target scheduling performance is related to the number of mining blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer it takes to create the schedule. You can choose to use a larger block size when you are initially setting up your schedule, so that the schedule runs in minutes, and then reduce the block size when you have defined your other parameters and want to run a final schedule. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your mining direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the mining direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages	Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the mining 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 mining 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. This field accepts the integer values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value 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. Rarely do you need to use a precision value higher than 3. 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 mining, before mining can start.
After activity	The delay, in days, after mining 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 mining method. You can define a set of polygons, and then specify the benches to which the polygons are applied.

Fields on the Mining Tab When the Mining Method is Bench Polygons

Field	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 mine. For surface mining, the first bench is the bench of the pit that has the highest elevation. For underground mining where the stopes are being mined in horizontal lifts from bottom to top, the first bench is the lift of the stope that has the lowest elevation. If you do not know the exact elevation of the first bench, you can choose an elevation that you know is significantly above a known bench for surface mining, or significantly below a known bench for bottom to top underground mining. It is important that the elevation you use is an integer multiple of the bench height above or below a known bench. For example, if you have benches in a mining location at elevations of 95, 105, and 115, you could choose a First bench elevation of 195, which is an integer multiple of the bench height (10) above 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 mined 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 mine. For surface mining, the last bench is the lowest elevation bench in the pit. For underground mining where stopes are being mined in horizontal lifts from bottom to top, the last bench is the highest elevation left in the stope. If you do not know the exact elevation of the last bench, you can choose an elevation that is significantly below a known bench for surface mining, or significantly above a known bench for bottom to top underground mining. 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 mined 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 or lift. If the bench height is uniform for the entire location, the bench 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	This is the source file that contains the polygons. The polygons contained in the 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 file. If the source is a Surpac string file, you can specify the string range using the standard GEOVIA Surpac syntax. The polygon range defines the mining sequence of the polygons within the location. You can also use the Graphical Sequencer select the polygon sequence. 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 mining method is Polygons, the polygon 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, it does not mean the entire location needs to be reevaluated. If your source file contains significantly more polygons that you are using for the schedule, to stop the additional polygons being evaluated, you should add the source file as a constraint . Notes: For the Polygons mining method, if the precedence parameters GROUPS_IN_DEFINED_SEQUENCE or BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE are set to yes, or if BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE it is not set and the Consolidate blocks check box is selected, the polygons are mined in the order that is defined the Polygon range. If you are target scheduling, you can specify the number of maximum active polygons that MineSched can assign as being mined at one time. You select the number of polygons that can be mined using the MAX_ACTIVE_GROUPS parameter in the Parameters data grid of the Setup Schedule > Parameters tab. MineSched chooses the best polygons to mine from in the order that best meets your targets. After mining is complete for a polygon, MineSched chooses the next best polygon to mine from. Scheduling using a set maximum number of active polygons can be an effective way to constrain mining within given areas while maintaining the flexibility to meet targets.
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 select the best polygon sequence.
Direction	The direction in which the location is mined. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, geometry of the deposit, size and geometry of the pit, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Mining starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Mining starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Mining starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Mining starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The mining direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for mining once it is exposed by blocks above it. For example, in a multiple bench pit all blocks on the upper-most bench are available at the start of mining. A mining direction of None gives most flexibility for meeting targets. However, it allows "rat holing" in your bench. It can be useful to use None before mining directions have been established to help you determine optimum mining directions. When a mining direction of None is used with targets and scope levels, MineSched can identify where the best ore can be found and this information can help you