08 Underground Scheduling Production With Development V70 PDF

UNDERGROUND SCHEDULING:
INCORPORATING PRODUCTION WITH

DEVELOPMENT
Version 7.00
December 10
Gemcom Software International Inc. Tel +1 604.684.6550

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Copyright © 2010 Gemcom Software International. All rights reserved.
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Contributors
Aaron Loffler
Gemcom Software International
Perth, Western Australia
Products
MineSched 7.0
Surpac 6.1.4
Document Release Date
December 2010
Table of Contents
Overview ...................................................................................................................................5
Data storage and familiarisation .............................................................................................7
Task: Setup data management hierarchy.............................................................................................. 7
The Surpac Production interface .............................................................................................................. 7
Task: Set your working folder ................................................................................................................ 8
The MineSched Production interface ....................................................................................................... 8
Data Review ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Block model material classes ................................................................................................ 14

Task: Assign material classes for the schedule in the block model .................................................... 14
MineSched scenario management ........................................................................................ 19

Creating a Scenario ................................................................................................................................ 19
Navigating the scenario .........................................................................................................20

Section Navigator ................................................................................................................................... 20
Task Navigator........................................................................................................................................ 20
Tooltips ................................................................................................................................................... 21
Canvas .................................................................................................................................................... 21
3D Canvas .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Data grids ............................................................................................................................................... 23
Charts ..................................................................................................................................................... 24
Dashboard .............................................................................................................................................. 25
Spreadsheet views ................................................................................................................................. 25
Geological model data ........................................................................................................... 26

Task: Open the existing scenario file ................................................................................................... 26
Define Geology ....................................................................................................................................... 27
Defining geological models ..................................................................................................................... 27
Task: Add the model for scheduling .................................................................................................... 27
Optional Task: Assign material classes for the schedule in MineSched ............................................. 30
Task: Continue configuring the model for scheduling ......................................................................... 33
Validate model ........................................................................................................................................ 35
Task: Check the model for errors ........................................................................................................ 35
Setup schedule .......................................................................................................................38

Setup Schedule step .............................................................................................................................. 38
Define mining locations .......................................................................................................................... 38
Task: Discover the functionality of the Canvas.................................................................................... 39
Task: Define the stopes for scheduling ............................................................................................... 45
Task: Investigate the spreadsheet view .............................................................................................. 50
Evaluate mining locations ....................................................................................................................... 52
Task: Evaluate the defined locations ................................................................................................... 53
Tips regarding location definition ............................................................................................................ 56
Task: Save your scenario .................................................................................................................... 57
Mining constraints..................................................................................................................58
Mining rates ............................................................................................................................................ 58
Resource availability ............................................................................................................................... 58
Physical constraints ................................................................................................................................ 58
Production resources............................................................................................................. 60
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Table of Contents
Resource definition and assignment ...................................................................................................... 60

Task: Become familiar with the resources section .............................................................................. 60
Create schedule ......................................................................................................................64

The MineSched timeline ......................................................................................................................... 64
Task: Define a timeline for the schedule ............................................................................................. 64
Create the Schedule ............................................................................................................................... 66
Task: Create the schedule ................................................................................................................... 67
The dashboard ....................................................................................................................................... 67
Task: Add a report to the dashboard ................................................................................................... 67
Task: Add a chart to the dashboard .................................................................................................... 68
Task: Arrange the Dashboard.............................................................................................................. 70
Publish results ........................................................................................................................72

Create graphical results .......................................................................................................................... 72
Task: Create the graphical results ....................................................................................................... 72
Animations .............................................................................................................................................. 73
Task: Animate the schedule ................................................................................................................ 73
Standard reports ..................................................................................................................................... 75
Custom reports ....................................................................................................................................... 75
Task: Explore the custom report functionality...................................................................................... 76
Task: Create a report for the schedule ................................................................................................ 78
Task: Edit the template for this report .................................................................................................. 80
Block model ............................................................................................................................................ 82
Analyse the schedule ............................................................................................................. 83

Task: Identify the problems in the schedule ........................................................................................ 83
Add calendars to resources................................................................................................... 84

Task: Define calendars for the schedule ............................................................................................. 84
Sequence the stopes .............................................................................................................. 88

Starting the stopes using precedences from headings .......................................................................... 88
Task: Integrate the production with development ................................................................................ 88
Sequencing stoping panels .................................................................................................................... 90
Task: Sequence each stoping panel within each level ........................................................................ 91
Task: Update the mining sequence to remove the timing issues ........................................................ 95
VERTICAL_LAG ..................................................................................................................................... 96
Where to next?........................................................................................................................98
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Overview
Underground production scheduling can be challenging because many options are available for
evaluating the correct way to manage the schedule for the mine. Underground production scheduling
involves the combination of scheduling the materials from capital development with scheduling from bulk
mining locations such as stopes or seams.
It is rare to use target-based scheduling with underground as mining restrictions often determine what
materials are available at a given time. Achieving targets is usually done by using stockpile blending on
the surface. These topics are covered in another tutorial.
This tutorial focuses on giving the beginner a working knowledge of underground production scheduling
without complex scheduling scenarios. This tutorial can be used in combination with the Underground
Scheduling: Headings tutorial.
Requirements
This tutorial assumes that you have a reasonably advanced knowledge of Surpac. If you are a new
Surpac user, you should go through the Introduction to Surpac and the Block Modeling tutorials before
proceeding with this tutorial.
You can use this tutorial in conjunction with the Underground Development tutorial as these datasets
are linked.
You need to have understanding of development scheduling techniques to complete this tutorial.
You will also need:
• Surpac V6.1 or higher installed on your computer.

• MineSched V7.0 installed into your version of Surpac.
• The data set accompanying this tutorial.
Objectives
The objective of this tutorial is to give you a basic understanding of how to setup an underground
production schedule, incorporate it with the development schedule, and report on it. This tutorial is not
intended to be exhaustive in scope, but will show the workflows needed to achieve results. You can then
refine and add to these workflows to meet your specific requirements.
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Overview The Surpac Production interface
Workflow
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Data storage and familiarisation The Surpac Production interface
Data storage and familiarisation

To complete the MineSched Underground Production Schedule there are four basic requirements for
data.
• The scenario supplied from the previous tutorial, which is also provided in this tutorial data.
• The data supplied from the previous tutorial, which is also provided in this tutorial data.
• The 3DM files of the design stopes.
• A block model containing grades and material class definitions
Many files are also created during the scheduling process such as reports, parameter files, log files, and
animation files. Because many files are created, it is manage your data so that it is easy to locate,
access, and analyse.
Some of the parameter options within MineSched allow you to store filenames using a relative path or an
absolute path. Using a relative path means that the schedule data will be transportable between various
data storage systems and that it can be operated from several different locations. This makes it very
important to store your data logically to facilitate this functionality as well as assisting other users to
understand and locate your data.
Task: Setup data management hierarchy

Unzip the tutorial data. The files required for scheduling are already contained in their designated
directory.
• The Development folder contains the centreline design string file and profiles.
• The Models folder contains the block model.
• The Stope folder contains the stope 3DM files.
• The strings folder contains some strings used for animations.
• The zscenario folder contains the Development Scenario file.
The Surpac Production interface

