Mining Magazine - Design for life

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Design for life

Publishing Date 24 Fe b 2011 10:30am GM T Author

Mine design involves modelling the optimum layout for the workings that reach the most ore at the lowest cost with the greatest safety. Mine engineers need to know where the ore is, what rock types will be encountered, groundwater data, how to support the rock and ventilate workings underground, and how best to move personnel and materials around safely and cost-effectively. The global financial crisis (GFC) refocused the industrys interest on the potential of software to boost efficiency and maximise productivity for both surface and underground mining. Prior to the downturn, mine operators had been pushing production to output as much ore as possible to meet demand, but when the GFC hit, they needed to revise their approach. Software tools, training and services that helped to control costs and boost productivity were sought. Operators recognised that to weather the storm they needed to innovate through the use of technology. Mine-design software manufacturers responded, and a plethora of products are now available to assist in the planning, design and simulation of open-pit and underground mines.

MODEL BENEFITS
Orebody size, shape, position to surface, ground condition, productivity and equipment capacity, capital requirements and operating costs, ore recovery/revenues, safety and environmental aspects are all key considerations when deciding whether a mine is to be underground or open cut. Underground mine design is based on centrelines. Computer-aided design (CAD) tools are used to build the heading centrelines to determine levels, declines, drifts, cross-cuts and raises. Open-pit mine design, on the other hand, is based on concentric bench toes and crests that closely match an optimised pit shape. Drillhole data, including geology and grade information, is known prior to using geology and mine-planning software, as is geotechnical information, including any concerns related to pit slope. Third-party CAD and GIS systems are often used in conjunction with geology and mine-planning software. With Gemcom s GEMS, extra data views can be achieved when CAD and GIS data is used in the GEMS 3D environment. With Gemcoms Surpac, plug-ins have been installed that allow users to open and save files in various formats such as AutoCAD, and geology and mine-planning software provided by other vendors. This is a great benefit to mining operators and consultants because they can bring data, such as a block model, into Surpac, work with it using the software with which they are familiar, and then output it back to its original format. Marni Rabass, director of product management at Gemcom, tells MM: It is important to keep in mind that mine designs are constantly changing as new information is added. Original designs based on the resource alone will change when decisions about mining methods and equipment size are factored in. Economic forces will also have an impact on pit design parameters or tunnel shapes factors that can be easily modified in our geology and mine-planning software to allow for rapid redesign. How closely the real pits and waste heaps resemble those modelled in the initial design is dependent on how closely the engineer/surveyors monitor the construction. The actual mining process should follow the design plan closely. To help, geology and mine-planning software offers easy displays of period-by-period progress, and provides volumetric reporting of the differences between the as mined actual values and designed objects. The level of deviation of actual mining from a plan can also be evaluated.

GEMCOM
Established in 1985, Gemcom delivers comprehensive solutions in all major mining centres in over 130 countries.

