Open Pit Design 1

8/18/2019 Open Pit Design 1

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Copyright © CAE Datamine Corporate Limited

Page 2 of 2Introduction to the Open Pit Design Tutorial

1/10/2010mk:@MSITStore:C:\Program%20Files\Datamine\Studio3\Help\OpenPitTutorial.chm::/Stu...



The Open Pit Design Data Set

The Viking Bounty open pit data set used in this tutorial represents the output from an NPV Scheduler open pit optimization process, the

output ultimate pit limits and resultant open pit design. The mineral resource which formed the input into the optimization process is a

shallow, hydrothermal Cu-Au deposit. The data set consists of the following:

surface topography

ultimate pit block model and wireframe

example open pit designs for the following pit design methods:

toe-ramp-crest

toe-ramp

toe contours

Quick Pit (automated design).

Some of this data can be seen in the image below, viewed from above the topography surface and from the south-west:

The pit optimization and design was generated using the following economic and mining parameters:

T e Open Pit Design Data SetThe open pit design data set.

Face Angle: 60 degrees Rock Density: 2.5 t/m3

Road Width: 20 meters Mining Cost: 0.95 $/t

Road Gradient: 1:10 (10%) Processing Cost: 3.63 $/t

Berm Width: 8 meters Gold Price: 11.25 $/g

Bench Height: 20 meters Copper Price: 2094 $/t

Ultimate Pit Slope: 50 degrees

Page 1 of 2The Open Pit Design Data Set




Bench Naming Convention

In this tutorial, the top elevation of a bench is used to name the bench. Other naming conventions can

also be used when designing your pit e.g. bottom or mid bench elevations or a non-elevation related

naming system.

Related Topics

Tutorial Files List


Page 2 of 2The Open Pit Design Data Set






_vb_tr_pit260.dm - Strings - the toe-ramp open pit design for bench 260

_vb_tr_pit260Crests.dm -Strings - the toe-ramp open pit design including crests up to bench 260 (top

bench)

_vb_trc_pit - Strings - the toe-ramp-crest open pit design trimmed to topography

_vb_trc_pit0.dm trc_pit0 Strings - the toe-ramp-crest open pit design up to top of bench 0

_vb_trc_pit-20.dm trc_pit-20 Strings - the toe-ramp-crest open pit design for bench -20 (lowest bench)

_vb_trc_pit70.dm - Strings - the toe-ramp-crest open pit design up to top of bench 70

_vb_trc_pit80.dm trc_pit80 Strings - the toe-ramp-crest open pit design up to top of bench 80


_vb_trc_pit140.dm trc_140 Strings - the toe-ramp-crest open pit design up to top of bench 140


_vb_trc_pit240pt.dm /

_vb_trc_pit240tr.dmtrc_pit240pt / trc_pit240tr Wireframes - toe-ramp-crest pit, untrimmed to topography

_vb_trc_PitTopoInt.dm trc_PitTopoInt Strings - toe-ramp-crest open pit and topography wireframes intersection

_vb_trc_PitTopopt.dm /

_vb_trc_PitTopotr.dm

trc_PitTopopt /

trc_PitTopotrWireframes - merged pit and topography

...\VBOP\Datamine:

_vb_npvmod1.dm - Block Model - ultimate pit

_vb_npvssurfpt.dm /

_vb_npvssurftr.dm- Wireframes - ultimate pit shell surface

_vb_stopopt.dm /

_vb_stopotr.dm- Wireframes - topography surface

Related Topics

Tutorial Exercises List


Page 2 of 2Tutorial Files List




Terminology

The following terms are commonly used in open pit design and are also used in this tutorial:

Bench - a horizontal excavation slice within the open pit, generally having a height range of 5-20m. The top and bottom extents of a

bench are defined by a pair of outlines i.e. the crest and toe outlines. A full stack of benches makes up the full open pit.

Crest - the top limit (outer edge) of a bench, usually defined by a perimeter string.

Toe - the bottom limit of a bench, usually defined by a perimeter string.

Face - the vertical or inclined surface defined by the pair of crest and toe strings i.e. the side of a bench.

Face Angle - the angle, in degrees, measured from the horizontal, describing the angle of the face; also known as the batter angle.

These are summarized in the following vertical section diagram:

The tutorial exercises use the bottom-up design approach where the pit is designed from the bottom of the pit shell upwards towards the

topography surface; a top-down approach would use the same tools and similar general techniques.

The following open pit design methods are covered in this tutorial:

Toe-Ramp-Crest Method

The Toe-Ramp-Crest method involves designing the pit on a bench by bench basis usually starting from the lowest bench and working

upwards. The toe string is created, the ramp is inserted and finally the crest strings are added. This method builds ramps that include access

to the berms and it can be applied working either from the bottom up or the top down.

Toe-Ramp Method

The Toe-Ramp method involves creating all the toe and ramp strings first and then adding the crest strings. This method is quicker than the

Toe-Ramp-Crest approach and yields a continuous ramp with no offsets. You must however, complete the pit design in the same session of

Studio and the pit can only be designed from the bottom up.

Contours Method

Open Pit DesignElements of open pit design.

Page 1 of 2About Pit Design




The Contours method involves inserting a ramp and crest strings into an existing set of toe contour strings. These toe strings are typically

created by generating contours around an optimum pit shell block model.

Automated Pit Design (QUICKPIT)

The QUICKPIT process is designed to speed up open pit design, and access existing Studio tools in an efficient way. 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.


Page 2 of 2About Pit Design




Overview

The location, extraction sequence and extents of an open pit design is typically determined by a scheduled ultimate pit model or shell. This is

generally output from a program like NPV Scheduler which is used to determine the limits and optimal extraction sequence of a potential

open pit using various economic, environmental, mining and mineral processing parameters.

The 3D output from a scheduled ultimate pit typically includes the following data:

This output is then used to guide the open pit design process.

U timate Pit S e s About ultimate pit shell models.

NPVS Block Model - Containing only block model cells lying within the extents of the ultimate pit with the fields:

VALUE - the profit generated from mining each block

PHASE - defines a series of pits based on successive reductions in profit values

SEQUENCE - the recommended order in which blocks should be mined to maximize the Net Present

Value of the pit.

NPVS WireframeModel

- Defining the ultimate pit surface.


Page 1 of 1About Ultimate Pit Shells




List of Exercises

The following table contains a list of the exercises covered in this tutorial, grouped according to the different headings.

Tutoria Exercises List A list of the exercises available in the open pit design tutorial.

Heading Page Exercise

Getting Started Creating a New Project Creating and Saving a New Project

Displaying Design Toolbars Displaying the Open Pit Design Toolbars

Customising Toolbars

Saving the Toolbar Settings to a Profile

Defining Mine Design Settings Defining Project Settings

Defining Mine Design Settings

Working with Pit Shells Viewing Ultimate Pit Shell Models Viewing Ultimate Pit Shell Models

Creating a Custom Display Legend Creating a Custom Display Legend

Applying a Legend

Querying and Filtering Block Model Cells

Manual Design Methods Creating a Pit Base String Creating a Pit Base String

- Toe-Ramp-Crest Method Generating the First Bench Generating the First Bench

Creating a Full Toe-Ramp-Crest Bench Creating a Full Toe-Ramp-Crest Bench

Designing a Switchback Designing a Switchback

Designing at the Topography Surface Designing Through the Topography Surface

- Toe-Ramp Method Generating Toe-Ramp Benche Creating a Toe-Ramp Bench Adding Crest Strings Adding the Crest Strings to the Toe-Ramp Design

Designing at the Topography Designing Through the Topography Surface

- Contours Method Creating Ramp Strings Creating Ramp Strings Between Contours

Generating Ramp Outlines Generating Ramp Outlines from Strings

Adjusting Toes to Ramps Adjusting Toe Contours to Ramps

Adding Crests Below the Topography Adding Crests Below the Topography

Adjusting Crests to Ramps Adjusting Crests to Ramps

Adding Crests at the Topography Adding Crests At the Topography

Automated Pit Design Creating a Single Bench Creating a Single Bench

Creating Multiple Benches Creating Multiple Benches

Designing a Switchback Designing a Switchback

Wireframing and Manipulation Adding Attribute BENCH Interactively Adding and Setting a BENCH Attribute Interactively

Generating a Pit DTM Generating a DTM of the Pit Design

Generating a Pit-Topo Intersection Generating a Pit-Topography Intersection String

Trimming the Design Strings Trimming the Design Strings

Merging the Pit and Topo DTMs Merging the Pit and Topography DTMs

Page 1 of 2Tutorial Exercise List






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to the create a new project, add files and then save the new project.