The MineSched Production module is built into Surpac by means of menus, toolbars, and a profile. The
profile contains the most common functions on a single toolbar while other, less common functions can
be found under the MineSched menu, which exists as a menu on its own or as a submenu of the Surpac
Applications menu.
You can turn on the MineSched profile by right-clicking in the menu area and choosing Profiles >
MineSched. You can find theMineSched menu by right-clicking in the menu area and choosing Menus >
MineSched.
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Data storage and familiarisation The MineSched Production interface
Task: Set your working folder

Change your working folder to the newly created zscenario folder. You may need to refresh the Surpac
Navigator to see the changes made in Windows Explorer.
The MineSched Production interface

The MineSched Production interface is dynamic where, the work environment changes depending on the
current step, section, or task with which you are working.
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Data storage and familiarisation The MineSched Production interface
The interface is broken up into different areas. Some areas may be replaced if not applicable to the task,
but this will become evident as you progress through this tutorial.
MineSched Steps
The scheduling process is divided into four or five steps. The development step is only shown when
scheduling underground data. When a step is selected the step expands to show all the sections that can
be completed for that step.
MineSched Sections
Each step contains one or more sections. However, not all sections are mandatory. When a step is
selected, the section icons will be displayed for that step. This tutorial will not cover all sections.
MineSched Tasks
Depending on the section selected the interface in the task area changes to contain the tasks required to
define the parameters for the section. In the example above shows the Names section of the
Development step. In this tutorial, you will explore the different properties of elements in each task as you
progress through the schedule.
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Data storage and familiarisation Data Review
Data Review
1. Open the file all_panels_1.dtm in the Stopes directory in Surpac.
The file shows many separate stopes. Stopes run in an east-west direction and are accessed from
cross-cut. Each stope is its own separate object number. Note that the drives have been
outersected from the stopes. This ensures that there is no double counting of ore tonnes from the
development to the production.
2. Open the block model and display it.
3. Run a block model summary.
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The block model contains many attributes.
Attribute Description
Ag Grade of silver in g/t

Au Grade of gold in g/t
aueq The equivalent grade of gold in g/t when all metals are evaluated
Cu Grade of copper in % (value between 0 and 1)
Density Specific gravity of the block
Pb Grade of lead in % (value between 0 and 1)
Zn Grade of zinc in % (value between 0 and 1)
Zone Zone of Mineralisation (PIT1, PIT2 or STOPE)
4. Cancel the form when finished.

5. Graphically constrain the block model to show only the blocks where the aueq > 0.
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In an underground mine, you are often restricted by the selectability of mining blocks. In this case,
each entire stope will be mined as ore as you are not able to selectively leave waste blocks behind
as pillars. This will dilute the final product; however, this effect should be minimal.
You can colour the model by the zone attribute representing different zones of ore mineralisation in
the model.
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Block model material classes Data Review
Block model material classes

The material class value stored in the block model lies at the heart of the scheduling process. Simply, a
material class is any discrete unit from the block model on which you wish to report, specifically schedule,
or track its path through the mining flow process. Examples of material classes include high grade, low
grade, oxide, contaminated ore, or waste. The definition of material classes is completely within the
control of the user.
To set up material classes you need to create an attribute within the block model and fill it with material
class values. Traditionally, material classes can be defined by integers in the block model. However,
character attributes can also be used to determine material classes.
Alternatively, material classes can be defined in MineSched. Both options will be covered in this tutorial. It
is a good idea to be aware of both methods.
When completing the tasks, you can complete both tasks, as the latter will simply overwrite the former.
The task Assign Material Classes for the Schedule in the Block Model is explored in this section, and
they are assigned again later in the tutorial under the task Assign Material Classes for the Schedule in
MineSched.
Task: Assign material classes for the schedule in the block model
1. Create an integer attribute in the block model and fill it with values for scheduling based on the
following material class definitions.
Material Class Value Description
Waste 0 aueq <= 0

Low Grade 1 aueq > 0 and
aueq <= 5
Medium Grade 2 aueq > 5 and
aueq <= 30
High Grade 3 aueq > 30
These material classes are defined by the way in which the process plant can handle the different
grades of material.
For example, the process plant is configured to extract the metal efficiently at a certain grade,
going under this grade and the cost is high for the metal return; going over this grade and there is
too much grade for the configuration and much of it is lost to the tailings dam. These effects can be
handled by MineSched’s powerful stockpile blending algorithms or material ratio targeting
algorithms. These are explored in another tutorial.
2. First create an attribute to represent the material class. Choose Block Model > Attribute > New.
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3. Fill the attribute with values. Choose Block Model > Estimation > Assign Value.
The above constraint is the definition described for Low Grade assigned a value of 1.
4. Continue using this method to assign values to the material attribute.
5. After you have finished, graphically constrain the block model where the material is greater than
zero, and colour the model by the material attribute to confirm it has been filled correctly.
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The model shows three areas of mineralisation. The two upper regions will be mined by open pit
method, and the region that extends to lower depths will be mined by our underground design.
6. In underground mining for stoping zones, there is usually no need for different material classes.
When a stope or ring is fired, all of the material is mixed together and the quantities of different
materials are usually meaningless. In this case, you need to convert all of the separate materials in
the stoping zone into a single material class as this will be more representative of the way that the
material will be scheduled.
7. Recode the material class based on the ore zone using the zone attribute (material in the zone
attribute is classed as PIT1, PIT2, or STOPE).
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8. Review the material class assignment graphically again to confirm it is correct, and save the model.
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MineSched scenario management Creating a Scenario
MineSched scenario management

MineSched offers the ability to create and manage many scenarios related to the same data. Scenarios
are typically slight variations of the scheduling parameters for the same dataset. This may include a
comparison between using one type of equipment to another or re-assigning the sequence of mining.
Scenarios can be accessed through the Surpac interface or through the MineSched interface. Best
practice is to have a single directory to store your scenario files. You can store multiple scenarios in the
same directory. This allows you to keep file references the same between scenarios and only vary the
parameters that are applicable to the method of scheduling.
When running MineSched, each scenario will create its own Results folder which will also be stored
under the scenario directory. The Results folder stores MineSched system files only.
Caution: Do not add your own files to the Results folder. This folder is overwritten each time you
create a schedule. Files you wish to keep should be stored outside of the Results folder.
Because each scenario stores a separate Results folder, there will be no overwriting of files relevant to
each scenario.
Creating a Scenario
In this tutorial, you will be incorporating the production into the development that was created in the
previous tutorial so there is no need to create a new scenario. To review creating scenario, please refer
to the previous tutorial.
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Navigating the scenario Section Navigator
Navigating the scenario