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Users include BHP Billiton, Codelco, De Beers, Newmont and Vale. Gemcom offers several software packages for mine design, although the key programs are Gemcom Surpac, Gemcom GEMS and Gemcom Minex. These systems include mine planning, surveying and other tools for exploration, development and mine production. Surpac is one of the most popular packages, supporting open-pit and underground operations and exploration projects. The firm states that using Surpacs Underground Design module, the task of testing many mine designs to determine the most effective is simplified, so planners can create and schedule several alternative designs in the time it would normally take to create just one. All of the schemes in the module are created by following a logical, easy to use, flowchart-design process. Users define the parameters for each element of the design, which are saved in an embedded database, ensuring designs are both auditable and repeatable. The Underground Design module also gives planners flexibility with its staged design process, and the ability to copy and modify other designs easily. Design parameters are used to build a complete mine design in Surpac, which can be built with Surpac data types as complete or partial designs. The underground mine-planning solution for Surpac can be applied to any subterranean mine layout, including: barrow reef/seam conventional mining; narrow reef/seam mechanised mining; conventional, long-hole open stoping; mechanised retreat, long-hole open stoping; cut-and-fill operations; sub-level caving; and block caving. GEMS is Gemcoms offer for collaborative geology and mine planning for open-pit and underground facilities. Mr Rabass says: With GEMSs unique central database, mine engineers gain access to organised, up-to-date geological and mine-planning data. GEMS data security and auditing allows mine operators to improve compliance with industry regulations like JORC (Joint Ore Reserves Committee), SAMREC (South African Mineral Resources Committee) and NI 43-101. Fully integrating all aspects of mining, from exploration through rehabilitation, Gemcom Minex ensures resources are evaluated accurately and mined efficiently, improving productivity and profitability throughout the mining life cycle. Gemcom claims that Minex is the only integrated, end-to-end software specifically designed for coal and other stratified deposits such as lignite, phosphate, bauxite and platinum. Other software includes Gemcom Whittle, designed to evaluate the financial viability and optimal mine strategy for a deposit. MineSched is used by surface and underground operations of all types and sizes to produce long- and short-term schedules, and to meet blending targets. MineSched can schedule from pre-created block, grid and polygon models that originate from many different mine planning systems, including Surpac and Minex. Gemcom claims the majority of firms involved in block caving use its PCBC program. Gemcom InSite offers the tools and realtime data needed to improve production management from the mine to final product. Users can link production data, costs, and planned versus actual production. On February 7, Gemcom announced the release of its latest version of InSite. The company says Version 3.3 adds new implementation time savings and standard out-of-the-box reporting capabilities to ensure a fast return on investment. Benefits include: intuitive mapping to mine-planning and scheduling packages; reducing the time and effort required to accomplish system integration; and enhanced data entry of production, service and support activities to increase resource efficiency. The Material Balance module reduces the amount of time spent on month-end processes through a pre-validation run check and simple input/output balance. Gemcom s software has been designed to be interoperable with others. Etruscan Resources uses Surpac, Whittle and MineSched at its Youga mine in Burkina Faso to boost mining performance and lower operational costs. Through the synergies, functionality and seamless integration of MineSched, Whittle and Surpac, we are reducing unit costs as our gold output multiplies. Our mining department costs were 3% lower over the past year, states Samuel Takyi, senior mine-planning engineer at Etruscan Resources.

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Centerra Gold uses GEMS and Whittle at its Boroo mine in Mongolia to build staff efficiency and aid geological modelling, open-pit optimisation and mine planning. GEMS interfaces seamlessly with Whittle, Boroos pit-optimisation software of choice. After creating a GEMS block model with its grades, values and reserve estimation, Boroo geologists export it into Whittle for the engineering group to do surface planning, establish designs and determine costs. Mike Kelly, mine manager at the Boroo mine says: GEMS and Whittle integrate well with our other systems and processes, including Microsoft Excel. They have good import and export menus to and from other systems; therefore, we can develop reports in the formats we desire. This gives us more analytical opportunities in order to decide the best solution. GEMS user Christopher Lee, chief geoscientist at Fronteer Development Group, says: With the Unwrinkle tool, we can treat the entire deposit as a single geometrical domain and work with it as one entity as opposed to fractioning it into smaller sub-domains and adding everything together at the end. The Unwrinkle tool removes the problem of domain boundaries and provides seamless continuity in the data across these boundaries, which greatly improves the confidence in these local estimates. With [this] tool, our staff completed a new resource estimate, increasing the deposits overall gold-equivalent resource by 23.5% Once the mine has been established, Gemcom s technical services team works with the operator on site to provide project assistance. Gemcoms software is in use at 3,500 sites worldwide. The forthcoming versions of GEMS and Surpac 6.3 and 6.2, respectively will be launched at the end of February. GEMS 6.3 will provide vital improvements requested by users, including: solids and surfaces triangle editing; more robust block modelling; and enhanced stability. An updated PlotMaker, version 3.1, also brings added value and ease of use to the GEMS system. Surpac 6.2 saves users hours per day on complex calculations and offers numerous improvements requested by users. An enhanced DTM (digital terrain model) creation algorithm has been developed that creates DTM surfaces considerably faster and resolves complicated geometry issues. Enhancements have also been made to the drillhole database, block modelling, and the interaction between important systems often used with Surpac, including Gemcom Whittle and AutoCAD 2010.

