MINING SOFTWARE
The ThreeDify GeoMine platform has just gone through a transformational year with four modules added in 2022 to round out the software package .
The platform , a solution for mine modelling and planning , is now home to 16 individually licensed modules , allowing users to choose whichever one suits their varying needs at different stages of their projects .
OreChaser GeoMine-OreChaser ( OreChaser ) is an infill drilling plan optimiser for both open-pit and underground mines . It allows the drill planner to determine the optimum number , positions and lengths of additional drill holes required to maximise the resource uplift for a given drill budget .
It features a proprietary 3D Genetic Algorithm with the choice of two search strategies – RocDP ( Randomized Ore Chasing Drilling Plane ) strategy and ( FRD ) Fully Random Drilling strategy – both aimed at maximising metal recovery while minimising kriging variances under the specified drilling budget .
Unlike most other competing drill hole optimisers that can only generate non-directional drill holes , the auto-generated infill drill holes in OreChaser can be directional or non-directional with an optional fan-out configuration , ThreeDify says . They can start either from a topographical surface ( for open-pit mines ) or from mine accesses ( for underground mines ). Furthermore , OreChaser provides many options that allow users to quickly adapt and customise the underlying generic algorithm to suit the specific data set .
OreController GeoMine-OreController ( OreController ) is an open-pit grade controller designed to create and sequence fine-grained dig units based on 3D blast movement modelling to minimise dilution and ore losses for bench mining , ThreeDify says .
“ Traditional grade control practice usually entails determining the dig limits for bench cuts of an open-pit bench against an in-situ block model ,” the company explained . “ Unfortunately , this fails to model the reality : after a blast is fired , blocks on the bench will break , throw and mix with their neighbouring blocks , invalidating the predefined dig limits for all but trivial cases . The dilution and ore losses have also been hard to quantify and are usually a guesstimate or determined after the fact .”
A better approach emerging in recent years has been to consider the impact of 3D movements of the rock being blasted , with OreController designed specifically for this purpose .
“ With OreController , the user only needs to specify an in-situ block model and a pair of topographical bench surfaces before and after the blast ,” the company says . “ A post-blast model will be generated automatically and can be used to create fine-grained shovel / truck dig units , which can then be scheduled by GeoMine ’ s iScheduler-OP module against the blast model .”
HaulCalc GeoMine-HaulCalc ( HaulCalc ) provides a detailed analysis of haul routes and is , the company says , an ideal fleet budgeting tool . For example , it can determine the truck fleet required to meet a target production rate or the achievable production rate based on a given truck fleet .
This module comprises Road Network Manager , Fleet Manager and Haul Route Analyzer . The Road Network Manager adds a suite of road generation and editing tools to the GeoMine platform ; the Fleet Manager features an extensible truck database ; and the Haul Route Analyzer partitions a given road network into road segments and performs route analysis on the user-selected route .
A benchmark comparison of GeoMine-HaulCalc and Excel-based tools have been conducted with the following benefits : n The ability to analyse a haul route within seconds based on the fleet requirement and actual route conditions ; n Offering a suite of automatic and interactive tools for open-pit and underground ramp generation makes constructing multiple alternative road networks for haulage analysis simple ; n The ability to add / update truck types to / in the built-in truck database and allow multiple road networks for wide adaptability ; and n The ability to generate detailed segment-by-segment route analysis reports for a given route in a CSV format .
Threedify GeoMine ’ s new additions : OreController , HaulCalc , FSO and OreChaser
FSO GeoMine-FSO ( Flat Shape Optimizer ) is a mineable shape optimiser and parametric designer for room and pillar / room and board mining methods for flat or moderately inclined thin tabular / seam orebodies , such as coal , potash , trona , limestone and manganese . FSO includes an automatic boundary optimiser and a parametric room and pillar designer .
The company explained : “ Given a grade model and a set of economic parameters , FSO automatically determines the best optimum mining boundary and interactively generates the best fit room and pillar design .” quantify and potentially improve on their Scope 1 , 2 and 3 emissions in line with climate goals .
“ The only way to capture a lot of that – especially with Scope 3 emissions – is through collaboration and connecting your suppliers , customers and contractors ,” DelleMonache said . “ When I look at what we have to offer as GEOVIA , we have some great virtualisation technologies , but , as Dassault Systèmes , we have an even bigger platform that allows these organisations to digitally connect , share information and highlight where the big opportunities are to focus on and make a sizeable impact on sustainability metrics .”
Such modelling and simulation also benefit the ‘ S ’ and ‘ G ’ of the ESG dynamic , allowing miners to display how they will meet regulatory requirements with their ongoing development plans while retaining their social licence to operate with all relevant stakeholders .
“ We are trying to show not just government bodies , but the broader community in which an operation is located , that the plan for a mine is in everyone ’ s interest ,” DelleMonache said . “ We will also have a community portal within this platform so all parties can feel involved and listened to in terms of understanding their challenges .
“ This all comes together to show what the mine will look like , how it is going to operate and the ESG impact of those operations . Bringing all
those processes together is very valuable .”
A top-down approach
Datamine has been one of the key protagonists in the recent M & A story being played out in the
32 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2023