Process Help A full description of the QUICKPIT process.

 

Process Name	Menu Path	Link to Command Table
QUICKPIT	Design ribbon | Auto-Project |Pits	Click here

 

• Introduction

• Notes

• Example

Introduction

The QUICKPIT process is designed to speed up open pit design and modification. It is intended as a quick and easy way of defining a pit either from the top-down or bottom-up direction where the design is unconstrained by existing ultimate pit data.

QUICKPIT is a deprecated command. It won't disappear, but we're not planning on making further changes to it, instead investing this effort into automated pit design tools. Whilst QUICKPIT automates the use of manual pit design commands, other pit design functions are worth considering as an alternative - these functions allow you to design a pit and road layout, honouring required slope region parameters, road gradient and other pit requirements such as berm width, berm type, pre-existing bench definitions, face angles and contouring settings, not to mention a tight link with the reserves workflow functionality. More about automated open pit mine design...

 

How to use

QUICKPIT enables an iterative design process whereby the design of a pit can be altered (ramp positions, gradients, berms etc.) to find the best results.

Added functionality to the existing tools includes the tapering of berms where they meet the road. This greatly improves pit designs and minimizes the need for manual adjustments while designing.  Recent improvements to the process ensure that there are few overlaps where road segments start and end. This means the generation of a DTM of the pit is quicker.

Always start with a closed string which can represent the bottom or the top of the pit. Relative to that string, you can carry out multiple projections that build the pit. If something goes wrong, click on the "undo last" button to reload the pit as it was before you ran the last command. 

To resolve any problems:

1. Retry with fewer projections
2. Change the settings
3. Adjust the "initial" string  

Make sure you read the instructions in the lower right-hand corner of the Design Window.

Online Tutorial

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Notes

Quickpit Dialog

Project	It is possible to project up or down from the closed string.  The default is to project strings up and out from the original closed string, the initial string.  You can project a string a set number of times.
Expand	It is possible to expand the pit inwards or outwards from the initial closed string.
Bench / Flitch Height	If benches are mined in stages, the number entered here is the height of each stage (flitch or sub-bench).
Berm Interval	The number entered here is the number of flitches or sub-benches per bench.
Total Bench Height	This value is calculated automatically, it is the product of the berm interval and the bench \ flitch height.
Ref. Elevation	This is the elevation from which the berms start, it is the elevation of the first berm.
Face Angle	This is the angle in degrees of each bench face, the default is 60.
Interramp Angle	This is the angle (from the horizontal) of a line that is drawn from bench toe to bench toe.
Berm Width	The width of a berm.
NOTE:  For the settings: Face angle, Interramp angle and Berm width.  The user enters values for two settings and the third is calculated when the Calculate button is pressed.
Include Road	If this check box is selected a haulroad will be included in the pit design as it is projected.  The user will be prompted to select the start point of the ramp.
Road Width	Width of the haulroad.
Road Gradient	The angle of the road in percent.
Direction	This controls the direction of the road around the pit.  If the clockwise (clockw.) or anticlockwise (anti-clockw.) option is selected the road will continue in this direction for each projection.  At the end of a series of projections the direction can be changed to include a switchback.  If the choose direction (Choose dir.) option is selected the user will have to decide the direction of the road for each projection.
Settings:
Adjust Road Entrance	Gives the entrance of a road a constant width (See images below).
Auto Fillet	With an angular closed initial string, the pit generated can be unrealistic. This option adds extra points on a projected string to give a more rounded projection (See images below).
Automatic Crossover Checking	Checks for and removes any crossovers.
Taper Berms	This option should be selected when access to a bench is not required as the berm is tapered to a point at the road (See images below).

 

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Example

The image on the left has the settings, Adjust Road Entrance, Auto Fillet and Taper Berms turned off.  The image on the right has these settings on.

 

Important advice for generating an open pit

It is advisable to project a few benches at a time, if there is a problem with the design it is simpler to rectify.  If something does go wrong, zoom into the area of the problem, it may reveal a point that needs editing.

Important advice for generating a switchback

To continue a road you must select the start point.  If you want the road to continue in the same direction you must select the inside corner point of the last section of the road (image on the left). 

To create a switchback (change the direction of the road) you must select the opposite direction, the base string (the last projected string) and select the outside corner point of the last section of the road (image on the right).

 

 

Using rosettes and block models

Instead of specifying the berm width and face angle, you can use a rosette or block model to control projection.

Rosette 

This will ignore the face angle and berm width settings, allowing different face angles and berm widths for different areas in a pit. More about using rosettes... 

Block Model

The block model file must have a SLOPE and a BERMWDTH field. This will ignore the face angle and berm width settings, allowing different face angles and berm widths for different areas in a pit.  More about using the model....