There are many aspects of the scenario graphical interface that can facilitate the entry of parameters
relevant to the scheduling scenario. At first, you will spend some time familiarising yourself with the
different aspects of the interface that are explained here.
Section Navigator
The Section Navigator allows you to move between the steps of scheduling and interact with the
individual sections for the scheduling steps. These steps are:
1. Define Geology where geological model data is configured (including block models, string models,
grid models)
2. Setup Development where the headings and their properties are defined.
3. Setup Schedule where the parameters for the scenario are entered, such as resource definition
and mining constraints.
4. Create Schedule where the schedule is run and the dashboard reviewed.
5. Publish Results where the various outputs are created such as Graphical Outputs, Reports, Block
Model updates, and Gantt charts.
Task Navigator
The Task Navigator changes depending on the section selected. Every screen may contain a number of
tasks that need to be completed to finalise the scheduling scenario. As you explore each task in the
schedule, further explanation will be provided.
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Navigating the scenario Tooltips
Tooltips
Tooltips exist on the fields in the interface to assist you as a quick reference for the type of input required
for a field. Placing the mouse pointer over the field will display the tooltips.
Canvas
The Canvas is the graphical area of MineSched that allows you to build the scenario using a diagram.
The Canvas allows you to drag items to mining locations, fill locations, stockpiles, and processes as well
as assigning resources and designing material flow paths across the network of locations.
Right-clicking in the Canvas will allow you to perform tasks common to many graphical interfaces such as
zooming, displaying/hiding items, auto-arranging items, and interacting with selected items.
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Navigating the scenario 3D Canvas
Items can be marquee selected by clicking and dragging a window to select multiple items or by holding
down the CTRL key while individually selecting items. After a group of locations has been selected
common properties can be entered or changed for all of the selected locations.
3D Canvas
The 3D Canvas is used for interacting with underground data. This is more than a schematic diagram of
the mining methodology as in the 2D Canvas but this allows you to interact with the data in
three-dimensions and apply various parameters to the individual headings.
Zooming is performed in a similar manner to other 3D graphics packages.
There are numerous tools around the Canvas and within the Canvas to assist in performing the tasks for
each section. These various tools will be explored individually throughout this tutorial.
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Navigating the scenario Data grids
Data grids
Data grids are populated manually or automatically by constructing items on the Canvas. You can
manually modify the items by using the icons at the top of the data grid.
By using these icons, you can insert, delete or copy rows. You can also add a comment field to keep
track of information added to the scenario. Finally, you can apply a filter to the grid to constrain the
information displayed. When the filter is selected, the grid will only show rows that apply to the item
selected in the Canvas.
An important function of the data grid is the ability to group items. You can group items by dragging the
title of the field to the space above the grids. For example, to group by Resources, drag the Resources
field title to the space immediately above the grid.
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Navigating the scenario Charts
If needed, you can apply multiple levels of grouping. For example, you may want to group the grid by
Resources by heading then by another heading.
Charts
Charting is applicable in some tasks. Charting allows you to validate quantities and qualities contained in
an entire geological model or in specific locations or headings.
All items available for charting can be refreshed when parameters have been changed in the scenario by
clicking the Update charts button below the list of changeable items. Alternatively, individual items can
be refreshed by selecting only that item in the list and choosing to update that item.
In some cases, many charts are created. To facilitate the viewing of charts, there is a group of icons
above the charts that allows you to set the density of the chart layout.
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Navigating the scenario Dashboard
Dashboard
The dashboard provides a snapshot of the results of the scheduling scenario. The dashboard can display
charts, reports, and Gantt charts. The image above shows a simple mining chart and a report constrained
by location by material class.
You can configure charts to show items such as bar charts, stacked bar charts, line charts, and step
charts. When target scheduling, targets are automatically drawn on relevant charts.
Spreadsheet views
MineSched also supports the use of a spreadsheet style of input. In some circumstances, this is a far
more efficient way to work, for example, when there may be tens or hundreds of mining locations to
define. The spreadsheet views work in a similar fashion to the functionality of Microsoft Excel so you can
use formulas to help rapidly populate large amounts of information.
In all of the areas of the software where it is considered that the spreadsheet could provide an advantage
for the input of information for the schedule, there exists an alternative view to enable that functionality.
The spreadsheet views are enabled from the Spreadsheets menu.
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Geological model data Spreadsheet views
Geological model data

In this section, you will set up the parameters required for the scheduling scenario. This will be the most
basic setup required to produce the schedule. However, you will explore the functionality of each section
as you define the information for the scenario. Not all sections will be covered in this tutorial.
This is a continuation of the Underground Scheduling Headings tutorial so the geological model data
has already been entered. It will be covered here again although it is not necessary to add the model
again.
Task: Open the existing scenario file

1. Close the scenario file if you created one in an earlier task.
2. Open the scenario Underground_Development_Scenario_1 by choosing MineSched > Open.
3. The opened scenario will already have the model defined. If you wish to add the model again,
delete the model and delete all of the material classes and qualities, then follow the tasks as shown
below. If you do not wish to add the model then review the following tasks, and go to the Setup
Schedule section of this tutorial.
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Geological model data Define Geology
Define Geology
The Define Geology step is divided into two separate sections.
• The first section is where you define the details of the geological models.
• The second section is where you validate the contents of the geological models.
Defining geological models

The Models section is divided into three mandatory tasks and three optional tasks. The mandatory tasks
are the tasks shown by default:
• Configuring the model

• Defining the material classes
• Defining the qualities required for reporting
Task: Add the model for scheduling

1. To add a model to the scenario, click the add button at the top of the Models panel and browse
through your file structure to find the model. Alternatively, you can drag the model directly from
Windows Explorer or the Surpac Navigator to the Models panel.
The model file can be found in the models directory. Add ms_v7_training_model.mdl to the
scenario.
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Geological model data Defining geological models
For large scheduling scenarios that rely on multiple geological models, you can add more than one
model. MineSched will also handle multiple types of geological models within the same scenario.
2. To access the properties of the model, click the model in the Models panel and the properties of
that model will be displayed in the next panel to the right. The properties required for scheduling
include a reference name for the model, the file location for the model, the material class attribute
in the model, an optional volume adjustment factor, and the specific gravity of data in the model.
3. Change the name of the model to MINE_PLANNING.
4. The File name will be automatically entered because you dragged the file from Windows Explorer
or selected the file.
Notice that the Material class attribute field has a warning icon next to it. This is part of the
persistent validation in the MineSched interface. This indicates that MineSched cannot
automatically fill a value here but a value is required to be able to complete the schedule.
5. To assist in defining the material class attribute the link between MineSched and Surpac can be
used to extract the attribute list from the model. Below the Material class attribute field is a button
where the material classes can be defined as part of MineSched. This option is covered in the next
task, which is optional, as the material classes have already been defined for this model.
Click the down arrow in this field to access the list of attributes.
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6. The list is currently empty. Click the Extract from model button to update the list. This will
communicate with Surpac to retrieve the list of attributes from the model.
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Select the material attribute from the newly generated list.
Optional Task: Assign material classes for the schedule in MineSched

Previously in the tutorial, you assigned values in the block model to define material classes for
scheduling. This is an alternative methodology for assigning material classes for scheduling. If you have
previously defined your material classes and do not wish to use this methodology, skip this task and
move on to the next task.
There are advantages to both methods. Assigning material classes in the block model using Surpac
functions gives more flexibility in the ways the assignment can be conducted. Assigning the material
classes in MineSched keeps a permanent record of how the material classes are defined within the
MineSched scenario file.
1. Before you can add material classes to the material class attribute in MineSched, you must define
this attribute in the model first. This should have been added earlier. If not, then in Surpac add an
integer attribute to the model with a background value of 0 and save the model.
2. Select the material class attribute.
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3. To assign material class values to the material class attribute, click the Assign values button
directly below the material class attribute field.
4. A form will display allowing you to define the material class values. These values are defined as a
function of the grade values and other constraints that can be defined by the user.
There is an option to define an initial grade range that falls within a material class value and also
the option to define two additional BLOCK type constraints. If more complex constraints are
required, there is an additional optional constraint file that can be referenced. For complicated
assignments, it is recommended that the assignment should be carried out and checked in Surpac.
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5. Define the material class values as shown below.
The assignment provides values for the material class for waste and low and high grade oxide,
transition, and fresh.
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6. Click the Execute button to begin the assignment. You will be warned that this will permanently
overwrite your model so you must be sure your definitions are correct.
7. When this is completed, you can close the Material Class Assignment form. Validate that the
assignment was correct by displaying the model and colouring it by the material attribute.
Task: Continue configuring the model for scheduling