define mining directions and choose pit phase limits. All: Mining can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the mining direction is All, at the start of mining, every block on the top bench is not available for mining. You must define where mining starts on the top bench. After mining is started on a bench, all blocks on the open face are available for mining. Therefore mining can proceed from the open face in all mining directions. A mining direction of All means that "rat holing" is not allowed, because only the blocks that are on the open face are available for mining. All is more limiting than a direction of None, but gives more flexibility than a direction of North, South, East, or West. Radial: The mining direction Radial is similar to the mining direction All, except that the Radial mining direction is more constrained. The blocks are mined radially outwards from a starting point. The start mining position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the mining start position from a string file allows mining to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The mining direction Roaming is similar to both the All and None mining directions. Roaming is the suggested mining direction when you want to define the start point on a bench and you want to give MineSched flexibility to "roam" in order to meet defined targets while keeping mining practical. Roaming honours a minimum mining width, as specified by the horizontal lag. The default mining width is three blocks. Honouring minimum mining width and horizontal lag is the advantage of Roaming over the All mining direction; All does not have a minimum mining width. The advantage of Roaming over the Radial mining direction is that Roaming gives more flexibility to meet the targets. It is not as restrictive as Radial and it also honours a minimum mining width. The Roaming direction is not supported with rotated block models. D-field: This option is applicable only when the mining 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 mining direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the mining direction. Azimuth: Mining 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: Mining starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Mining starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Mining starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Mining starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file, and a specific string within that string file. Mining can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string. Coordinate: Mining 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. Mining 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. For example, you can start mining at the ramp entry and exit points on each bench. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation exactly. CSV File: Mining starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using 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, Radial, or Roaming.
Consolidate blocks	Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the mining direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the bench polygon as one mining 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. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually selected for strip mining applications, underground applications, and short-term scheduling when the mining method is Polygon or Solid. 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 mining direction is All, None, Radial, or Roaming, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Blocks are not consolidated. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually cleared when performing medium-term or long-term scheduling, and when you are scheduling using targets. When you use targets, if you consolidate blocks, less choice is available to MineSched when the scheduling engine determines which blocks best meet the targets. Note: When Consolidate blocks is selected, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is yes. When Consolidate blocks is cleared, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is no.
Block Size	Y: The block size in the Y direction. X: The block size in the X direction. The mining block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively mined with the mining equipment you have available. If you are not target scheduling and you choose Consolidating blocks, so that the location is mined in a fixed sequence, set the mining block size to your block model user block size to generate the most accurate scheduling results. Grade variation across the bench, polygon, or solid is then representative of the grade distribution within your block model. When you are target scheduling, take performance into account when choosing your mining block size. The target scheduling performance is related to the number of mining blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer it takes to create the schedule. You can choose to use a larger block size when you are initially setting up your schedule, so that the schedule runs in minutes, and then reduce the block size when you have defined your other parameters and want to run a final schedule. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your mining direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the mining direction.
Partial Percentages	Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages	Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the mining 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 mining 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. This field accepts the integer values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value 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. Rarely do you need to use a precision value higher than 3.
Delays
Before activity	The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this mining, before mining can start.
After activity	The delay, in days, after mining finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.