Exercises

The following exercises are available on this page:

Creating and Saving a New Project

Exercise: Creating and Saving a New Project

In this exercise, you are going to create a new Studio project "OPDesign1" , in a new folder C:\Database\MyTutorials\OPDesign, add

the relevant data files and then finally save the project. This includes the following tasks:

Creating a tutorial folder and copying in files

Creating a new project

Checking and saving the project.

Creating a Tutorial Folder and Copying In Files

1. In Windows Explorer create the folder C:\Database\MyTutorials\OPDesign.

2. Browse to and open the folder C:\Database\DMTutorials\Data\VBOP\Datamine.

3. Copy these 5 files:

_vb_npvmod1.dm

_vb_npvssurfpt.dm

_vb_npvssurftr.dm

_vb_stopopt.dm

_vb_stopotr.dm

4. Paste the files into your new tutorial folder C:\Database\MyTutorials\OPDesign.

5. Browse to and open the folder C:\Database\DMTutorials\Data\VBOP\Datamine\OPM.

6. Copy all 39 files:

_vb_c_pit240.dm

_vb_c_pitcrest100.dm

_vb_c_pitcrestadj-20.dm

_vb_c_pitcrestadj100.dm

_vb_c_pitrampds.dm

Creating a New ProjectCreating a new Studio 3 project file for the open pit design tutorial.

Prerequisites

Check that you have the Studio 3 tutorial data folders. These are located (with a standard installation) under

C:\Database\DMTutorials. This path should exist and contain two sub-folders; Data and Projects. These contain data and

project files that will be used in the various exercises.

If you cannot locate these folders, please reinstall Studio 3. If this does not resolve the issue, please contact your CAE

Mining support consultant.

Read through the pages under the tutorial heading "Principles".

Page 1 of 4Creating a New Project




_vb_c_pitrampout.dm

_vb_c_pitramptoe-40.dm

_vb_c_pitramptoe80.dm

_vb_c_toecons.dm

_vb_pitbase-40.dm

_vb_pitmod1.dm

_vb_q_pit-20.dm

_vb_q_pit-20adj.dm

_vb_q_pit.dm

_vb_q_pit100.dm

_vb_res_designpit1.dm

_vb_q_pit20.dm

_vb_q_pit80adj.dm

_vb_q_pit80adj2.dm

_vb_tr_pit0.dm

_vb_tr_pit0Crests.dm

_vb_tr_pit-20.dm

_vb_tr_pit200.dm

_vb_tr_pit220.dm

_vb_tr_pit260.dm

_vb_tr_pit260Crests.dm

_vb_trc_pit-20.dm

_vb_trc_pit.dm

_vb_trc_pit0.dm

_vb_trc_pit110.dm

_vb_trc_pit140.dm

_vb_trc_pit240.dm

_vb_trc_pit240pt.dm

_vb_trc_pit240tr.dm

_vb_trc_pit70.dm

_vb_trc_pit80.dm

_vb_trc_PitTopoInt.dm

_vb_trc_PitTopopt.dm

_vb_trc_PitTopotr.dm

7. Paste the files into your new tutorial folder C:\Database\MyTutorials\OPDesign.

8. Minimize the Explorer Window.

Creating a new Project

1. Start Studio 3 using the desktop shortcut -or- Start | All Programs | Datamine | Studio 3.

2. In the Studio 3 window, select File | New....





3. If the Studio Project Wizard (Welcome ...) dialog is displayed, click Next>.

4. In the Studio Project Wizard (Project Properties) dialog, define the project Name as 'OPDesign1', browse for the Location

'C:\Database\MyTutorials\OPDesign', select the Automatically add files... option, click Project Settings...:

5. In the Project Settings dialog, Automatic Project Updates group, select the options shown below, click OK :

6. Back in the Studio Project Wizard (Project Properties) dialog, click Next>.

7. In the Studio Project Wizard (Project Files) dialog, check that 42 files have been added automatically, click Next>.

8. In the Studio Project Wizard (Your project is ready to create) dialog, click Finish.

Checking and Saving the Project

The welcome dialog isn't shown if the Skip this page in future option was selected the last time a new

project was created.





In the Project Files control bar, check that all of the files, selected in the previous sections, have been added to the project and that

they are listed in one or more of the various data folders.

Select File | Save -or- in the Standard toolbar, click Save.

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This project file will be used for the remaining exercises in this tutorial

The project file can be set to be automatically updated after project changes have been made

e.g. importing data, generating legends. This is set in the Options dialog using Tools |

Options, and then selecting the Project tab and the Automatic Updating sub-tab. Then,

selecting both the Detect New Files... and Detect Files Added... check boxes ensure automatic

updating is performed

For more information on project options, consult your Studio 3 online reference Help project

(Help | Contents), or the reference topic (open the Project Options dialog and press <F1>

on your Keyboard or click Help)






Overview

In this portion of the tutorial you are going to display and customize toolbars in the Design window that are typically used in the open pit

design process.

Links to exercises


Displaying the Open Pit Design Toolbars

Customising Toolbars


Exercise: Displaying the Open Pit Design Toolbars

In this exercise you are going to display and dock the toolbars required for completing the exercises in this tutorial.

Displaying the Toolbars

1. Select the Design window.

2. Using either View | Customization | Toolbars |..., or by right-clicking in the toolbar docking area and selecting Toolbars,

display the following toolbars:

Boolean Operations

Current Objects

DTM Creation

Data Display

Data Filters

Format

Mine Design

Pit Design

Point and String Editing: Advanced

Point and String Editing: Standard

Snapping

Docking the Floating Toolbars

1. Click inside the header of the floating Mine Design toolbar and drag it into the grey area below the Menu Bar, as shown in the

image below:

Disp aying Design Too arsDisplaying and customizing the toolbars used in the open pit design process.

Prerequisites

Required:

Created a new project and added all the required tutorial files i.e. the exercises on the Creating a New Project page.

Page 1 of 3Displaying Mine Design Toolbars




2. Repeat the above step for the remaining, floating toolbars.

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Exercise: Customizing a toolbar

In this exercise you are going to add the Query Line, Query String and Gradient Convention buttons to the Mine Design toolbar.

Adding Buttons to the Toolbar


2. In the Mine Design toolbar, click More Buttons, select Add or Remove Buttons | Customize....

3. In the Customize dialog, Commands tab, Categories list, select [All Commands].

4. Click in the Commands list, press <D>.

5. Find and then drag-and-drop the following into to the right side of the Mine Design toolbar:

DesignQueryLines

DesignQueryStrings

FormatGradientConvention

6. In the Customize dialog, click Close.

7. The toolbar should now contain the three extra buttons, as shown below:

Exercise: Saving the Toolbar Settings to a Profile

In this exercise you are going to create an open pit design profile by saving the current toolbar, menu and control bar settings to a

Customization File.

Your toolbars will probably be at different locations to those shown in the image above.

Toolbars can be floated inside the Studio 3 main window, or docked in the header area, against the

bottom or the sides of the main window.

Each time Studio is exited, the current displayed toolbars, menu and control bars are saved to

the default Customization File profile.xml, which is located under






1. Select View | Customization | Customization State | Save....

2. In the Save As dialog, select the path to your tutorial project folder, define the filename as 'OPDProfile.xml', click Save:

3. Select File | Save.

Top of page

C:\Users\Usernam e \AppData\Roaming\Datamine\Datamine Studio.

A custom profile can be loaded from a saved Customization File using View | Customization

| Customization State | Load...

Create different profiles e.g. geological modeling, grade estimation, mine design, VR and save

each of them to a separate Customization File (.xml)

Use Customization Files to: save toolbar settings for different work profiles

create, manage and share standard profiles amongst users within your organization.






