Newsletter June 2011 exclusive manual 3D solid models for control. Such sections become the base FASTER 3D totally shared walls between adjacent data used by the Geology Adjusted solids; and implicit mathematical 3D Modelling technique. There is no need MODELLING solid models. The mathematical models to create solids as the starting point. are supposed to be automatic, however Marcelo Arancibia, Senior geological polygon lines and points Block model tools developed for resource Vice President Maptek™ South must be used to control the geology! estimation and subsequent reserve assessment are used to generate the solid America, describes a technique Using traditional techniques, building and/or surface models representing the to increase productivity in the 3D solids for the test case took one deposit, directly from the geological data. generating 3D geological month. The same 3D models were built in models for large complex only 20 minutes using the new technique. Techniques for the estimation of block model domains include: continuous metalliferous orebodies. Modelling is based on observed data and/or categorical Indicator estimation; from mapping or geological logs. The continuous or categorical Indicator The Geology Adjusted Modelling method interpretation of sections and/or plans simulation; pluri-Gaussian simulation; was presented at the Australian Users always reflects the geological knowledge and truncated Gaussian simulation. Conference in April. It uses existing ™ of the deposit. Vulcan tools, and has been tested Block model population for the test with the help of customers in Chile. case was through estimation by the nearest neighbour method, but A test case considered a deposit with any other geostatistical estimation four different geological units. There were method could have been used. 50 geological sections at 25m intervals, with half perpendicular to the others. The output showed that the resultant Geology Adjusted Model was identical The case study compared the different to the block model developed by traditional techniques and evaluated traditional methods from 3D solids. the results against the Geology The 20 minute execution time proves Adjusted Modelling method. The geologist always has a three the new technique to be a winner! Various traditional techniques are dimensional picture in mind - even used for generating solid models, without computers. including: 2D solid extrusion models; manual 2.5D solid models connecting Geologists transform the drilling data sections; inclusive manual 3D solid into ‘hard’ intercept data to produce models observing the drilling intercepts; sections or lines - polygons of geological ‘THIS METHOD IS MORE DIRECT - THE INNATE GEOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE GOES STRAIGHT INTO THE BLOCK MODEL.’ Marcelo Arancibia, Maptek > In this issue Underground Stope Optimiser I-Site Scanning Roadshow Consulting & Training News Users Conferences Simulation for Better Grade Data Optimising Waste Dumps The Stope Optimiser was run for a VULCAN HELPS range of cut-off grades and several shape configurations. The results SHAPE TANAMI were tabulated in a spreadsheet to obtain expansion factors for tonnes Newmont Asia Pacific recently and ounces. These factors were tested the new Vulcan™ Stope used in the mine schedule to prepare Optimiser on scenarios for quick estimates for shaft scenarios. the Tanami Operations in the ‘The results were enough to enable Northern Territory of Australia. us to move on without having to re-design stopes manually’, Mining for gold began in the early 1900s said Nadine Wetzel, Senior Mine and most recently from the late 1980s. Planning Engineer for Newmont. Current production comes from the Stope Optimiser shapes (grey) vs manually designed stopes Callie underground orebody. Exploration ‘This is a long project, and we’re still and feasibility investigations continue working on it. Getting the information as Newmont looks for opportunities quickly has meant the project has not The current version of the Stope Optimiser to extend the life of the mine. been delayed. Information from the Vulcan is an output of AMIRA’s PRIMO research reports can be fed into the mine plans, project (see Forge September 2010). In early 2011 Newmont’s mine planning and used by the geologists as well.’ team used the Vulcan Stope Optimiser, Newmont was involved in sponsoring available in Vulcan 8.1, to assess how The Stope Optimiser was also run for this project and is now sponsoring cut-off grade variations may affect the Villa orebody, which is a narrow AMIRA’s P1037 project which aims to the orebody expansion plans. vein type deposit close to the surface. continue development of the Stope A range of cut-off grades and minimum Optimiser tool. Newmont is contributing Newmont is looking to set up a haulage stoping widths were evaluated. experience and suggestions to the shaft at the Tanami which would allow Comparing the results in a spreadsheet research project team, and looks forward the operation to reduce the cut-off helped the mine planning team