The volume adjustment attribute will not be used in this tutorial. For some scheduling scenarios, the
volume of the material needs to be adjusted. This should be done by some multiplying attribute within the
model.
This is rarely used but can be useful in dilution/reduction scenarios or swell factors. MineSched uses this
field automatically when modeling with partial attributes or when calculating partial percentages;
therefore, if either of these features is used, this field is reserved for their use and must be left blank here.
1. Material masses are calculated using a specific gravity or density. This is stored as either a
constant multiplier on the volume or a variable multiplier which will be stored as an attribute in the
model. Choose to use an attribute and select the density attribute from the attribute list.
Material classes were discussed in detail earlier in the tutorial. A definition of material classes is
required for MineSched to accurately schedule your data. The material definition task exists as a
data grid and can be entered manually or MineSched can populate the data grid by reading values
from the block model.
2. Extract the material class values from the block model by clicking the Extract button. This can
extract values from integer type attributes and character type attributes. Some model types do not
store values as these types.
In these cases, the Extract button will extract a range of values from the model. However, these
may need to be adjusted manually. Once the extraction is complete, the material classes data grid
will be populated. Colours are assigned to each material class. These colours are selected at
random from the list of available colours. They can be manually changed to colours that may carry
meaning for your deposit.
Note: The Show Partials button ( ) activates a new column in the grid. This is used for special estimation
techniques where material classes are partially split within the same blocks in the model. This is often the
case for MIK models. This is not used in this tutorial.
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There are two tools in this grid (and any other grids where the order of stored items may be of
importance to users and there is no ability to filter). These options allow you to move the selected
row in the grid up or down in the list.
In the case of character attributes, the Material Class name is known, but when the material value
is stored as an integer, MineSched will populate the grid with default names for each extracted
value.
3. Rename the material classes and assign colours as shown below.
The Calculate qualities option determines whether or not you wish to calculate the quality values
within the material class. For example, in the ORE you will want to calculate the grade of your
qualities. However, normally in the WASTE, this is not necessary and means MineSched will
perform unnecessary calculations.
You need to define which qualities are to be reported on in the scenario. Qualities are also defined
in a data grid and can be extracted in the same manner as the material classes. Sometimes it is
not desirable to extract the qualities from the model, for example, if the model contains hundreds of
attributes but only a few are required to report on for the scenario. In these cases, you should fill in
the grid manually. Only float, real, and calculated type attributes will be extracted to the grid.
4. Extract the qualities from the MINE_PLANNING model.
The density attribute is not an attribute required to report on. It is used to convert block model
volumes into masses.
5. Select the row with density and click the minus button to delete that row.
The rows remaining show the grade attribute from the model. The different fields in this data grid
indicate what reporting is to be done on the attribute. The Weight by field indicates what unit the
attribute is measured in and how to combine values for reporting.
For example, an attribute stored in grams per tonne would be weighted by Mass when combined
with other values to calculate an average. An attribute stored as a percentage may be weighted by
Volume or Mass depending if the percentage is based on volume or mass. The MineSched default
value is shown in a background blue-grey colour. If changed, the colour will become black.
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Geological model data Validate model
You can choose to report the average value or the aggregate value. For example, the average
grade of gold would be used to ensure mill feed grades stay within defined tolerances, and the
aggregate value of gold would be used to determine the total ounces of gold produced.
The number of decimal places can also be controlled in the scenario. There is little reason to
change this unless you have a very large number of qualities and are in danger of reaching
Surpac’s 512 character limit for the total length of a description field.
6. Change the names of the qualities as shown below and weight them by Mass and report the
Average.
The minimum requirements are met to define the model. Another option in the schedule is to create
a user calculation to track through the schedule. User calculations and user parameters will be
explored later in the schedule.
7. Youhave finished configuring the model and can validate the contents of the model.
Validate model
The next section in the Define Geology step is where you validate the contents of defined geological
models. This section allows you to chart the volumes and masses of material classes and the values of
qualities within these material classes.
MineSched will also check the values of entered information in the model configuration section against
the values in the block model and ensure that all attributes and file names exist. This is also a good way
to analyse if any of the entered values are incorrect. For example, if you manually entered the wrong
value for a material class, this would be evident in the charts.
Task: Check the model for errors

1. The screen is divided into two separate panels. The panel on the left contains a list of all of the
models defined in the schedule. At the bottom of this panel are two buttons, one for updating the
charts and one for checking the model(s) for errors. Click the lower button to check the entered
information exists in the model.
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2. No errors should have been found. If MineSched found errors, follow the information in the report
to fix the issues listed.
3. Some of the values have already been charted. The volumes and masses of material classes have
been added to the charting area as this information was already collected when MineSched
extracted the material classes from the model. However, the charts need to be updated to provide
the quality information.
You can update the charts individually for each model by clicking the update button for that model
in the model list. Alternatively, you can update the charts for all models by clicking the button at the
bottom of the list of models. Update the model charts for this schedule.
4. Analyse the data to ensure the values are correct. The low grade values should be less than the
high grade values. This information is for the entire model. This is why the waste in the model is
almost 2.5 billion cubic metres. When the locations are defined, the volume of materials can be
charted for the individual locations.
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The charted information is useful for validating that you have selected the correct material classes
for reporting in the model as well as giving clues as to what the expected quality values are within
the defined material classes. It is also highly useful in situations where block models are updated
frequently and you need to ensure you have the most current version of the model.
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Setup schedule Setup Schedule step
Setup schedule
In this step, you will look at setting up the specific information for the mining locations, validating these
locations, and defining resources for scheduling from the locations. As you progress through this chapter,
you will explore the various functionality of each section.
Setup Schedule step

Initiate the Setup Schedule step by selecting it in the step Navigator.
There are nine sections to the Setup Schedule step:
• Location definition
• Location evaluation
• Development resource definition and assignment
• Production resource definition and assignment
• Production precedences
• Production parameters
• Working calendars
• Activities
• Targets
In this tutorial, you will take a detailed look at the location definition, evaluation and resource definition
sections, and you will use some of the functionality of the working calendars.
Define mining locations

You can define mining locations using the Canvas. You can also create them in spreadsheet mode, for
information on this, please see the chapter at the end of this tutorial. The Canvas allows you to
graphically construct the mining network and include material movements. This interface works closely
with the properties panel positioned to the right of the Canvas.
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Setup schedule Define mining locations
Task: Discover the functionality of the Canvas