Overview

In this portion of the tutorial you are going to define conventions, general interface and project settings that are typically used during the

open pit design process.

Links to exercises


Defining Project Settings

Defining Mine Design Settings

Exercise: Defining Project Settings

In this exercise you are going to define the following project settings:

default string point symbol size

enable automatic redraw

white Design background

Design window grid

evaluation control settings.

Setting a Default Symbol Size for Displayed Data

1. Select File | Settings....

2. In the Project Settings dialog, select the Data Display tab.

3. In the right pane, Symbols group, use the Default symbol size: spin buttons to define a value of '1' mm.

4. Leave the Project Settings dialog open.

5. Click Apply.

Automatic Redraw and White Background

1. Still in the Project Settings dialog, select the Design tab.

2. In the right pane, Control group, select Enable automatic redraw.

3. Select the Design Background Color [White].

4. Leave the Project Settings dialog open.

5. Click Apply.

Design Window Display Grid Settings


2. In the Format toolbar, click Grids.

De ining Mine Design SettingsSpecifying the open pit design settings for your project.

Prerequisites

Required:


Page 1 of 4Defining Mine Design Settings




3. In the Format Display dialog, Grids tab, select the Default grid and define the settings shown below, click OK :

Evaluation Control Settings

1. Still in the Project Settings dialog, select the Mine Design tab

2. In the right pane, Evaluation Control group, select the Evaluate Block Model option.

3. Select Fast evaluation.

4. Ensure the following check boxes are clear:

Full cell evaluation

Use Display Legend

5. Click OK .


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Exercise: Defining Mine Design Settings

In this exercise you are going to define the mine design settings:

metric units

gradient convention to 1:N and positive up

face angle

berm width.

Measurement Unit Settings

Clearing the Full cell evaluation check box allows the evaluation commands to run a partial cell

evaluation i.e. the portions of block model cells falling outside the evaluated strings or

wireframes do not form part of the evaluation. This allows a more accurate evaluation to be

done, but is also generally slower.

The default selected item in the Legend drop-down list is used for now, as an evaluation legend

will be defined in a later exercise.





All dimensions given in this tutorial are based on metric units.

1. To ensure your system is in this mode, select Tools | Options.

2. In the Options dialog, select the Data - General tab.

3. Set Drawing Units to Metric (mm).

4. Set Data Units to Metric (m).

5. Click OK .

Setting Gradient Convention


2. Select Format | Gradient Convention (grc).

3. In the Gradient Convention dialog, select the Gradient In option Percent %.

4. Select the Direction option +ve UP, click OK .

Setting the Road, Berm and Contour Colors


2. Select Applications | Open Pit | Set Colors | Road (rcol).

3. In the Studio 3 dialog, check that the color is set to '5.0' i.e. green, click OK .

4. Select Applications | Open Pit | Set Colors | Berm (bc).

5. In the Studio 3 dialog, check that the color is set to '3.0' i.e. orange, click OK .

6. Select Applications | Open Pit | Set Colors | Contour (cc).

7. In the Studio 3 dialog, check that the color is set to '4.0' i.e. yellow, click OK .

Setting the Face Angle and Berm Width

1. Select Applications | Open Pit | Set Face Angle (fng).

2. In the Studio 3 dialog, check that the default face angle is '60' degrees, click OK .

3. Select Applications | Open Pit | Set Berm Width (sbw).

4. In the Studio 3 dialog, set the berm width to '8' m, click OK .


In Studio's pit design tools, road gradients are expressed as percent and face angles are in degrees.





Top of page






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to view ultimate pit shell block model and wireframe model data.

Link to Exercises


Viewing Ultimate Pit Shell Models

Exercise: Viewing Ultimate Pit Shell Model Data

In this exercise, you are going to view the block model and wireframe output from an NPV Scheduler ultimate pit and optimized schedulingprocess. This includes the following tasks:

Loading the ultimate pit model data

Viewing the model data.

Loading the Ultimate Pit Model Data


2. Select the Project Files control bar, All Tables folder.

3. Select, drag-and-drop the following files into the Design window:

_vb_npvmod1

_vb_npvssurftr

4. In the View Control toolbar, click Zoom All Data.

5. In the Design window, check that your view is as shown below:

Viewing U timate Pit S e Mo e s Viewing ultimate pit shell block and wireframe models.

Prerequisites

Required:


Recommended:

Displayed and customized the open pit design toolbars; saved a profile i.e. the exercises on the Displaying Design Toolbars

page.

Specified project and mine design settings i.e. the exercises on the Specifying Design Settings page.

Files required for the exercises on this page:

_vb_npvmod1

_vb_npvssurfpt / _vb_npvssurftr

Page 1 of 3Viewing Ultimate Pit Shell Models




6. In the VR window, check that your view is as shown below:

Viewing the Model Data






2. In the View Control toolbar, click View Settings.

3. In the View Settings dialog, Section Definition tab, Section Orientation group, select North-South, click OK .

4. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, right-click _vb_npvssurftr/_vb_npvssurfpt (wireframe), select Format.

5. In the Format Display dialog, Overlays tab, Overlay Format group, Style sub-tab, Display As group, select Intersection, click Apply.

6. In the Color sub-tab, Color group, select Fixed and the color [Red (2)].

7.In the Line Style group, select the Fixed linestyle [

____

], and set Width to [2], click OK .8. In the Design window, check that your view is as shown below:


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In the above image, the block model is currently colored on the VALUE (i.e. profit) field using a default

legend. The SEQUENCE field also provides valuable information when designing final and interim pits toachieve the highest NPV. The block model and wireframe extents of the pit shell indicate that the pit

base is at an elevation (Z value) -40m and the VALUE field values show that the ore is situated in the

bottom half of the pit.






Overview

In this portion of the tutorial you are going to create and apply a custom display legend for a block model.

Link to Exercises


Creating a Custom Display Legend

Applying a Legend

Querying and Filtering Block Model Cells

Exercise: Creating a Custom Display Legend

In this exercise you are going to create a new interval legend named NPV SEQUENCE, for the optimal NPVS extraction field (SEQUENCE) in

the block model _npvmod1. The legend will have 6 intervals, will be linear and colored using the standard rainbow color palette.

1. Select Format | Legends.

2. In the Legends Manager dialog, click New Legend....

3. In the Legend Wizard (1): Data Table Column dialog, select the Use Object Field option.

4. In the Object drop-down list, select [_vb_npvmod1 (block model)]

5. In the Field drop-down list, select [SEQUENCE], click Next>.

6. In the Legend Wizard (2): Legend Storage dialog, select the Current Project File option, click Next>:

7. In the Legend Wizard (3): General dialog, define the legend Name as 'NPV SEQUENCE', check that Type is [Numeric], select the

Ranges option, click Next>:

8. In the Legend Wizard (4): Data Range dialog, define the Number of Items as '6', click Next>:

9. In the Legend Wizard (5): Legend Distribution dialog, set the Distribution Type to [Linear], select the Equal Width option, click

Next>:

Creating a Custom Disp ay LegenCreating and applying a new display legend for a block model

Prerequisites

Required:


Loaded and viewed the ultimate pit shell model data i.e. the exercises on the Viewing Ultimate Pit Shell Models page.

Recommended:


page.



_vb_npvmod1

The Minimum and Maximum values are automatically derived from the object selected on the Data

Table Column dialog (step 4), and are read-only.

Page 1 of 5Creating a Custom Display Legend




10. In the Legend Wizard: Coloring dialog, set the Color Type Range to [Rainbow blue->red], select the Anti Clockwise transition

option, click Preview Legend...

11. In the Legend dialog, check that you legend appears as shown below:

12. Close the Legend preview dialog.

13. Back in the Legend Wizard: Coloring dialog, click Finish.

14. In the Legends Manager dialog, check that the new NPV SEQUENCE legend has been added to the list of project file legends, as

shown below, click Close:


Exercise: Applying a Legend

In this exercise you are going to format the _vb_npvmod1 (block model) overlay in the Design window by coloring it using the newly created





NPV SEQUENCE legend.


2. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, right-click _vb_npvmod1 (block model), select Format.