SIMMINE
The SimMine development and simulation package, made in Sweden, is relatively new, having launched in 2008. Currently only available for underground mines, new functions are being added to handle coal applications, with an open-pit version expected to follow. The package allows users to test long- and short-term schedules ahead of time to see if development targets can be met, and to compare different scenarios to yield an improved development schedule. It also allows users to: analyse multiple infrastructure scenarios; identify critical paths and critical start dates in development projects; evaluate best shift schedules to meet development rate demands; test which priorities will best achieve development goals; and simulate drift development with both single and multiple headings for long-access drives. In equipment terms, SimMine can help users find the most cost-effective way of developing a mine and decide on the optimal fleet size, number of operators and shift schedule. The product family consists of SimMine Development Package and SimMine Simulation Services, though many software modules can be tailored to the clients request. Patrik Stenlund, chief executive officer at SimMine, explains: No special programming skills are needed to operate SimMine. The customer would import their existing mine layout, design the simulation model and set the parameters. The development plan is then created according to time limits and priorities, and a simulation is run and evaluated. Ongoing operations such as daily production, development progress and equipment movement can be animated on screen to validate equipment assignments and section priorities. Mr Stenlund adds: This allows analysis of machine interactions and development delays for better understanding of the statistical results generated by the model itself. You can analyse development delays due to equipment downtime and the effects of maintenance improvements. The animation also allows management to view proposed changes and provides a means for greater buy-in by the management team.

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SimMine can offer a range of follow-up services, including consultancy work and technical advice/training on the program. Mr Stenlund says: When we have done consultancy work with SimMine we often simulate last year s development, and from that we have seen we come as close as 95% of the real mine. This is where SimMine can help save money because clients can trust the output that this is what you will get and where, and what you will need to invest to get the best out of your money and proposed change. One of the advantages of simulation is that policies, control criteria, procedures and methods can be analysed when a valid model has been set up without disrupting the system. Changes can be introduced in the model and the effects happen on the computer, instead of in the actual system, he adds. SimMine will soon release a new module that allows simulation of production for most methods, except block and panel caving. The module is designed to simulate material flow from faces and stopes to the surface, providing more advanced material-handling analytical capabilities. SimMine is currently in use at LKABs Kiruna site, the worlds largest underground iron-ore mine, in Northern Sweden. Newcrests Cadia East underground gold and copper mine in New South Wales, Australias largest underground mine, also uses it. Other notable licence-holders include Atlas Copco and Rio Tinto, with the software now being distributed globally.

MINTEC
Launched in 1970, Mintecs pioneering software system, centring around the MineSight package, now serves more than 300 sites and 3,500 users. The software provides tools for: blast-pattern design; end-of-period maps; economic and ultimate pit shells; life-of-mine and phase scheduling; road and ramp design; and complete dump, spoil and dyke design for open-pit engineers. For underground operations there is drift and stope design, ring design, automated shaft and vertical opening tools. With a host of tools for geologic modelling and interpolation, MineSight 3D offers complete functionality for building and managing 3D block, stratigraphic and surface models; using a variety of common interpolation algorithms such as inverse distance and polygonal assessment, simple kriging and multiple indicator kriging, and advanced functionality for conditional simulation and uniform conditioning. MineSight offers the ability to process drillhole, blasthole and model data with simple or complex statistical/geostatistical programs and tools. This allows for standard and down-hole variography, scatter plots, box plots, histograms, and more in-depth validation and analysis of geologic resources. Drillhole, blasthole and other sample data is stored in a Microsoft SQL Server database and managed by MineSight Torque, which provides tools for filtering, importing, exporting, formatting, reporting and editing. The model is extensible and supports an unlimited amount of data of a rich variety of types. Mintec president John Davies tells MM: Depending on where we operate in the world, different CAD systems are used by some mining departments. We can move data between AutoCad and MicroStation quite easily. GIS packages are also common in the exploration and environmental areas, and we can move data easily between those systems as well. Major clients using MineSight include: all of the Freeport sites in North and South America; Grupo Mexico, including its Pilares and Angangueo projects; southern Peru, including Tia Maria; Rio Tintos Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia; Codelcos ongoing planning in Chile; and Quadras projects in Chile. For 2011, Mintec expects to see growth in South America, Australia and parts of Africa. Mintec states that MineSight Version 6.1 is coming out in a few months and a major update of much of the system (Version 7) in early Q3, 2011. Mr Davies says: We are currently finishing off a new tool in MineSight that will provide handling of deformed deposits, including pipe-like structures for diamond mines. On February 9, Mintec released Version 2.0 of its MineSight Economic Planner, including new features and enhancements to the softwares interface and its charting tool, MSEPc, which has been revamped to incorporate advanced reporting/charting.