The Canvas is divided into three sections, illustrated here:
1. Create a new location by clicking and dragging a mining location from the toolbox to the Canvas.
A location is created called ‘location_1’. If you drag a second location to the Canvas, this location
will be automatically called ‘location_2.’ You can drag as many locations as required to the Canvas
or, with the location type selected, hold down CTRL and click multiple times in the Canvas. A new
location is created at each point you click in the Canvas.
2. Click the Defaults… button at the bottom of the toolbox. The options allow you to change some of
the properties of the items within the toolbox. For example, you can browse to select a default
image to use and change the location name prefix and the start value for the incrementing number
suffix as well as the increment value.
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3. Drag the five different location types onto the Canvas; a mining location, a stockpile location, a fill
location, a process location, and a development location.
4. The upper portion of the toolbox contains the select tool and the material movement definition tool.
The material movement tool allows you to define material movement rules between locations by
clicking and dragging between the relevant locations. In some cases, material movement is not
possible. For example, you cannot move material from a process to a mining, fill, or stockpile
location. MineSched will only allow material movements to be created that are valid.
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5. Note that when you define a material movement rule, the material movement grid is populated
automatically in the right-hand panel.
6. Another helpful feature of the interactivity between the data grid and the Canvas is when you place
the mouse pointer over an entry in the data grid, the elements named in that row of the grid will be
highlighted on the Canvas to make it easy to identify the correct elements.
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The highlighting also works the other way, placing the mouse pointer over a location on the Canvas
will highlight the rules in the grid that apply to that location. Selecting a location in the Canvas will
darken that highlighting.
7. The select option in the toolbox allows you to select items on the Canvas and manipulate their
properties. Select each location type and investigate the properties tab in the panel on the right.
These will change for each individual location type.
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8. The Canvas itself has properties similar to other graphical editing software. Right-clicking and
dragging in the Canvas area will zoom in/out as will rotating the mouse wheel, if you have one.
Holding down both the left and the right mouse buttons and dragging will pan the image as will
holding down the mouse wheel if the functionality exists on your mouse.
9. Right-clicking in a blank area in the Canvas will reveal a menu with some functions available for the
Canvas in general.
The Organise menu item will enable MineSched to use a simple hierarchical structure to organise
the items in the Canvas. Items will be organised based on the level they appear in the material flow
network. For example:
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Another option is to show only the material movement for the selected item. This is very useful in
situations, like above, where there are many material movement rules that exist between many
locations. Filtering the material movement arrows on the Canvas by the selected item can make
the set up of the schedule easier to understand.
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10. Right-click an item on the Canvas will also give the option to delete that item. Items can also be
deleted by selecting them and pressing the DELETE key. As a lot of information can be stored with
a location, you will be prompted for a confirmation to delete each location you choose to delete.
11. Delete all items you have created on the Canvas and return to the Canvas containing the UG
development and the two stockpiles as displayed initially in the Canvas.
Task: Define the stopes for scheduling

1. Drag a new mining location onto the Canvas, and select it to fill in the properties.
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2. Start with the name of the location. Change the name from location_1 to 1_LEVEL_PANELS. The
model name is automatically selected because this is the only defined geological model data. If
multiple geological models exist, you will be required to choose the model.
Locations can also be made inactive. This is useful when trying different options for scheduling.
You can make a location inactive without deleting the entire definition.
3. Now right-click the location icon in the properties panel. This will allow you to change the colour of
the existing image or choose a unique image for that location.
4. Change the colour of the stope to make it more distinguishable from the other locations that will be
defined.
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5. Define the blocks from the model that make up the mining location. This is done by using block
model constraints. In this case, the stopes are stored as 3DM files so the mining location will
simply be inside the 3DM. Up to six constraints can be used to define a location.
Where locations are complex or contain many blocks, it is often better to make a constraint file
prior to scheduling and use this.
6. You have defined the location name and the blocks that make up the location. The rest of the
properties determine how the location will be mined.
Note that in this portion of the properties, the interface changes depending on selections in the
fields. For example, mining by polygon requires the definition of a polygon string file. Selecting this
mining method will display the relevant field.
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A description of these fields is as follows:
Field Description
Mining Method The relevant mining method. Underground mining is typically done using the ‘whole’ method as
this means that the whole vertical extent of the location is advanced in the mining direction. This is
very common for stoping where rings of holes are fired in succession to draw the stope. Cut and
Fill mining scenarios may use the ‘whole’ method of mining or the ‘benches’ method.
In this tutorial, you are defining a single location for all of the stoping panels on that level so it is
relevant to use Solids as the mining method. This way youcan sequence the solids within the
location. Each panel is approximately 40m long.
Solids File The solids file that contains the solids used for this location. The solids must be valid and each
solid should be a separate object number. Solids that have multiple trisolations of the same object
will all be mined at the same time in the sequence.
When mining by solids this will act as a constraint also so technically you do not need to add the
solid as a constraint in the constraints section of the locations definition.
String File When mining by bench, no reference to a string file needs to be made. This string file is only
Name required if consolidate blocks is set to yes, and you wish to produce consolidated graphical
results.
With no string file referenced, the animation will not be spatially located correctly. When mining by
polygon or bench polygon the string file is necessary as this is where the polygons are referenced
for each location. If the mining method is solids or whole a string file is specified in order to create
valid graphical results.
Object Range The range of the solids or the sequence of the solids that will be honoured when scheduling.
These can be entered manually or chosen graphically. In this tutorial, you will choose them
graphically in the next section.
String Position When mining by polygon, bench polygon, or solid the string position refers to where the string is in
relation to the solid so that when the graphical solids have been created they will be spatially
referenced correctly. In this tutorial all strings are taken at the middle elevation of the stope.
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Field Description
Mining The direction for the advancement of the mining face. For longer term or target scheduling, this
Direction can be set to none to allow MineSched full flexibility to decide which blocks are best to mine at
given times.
Sometimes the mining method or geographical nature of the location means that a constant face
and mining direction must be maintained. This field has cardinal compass directions as well as the
ability to specify the direction based on a description field in a polygon string file or you can simply
type in the azimuth as a number between 0 and 360.
Consolidate Consolidating blocks is used in conjunction with the mining direction. For example, when
Blocks? consolidate blocks is set to yes, and the mining is set to north, the blocks for that location or
polygon in the east-west direction will be consolidated into a single block representing the mining
face across the direction if mining. The consolidate blocks option is usually set to yes for
short-term, polygon, or underground mining but creates inflexibility for long-term or target
scheduling.
X and Y Mining The mining block size is based on the mining equipment used. Effectively, this is the smallest
Block Size dimension block your equipment could practically extract from the location. For instance, it is
pointless to set your mining block size to 1 x 1 if the ring spacing is 4 metres.
Another way to look at this is what is the smallest area you would be prepared to move all of your
equipment to mine and then move all the equipment elsewhere? This setting effectively re-blocks
the geological model. While the geological model may have a block size of 5m x 10m, the size of
the mining equipment means that the blocks may be resized to 50m x 50m.
When initially setting up a schedule you should set your mining block size to a relatively large size
so that the schedule runs quickly. Once you get closer to your final schedule, you should then
reduce the block size based on your mining equipment selectivity. This will ensure the most
efficient use of MineSched and will allow you to achieve your final results in less time than if you
start scheduling with a small block size.
Z Size The height is used to set the height of the graphical solid created for displaying the schedule
graphically when the mining method is solids, whole or polygons.
7. Set the definition for the mining location as shown in the screen image below.
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8. The use of Partial Percentages is relevant to this schedule. As the stopes are relatively small, the
difference in block volume using the centroid in/out method would cause a bigger than acceptable
discrepancy. The partial percentage can be applied to the first listed constraint or the solid in this
case as they are the same set of solids.
9. The location has now been defined. Use similar definitions to define the other 17 levels. These will
be named similarly. Alternatively, you can do this in spreadsheet view, which is investigated in the
next task.
Use a different colour for each level to give the Canvas graphical meaning. An item on the Canvas
can be duplicated by right-clicking and choosing to make a copy. Then the information that
changes can be edited.
10. After making many changes such as this to your scenario, save your scenario. This can be done
using the Save function from the Scenario menu in the upper left of the main MineSched window,
or by using the keyboard shortcut CRTL+S.
Task: Investigate the spreadsheet view