to get to the results of the next stage. grade at which stopes are mined. a feel for the continuity of the orebody Improving economies of scale, and Thanks to under a range of assumptions. Nadine Wetzel overcoming haulage and trucking Senior Mine Planning Engineer constraints would mean they could ‘The benefits of the Stope Optimiser are Newmont Asia Pacific extract more material from the mine. that it is very quick, its design parameters Presented at Australian Users Conference, April 2011 can be changed very easily and it gives Establishing a hoisting shaft for the main a repeatable result every time with Callie orebody is expected to reduce the same parameters. In comparison, the cut-off grade by around 0.5 g/t. if 2 or 3 engineers did this manually, VULCAN™ STOPE OPTIMISER reads different designs would eventuate from a Vulcan block model with either grade The Stope Optimiser was part of the same parameters. And you know or economic information, applies stope the process to assess the new haul that the Stope Optimiser generates framework and geometric constraints, shaft in terms of cut-off grades and the optimum design’, added Wetzel. and creates a set of mineable stope volume of ore recovered. A dramatic shapes. These are summarised in an time improvement was seen in getting optimisation log and reserve report. results, over a manual design method. Vulcan Stope Optimiser delivers full 3D capabilities on stope shape generation and block model analysis without manual digitising. Because reserving is incorporated, no iteration is required to produce the optimum 3D stope shape. Stope design time is reduced JUNE 2011 by 98% compared with manual design. Productivity is increased substantially. 2 Vulcan’s 3D integration removes 2D cross-section constraints and enables multiple runs for analysing ‘what-if’ scenarios. Hanging wall and footwall visualisation allows the planner to have influence over the final stope design. MAPTEK FORGE Further information about the Vulcan Stope Optimiser can be found at Long projection of Newmont’s Tanami www.maptek.com/vulcan8.1/ underground orebodies ‘We customised the truck to include 01 MAPTEK DRIVES a 17” flatscreen and laptop running the Maptek I-Site data acquisition MINE SURVEY software, I-Site Studio™ and GPS software, allowing us to process the SOLUTION results while mapping in the field.’ Maptek’s customised vehicle Traditional workflow requires surveyors has been used to demonstrate to collect data in the field and take ™ it back to the office for processing I-Site scanning capabilities and analysis. Often it is not until the around North America. processing stage that lack of coverage or ‘shadows’ in the data become evident. In November 2010, I-Site Services 02 Manager Scott Schiele began planning This requires a trip back out to the the acquisition of a truck to showcase site to fill the gaps. Scanning with the the I-Site laser scanning system. His I-Site system eliminates that second goal was to enable clients and prospects trip; viewing the data in the field to see I-Site in action at their sites and shows whether the area has been show how it could work for them. adequately covered before leaving. Maptek unveiled the I-Site truck at the Jon Larson, General Manager of February 2011 SME tradeshow in Denver, Maptek in North America, notes that Colorado, generating a tremendous the integration of equipment is key. amount of interest. This prompted Maptek to launch an I-Site roadshow. ‘Because we’ve combined the I-Site 03 8800 with I-Site Studio and GPS on a Schiele, along with I-Site team members vehicle, we’re now able to show people John Dolan and Mike Foster, embarked how they can acquire and process their on a five state tour of Western US mines data in just a few minutes’, Larson says. in late March. The team demonstrated how an I-Site equipped vehicle obtains ‘The truck fully equips us to meet near-instantaneous data using 3D laser a client’s on-site survey needs. Our scanning technology. consulting offering includes end- of-month reconciliations, stockpile Schiele explains, ‘With the I-Site 8800™ measurements and highwall mapping.’ laser scanner on a vehicle mount and high precision GPS system, we have a Site personnel appreciated seeing 01 Scott Schiele demonstrates I-Site Studio their data processed immediately on software in the mobile mapping vehicle fully integrated mobile scanning vehicle. 02 I-Site truck at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near It’s like a survey office on wheels.’ the flatscreen in the truck. The team Denver, prior to field trials also demonstrated video fly-throughs 03 Scott Schiele demonstrates the I-Site 8800 to of portions of each site, showing Ben Beard of Resolution Copper The I-Site 8800 is the first survey scanned results in real time. 04 The I-Site team: Scott Schiele, James Kenney, instrument to combine long range Mike Foster and John Dolan laser scanning and panoramic digital For details email [email protected] or colour photography at a super high visit www.maptek.com/roadshow resolution of 70 megapixels.