MICROMINE

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Established in Perth, Western Australia, in 1986, Micromine now services over 12,000 clients in more than 90 countries, with offices in 15 of the worlds major mineral-producing nations. MICROMINE software comprises nine modules, giving users the flexibility to choose what they want as needs change. At the heart of the software, the Core module allows users to import, validate, visualise and interpret surface, drillhole and subsurface data. The Vizex 3D viewer can easily communicate ideas to non-technical audiences using fly-through animations or VRML scenes, and it can graphically interpret drillhole and other data. The Exploration module provides a set of tools for working in detail with drillhole data, including the performance of statistical calculations and DTM surfaces/grids. Statistical and geostatistical calculations, digital-terrain modelling (DTM) and drillhole calculations are all featured. The Wireframing module allows users to build and manipulate triangulated, 3D solids and surfaces. Analytical tools include flagging 3D data as being inside or outside a solid, or above or below a surface, grade-tonnage calculations, and other spatial operations. The Resource Estimation module offers a comprehensive range of modelling related functions, allowing users to classify, quantify and report the grade and tonnage of a resource model. The Pit Optimisation module allows users to find the most profitable open-pit or nested pits using industry standard LerchsGrossman optimisation. The Mining module allows users to develop a plan based on the operator s mining parameters and business fundamentals. Functions for open pits include designing the pit, haul roads, slot ramps, switch backs and cutbacks; while those for underground operations include designing drives, rises, shafts, declines and inclines. Other functions include open-pit blastpattern design, such as: clipping blastholes to a DTM; calculating volumes; producing collar/assay files and the blast displacement of ore blocks. Ring design tools for underground plans can handle drill fans, charging, stemming and volume calculations. The Scheduling module allows users to schedule and report on mine production by defining tasks from 3D mining blocks, resources, calendars and extraction rates. The Surveying module has been designed to allow users to import and process survey data. It provides calculation facilities for points, strings surfaces and volumes through an array of advanced surveying tools. The module includes functions to: reduce raw survey observations; and to calculate and adjust co-ordinates; create and work with DTMs; calculate volumes from DTMs or cross-sections; and import data from any data recorder or total station text format. The Plotting module allows users to turn MICROMINE displays into page-formatted output that can be displayed on any Windows device using built-in templates to create a formatted plot in seconds. James Hogg, European regional manager at Micromine, explains to MM: MICROMINE can export and import DWG or DXF file types. These file types are used in AutoCAD and are compatible with many CAD software programmes. MICROMINE can also work with Micromines real-time mine production control system, PITRAM, to record, measure, optimise and visualise the production cycle, track equipment movements and report mine metrics. Over the last two years, Micromine has invested heavily in establishing a more substantial presence in South America, from which it is expecting significant returns in 2011. In August 2009, Micromine partnered BNA Consultoria e Sistemas Ltda (BNA). BNA founder and managing director Beck Nader says: Aside from Micromines dominance in the area of mining and exploration software, it was Micromines technological leadership and their solutions ease of use that initially caught our attention. After performing an in-depth analysis of MICROMINEs competencies, we concluded that MICROMINEs speed and advanced capabilities were ideal for the Brazilian market. Micromine claims it has the largest distribution network of any mining software provider, including 18 offices throughout the worlds mineral-producing capitals: Australia (Perth and Brisbane); Brazil; Canada; China; Chile; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Mongolia; Russia (Chita, Krasnoyarsk and Moscow); South Africa; Turkey; Ukraine; UK; US and Uzbekistan. Micromine opened its most recent office in Santiago, Chile (November 2010). Mr Hogg explains that Micromines services go beyond software provision:

