Using Statistical Interpolation to Build Block Models – Part II (Setting up Files and Coding Air Blocks) Using MineSight® ©2007 Dr. B. C. Paul revisions 2009 (Note – The Screenshots contained in this show are operating views of the MineSight® computer programs and the steps suggested for operating include ideas taken from Minetec operating manuals, courses, publications, or technical support advice)

What Do I Have So Far I have the earths surface in a 3D model that I made from a topo map I’m going to use that surface to distinguish areas that are made up of air and have not mineral value from those that are made of rock and might have mineral value

What I Plan On Doing I will set up a block model Minable reserves are represented by a series of millions of blocks with average grades and other properties Kind of like a 3D pixel image I will create a file to hold my block model I will create a similar digital model of surface elevations I will use that surface elevation model to code into each block of my block model what percentage of that block is made of rock.

My First Move I will use MineSight Compass to set up the needed block model and digital surface image.

Start MineSight Compass Left click On MineSight From the Menu tabs A menu Drops down Left click on Compass

This is a Detour I’m getting a Dirty note about Not finding A project file. This commonly Happens when A project is Being started And when a Project has been Moved from One computer To another. (It Looses track of The project file)

If This Happens to You Read the Instructions – they Tell you what to Do. Then left click Ok

Compass Opens But Everything is Grayed Out

I’m Going to Look for the Simple Fix – MineSight has lost track of the Project File. Left click file to Drop down the File menu Move the curser To open and Left click

It Brings Up the Directory for Me to Find the Project File If you are Getting Complaints About no file10 (Project Control File) or no Prj file they Will usually Come up in This view You left click on The file and Then left click open

I This Case There Really has been no Project File Created Yet so I Need to Do This Yipes – no File Left click Cancel so We can Create the Needed file.

Now I Try to Create a New Project File Left click file To drop down The menu Put the curser Above New (new turns blue And a side Menu pops out) Move the curser Over project And left click

Project Files are Initialized From Project Control Files – Called File 10s The computer Shows you Everything that Might be a file 10 And asks you to Pick it (This is the Same thing that Comes up if MineSight has Lost track of a File 10) Note I do see my File 10. Put the Curser on it and Left click

Now Left Click On Open

Everything Comes to Life (not grayed out anymore) and Our Little Detour is Over.

Oh Where Were We – Oh Yes I Was Going to Create my Block Surface and Block Model Files (called files 13 and 15) Left click on The project Tab Then left click On the open Icon to open File editor

Up Comes My Project File Editor Screen – I’m going to set up my digital surface – My file 13

Left Click On File and Pick New

Up Comes My Choice of What Type of File Left click on The 13-GSF (I want to Create a file 13 and GSF Stands for Gridded Surface File)

The Computer Immediately Suggests the Minimum Things that Should be in a File 13 If I want Other Variables I can click On the Boxes And add Them. In my case The Suggestion Is fine So I left Click the Save icon

It Wants Me to Give the File a Name

About Naming Conventions MineSight File names still have the old 6 characters before the dot limitation The last 2 characters should be the numbers for the type of file In this case I’m creating a file 13 The first 4 characters should be some sort of project name Most people make the same 4 characters so all files associated with a particular package are obvious If I used this convention I would name the file 15mt13 (since I picked 15 mt for my project with 15 meter bench heights when I started the project)

I Got a Warning About Reinitializing Files and Clicked Ok

Now I Get My Success Message About Setting Up My File 13 I’ll left click Ok to Acknowledge I got the message

I Peak at My Files with Explorer Yup – There is A new File 13

That Was Easy – Now Lets Set Up My File 15 Block Model Click File New And then Left click on 15 3D Block Model

It Wants to Know What Variables I’d Like in My Model

My First Variable Is Rock% (I get 5 spaces to name my items) I can choose what I want and my names For me Rock% will be the % of each block that is made of rock I must also enter minimum and maximum values and the precision I want. My typing indicates all blocks are between 0% rock to 100% rock and that I Will be satisfied with my data to the nearest whole percentage.

My Next Variable is Copper I usually have an idea of my data range from peaking at samples. One Normally sets the range wide enough to pick up all the values. Precision can be very important for grade items – especially since copper Grades are usually under 1% - if I pick the nearest whole percentage I Will loose most of the variability range in my data – ie the block model Will trunkate most of the valuable information.