Alternatively, the locations could be defined using the Spreadsheet view. In this task, you will look at how
the spreadsheet view interacts with the Canvas and properties.
1. To open the Spreadsheet View, choose Spreadsheets > Enable Spreadsheet Views.
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2. There are nine available spreadsheet views that can be enabled separately. Choose
Spreadsheets > Mining and Fill Locations to enable the location definition spreadsheet view.
After this has been done a message displays above the Canvas:
3. The spreadsheet view can be accessed from the tabs that appear below the Canvas. Click the
Locations tab.
4. The spreadsheet view shows the exact same properties for the location definition. All location
information can be driven from this view. For example, add a new location to the spreadsheet as
shown below:
5. Select the Canvas tab to move back to the Canvas view. You may need to zoom out to see, but the
location has now been added to the Canvas, and the properties entered have been attached to the
location.
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Setup schedule Evaluate mining locations
6. Note also that the tools for adding a mining or fill location have been locked as have the tools for
editing the properties of the item. Creation and modification of locations can only be driven either
from the Canvas view or from the spreadsheet view.
7. Disable the spreadsheet view by choosing Spreadsheets > Enable Spreadsheet Views.
8. When you are choosing to disable this option, the spreadsheet view will not be retained and will be
constructed again from entered values if enabled again in the future. Select Yes.
9. The functionality to create and modify locations in the Canvas and its properties is now enabled
again.
10. Delete the EXAMPLE location that was created.
11. Save your scenario. The location creation step has now been completed.
Evaluate mining locations

The evaluate mining locations section is used to replace the Prepare Model step in V5.1; however, it is no
longer compulsory to run this prior to scheduling. Upon scheduling, if the locations have not been
evaluated, MineSched will run this automatically.
The Evaluate Locations section is important to ensure that the location definitions are correct prior to
running the schedule. This can save considerable time. This is similar to the Validate Model section;
however, the charts are now constrained by each location definition.
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When MineSched is choosing which locations to evaluate, it considers the changes made to fields in the
location definition section as well as if changes have been made to any referenced files such as block
models and string files. Only the locations where a change has occurred will force MineSched to evaluate
that location.
Task: Evaluate the defined locations

1. Select the Evaluate Location icon. If you have made any errors in the definition, this will be
displayed in the screen.
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If this is the case, click Check schedule setup for errors to get a report. For example, if the
geological model file was moved the error report would look something like this:
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2. After the errors have been fixed, you can update the charts for the locations. As with the charting
option in the Validate Geology section or the Evaluate Development Headings section, this can be
done individually for each location or can be done for all the locations at the same time.
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Setup schedule Tips regarding location definition
3. Generate the charts for all of the locations. You can do this individually or all at the same time.
A chart is created for each location. The Volume and Mass of each material class are charted as
well as the qualities within each material class and any user calculations.
Tips regarding location definition

There are some handy tips to help you manage the data and speed up the location evaluation process.
While this dataset does not take very long to prepare, some datasets can take longer where block model
blocks are small or many attributes have been defined.
Use constraint files

Where possible, if a location is defined as all the blocks between two DTMs (for instance a pit design and
topography), it is best to create a constraint file for use. As evaluate locations can be used regularly,
constraining a large block model between two DTMs that could contain thousands of triangles will take
some time as each block is checked against each triangle to see if it is inside or outside of the constraint.
In contrast, a constraint file is simply an index of blocks satisfying the original constraint. Therefore,
processing of constraint files is very rapid.
Use larger mining blocks

Initially, when setting up a schedule it is best to use larger mining block sizes. This will have little effect on
the end result of the schedule but will enable the process to run faster. The effect is that grades will be
more homogenised within each material class, and if target scheduling, there will be less flexibility. After
you are satisfied with the setup, you can reduce the block size to your desired size.
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Setup schedule Tips regarding location definition
Task: Save your scenario

Save the scenario. The next part of the tutorial will discuss mining resources and constraints on the
mining activity.
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Mining constraints Mining rates
Mining constraints
A mining constraint is simply any part of the mining process that can affect the way in which the schedule
can be generated. Constraints can be physical limitations, such as the availability of mining equipment or
can be driven by external sources such as client requests for particular qualities of ore.
Mining rates
Mining rates are perhaps the most common and most influential constraints on the schedule. Mining rates
can vary depending on the resource, or they can vary depending on location. For instance, a longhole
machine may only be able drill a maximum of 100 metres per day. Similarly, multiple longhole machines
may not be able to fit within a single stoping area so high rates cannot be achieved.
Mining rates can vary over time also. For example, during some periods, there may be fewer personnel
available to operate the machinery so lower rates are expected.
Furthermore, mining rates can be dependent on material type. If a material is significantly denser than
other materials, it may take longer to mine so you could expect reduced rates. Or, for example, when
handling toxic (radioactive or acidic) material, it may need to be transported to a different location for
treatment or encapsulation resulting in a longer haulage route causing reduced rates.
MineSched handles the input of rates directly against individual locations. Rates can be varied depending
on time, events, or material classes.
Resource availability
The availability of resources is another common constraint on mining. Resources can become
unavailable due to scheduled maintenance or more commonly from their use in other parts of the project.
For instance, the same bogger could be used for three different stopes. The availability of this bogger
would depend on the status of these stopes.
MineSched controls resource availability through the use of detailed resource specific calendars and
prioritising locations and the use of location precedences. MineSched’s scheduling engine carries out
resource leveling directly within MineSched so that resource capacities are never exceeded.
Physical constraints
Physical constraints are usually less tangible in nature and sometimes cannot be determined until you are
confronted with a situation. Most, however, are common sense. For example, the mine may have several
stopes. In a single mining period, you do not want the resource to be able to mine from all of the locations
as too much time will be lost moving equipment. You may want to constrain the resource to two or three
active locations per period.
Other examples include not wanting to have too many stopes active at the same time or not wanting to
mine in a stope adjacent to a stope where charging is taking place.
A common physical constraint in underground mining may include the shape of the stope. When a stope
becomes too narrow or contains geotechnically sensitive areas, the mining sequence or rate may need to
be altered to effectively mine the stope.
MineSched controls many of these constraints through different production properties or targets and
ratios.
The more constraints you place on your schedule, the less likely it is to meet your desired outcome.
However, the mining process will be modeled more accurately and produce a more practical schedule.
This is particularly the case when scheduling to produce a specific quality target.
If the constraints you have placed on the schedule mean that there is only one specific way that blocks
can be mined, it is unlikely you will meet your quality targets but likely that you will have a valid, practical
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Mining constraints Physical constraints
schedule. By loosening the mining constraints, you may meet your quality target, but produce an
impractical schedule.
Achieving your targets with a practical mining schedule is generally the goal of the MineSched user. A
balance may have to be struck between ease of mining and achieving your quality targets. MineSched
gives you the tools to assess various options efficiently so you can decide on the schedule that best
meets your objectives.
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Production resources Resource definition and assignment
Production resources
Resource definition and assignment
The Production section allows you to define resource names and working capacities as well as assign the
resources to perform the work in the locations. Without resources defined, it is not possible to schedule
the movement of any material.
Task: Become familiar with the resources section