3. In the Format Display dialog, Overlays tab, Overlay Format group, select the Color sub-tab.

4. In the Color group, select the Legend option and the project legend [NPV SEQUENCE].

5. Select the Column [SEQUENCE], click OK .

6. In the Design window, check that the block model has been colored on the SEQUENCE field values as shown below:


Exercise: Querying and Filtering Block Model Cells

In this exercise you are going to filter the _vb_npvmod1 (block model) object so that only cells with a sequence value greater than zero are

displayed.

1. In the Design window, check that the view is still the north-south section as displayed in the previous exercise.

2. In the View Control toolbar, click Move Plane (mpl).

3. In the Studio 3 dialog, define a distance of '10', click OK .

This exercise follows on directly from the above exercise i.e. Creating a Custom Display Legend and

assumes that it has already been completed.

In the above image, the rainbow color sequence blue-red, applied to the SEQUENCE field values,

indicates the general extraction sequence that should be followed when designing interim pits. In this

view, this would be top-right down to bottom-left.

This exercise follows on directly from the above exercise i.e. Applying a Legend and assumes that it has

already been completed.

Before moving, the Design view plane has a fixed X coordinate value of 6110. This unmoved plane lies

between columns of block model cells and although the cell immediately above the view plane, i.e.





4. Select Design | Query | Points (qp).

5. In the Design window, click inside one of the blue cells lying outside the limits of the pit shell wireframe:

6. Click Cancel.

7. In the Output control bar note that the cells has a SEQUENCE value of '0':

8. Repeat steps 5 to 7 for a cell inside the pit shell and note that it has a SEQUENCE values greater than zero.

9. In the Data Filters toolbar, click Filter Model (fm).

10. In the Expression Builder dialog, using the various controls, define and test the expression 'SEQUENCE>0', click OK .

11. In the Design window, check that the block model has been filtered so that the blue cells (i.e. those with SEQUENCE=0) are no

longer displayed, as shown below:

towards the screen, is displayed, some queried cell values may return empty results. Moving the view

plane, here 10m towards the screen, so that it intersects cells, will prevent this. After moving X=6100.






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This filtered block model, i.e. with SEQUENCE>0 cells displayed, will be used to guide the placement of

the toe strings during the open pit design process.






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to create a perimeter string for the base of the open pit design string model.

Link to Exercises


Creating a Pit Base String

Exercise: Creating a Pit Base String

In this exercise you are going to create a base perimeter for the open pit design string model at the -40m elevation, using the filtered NPVS block model to define the limits. This will include the following tasks:

Defining data and design plane settings

Creating a new strings object

Drawing the base string by snapping to grids

Saving the new strings object to a Datamine file

Checking the string coordinates.

Defining Data and Design Plane Settings


2. Select the Sheets control bar and expand the Design Overlays folder.

3. Select only the following overlays (i.e. display these overlays):

Default Grid

Creating a Pit Base StringHow to create a base perimeter string for the pit design

Prerequisites

Required:



Created and applied a custom legend, filtered cells, for the NPVS block model i.e. the exercises on the Creating a Custom Display

Legend page.

Recommended:

Displayed and customized the open pit design toolbars; saved a profile i.e. the exercises on the Displaying Design Toolbars page.



_vb_npvmod1

The model is currently colored by the SEQUENCE field which defines the optimal NPVS extraction sequence

for the blocks. The block model extents of the pit shell indicate that the pit base is at an elevation (Z value)

-40m.

Page 1 of 4Creating a Pit Base String




_vb_npvmod1 (block model)


5. In the View Settings dialog, define the Section Orientation and Mid-Point XYZ coordinate (6110, 5100, -40) parameters shown below,

click OK :

6. In the View Control toolbar, click Zoom In.

7. In the Design window, drag a zoom rectangle around the displayed block model cells:

Creating a New Strings Object

1. In the Current Objects toolbar, select the Object Type [Strings], click Create New Object using the default template.

2. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the New Strings object is listed that it is the current strings object i.e. highlighted bold:

Drawing the Pit Base String by Snapping to Grids

1. In the Snapping toolbar, select Snap Mode Grid.

2. In the Current Objects toolbar, select the Attribute [COLOUR], select the Attribute Value [11 (Bright Blue)].





3. In the Point and String Editing: Standard toolbar, click New String.

4. In the Design window, using the coordinates displayed in the Status Panel and the resultant image shown further below (step 11),

draw a clockwise string by right-clicking at the following points in sequence:

XY-coordinate '5910, 5160'









XY-coordinate '5910, 5040'.

5. Click Cancel.

6. In the Point and String Editing: Standard toolbar, click Close String.

7. In the Snapping toolbar, select Snap Mode Points.

8. In the Design window, right-click and select Deselect All Strings.

9. Check that your new base perimeter (closed string) is as shown below:

It is important that the snap mode is changed back to points. Not doing so will effect later exercises.

The start point of the string has a larger symbol than the other points.

The above perimeter can be edited or manipulated using the various commands in the Menu Bar's Design

menu.





Saving the New Strings Object to a Datamine File

1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the New Strings object, select Data | Save As.

2. In the Save New 3D Object dialog, click Single Precision Datamine (.dm) File.

3. In the Save New Strings dialog, select the path to you tutorial folder, define the File name: as 'pitbase-40', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the New Strings object has been replaced by the object pitbase-40 (strings).

Checking the String Coordinates

1. In the Project Files control bar, expand the All Files or Strings follder.

2. Double-cl ick pitbase-40.

3. In the Datamine Table Editor dialog, check the string point coordinates and color values, select File | Exit :

4. Back in Studio 3, select File | Save.

Top of page

In this exercise the perimeter has been drawn by snapping to grid points; these could also have been

drawn without snapping i.e. using left-click when placing points.

You can check your perimeter against the example file _vb_pitbase-40.dm. This example file contains a

perimeter with the same number of points, in approximately the same positions, but which were digitized

without snapping to a 10x10m grid. As a result of this, the points have slightly different coordinate values.






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to use a pit base string (toe string) as a starting point for creating the ramp and crest strings for the

first (lowest) bench in a pit.

Link to Exercises


Generating the First Bench

Exercise: Creating the First Bench

In this exercise you are going to use the pit base string _vb_pitbase-40 as a starting point for creating the ramp and crest strings for the first

(lowest) bench i.e. the -20m bench, which will be 20m high. This includes the following tasks:


Saving to a new strings file

Creating the ramp

Editing the toe

Creating the crest

Saving the data.

Generating t e First BencToe-ramp-crest method: generating the ramp and crest strings for the lowest bench

The Toe-Ramp-Crest design method (for a bottom-up design direction) makes use of toe, ramp and

crest string elements, created in that order, to define a bench in the pit. The full pit design is typically

done on a bench by bench basis, starting from the lowest bench and working upwards. For a single

bench, the toe string is created and adjusted, the ramp is inserted and finally the crest string are

added. This method builds ramps that include access to the berms and can be applied working either

from the bottom up or the top down.

Prerequisites

Required:



Created and applied a custom legend, filtered cells, for the NPVS block model i.e. the exercises on the Creating a Custom

Display Legend page.

Recommended:


page.


Created a pit base string i.e. the exercises on the Creating a Pit Base String page.


_vb_npvmod1

_vb_pitbase-40

Page 1 of 6TRC - Generating the First Bench






2. In the Project Files control bar, Strings folder, drag-and-drop the following file into the Design window:

_vb_pitbase-40

3. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, select only the following overlays (i.e. display these overlays):

Default Grid

_vb_pitbase-40 (strings)




6. In the View Settings dialog, define the Section Orientation and Mid-Point XYZ coordinate (6110, 5100, -40) parameters shown

below, click OK :


8. In the Design window, drag a zoom rectangle to display the view extents shown below:

Saving To a New Strings File

The face angle and berm width can be changed at any time during the design process.





1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the _vb_pitbase-40 (strings) object, select Data | Save As.


3. In the Save New Strings dialog, select the path to your tutorial folder 'C:/Database/MyTutorials/OPDesign', define the File name: as

'trc_pit-20.dm', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that _vb_pitbase-40 (strings) has been replaced by trc_pit-20 (strings).