Enter Other Grade Variable I Believe I Will Need (each block model is required to have a grade variable) Mo is for my moly grade Eq Cu allows me to come up with a single metal amount variable – EqCu For what would a copper grade be to give a block the same value as Coproducts Copper and Molybdenum

Last I’ll Add A Variable for Type of Ore Many ore deposits have more than one type of ore – for example oxide And sulfide I could also a variable for type of rock since many deposits have more Than one type of rock.

When I’m Done With My Variables I Will Left Click the Save Icon

Why Did I Pick Variables I Did Some Blocks will be above the surface – Air Some will be on the surface and will have tonnage – but not the whole block Some blocks will be below the surface – they are all rock of some sort This variable will help me track the tonnage and keep track of air blocks (which are not mined and yield no copper or moly)

My Grade Variables Cu will contain the copper grade I assign I’ll assign it later using an interpolation routine Mo will contain my moly grade Cut-Offs for the mill in a pollymetalic deposit have to consider all the metals We have been doing calculations for how many lbs of copper 1 pound of moly is worth We will have the variable space saved for later use

Variable Requirements Minesight actually requires us to initialize our block model with a topo%, a grade, and a type

Lets Save Our Initialized Block Model with a Name I type in the Name I choose And left click save

I Get Another Profound Success Announcement

Now I’ve got my file 13 and file 15 ready my next mission will be to code the percentage rock into the blocks in my block model. MineSight’s ® file 13 contains a representation of the surface We will take our surface and feed it to our file 13 We will then have the computer use that file 13 to determine which blocks are above or below that surface Those above are 0% rock or pure air blocks Those below are 100% rock Those right on the surface may be a % between the two extremes

We Will Follow Several Steps Routine needs a surface made up of blocks at certain heights Kind of pixels each at a certain elevation We create a “gridded surface file” with our surface geometry We then have a code look at what % of each block is above or below the surface or what percent above or below.

We’ll Close Compass By Clicking on the Red X

I’m going to get that Gridded Surface File I’ve prepared the file, but I actually still do not have data in it. I’m going to prepare a view of the model Then I’m going to put data into it Then I’m going to display the gridded surface for inspection Then I will use it to code the block model with % rock.

We are going to set up a Model View of Our File 13 (so we can code into it) Need to highlight The directory Where this “model view” Will be stored.

Pick File / New / Model View Highlighting File Drops down the Menu. Highlighting New Opens the side Menu Highlighting and Clicking model View sets up a Model view

It Wants You To Name Your Model View I named mine Gridded Surface Then I will Left click Ok

It Needs You to Say Which Project File is going to keep track of the View Click on Select PCF (ie project Control file)

You Get A Choice of Project Control Files Project Control files are called file 10s – usually you will have one to choose from Highlight it and then click open.

Now it Wants to Know Which Eligible file you want a visual off You can choose Between a File 13 (a surface) And a file 15 (a block model) Since I’m trying To get a surface Ready I will Highlight the File 13 and click Ok as it comes To life.

My Model View Editor Comes On I need to select What to display. (most file 13s only Display topography But a file 15 would Provide a choice The little blue icon Will give you a Proper list of Eligible choices

When I Click the Blue List Box I Can See I Have Only One Choice – Click it.

I Can Do Some Color Adjusting for My Surface (This is a little detour) Push the Cutoffs Button

The Cutoffs Color Coding Menu Comes Up I will set the Color code Intervals I want (left click on Intervals)

I’ll Type in My Chosen Intervals and Click Ok (I hope I Know the Elevations Of my own Mine)

There Are My Intervals I’ll now Drag my Mouse Across them With the Left key Held down To select Them.

My Selection has turned blue

Go to Properties for the Selection Left click the Properties button

Go to Set Color By Range Tell it to Display faces Rather than Wire frame surface Next hit Set color by range

Try Ok for the Default Color Range Left click ok Button.

You Can See the Color Codes You Will Have for Surface Elevations I might try Clicking Ok To display My file 13.