1. Click the Production section button.
The production section is divided into three parts.

♦ The Resource Toolbox allows you create and name new.
♦ The Canvas is where you can drag a resource from the Resource Toolbox to a mining
location. This is how you assign a resource to a mining location.
♦ The Property Grids control the various options relating to both the resource capacities and
the individual production rates within each location.
2. The resources that were defined for development are already available to use for production as the
resource is to be a shared resource. In this tutorial, you will have separate resources for
development and production. Add a new resource by clicking the add button above the resource
toolbox.
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3. The name of the resource can be changed by clicking the Name field in the newly created tool.
Change the name to STOPE_CREW. Similarly, to the location icons the pictures can be changed
by right-clicking the image. The colour can also be changed.
4. Note that the Property panel has updated to show the resource capacity properties associated with
the created resource.
5. When a resource is initially created, it has no defined capacity. This is the only mandatory field that
must be configured. By default, the capacity unit will be MASS (however VOLUME, LENGTH, or
any aggregated quality is acceptable), and the material classes contributing to the capacity will be
all material classes. The capacity of a resource can be changed over time. Set the resource
capacity to 5000.
6. To assign a resource to a mining location, simply click and drag the resource from the toolbox and
to a location. When the resource is assigned a field activates next to the location on the Canvas
asking to enter a maximum rate for the resource in that location.
Production rates can be any number zero or greater. The MAX_RATE does not necessarily have to
be the same as the resource capacity. This will be explained in more detail later.
7. Drag the resource to allocate it to the location 1_LEVEL_PANELS.
8. Notice when the resource is assigned to a location, the property grid on the right has switched to
the Production Rates grid. Assigning each location will add another row to the grid. This grid
supports the use of wildcards.
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For example, rather than assigning the resource to each location individually, you could change the
location name from 1_LEVEL_PANELS to *_LEVEL_PANELS and this would make the
assignment the same for each of those locations that match the wildcard definition.
Fields that allow the use of wildcards will include the … button which will access the Wildcard
Expression Builder form.
The Wildcard Expression Builder shows a list of available items on the left and the use of a
wildcard expression in the top field will produce the results shown on the right-hand side.
If there are no consistencies in naming of the items, you can build a list of items by double-clicking
them in the left-hand side to add to them to the list on the right-hand side.
The use of wildcards can be very powerful in MineSched, but in some cases, they can reduce the
flexibility. In this case, you want to be able to control the individual precedences of each stoping
level so you need a separate entry in the grid for each stope.
9. Assign the resource to each location individually.
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10. Save your scenario. You have defined enough information to get a result from our schedule.
Initially, you will run the schedule and then return to the Schedule Setup to make the schedule
more practical.
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Create schedule The MineSched timeline
Create schedule
The Create Schedule step involves the setup of the time periods for scheduling, creating the schedule,
and analysing the scheduling results in a dashboard prior to publishing them.
The MineSched timeline

When a MineSched scenario is initialised a default timeline spanning one-year scheduled at monthly
intervals is created. This can be modified.
Task: Define a timeline for the schedule

The timeline for the schedule has already been created in the previous tutorial. Please review it before
you proceed.
1. Click the Create Schedule step. The default view would be as follows:
2. To change the timeline, click the Change Periods button.
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Create schedule The MineSched timeline
When defining the periods for the schedule, each line represents the definition for a set of periods,
also known as an epoch. For example, an epoch in the above schedule is the periods defined
between 01/01/2011 and 01/01/2012. This epoch represents four periods each lasting for three
months.
The MineSched timeline can be defined using short period lengths such as days or long period
lengths such as years. Multiples of each time unit can be used to be able to define periods of any
lengths.
For example, in the above image, the schedule starts on 01/01/2010. The date format is the same
as that defined in your Windows System Regional Settings. The schedule consists of five epochs:
♦ The first epoch schedules daily for 31 days (the length of January).
♦ The second epoch is defined as two periods of two weeks each.
♦ The third epoch completes the year by defining the remaining months on a monthly basis.
♦ The fourth epoch extends the schedule into the medium term by scheduling four periods of
three months length each, this is a schedule by quarter.
♦ The fifth, and final, epoch extends the schedule into the long term by scheduling the final five
years on a yearly basis.
3. The timeline will update dynamically as each epoch is defined. Try some different definitions to
become familiar. Note that the exact dates that indicate the extents of each epoch are listed to the
right.
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Create schedule Create the Schedule
4. This schedule will have three epochs. The start date for the schedule should be 01/01/2011 and
should run for a total of 18 months as shown below. The middle epoch runs for 32 days. This is
because 52 weeks is 364 days so the extra day in the year will be included in the next period to
keep the schedule on a month end budgeting format.
Create the Schedule

The schedule can be created by pressing the play button .
When the schedule is created, MineSched first analyses all of the entered parameters. If a problem
exists, MineSched will not proceed with the schedule, but will display a dialogue box outlining which
errors need to be fixed before scheduling can proceed. For example, a misspelled parameter:
When the schedule is running, MineSched will show the progress of the schedule by changing the colour
of the timeline as each period is completed.
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Create schedule The dashboard
It is also possible to run the schedule for only a given set of periods. This functionality is new to
MineSched 7.0 and makes it possible to efficiently create schedules.
Previously, in MineSched if a small change was made to the scenario that would only affect the final few
periods then the entire schedule had to be run. It is now possible to only run the schedule from that
period onwards (the previous periods must have been scheduled prior to running the schedule from a
period other than 1).
The ability to schedule from periods other than period one is controlled by sliding the orange dots on the
timeline to define the scheduling periods to create the schedule for.
Task: Create the schedule

Create the schedule, if any errors are produced, follow the instructions and fix the errors and then create
the schedule again.
The dashboard
After the schedule has been created, the dashboard can be customised to produce various charts and
reports to validate the schedule before the results can be published to external sources.
Task: Add a report to the dashboard

1. A development summary report already exists for this schedule. Add a production summary report
and drag it to the panel that has the reports so it exists as another tab in that panel.
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2. The reports can be grouped like most data grids in MineSched by dragging the column headers
into the space above the reports. Group the report by Location.
Task: Add a chart to the dashboard