5. Check that trc_pit-20 (strings) is the current strings object i.e. highlighted bold.

Creating a Ramp

1. In the Design window, right-click and select Deselect All Strings (das).

2. In the Pit Design toolbar, click Create Road Segment (rseg).

3. Follow the messages displayed on the left side of the Status Bar for the steps below.

4. In the Design window, select (left-click) the pit base perimeter (this step selects the toe string).

5. Click at a location outside of the base perimeter (this step defines the high side i.e. crest side, of the toe string).

6. In the Studio 3 (Road Segment) dialog, define the settings as follows, click OK :

7. As shown below, left-click close to the required start point (string vertex) on the toe string and then left-click at a location

approximately 20m to the north:

RL at end of road is the elevation at the top of the ramp.





8. In the Design window, check that a green ramp string has been created as shown below:

Editing the Toe String at the Ramp


2. In the Point and String Editing: Standard toolbar, click Move Point (mpo).

3. Select the first point south of the ramp and place it 20m to the east, click Cancel.

The first point defines the inside corner of the ramp and must be snapped to the toe string; the second

point indicates the upwards direction of the ramp i.e. north.





4. In the Point and String Editing: Standard toolbar, click Insert Points (ipo).

5. Place a new point 30m south of the point that has just been moved, click Cancel.


7. Check that your two toe string points south of the ramp are similar to what is shown below:

Creating the Crest


2. In the Pit Design toolbar, click Create Road Contour (rcon).

3. Select the blue toe string.

4. In the Studio 3 (Create Contour) dialog, define the contour elevation as '-20', click OK :

Do not edit the road string, as the points on this string contain special control information required for

the next stage in the design. If you are unhappy about the shape of the road string, the entire road

string should be erased (ers) and the shape of the toe string it is projected from should be modified.






6. Check that the yellow crest string (perimeter) has been created as shown below:

Saving the Data


2. In the Save Data/Set Auto Reload dialog, select to Save the trc_pit-20 (strings) object, click OK .

Top of page

If you are not happy with the design at any stage, you can erase the incorrect strings and recreate them

using the open pit design commands. The design MUST be restarted from either a toe or crest string,

NOT from a road segment.

You can check your design strings against the example file _vb_trc_pit-20.dm.






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to start with a set of bench strings and create a full bench sequence for a bench i.e. of new toe, ramp

and crest strings.

Link to Exercises


Creating a Full Toe-Ramp-Crest Bench

Exercise: Creating a Full Toe-Ramp-Crest Bench

In this exercise you are going to use the bench strings _vb_trc_pit-20 as a starting point for creating the next bench (bench 0m) consisting of

a full sequence of new toe, ramp and crest strings; it will also be 20m high. This includes the following tasks:



Creating the toe

Moving the toe out

Adjusting and conditioning the toe string

Creating the ramp

Creating the crest

Creating a Fu Toe-Ramp-Crest BencToe-ramp-crest method: creating a complete bench sequence







Prerequisites

Required:





Recommended:


page.



_vb_npvmod1

_vb_trc_pit-20

Page 1 of 10TRC - Creating a Full Toe-Ramp-Crest Bench




Saving the data.




_vb_trc_pit-20


Default Grid

_vb_trc_pit-20 (strings)




6. In the View Settings dialog, define the Section Orientation and Mid-Point XYZ coordinate (6110, 5100, -20) parameters shown

below, click OK :



These settings place the Design view plane (the working plane) at an elevation of -20m i.e. the bottom

of bench 0m. This allows the block models cells for bench 0m to be displayed and also used to guide the

positioning of the new toe string.






1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the _vb_trc_pit-20 (strings) object, select Data | Save As.



'trc_pit0.dm', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that _vb_trc_pit-20 (strings) has been replaced by trc_pit0 (strings).

5. Check that trc_pit0 (strings) is the current strings object i.e. highlighted bold.

Creating the Toe


2. In the Design window, select (left-click) the yellow bench -20 crest string.

3. In the Pit Design toolbar, click Set Berm Width (sbw).

4. In the Studio 3 (Berm Width) dialog, define the Default Berm Width as '8', click OK :

5. In the Pit Design toolbar, click Create Road Berm (rbe).


7. If required, click at a location outside of this perimeter (this defines the berm side of the crest string).


9. Check that an orange berm (toe) string has been created as shown below, noting the position of the string at the top of the ramp and

the block models cells falling outside the toe string in the southern portion of the pit:





Adjusting and Conditioning the Toe String

1. In the Design window, using the Point and String Editing: Standard toolbar commands Move Points (mpo) and Insert Points

(ipo), adjust the toe string in the southern portion of the pit, outwards to include the ore cells, as indicated by the black dashed line

shown below:





2. Check that you have moved three and inserted two points, to place the orange toe string in the position shown below:

3. Select the adjusted orange toe string and select Design | Condition | Condition String (cond).

4. In the Studio 3 (Condition String) dialog, define the settings shown below, click OK :


6. Check that the conditioned toe string is as shown below:

The string will be conditioned so that all chords (segments) are between 4 and 20 metres in length and

no internal string angle will be less than 70 degrees.





Creating the Ramp

1. In the Design window, select only the adjusted and conditioned orange toe string.


3. In the Studio 3 (Road Segment) dialog, define the settings shown below, click OK :


5. As shown below, right-click (snap) to the corner of the toe string where the previous road segment ends and then left-click at a

location out towards the north-west:







7. In the Design window, check that a green ramp string has been created as shown below:

The first point defines the inside corner of the ramp and must be snapped to the toe string; the second

point indicates the upwards direction of the ramp i.e. north-west.





Creating the Crest

1. In the Design window, select the conditioned orange (-20m elevation) toe string.


3. In the Studio 3 (Create Contour) dialog, define the contour elevation as '0', click OK .


5. Check that the yellow crest string (perimeter) has been created as shown below:

The Data Properties control bar can be used to view the properties of the selected string.





6. Select Format | VR View | Update VR Objects (vro).

7. In the VR window, rotate the view and check that your new toe, ramp and crest strings are as shown below:

Saving the Data






2. In the Save Data/Set Auto Reload dialog, select to Save the trc_pit0 (strings) object, click OK .

Top of page




You can check your design strings against the example file _vb_trc_pit0.dm.






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to design the upper portion of a switchback road for a bench, consisting of new ramp, enlarged crest

flat and new crest strings.

Link to Exercises


Designing a Switchback

Exercise: Designing a Switchback

Designing a Switc acToe-ramp-crest method: using the complete sequence to create a switchback ramp.







Prerequisites

Required:





Recommended:


page.



_vb_npvmod1

_vb_trc_pit70

The procedure for creating a switchback is much the same as that used to create a standard spiral ramp

section. The general procedure is as follows:

create the lower half of the bench, using a standard toe-ramp-crest sequence

create the upper portion of the bench, using a reverse direction ramp-crest sequence, using the

following guidelines:

the start point for the upper road is the outside corner (and not the inside corner)

the direction point is given in the opposite direction i.e. in the opposite direction to that

of the lower ramp

the crest string at the bottom of the reverse direction ramp requires modification to

include a flat area connecting the two ramps, to form the switchback

Page 1 of 12TRC - Designing a Switchback




In this exercise you are going to use the pit strings _vb_trc_pit70 as a starting point for creating a switchback for the next bench (bench 80m)

consisting of a full sequence of new toe, ramp and crest strings; the bench will be 10m high. This includes the following tasks:



Creating the upper switchback ramp

Enlarging the 70m crest area

Creating the 80m toe

Saving the data.




_vb_trc_pit70


Default Grid

_vb_trc_pit70 (strings)




6. In the View Settings dialog, define the Section Orientation and Mid-Point XYZ coordinate (6110, 5100, 70) and other parameters

shown below, click OK :



the upper portion does not have a toe string

a final crest string is created as normal.

A switchback can be created at any elevation within the pit.

These settings place the Design view plane (the working plane) at an elevation of 70m i.e. the bottom

of bench 80. This allows the block models cells for bench 80 to be displayed and also used to guide the

positioning of the new toe string. The View | Set Viewplane | Snap to Plane (stpl) command can

also be used to set the view plane i.e. the design plane elevation.