Solids

The Solids mining method can be used for short-term scheduling in surface mines where you cannot define the bench top and bottom using horizontal planes. The Solids mining method can also be used in underground mining where the solids represent a range of stopes, and where the stopes are mined in sequence. When stopes that are contained within a solid are mined in sequence, the group of stopes can be treated as one location.

Fields on the Mining Tab When the Mining Method is Solids

Field	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 mined 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 string file when there is a single solid object representing the location.
Object range	The range of objects which contain mining 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 mining sequence of the objects within the location. You can also select the object sequence using the Graphical Sequencer. Notes: If the precedence parameters GROUPS_IN_DEFINED_SEQUENCE or BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE are set to yes, or if the BLOCKS_INSEQUENCE parameter is not set but the Consolidate blocks check box is selected, the objects are mined in the order defined in the Object range.
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 select the best object sequence.
String position	The location of the polygons in relation to the mining location. Options are Top, Middle, and Bottom.
Direction	The direction in which the location is mined. The direction is chosen based on a number of factors including the size and mobility of mining equipment, geometry of the deposit, size and geometry of the pit, and road access to the bench. Options are: North: Mining starts at a southern point and proceeds North. East: Mining starts at a western point and proceeds East. South: Mining starts at a northern point and proceeds South. West: Mining starts at an eastern point and proceeds West. None: The mining direction on a bench is not important and any block is available for mining once it is exposed by blocks above it. For example, in a multiple bench pit all blocks on the upper-most bench are available at the start of mining. A mining direction of None gives most flexibility for meeting targets. However, it allows "rat holing" in your bench. It can be useful to use None before mining directions have been established to help you determine optimum mining directions. When a mining direction of None is used with targets and scope levels, MineSched can identify where the best ore can be found and this information can help you define mining directions and choose pit phase limits. All: Mining can occur in all directions. The difference between All and None is that when the mining direction is All, at the start of mining, every block on the top bench is not available for mining. You must define where mining starts on the top bench. After mining is started on a bench, all blocks on the open face are available for mining. Therefore mining can proceed from the open face in all mining directions. A mining direction of All means that "rat holing" is not allowed, because only the blocks that are on the open face are available for mining. All is more limiting than a direction of None, but gives more flexibility than a direction of North, South, East, or West. Radial: The mining direction Radial is similar to the mining direction All, except that the Radial mining direction is more constrained. The blocks are mined radially outwards from a starting point. The start mining position can be read from a string file allowing it to vary by bench. Reading the mining start position from a string file allows mining to start at the ramp entry point on each bench. Roaming: The mining direction Roaming is similar to both the All and None mining directions. Roaming is the suggested mining direction when you want to define the start point on a bench and you want to give MineSched flexibility to "roam" in order to meet defined targets while keeping mining practical. Roaming honours a minimum mining width, as specified by the horizontal lag. The default mining width is three blocks. Honouring minimum mining width and horizontal lag is the advantage of Roaming over the All mining direction; All does not have a minimum mining width. The advantage of Roaming over the Radial mining direction is that Roaming gives more flexibility to meet the targets. It is not as restrictive as Radial and it also honours a minimum mining width. The Roaming direction is not supported with rotated block models. D-field: This option is applicable only when the mining 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 mining direction, the D-field box appears in which you type the description field that contains the mining direction. Azimuth: Mining 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: Mining starts in the North-most blocks of each bench. East: Mining starts in the East-most blocks of each bench. South: Mining starts in the South-most blocks of each bench. West: Mining starts in the West-most blocks of each bench. String Number: This option requires you to define the start position using a Surpac string file, and a specific string within that string file. Mining can start in all blocks that are contained within a specified string. Coordinate: Mining 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. Mining 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. For example, you can start mining at the ramp entry and exit points on each bench. Note: The Z coordinate of the points in the string file must match the bench elevation exactly. CSV File: Mining starts in the block closest to the coordinate defined in a CSV file. Defining the start position using 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, Radial, or Roaming.
Consolidate blocks	Selected: If the mining direction is North, South, East, West, or Azimuth, blocks are consolidated into a single block perpendicular to the mining direction. Consolidating blocks allows you to treat the entire width of the solid as one mining 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. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually selected for strip mining applications, underground applications, and short-term scheduling when the mining method is Polygon or Solid. 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 mining direction is All, None, Radial, or Roaming, blocks are not consolidated, regardless of whether the check box is selected. Cleared: Blocks are not consolidated. The Consolidate blocks check box is usually cleared when performing medium-term or long-term scheduling, and when you are scheduling using targets. When you use targets, if you consolidate blocks, less choice is available to MineSched when the scheduling engine determines which blocks best meet the targets. Note: When Consolidate blocks is selected, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is yes. When Consolidate blocks is cleared, the default value for the MINE_BLOCKS_IN_SEQUENCE precedence parameter is no.
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 mining block size must be at least as large as an area of ground that can be selectively mined with the mining equipment you have available. If you are not target scheduling and you choose Consolidating blocks, so that the location is mined in a fixed sequence, set the mining block size to your block model user block size to generate the most accurate scheduling results. Grade variation across the bench, polygon, or solid is then representative of the grade distribution within your block model. When you are target scheduling, take performance into account when choosing your mining block size. The target scheduling performance is related to the number of mining blocks in the string files of the scheduling model. The greater the number of blocks, the longer it takes to create the schedule. You can choose to use a larger block size when you are initially setting up your schedule, so that the schedule runs in minutes, and then reduce the block size when you have defined your other parameters and want to run a final schedule. If you have chosen to Consolidate blocks, and your mining direction is North, South, East, or West, you need only enter a block size in the mining direction.
Partial Percentages
Use partial percentages	Selected: MineSched uses partial percentage functionality when creating the mining 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 mining 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 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. This field accepts the integer values 1 to 5. For each additional level of precision the original blocks are subdivided into 8 blocks. A precision value 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. Rarely do you need to use a precision value higher than 3.
Delays
Before activity	The delay, in days, after the location becomes available for this mining, before mining can start.
After activity	The delay, in days, after mining finishes in the location, before the next activity can start in the location.