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Micromine Consulting Services (MCS), provides exploration and mining consulting services for clients in China, Mongolia, Indonesia, Russia and Former Soviet Union States. MCS has undertaken numerous independent mineral-resource estimates, site validation, reserve optimisation, quality control and pit-optimisation exercises for companies at pre-feasibility and feasibility stages for all commodities. MCS is well equipped to provide the full suite of consulting services required by the mining and exploration sector.

MINCOM
Originating in 1979 as a small Australian software company focused on mining, Mincom now has 24 offices across six continents with over 1,100 employees. The firm was acquired in 2007 by EAM Software Finance (indirectly controlled by Francisco Partners, a US-based technology private equity firm). Mincom MineScape is designed to streamline critical functions in mine planning in an integrated fashion to speed up the process. John Jessop, vice-president of global mining solutions at Mincom, tells MM: Mine planners are constantly under pressure to evaluate the impact of changing economic times and newly acquired data on their mine plans. Incorporating these changes such as commodity prices, customer sales, fluctuating cost assumptions, and newly acquired geological and mine data requires a quick turnaround for model building and planning to keep the mine plan on pace with changes as they occur, helping ensure the mine remains profitable while maximising extraction of economic resources. Modelling complex stratigraphic deposits is one of the greatest challenges faced by all mine design software manufacturers. Bill Wilkinson, MineScape product management for Mincom, states: MineScape faulting technology enables the user to interactively create fault objects in CAD so that the user can visualise the fault and its effect prior to modelling. MineScape stratigraphic modelling is automated, which enables the user to quickly rerun models when new data is obtained. It is flexible, allowing users to specify site-specific interval names, different interpolators and modelling constraints, incorporate survey data, apply limits and model multiple geological sequences. Users can remodel as new data arrives. Model-publishing capabilities of a single model to anyone in the network allows new geological models to be distributed quickly to staff working downstream. Keeping the geological model as accurate as possible enables engineers to develop plans that more closely reflect conditions in the field, thus providing more predictable operation performance. The Mincom Intelligent Mining Solution (IMS) suite provides a comprehensive range of technical mining solutions, covering the spectrum of processes, from exploration to outbound logistics and sales. Designed to serve both large and small mining and mineral-processing operations worldwide, Mincom IMS helps to cut costs and increase profitability. Mincom is also the worlds leading supplier of enterprise asset management (EAM) software to the mining industry. The companys latest major addition to its mine-planning application was MineScape 5. This 15-unit modular version was created as a platform to serve as a single source for information gathering across databases, geological models and mining plans, allowing users to realise productivity gains from a modern and efficient user interface. Unlike other products on the market, Mincom states that MineScape uses a true client-server architecture, which enables multiple departments to work on a plan simultaneously, thus shortening the time from planning to deployment. This services-based architecture has been enhanced in MineScape 5, exposing geological modelling, mine planning, scheduling data and functionality to third-party applications and standard businessprocess technology, enabling true integration and automation. Engineers can now quickly create and adapt geological models and mining plans based on constantly shifting field data. MineScape 5 delivers industry-leading mine management for real-time analysis that simplifies workflows, from geology to engineering to the field, says Mr Jessop. MineScape is being used by industry-leading miners around the world, including Rio Tinto Coal Australia, Anglo Coal, Consol Energy, Peabody Energy, Arch Coal, Suncor Energy, Norilsk Nickel, PT Adaro, PT Arutmin and BHP Billiton. Our strongest markets are currently in coal; however, we are starting to see uptake in the Russian metals industry.