The clipping option is used to display only the data which falls within 20m above or below the selected

view plane. Setting the clipping equal to the bench height makes it possible to view the full previous

bench and the new bench design strings.






1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the _vb_trc_pit70 (strings) object, select Data | Save As.



'trc_pit80', click Save.4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that _vb_trc_pit70 (strings) has been replaced by trc_pit80 (strings).


Creating the Upper Switchback Ramp

1. In the Design window, select the yellow crest string.


3. In the Studio 3 (Road Segment) dialog, define a Road Gradient % of '10', a Road Width of '20', an RL at end of Road of '80', click

OK :


5. As shown below, right-click (snap) to the outside corner of the yellow crest string where the previous road segment ends and then

left-click at a location out towards the south:






6. In the Design window, check that a green ramp string has been created and that the crest string has been automatically modified,

as shown below:

The first point defines the inside corner of the ramp and must be snapped to the indicated crest string;

the second point indicates the upwards direction of the ramp i.e. south.





Enlarging the 70m Crest Area

1. In the Design window, using the Point and String Editing: Standard toolbar commands Move Point (mpo) and Insert Points

(ipo), adjust the yellow 70m crest string between the two ramps, outwards to increase the flat area, as indicated by the black dashed

line shown below:

The flat area connecting the two ramps needs to provide enough turning space for machines traveling

on the haul roads and is defined by two crest strings as follows:

an enlarged standard crest string which defines the north-eastern and eastern sides of the flat

area

a new short crest string defining the western side of the flat area, the ends of which aresnapped to the standard crest and the inside top corner of the previous ramp.





2. Check that you have moved and inserted points, to place the standard yellow crest string in the position shown below:

3. Select the orange 60m toe string.





4. Using Design | String Tools | Break | At Point (bs), break this string at the two points shown below, starting with the northern

point:

5. Select the short portion of broken string, in the Pit Design toolbar, click Create Road Contour (rcon).



8. Check that the short yellow crest string (with three segments) has been created as shown below:





9. Select this short crest string and using Move Points (mpo), move both end points of this short string, snapping them (right-click) onto

the points shown below:

If you are unsure of where the end points are positioned, first move them away into the adjacent white





10. Using Design | String Tools | Connect (conn) , following the prompts in the Status Bar, connect the three portions of broken

orange 60m toe string shown below:

11. Zoom out, select the connected 60m toe string and check that it is again a single closed string (perimeter), highlighted yellow in theimage below:

space using left-click, then move them back in again, this time snapping (right-click) them to the

required final points. Here, the northern point of the short crest string snaps to the enlarged standard

crest string; the southern point of the short crest string snaps to the top inside corner of the previous

ramp string.





Creating the Bench 80 Crest

1. Select the outer, full standard 70m crest string.


3. In the Studio 3 (Create Contour) dialog, define the Contour Level as '80', click OK .


5. Check that a full, yellow 80m crest string has been created as shown below:






7. In the VR window, rotate the view and check that your is as shown below:

The upper ramp of the switchback does not have an orange toe string, but instead uses the crest string

which forms part of the lower half ramp.





Saving the Data



Top of page










Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to design the topmost portion of the open pit where it intersects the topography surface.

Link to Exercises


Designing Through the Topography Surface

Exercise: Designing Through the Topography Surface

In this exercise you are going to use the pit strings _vb_trc_pit110 as a starting point for designing the upper half of bench 120 and then the

toe and crest strings up to 240m elevation. This includes the following tasks:



Creating the remainder of bench 120

Designing toes and crests for bench 140

Viewing the toe and crest strings up to 240m elevation

Designing at t e Topograp y Sur aceToe-ramp-crest method: how to design the pit through the topography surface .

The Toe-Ramp-Crest design method (for a bottom-up design direction) makes use of toe, ramp andcrest string elements, created in that order, to define a bench in the pit. The full pit design is typically





Prerequisites

Required:





Recommended:


page.



_vb_npvmod1

_vb_trc_pit110

_vb_trc_pit240

_vb_stopopt / _vb_stopotr

Page 1 of 10TRC - Designing at the Topography Surface




Saving the data.




_vb_trc_pit110


Default Grid


_vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt (wireframe)


4. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, right-click _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt (wireframe), select Format.


6. In the Color sub-tab, Color group, select Fixed and the color [(10) Bright Green].

7. In the Line Style group, select the Fixed linestyle [ ____

], and set Width to [2], click OK .







These settings place the Design view plane (the working plane) at an elevation of 110m i.e. the mid

elevation for bench 120.

The clipping option is used to display only the data which falls within 20m above or below the selected

view plane. Setting the clipping equal to the bench height makes it possible to view the full previous

bench and the new bench design strings.






14. In the VR window, pan, rotate and zoom the view and note that the ramp and a portion of the 110m elevation crest string extend

above the topography surface, as shown below:

In the above image the green intersection line, cutting through the southern portion of the pit, is the

110m contour for the topography surface. This line is at the same elevation as the top of the display

lower half of bench 120, which consists of a full set of toe, ramp and crest strings.









'trc_pit140', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that _vb_trc_pit110 (strings) has been replaced by trc_pit140 (strings).

Creating the Remainder of Bench 120


2. In the Design window, select the yellow 110m elevation crest string.


4. If prompted in the Status Bar, select a position outside of the selected perimeter (this indicates the high side i.e. the side on which

to create the crest string).



7. Check that the yellow 120m elevation crest string has been created as shown below:

rcon

In the above image the topography wireframe surface has been clipped.

As the 110m elevation ramp now extends beyond the topography surface, no more ramp strings are

required for the design. The remainder of bench 120 is defined by a single crest string at 120m

elevation.





Designing Toes and Crests For Bench 140


2. In the View Control toolbar, click Snap to Plane.

3. In the Design window, snap (right-click) to the yellow 120m crest string.

4. While moving the cursor in the Design window, check that the elevation displayed in the Status Bar is Z: 120.000.

5. Select the yellow 120m crest string.

6. In the Pit Design toolbar,click Create Road Berm and click anywhere outside the crest string (to indicate the berm side of the crest

string).


8. Check that the orange 120m elevation berm string has been created as shown below:

As the 110m elevation ramp now extends beyond the topography surface, no more ramp strings are

required for the design. From here on upwards, the remainder of the pit design only consists of bench

toe and crest strings. These are created up to a elevation (here 240m) so that the final crest is

positioned completely above the surface topography wireframe.





9. In the View Control toolbar, click Zoom In and view the northern half of the pit.

10. Using the Point and String Editing: Standard toolbar commands Delete Points (dpo) and Move Points (mpo), adjust the toe

string in the north-eastern portion of the pit, outwards to include the ore cells, as indicated by the black dashed line shown below:





11. Check that you have deleted and moved points, to place the orange toe string in the position shown below:

12. In the View Control toolbar, click Zoom Out.

13. Select the adjusted orange 120m elevation toe string.


15. Following the prompt in the Status Bar, select a position outside of the selected perimeter (this indicates the high side i.e. the side

on which to create the crest string).

16. In the Studio 3 (Create Contour) dialog, define the Contour Level as '140', click OK .


18. Check that the yellow 140m elevation crest string has been created as shown below:






20. In the VR window, pan, rotate and zoom the view and note that the additional bench 140 toe and crest strings and their relationship

to the clipped topography surface:

The image above shows the result of constructing bench 140 with just a pair of toe and crest strings.





Saving the Data



Viewing the Toe and Crest Strings up to 240m Elevation



_vb_trc_pit240


Default Grid


_vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt (wireframe)


4. In the View Control toolbar, click Zoom Extents.

5. Click Use Clipping to toggle clipping OFF.


7. In the VR window, pan, rotate and zoom the view and note the additional toe and crest strings and their relationship to the

topography surface:






Top of page

The 110m elevation ramp extends just above the topography surface. From here on upwards, the

remainder of the pit design only consists of bench toe and crest strings up to a elevation of 240m. It is

important that the final crest string is generated so that it lies completely above the topography

wireframe surface.


using the open pit design commands. The design MUST be restarted from either a toe or crest string,NOT from a road segment.






