Mining using Shapes Using mining shapes to schedule material from selected mining blocks.

Mining using Shapes

Introduction

The Mining Shapes feature allows parts of single or multiple mining blocks to be scheduled using defined mining shapes i.e. outlines (closed strings), that can either be predefined or digitised on the fly.

Previously, if the user wished to schedule part or some of a block then they would use selective mining to schedule a specified tonnage or percentage of the reserves therein. This would in turn update the block reserves and schedule appropriately, giving graphical notification by shading the block(s) in question but leaving them otherwise intact.

Mining shapes also allows partial mining of the selected block(s) but instead of scheduling a percentage of the entire block, it allows the user to physically define an area of block(s) to schedule leaving the remaining section of the block(s) untouched.

It is not possible to combine selective mining and mining shapes on the same block.

 

Scheduling using Mining Shapes

The following procedure assumes that a scheduling project has already been set up and that activities, destinations, targets, etc. have already been set up.

 

The following general steps outline how to use Mining Shapes to extract 100% of a defined area within specified Blocks:

1. Turn on Perimeter Selection Mode.

2. In the Design window, zoom in to the area of interest around the mining blocks, e.g.:
   
   

3. Select the required mining blocks using <Ctrl>+click, e.g.:
   
   

4. In the Reserves control bar, check the summary information for the combined selected blocks.

5. Click Schedule Selected Blocks .

6. In the Schedule Activities dialog, find the required [Loading (shapes)] Activity, click the corresponding Schedule... button in the Action column.

   Other typical mining activities e.g. drilling and blasting, are normally scheduled before loading can commence. These activities need to be scheduled using this same dialog before the Loading (shapes) Activity can be Scheduled. The activities and their scheduling sequences are defined in the Define Activities and Define Process Flows dialogs respectively.

7. In the Schedule Shapes dialog, check that the Dynamic Recalculation option is selected.

8. With the above dialog still open, in the Design window, create a new string object and draw a new, closed mining shape string in the required position over the mining blocks, click Cancel, .

9. In the Schedule Shapes dialog, click Pick Active Shape, in the Design window, select the mining shape string, e.g.:
   
   
    

   This action automatically creates two new objects which are also listed in the Loaded Data control bar i.e. ISTSStudioOP_Mining_Shapes and ISTSStudioOP_Remaining_Blocks. Grabs/Handles (shown as green circles in the above image) will appear around the selected mining shape, allowing it to be modified. The shape can also be modified later using the Transform Shape command in the dialog's Shapes group. The string from which the Active Shape is selected can also be created in advance rather than digitised ‘on the fly’. Once the mining shape string has been picked, it can then either be unload or hidden, as picking the shape automatically copies that string to the ISTS_Mining_Shapes object.

10. In the Schedule Shapes dialog, Material Movement grid, check the evaluation results for the selected mining shape, modify any relevant parameters.
     

    If the shape does not currently overlap any of the mining blocks then the ‘Tonnes/Volume’ column will be empty. The ‘Available Tonnes’ column will show the same values and total as was observed in the Reserves control bar earlier as these values are still derived from the blocks originally selected to schedule and not from any further value adjustments.

11. In the Material Routes grid, check and modify any relevant parameters.
12. Review the information in the Summary tabs.
13. Define any additional Options, change mining shape priorities using the Priority group commands (available if multiple shapes have been selected).
14. Adjust the mining shape(s) if needed using the Transform Shape command.
    

    The Tonnages and Grades in the Schedule Shapes dialog are automatically updated as a mining shape is altered.  This is significant as it will allow you, for instance, to adjust your selection to achieve specific tonnage and grade targets.

15. Mine the selected shapes by clicking Schedule.
    

    This action automatically creates a new object which is also listed in the Loaded Data control bar i.e. ISTSStudioOP_Mined_Blocks. Following on from the above procedure and images, an example of mined block is shown highlighted in yellow below (the adjacent mined block to the left i.e. NW direction, is not highlighted): The associated, remaining block (stored in the ISTS_Remaining_Blocks object) and as yet unmined, for this mined block would be:

	Related Topics
	Define Process Flows Destinations Targets Schedule Shapes