MAPTEK
Since its creation in 1981, Maptek has grown from a small, Sydney-based mining software company into a collaborative network of 12 offices with 250 staff around the world. Mapteks flagship product, Vulcan, of which version 8 is now in operation, handles underground and surface-modelling methods with any quantity or complexity of data. More than 4,000 licences have been installed at 800 sites worldwide.

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Vulcan is a modular software system and can be configured for all areas of mining-based activity. Maptek provides Vulcan software bundles with specific application to various uses, including exploration, geological modelling, resource/reserve estimation, mine planning, production scheduling and optimisation. Mine engineers are accountable for a vast number of vital decisions during the design phase. Robert Slade, vice-president of sales at Maptek North America, explains Vulcans contribution: The greater the foresight, the lower the risk that the costly mine-development tunnels will be misaligned with respect to the orebody targets. In the case of open-pit design, a slight movement of a pit wall can result in tens of millions of dollars saved or in unrecovered ore. Vulcan places the orebody in a 3D workspace and the designer can generate the designs in the same space, and test them visually and quantitatively for optimum effect. Fast and efficient design iterations and modifications can be completed with ease in Vulcan and these enable the best decisions to be made for the final production design. Maptek has taken Vulcans robust grid-modelling system, the historical mainstay of stratigraphic modelling, and merged it with Vulcans industry leading block-modelling system to create a new hybrid system. Mapteks HARP (horizon adaptive rectangular prism) modelling combines the power of both Vulcan systems to create an innovative new toolset for modelling complex, structurally deformed, stratigraphic deposits. Reverse and normal faults are handled easily, and the resulting HARP models can be used with all of the integrated design, viewing, manipulation and reserving functions common to Vulcans well-known block-modelling tools. Maptek also offers a host of other mining software packages. Mine design and model interrogation routines such as reserving and model slicing can be accessed, displayed and integrated with Mapteks MineSuite Production Management Information System. Meanwhile, Mapteks I-Site laser-scanning system collects large amounts of survey measurement data, and after filtering and processing, the models can be incorporated into Vulcan. Maptek has developed interfaces so that data generated by third-party software can be used with Vulcan. These include Whittle 4X pit-optimisation and analysis software, MineMax iGantt Production Scheduler, ESRI ArcGIS systems, NGRAIN model viewing, as well as other standards such as 3D PDF, says Mr Slade. Vulcan also provides tools for interoperability with most, if not all, of the other general mining packages, including CAD software such as Bentley Systems and AutoCAD. This allows the engineers to work faster, and avoids the errors of data being manually entered into different programs. Training is an important component of Vulcans program roll-outs at operating mines. Maptek provides training in all regions with flexible options including instructor-led, classroom-style courses and customised, on-site training. A wide range of content across the Maptek portfolio is adapted and customised to suit user s needs. The last major release of Vulcan (V8.0) was rolled out in the first half of 2010. Vulcan product manager Eric Gonzalez says Maptek will offer a Stope Optimisation Module in the upcoming Vulcan 8.1. This new module allows for sophisticated analysis of an orebody block model, taking into account grade cut-off and economics to create optimum 3D stope shapes for underground mining. Maptek reported growing demand for its product in response to global growth in demand for commodities and escalating prices. The strongest markets are in Australasia where the two largest and fastest-growing BRIC economies are located China and India. The Brazil powerhouse is driving our South American opportunities, as are the tremendous investments flowing into mineral exploration and development in Africa. The North American mining industry is recovering and now growing strongly again, and Maptek is confident its products and services will be in great demand through this year, with an increasing trend into next year, says Mr Slade. Maptek is continually updating Vulcan. Maptek has created a new application that allows for mid-bench based pit design, the creation of phases, updated topography maps, and generation of reserves, all in a fast and easy to use environment. The new, streamlined workflow will allow an engineer to consider many alternate designs for pits and phases in a timely manner. Output from the new tool is integrated within Vulcan for more detailed design, analysis and plotting.