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to add a new attribute column and set its value for a set of open pit design strings.

Link to Exercises


Adding and Setting a BENCH Attribute Interactively

Exercise: Adding and Setting a BENCH Attribute Interactively

In this exercise you are going to add a user defined BENCH column to the bench strings _vb_trc_pit0 and then set the attribute on the strings

interactively in the Design window. This includes the following tasks:



Adding a new BENCH attribute

Setting the BENCH attribute

Saving the data.




_vb_trc_pit0


Default Grid



A ing an Setting a BENCH Attri ute Adding and Setting a BENCH attribute interactively in the design window

Prerequisites

Required:





Recommended:


page. Specified project and mine design settings i.e. the exercises on the Specifying Design Settings page.


_vb_trc_pit0

Page 1 of 3WM - Adding Attribute BENCH Interactively





6. In the View Settings dialog, define the parameters shown below, click OK :

7. In the Design window, check that the two lowest benches of the toe-ramp-crest pit design are displayed, as shown below:





'trc_pit0BENCH.dm', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that _vb_trc_pit0 (strings) has been replaced by trc_pit0BENCH (strings).

5. Check that trc_pit0BENCH (strings) is the current strings object i.e. highlighted bold.

Adding the BENCH Column

1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click trc_pit0BENCH (strings), select Add Column.

2. In the Add Column dialog, define the column Name as 'BENCH', Type [Numeric], Default Value [absent(-)], click OK .

Setting the BENCH Attribute

1. In the Design window, select the blue toe, green ramp and yellow crest string for the lowest bench i.e. bench -20 (toe elevation -





40m, crest elevation -20m).

2. Select Design | Edit Attributes | Edit (eat).

3. In the Edit Attributes dialog, define a BENCH attribute value of '-20', click OK .

4. In the Studio 3 confirmation dialog, click Yes.

5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for the next three toe, ramp and crest strings, setting a BENCH value of '0'.

6. In the Design window, select individual strings and check the BENCH values displayed in the Data Properties control bar.

Saving the Data


2. In the Save Data/Set Auto Reload dialog, select to Save the trc_pit0BENCH (strings) object, click OK .

Top of page

The three strings can be selected either by dragging a selection rectangle or by individually selecting the

strings using <Ctrl>+Click.

If you are not happy with the design at any stage, you can erase the incorrect strings and recreate them using the open pit design

commands. The design MUST be restarted from either a toe or crest string, NOT from a road segment.






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to create a DTM wireframe model from a set of untrimmed open pit design strings.

Link to Exercises


Generating a DTM of the Pit Design

Exercise: Generating a DTM of the Pit Design

In this exercise you are going to generate a wireframe surface, using DTM methods, for the untrimmed open pit design strings

_vb_trc_pit240. This includes the following tasks:

Defining data and view settings

Generating the DTM

Saving the DTM to a Datamine file.

Defining Data and View Settings


2. Select the Project Files control bar, Strings folder.


_vb_trc_pit240


Default Grid

_vb_trc_pit240 (strings).





Generating a Pit DTMGenerating a pit DTM

Prerequisites

Required:


Recommended:


page.



_vb_trc_pit240

Page 1 of 4WM - Generating a Pit DTM





Generating the DTM

1. In the DTM Creation toolbar, click Create DTM.

2. In the Make DTM - General Options dialog, Output group, select the New Object option, enter the name 'trc_pit240tr'.

3. In the General Options group, clear the Use boundary strings option, click Next>:





4. In the Make DTM - Select DTM Points and Strings dialog, Objects group, select only [ _vb_trc_pit240 (strings)], click Finish.5. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the new trc_pit240tr object is listed.


7. In the VR window, rotate the view and check that the pit DTM surface correctly follows the pit design strings as shown below:





Saving the DTM to a Datamine File

1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the trc_pit240tr object, select Data | Save As.


3. In the Save New Strings dialog, select the path to you tutorial folder, define the File name: as 'trc_pit240tr.dm', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the trc_pit240tr object has been replaced by trc_pit240tr/trc_pit240pt (wireframe).


Top of page






Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to create an intersection string for the open pit DTM and topography surface wireframes.

Link to Exercises


Generating a Pit-Topography Intersection String

Exercise: Generating a Pit-Topography Intersection String

In this exercise you are going to generate a new string representing the intersection between the _vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt and the

_vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt wirerframe objects .This includes the following tasks:


Generating the intersection

Conditioning the string

Saving the intersection string to a Datamine file.



2. Select the Project Files control bar, Wireframe Triangles folder.


_vb_stopotr

_vb_trc_pit240tr


Default Grid

_vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt (wireframe)

_vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt (wireframe).

Generating a Pit-Topograp y IntersectionHow to create a string at the topography and pit wireframes intersection.

Prerequisites

Required:


Recommended:


page.


Generated a pit DTM i.e. the exercises on the Generating a Pit DTM page.


_vb_trc_pit240pt / _vb_trc_pit240tr


Page 1 of 5WM - Generating a Pit-Topo Intersection




5. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, right-click _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt (wireframe), select Format

6. In the Format Display dialog, Overlays tab, Overlay Format group, Style sub-tab, Display As group, check that Faces is selected,

click OK .






Generating the Intersection

1. Select Wireframes | Boolean Operations | Strings from Intersections .

2. In the Strings from Intersections dialog, select the topography and pit wireframe objects as shown below, click OK :





3. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the new strings object Intersection: _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt and

_vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt is displayed.

4. In the Design window, select the intersection string.

5. Select Design | Edit Attributes | Edit.

6. In the Edit Attributes dialog, select the COLOUR [(9) Bright Red], click OK .

7. In the Studio 3 'Are you sure ...' confirmation dialog, click Yes.


9. Check that your red intersection string has been created as shown below:

Conditioning the Intersection String

If you are having difficulty seeing the newly generated intersection string, the pit strings and

topography wireframe overlays can be hidden temporarily.





1. In the Design window, select the red intersection string.

2. Select Design | Query | Strings (qst), click Cancel.

3. In the Output control bar, note that the string contains 538 vertices.

4. Select Design | Condition | Remove Crossovers (tcr).

5. Select Design | Query | Strings (qst), click Cancel.

6. In the Output control bar, note that the string now contains 523 vertices.


8. In the VR window, rotate and zoom the view and check that the red string lies along the intersection of the pit DTM and topography

surface as shown below:

Saving the Intersection String to a Datamine File

1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the Intersection: _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt and _vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt

object, select Data | Save As.


3. In the Save dialog, select the path to you tutorial folder, define the File name: as 'trc_PitTopoInt.dm', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the Intersection: _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt and _vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt object

has been replaced by the object trc_PitTopoInt (strings).


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Other string conditioning commands (Design |Condition | ...) can be used to perform additional

conditioning e.g. Condition String., to specify minimum and maximum string segment (chord) lengths

and internal angles. In this exercise, no further conditioning is needed for this intersection string.










Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to trim the design strings to topography using the pit-topography intersection string.

Link to Exercises


Trimming the Design Strings

Exercise: Trimming the Design Strings

In this exercise you are going to trim the _vb_trc_pit240 design strings to lie below the topography surface using the _vb_trc_PitTopoInt pit-

topography intersection string. This includes the following tasks:


Generating the intersection

Trimming the design strings

Saving the trimmed design strings to a new Datamine file.





_vb_stopotr

4. Select the Project Files control bar, Strings folder.


_vb_trc_pit240

Trimming t e Design StringsTrimming the pit design strings against the topography surface

Prerequisites

Required:


Recommended:


page.



Generated a pit-topography intersection string i.e. the exercises on the Generating a Pit-Topo Intersection page.


_vb_trc_pit240

_vb_trc_PitTopoInt


Page 1 of 4WM - Trimming the Design Strings




_vb_trc_PitTopoInt


Default Grid

_vb_trc_PitTopoInt (strings)





click OK .