There is Just One Little Problem I have my File 13 Set up with All the Display Parameters But there Is no data In the file 13 yet. (Yup that’s Why we are Looking at A blank Screen)

How Will I Remedy This? I will select a geometry object that contains elevation data Yup – I have my topo surface object available for that. I’ll then tell the computer to use that object to assign elevations to the grid in my gridded surface model

Lets Get Back to Those Model View Properties Right click On the Model view To pop up The menu Then left Click to Pick properties

In the Editor I Will Click the Geometry Tab so I can pick my Geometry Object

Then I’ll Left Click the Red Box to “Find that Object”

I Get the Geometry Set Editor Screen The boxes Up in the Corner Allow me To pick Objects Or files. I’m going To try to Pick my Topo Surface Object. (use red Dot box)

I Get A Box of Selection Tools The most Important Are the Red box (pick it from The data Manager list) And the blue Worm – pick From the Screen (it’s a little More Unpredictable And my Object is off)

Now I Get a Data Manager-Like List that Includes my Topo Surface Object I left click On my Topo Surface (it turns Blue) Then I left Click Ok

Now My Pick Tools Box Says I’ve Got Something Some times I Would want To try to pick Additional Objects – not This time Though

I’ll Left Click on the Surface I picked and then I will Left Click Ok

I’ve Now Got My Self A Set of Geometry Objects If I am Going to Use the Set A lot I Have Some Options to Name and Save Down here Otherwise I will click Ok

When I Click Ok It Tells Me I Have Changed the Current Geometry Set. It asks me If that is Ok. I sure hope I’ve been Doing Something So I will Click Yes

Now I Have Myself a Geometry Set to Use for setting elevation on my gridded surface. Yes its Called Unnamed Since I Declined To name it. Note now that I have an Option to Grid something (The grid button is no Longer grayed out) I’ll left click grid.

It Takes Me Right to the Grid Surface Tab

Now I Need to Say Where I Want the Data Put in My File 13 I will pick The variable In the File 13 I Want it to Go to (I can pull Down a list With the Blue box) In this case That was Profound Cause there Is only one variable Look Grid is Alive Now!

Now I’m Ready to Go I Click Grid I can see Something Happened Now I’ll Click Ok to Let it know I’m happy

The Mystery of those Bottom Boxes Apply means – yes I like this. Keep my work but don’t close the box because I want to do more Canel means – Yipes I screwed up – get rid of that before someone sees what I did. Ok means – Yes I like this. Close the dialog box and lets move on.

With the Dialog Box Closed I Can See My Lovely Surface!

I Will Now Use This Gridded Surface to Code my Air and Rock Blocks Start up MineSight ® Compass

On Compass Make Sure We Are On the Menu Tab Make Sure the Group And operations are set To show you everything Click on Description To have it alphabetize By description (make it easier to find The procedure we Want)

Click on Add Topo % to Model The routine will code the rock % into the block model

It Needs the Variable Names in Your File 13 and File 15 Block Model I Can Click on The down arrow To variables Available in my File 13 Gridded Surface File.

Ok for a One Variable File 13 Picking the Variable Name Isn’t Too Stimulating Left Click on Topog

At Least Saying Which Variable in My Block Model to Use has More Choices I will use Rock% to Receive the info

Now Click Go

The Coding Routine Begins to Execute

It Tells Me It Finished and Invites Me to Press Any Key to Continue

I Close Out of MineSight Compass Only to Find I’ve Got a Block Model I Can’t See

I’m Going to Create A Model View So I Can See What I Have

I’ll Name My Model View and Click Ok (Yup – this Is looking A bit like What we Did for our File 13 Display)

Oh Yes We Pick Our PCF File

There is Only One So This Will Be Tough (not)

Pick the Block Model as the Thing to Display

In Model View Editor (which comes up) Make sure you Have the Display tab Then pick the Variable Rock% To display

Lets Set the Display Range Click on the Range tab (Unless you Have tons of Memory and A very fast Processor – Don’t try to Display Everything at once.) The default Display is the Whole top level

I’ll Use Those Slide Boxes to Set 1/4th of the Model from Top to Bottom

Well There My Display Box Of course Its all gray Because I Have no Range or Color coding Bet that’s Why its Showing me The cut-off Colors box.

Click on Intervals and Fill in the Interval Data I Want.

Drag Over My Range and Click Properties

The Object Properties Dialog Box Opens Make sure I Have the General Tab Then left click Set color by Range.

The Color Range Box Opens I’ll except The Default Without Using those Slider boxes I’ll just Click ok.

Oh Ya! 0% rock is Above the Surface 100% rock is Below And mixed % Is right on The surface

I Can Turn Off My Gridded Surface and Admire the Block Model I’m Starting to Get Of course it Would be Real handy To have Some ore Grades in There too. (Stay tuned For the next Episode)