ORE CONTROLLER

Multi-user, configurable grade control for

open pit mines
Ore Controller
• Ore control is a daily procedure carried out by
the mine geology department
• Inputs from short term planning, survey, assay laboratory / GDMS
• Outputs to production and fleet management

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Ore Control
• Every mine has a slightly different idea of ore
control
• The general steps are always the same … the details are always different.

• The general steps are always a variation on:

• Planning of blast holes or grade control holes
• Logging, sampling and analysis of blast/grade control holes
• Interpretation of geology and creation of geology model
• Determination of mining blocks and their destinations
• Calculation of displacement of mining blocks due to blasting
• Communication of dig lines to production crews
• Reconciliation of mined tonnes / grade to planned tonnes / grade

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Ore Control system requirements
• Quick and easy
Allow geologists or technicians to produce results quickly, with little training

• Multiple users
Central database, reliable data management

• Flexible
Configure software and work flow to suit most mines

• Repeatable
Same results from all users, all the time

• Avoid errors
No copy/paste, no file names, no complications

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Multi-user, client-server system

Ore Controller server

Ore Controller
Server
Ore Controller
User

Ore Controller
User
MineTrust
database
Ore Controller
User
Ore Controller
activity definitions
• Each activity is defined
with inputs and
outputs
• Activity cannot start
unless all data is
available
• Activities prevent
conflict
over access to data

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Activities are accessible based on
availability of data
• Data is selected “by context” and only data for
User selects from
available contexts is shown
available blasts by
context
• Activities are marked with a “play” button if all
data is available or a “stop” if required data is
missing

Another user adds • As activities are completed, more data

drillhole data, red flag becomes available
appears

• Green flags indicate that activities have been

completed

• Red flags indicate that the input data has

changed since the activity was executed. This
means the activity should be re-run.

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Ore Controller: Data management
Inputs:
• Blast outlines from Short Term Planning
• Drill hole locations and samples from geology
database
• Topography to help build accurate models
• Optional geological surfaces to model
structures
• Other data as required

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Ore Controller: Administration
• All parameters used in modelling and
evaluation are stored in files that may be
edited at any time
• Access to administration functions is
controlled

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Ore Control Geology Modelling
• The primary purpose is to ensure that material is
transported to the correct destination to
maximize value.
• An accurate model of the geology is required to
allow dig lines to be positioned accurately. CAE
Mining Ore Controller allows for:
• Rapid geological updates of models within blast outlines with minimum user
interaction
• Flexibility over how sophisticated the modelling process must be
• Optional evaluation directly from drillhole data (using Panel Kriging)
• Use of blast hole sampling or grade delineation drilling
Ore Controller allows technical staff to update geological models
quickly and easily, without sacrificing sophistication

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Ore Control Geology Modelling

An Ore Control system may make use of the following

geological block models:

• The primary mine planning model which may

contain geotechnical information

• An updated model created within a designed blast

outline using grade control drilling samples prior to
blast design

• A model created from blast hole samples prior to

dig line definition

Rock type outlines may be created within a blast using latest sample or drillhole data

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Ore Control Geology Modelling

The block model is generated and used to identify areas of different material classification

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Definition of Ore Outlines and Dig
Lines

Ore

Waste

The primary purpose of an ore control system is to ensure that material

is transported to the destination that will maximize value

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Defining material category
boundaries
• Ore Controller creates outlines automatically
from user defined boundary lines that cross the
blast outline

• Ore outlines can be defined with reference to

drillhole data or a block model

• Ore boundaries are automatically evaluated and

their tonnage, grade and material type reported

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Ore block reporting

Ore Controller automatically produces standard reports that are

configured to individual requirements

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Blast Displacement Modelling

Ore

Waste ?

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Blast Displacement Modelling
It is important to
estimate the
displacement of
material caused by
blasting
Ore Controller can use
displacement vectors
calculated by any
external system, and
integrates directly with
the BMM system from
Blast Movement
Technologies

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Blast Displacement Modelling

Including blast displacement modelling as an integral part

of an Ore Control system reduces dilution and ore loss at
loading time and increases the value obtained from the
reserve

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