Trimming the Design Strings





1. In the Design window, select the red intersection string.

2. Select Design | String Tools | Clip to Perimeter.

3. Following the 'Select a point on the deletion side' prompt displayed in the left side of the Status Bar.

4. In the Design window, click anywhere outside the intersection string, click Cancel.

5. Right-click and select Deselect All Strings (das).

6. Check that the pit design strings have been trimmed to only lie inside the red intersection string, as shown below:


8. In the VR window, rotate, zoom and pan the view and check that the pit design strings have been trimmed to lie only below the

topography surface:





Saving the Trimmed Strings to a New Datamine File



3. In the Save New Strings dialog, select the path to you tutorial folder, define the File name: as 'trc_pit.dm', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the _vb_trc_pit240 (strings) object has been replaced by trc_pit (strings).


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Overview

In this part of the tutorial you are going to merge the pit and topographic DTMs.

Link to Exercises


Merging the Pit and Topography DTMs

Exercise: Merging the Pit and Topography DTMs

In this exercise you are going to use boolean commands to generate a merged pit and topography wireframe surface using the

_vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt and _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt wirerframe objects .This includes the following tasks:


Merging the pit and topography DTMs

Saving the merged wireframe object to a Datamine File.





_vb_stopotr

_vb_trc_pit240tr


Default Grid


_vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt (wireframe)


Merging t e Pit an Topograp y DTMsCombining the pit and topography

Prerequisites

Required:


Recommended:


page.





_vb_trc_pit240pt / _vb_trc_pit240tr

Page 1 of 4WM - Merging the Pit and Topography DTMs





click OK .






Merging the Pit and Topography DTMs

1. Select Wireframes | Boolean Operations | Extract Separate.

2. In the Extract Separate dialog, select the topography (object 1) and open pit (object 2) wireframe objects.

3. Clear both Verify check boxes.

4. Select the Output group options, check the other highlighted options, click OK :





5. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the new Extract: _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt and _vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt object

is listed.6. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, select only the following overlays (i.e. display these overlays):

Default Grid

Extract: _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt and _vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt.

7. In the Design window, check that your merged wireframe object is as shown below:






9. In the VR window, rotate, zoom and pan the view and check that the merged wireframe consists of a green topography surface

outside the pit and an orange pit surface inside the topography:

Saving the Merged Wireframe Object to a Datamine File

1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the Extract: _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt and _vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt object,

select Data | Save As.


3. In the Save New Strings dialog, select the path to you tutorial folder, define the File name: as 'trc_PitTopotr', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the Extract: _vb_stopotr/_vb_stopopt and _vb_trc_pit240tr/_vb_trc_pit240pt object has

been replaced by trc_PitTopotr/trc_PitTopopt (wireframe).


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In the above wireframe extraction and merging process, the following wireframe surface portions were

not retained :

pit above the topography

topography inside the pit.

When running this command, it may be necessary to run it a number of times before the desired result

is obtained.






Overview

In this portion of the tutorial you are going to evaluate a pit design wireframe using a grade block model.

Link to Exercises


Evaluating the Pit Design Wireframe and Grade Block Model

Exercise: Evaluating the Pit Design Wireframe and Grade Block Model

In this exercise you are going to evaluate the pit design wireframe _vb_trc_pittopotr/ _vb_trc_pittopopt using the grade block model _vb_mod1. Thisincludes the following tasks:


Creating an evaluation legend

Applying the evaluation legend

Defining evaluation settings

Evaluating the pit

Saving the results to a Datamine file

Checking the evaluation results.




_vb_pitmod1

_vb_trc_PitTopotr

Eva uating t e Pit Design Wire rameEvaluating a pit design wireframe and grade block model

Prerequisites

Required:



Recommended:

Displayed and customized the open pit design toolbars; saved a profile i.e. the exercises on the Displaying Design Toolbars page.




_vb_pitmod1

_vb_npvssurfpt / _vb_npvssurftr

_vb_trc_pittopotr/ _vb_trc_pittopopt

When using QUICKPIT you must always start with a closed string that represents a toe, pit base or pit top.

Page 1 of 6Evaluating the Pit Design Wireframe





Default Grid

_vb_npvssurftr/_vb_npvssurfpt (wireframe)

_vb_trc_pittopotr/ _vb_trc_pittopopt (wireframe)

_vb_pitmod1 (block model)

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, unload all other block model objects.

5. Check that _vb_pitmod1 is the current block model object i.e. highlighted bold.

6. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, right-click _vb_trc_pittopotr/ _vb_trc_pittopopt (wireframe), select Format.


8. In the Color sub-tab, Line Style group, select the Fixed linestyle [ ____

], and set Width to [2], click OK .

9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 for _vb_npvssurftr/_vb_npvssurfpt (wireframe), setting the color to Red (2).



12. In the View Settings dialog, define the Section Orientation and Mid-Point XYZ coordinate (X: 6000) parameters shown below, click OK :



In the above image, the red intersection line defines the ultimate pit limits and the orange the design pit limits.





Creating an Evaluation Legend

1. In the Sheets control bar, Design Overlays folder, right-click _vb_pitmod1 (block model), select Quick Legend.

2. In the Quick Legend dialog, define the settings shown below, click OK :

3. Select Format | Legend.

4. In the Legends Manager dialog, expand the Project Legends folder.

5. Expand the newly created Evaluation Legend 1 legend and check that it contains the legend items shown below:

6. Right-click the legend item [ABSENT], select Delete.

7. Check that you have three remaining legend items.

8. Right-click the first remaining legend item, select Edit.

9. In the Legend Item Properties dialog, Item Description group, clear Automatically generate description.

10. Type in the Description 'Waste'.

11. Select the Item Type Range, select the minimum [Absent] and define the maximum as '0.5'.





12. In the Item Format group, set the Fill Color to [(6) Cyan].

13. Select the Use fill for line color option.

14. Click OK .

15. Back in the Legends Manager dialog, select the second remaining legend item and using steps 8 to 14 above, define the following:

Description 'Stockpile'.

Select the Item Type Range, define the minimum as '0.5' and the maximum as '1.0'.

In the Item Format group, set the Fill Color to [(5) Green].

Select the Use fill for line color option.

16. Back in the Legends Manager dialog, select the second remaining legend item and using steps 8 to 14 above, define the following:

Description 'Mill'.

Select the Item Type Range, define the minimum as '1.0' and select the maximum [Ceiling].

In the Item Format group, set the Fill Color to [(2) Red].

Select the Use fill for line color option.

17. Back in the Legends Manager dialog, check that your modified legend is as shown below:

18. Click Close.

19. Select Design | Redraw.

20. In the Design window, check that the block model has been colored on AU as shown below:

Defining Evaluation Settings

1. Select File | Settings.

2. In the Project Settings dialog, select the Mine Design tab.

3. In the Evaluation Control group, define the settings shown below, click OK :





Evaluating the Pit


2. In the View Settings dialog, Section Orientation group, select Horizontal, click OK .

3. Select Models | Evaluate | Wireframe (evw).

4. In the Evaluate Wireframe dialog, select the design pit _vb_trc_pittopotr/ _vb_trc_pittopopt (wireframe) object, define the parameters


5. In the Studio 3 Block Identifier dialog, define the Mining Block Identifier as '1', click OK .:

6. In the Accept Evaluation Results dialog, check the results, click Yes.

7. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that a new Results object is listed.

8. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for the ultimate pit _vb_npvssurftr/_vb_npvssurfpt (wireframe) object, using a Mining Block Identifier value of '2'.

Saving the Results to a Datamine File

1. In the Loaded Data control bar, right-click on the RESULTS object, select Data | Save As.


3. In the Save New Strings dialog, select the path to you tutorial folder, define the File name: as 'Res_DesignPit1', click Save.

4. In the Loaded Data control bar, check that the RESULTS object has been replaced by the object Res_DesignPit1(table).

5. Right-click , Res_DesignPit1(table) , select Data | Unload.

Models | Evaluate | Use Model Data (umd) could also be used to set evaluation to using block model data.





Checking the Evaluation Results

1. In the Project Files control bar, expand the All Tables or Results follder.

2. Double-click Res_DesignPit1.

3. In the Datamine Table Editor dialog, check the string point coordinates and color values, select File | Exit :

4. Back in Studio 3, select File | Save.

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Unloading the results table ensures that any future evaluations are saved to a new RESULTS object.

You can check your evaluation results against the example _vb_res_designpit1.



Documents

Open Pit Design 1