CAE DATAMINE
CAE Datamine offers a comprehensive suite of technical mining software, including exploration, geological modelling, strategic through to short-term mine design, scheduling and operations. These systems cater for the full range of commodities and mining methods, and are integrated through common file formats, reporting tools, and the MineTrust data and process governance toolset. CAE Datamine has a global network of offices in nine countries employing over 100 mining professionals. Mine2-4D is a modular package that allows users to choose the configuration that best suits the needs of their particular company or mine. Optional modules include those for drill and blast, schedule optimisation and blending. Licensing is designed to be scalable from a single-user installation on a desktop through to centralised, corporate licensing on secure servers.

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Until recently, CAE Datamine had two main products for underground mining: the Mineable Reserves Optimiser (MRO) and Mine2-4D. According to the firm, MRO is one of the few commercially available tools that can determine the optimum ore outline within which underground stopes should be designed. CAE Datamine has now launched the Mineable Shape Optimiser (MSO) module, which can take financial parameters along with practical mining constraints, and automatically produce detailed stope designs for underground mines. This creates an opportunity to produce a large number of options, resulting in robust design outcomes, and deeper understanding of risk and value drivers. MSO not only determines the optimal location of stopes, but also produces initial stope designs, providing a more optimal and objective result for the engineer to further refine. This allows more scenarios to be considered and reduces the amount of subjective, manual interpretive design that used to occur. Mine2-4D, developed in the 1990s and built on a Datamine Studio platform, is a leading product for underground mine design and scheduling, for both long and short-term planning. While Mine2-4D has components for open-pit planning, it has proved to be of particular benefit underground. Mine2-4D is published by Datamine and jointly developed with business partner GijimaAST. Through its rule-based design tools and ability to handle change in geological inputs, Mine2-4D enables rapid analysis of alternative, underground mining methods when considering strategic plans. Dylan Webb, director of strategic development at CAE Mining, comments: Mine2-4D helps the design process by providing tools that speed up the process of design and scheduling. Automated design tools, data preparation and integrated scheduling allows the engineer to produce a large number of options rapidly, and spend the time on review and analysis rather than digitising designs or transferring data. Animation of schedules is a valuable tool for quickly identifying problems that would not be found by studying a Gantt chart or spreadsheet. One of the strengths of Mine2-4D is that it incorporates all of the advantages of CAE Datamines geological-modelling capabilities. A large number of numeric and alpha-numeric fields can be catered for, and assessed, as part of the Mine2-4D process, either as weighted average values or in legend-based categories for each design entity. This means that lithological features affecting mining are identified easily, with the schedule automatically incorporating a response such as reduced mining rates or more support in particular areas. When the block model is updated, it is easy to rerun the evaluation and update the schedule with the latest data. Mine2-4D includes the CAE Datamine data-source driver module as standard. These drivers cater for a wide range of file formats, including generic CAD formats and competitors software. CAE Datamine conducts implementation, training and technical support, and offers consulting services in exploration, resource modelling, mining studies and technical audits. The company is growing rapidly and recently established an executive consulting group, focused on business improvement. The group will establish the first in a global network of professional training centres in Australia this year; offering over 40 courses to engineers, geologists and metallurgists. Many large mines in the planning stage are making use of Mine2-4D, with notable high-profile projects such as Rio Tintos Oyu Tolgoi mine and Codelcos El Teniente new mine level and Chuiqicamatas Underground among them. In 2010, Mine2-4D was adopted by Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS), marking the beginning of a trend into commodities outside the traditional Mine2-4D client base in underground metals. We expect this trend to continue, with an increased focus on the level of detail in scheduling bulk commodities, adds Mr Webb. The next version of Mine2-4D will include key enhancements to the user interface to further streamline processes, improve graphics, and make it easier to combine multiple projects, and integrate long and short-term schedules. The release is planned for mid-2011.

Aspermont UK (Mining Communications Ltd) Albert House, 1 Singer Street, London, EC2A 4BQ

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