1. Click the Add Chart button. There are a number of standard charts that can be added and one
option to create a custom chart. The custom chart allows you to create a chart from scratch. You
can edit the standard charts if necessary. The production locations chart will draw a chart that will
display the MASS mined in the production locations in total for each period.
2. Add the Production Locations Chart.
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3. When you have more than five items in a default chart, a dialogue is presented where you can
choose the items you wish to chart. Use a wildcard to specify all of MASS* series to chart for each
of the locations.
4. The chart can be customized by right mouse-clicking in the chart area and choosing Customise.
5. Many items can be changed in the chart customisation. This includes the value charted, locations
to chart, material classes to chart, resources contributing to the value, chart type, which axis to
chart the value against, and the colour in the chart.
6. Explore the different options for charting and see how it affects the display of the chart. Note that
you can change the title of the chart as well as the location of the legend.
The colours of the charted values can be defined in a custom format which activates a new field
where colours can be selected. Alternatively, colours in the charts can be set automatically based
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on the colours defined in Setup Schedule and Define Geology for material classes, locations, and
resources.
7. After you are finished exploring the options, customise the chart to show mass of each of the
production locations. Each series should be shown as a stacked bar graph type.
Task: Arrange the Dashboard

1. By default, when items are added to the dashboard, they are added as another tab. You can move
or tile the items.
2. To rearrange the dashboard, click and drag the title bar of one of the tabs, a locator will appear in
the window that allowing you to attach the item to the other window to the top, bottom, left, or right
or to reapply the item as a tab by selecting the middle option.
3. Arrange the dashboard as you would like to see it. Add more charts or reports if you like.
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4. Each time you create the schedule, the dashboard will be updated with the new information of the
schedule.
5. Save your scenario.
Next, you will look at the various results that can be published for a schedule.
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Publish results Create graphical results
Publish results
You can publish the schedule in various ways:
• Graphical outputs can be published and animated in Surpac.

• Reports can be published to Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access.
• Gantt Charts can be published to Microsoft Project.
• Mining block period information can be written back to the block model.
By looking at the dashboard, you may notice a problem with the schedule. The stopes start mining
immediately, not when the development reaches them. You can confirm this with the graphical results.
Create graphical results

The graphical results section allows the creation of the mining blocks, bench plans, end of period
surfaces, and development headings. Bench plans and End of Period Surfaces are more applicable to
surface mining. In this tutorial, you will create the block graphical results and development headings.
The various options in the Blocks panel include the output file prefix, whether to create solids or filled
polygons for the animation. Locations can be filtered, and you can choose the qualities to output and the
decimal places. These values will be added to the description fields of the strings created in the graphical
results.
Task: Create the graphical results

You can create the graphical results in either in the working directory or any directory that was previously
created in Windows Explorer.
Store all files you wish to keep outside of the Results folder. All files in the Results folder are deleted
each time the schedule is run to ensure no contamination from previous runs of the schedule.
The output date format will also be written to the description fields of the strings created in the output.
1. Click the Create Outputs button.
2. The graphical results are ready to be animated.
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Publish results Animations
Animations
The animation section allows you to visually display the graphical results in Surpac. Various items can be
displayed such as the production schedule, development schedule, stockpiles, activities, and more. The
animation can be displayed in many ways and can be captured in a series of images for use in the
production of a video.
MineSched has three animation modes:
Mode Description
Added Display the blocks from one period at a time. That is, shows one period, then removes that period from
the screen and shows the next period.
Evolution starts with a blank screen, displays the blocks for the first period then, while keeping the previous
blocks on the screen shows the next period and so on
Removed Starts by showing all of the blocks that are mined during the entire length of the schedule and removes
the blocks that were mined for each period in sequence
Task: Animate the schedule

1. Animate the development and production schedule, and choose to display the production by
Removed and the development by Evolution.
2. After this has been defined, click the Animate button.
3. When you click the Animate button, Surpac will become active. You may need to select Surpac
from the Windows taskbar to bring the window to the front.
4. Surpac will allow you to rotate and orient the view before pressing the ECS key to begin the
animation.
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Publish results Animations
5. The schedule can be re-animated after it finishes.
6. The animation can be shown in manual playback mode which allows you to advance the schedule
yourself. Try animating the schedule manually.
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Publish results Standard reports
Button Description
Return to the first defined period.
Return to the previous period.
Advance the schedule to an entered period number.
Advance display to the next period.
Advance display to final period.
Pause the animation and allow a point to be graphically

selected to get its details.
Window In on a part of the schedule.
Window out to the previous window orientation.
Zoom to extent of the data.
Rotate the view to a new orientation. When in rotation mode,

you can choose the Target Icon ( ) from the Main Toolbar to
select the centre point of rotation.
From the animation, you can see the first major problem with the schedule. All locations are being mined
at the same time, and this is not physically possible. The sequence of mining also seems to be incorrect.
This will be confirmed with a report.
Standard reports
There are several standard reports generated by MineSched. These can be output to Microsoft Excel as
CSV files, to Microsoft Access as a .mdb file, or added to an ODBC connected data source.
In this tutorial, you will not look at the standard reports as they are a fixed format, but it is recommend you
create the reports and view their contents. For production reporting the main reports that are created are:
Standard reports you wish to keep should not be written to the Results folder because this folder is
cleared of all data when the schedule has been run to ensure there is no contamination of results.
Custom reports
Custom reports are used to integrate the results into another system. Reports are created in a .csv file.
They can be linked to templates to enable the data to be analysed further.
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Publish results Custom reports
Task: Explore the custom report functionality

1. Add report by clicking the add button in the report panel on the left.
2. The report definition is split into two sections. The top section contains some general information
about how the report will be laid out.
Field Description
Output File Name The name for the report created.

Report Type The report type. Options are: summary, detailed and location.
 Summary reports contain a summary of information for each period.
 Detailed reports separate the report by period and by bench or polygon depending on the
mining method.
 Location reports are similar to detailed reports but do not provide as much detail. Location
reports are fixed format and are useful for troubleshooting your mining locations.
Periods by Row or The report layout. In the .csv file, you can have one row for each period or one column for each
Column period. Changing this option will change the layout of the fields in the group section below to
more accurately represent how the report output will be laid out.
Excel Template The Excel file that is used as a template. Templates can be created separately and then
referenced here or can be automatically generated and then formatted later. You will create a
template later in the tutorial.
Title Method The creation of titles for the report can be automatically entered by MineSched from an analysis
of the information being filtered or can be constructed manually using the information from the
filtering and/or custom text information.
Title Lines The number of individual rows or columns to reserve for the titles of each individual reporting
field when Custom Titles is chosen. When Automatic Titles is chosen the automatic title is
created on a single line.
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The Report options button also provides some further options to change the layout of the report.
Field Description
Header 1 on Line The line of the file that contains the overall title for the whole report. This is different to the
title for each field of the report.
Header 2 on Line The line of the report that contains the creation date. Because you can generate many
reports for a schedule, having the date on the report is important.
Start on Line The line on which the body of the report starts. Individual information for each field will be
reported on this line.
Gaps after Titles The number of blank lines to leave between the field titles and the schedule values.
Gaps after Dates The number of lines after the period dates to leave blank before the data is written.
Separators before Total If a total is required, the number of blank lines between the data and the total.
The bottom section contains the filters for the values that will be written to the report.
Filter Description
Group Location Filter Where multiple locations are present, the filter used to report only locations of
interest. You can use wildcards to enter the locations here. Also, each location must
be separated by spaces, commas, or semi-colons.
This is a constraint that applies to all codes being reported.
Report Locations Individually This option allows the report to be combined in the sense that all locations are
reported in one unit or individually in that each location is reported as a separate set
of fields.
When locations are reported individually, the first title line is reserved for the location
name.
Title The title to place in the report for the value being reported. The number of title lines
here must correspond to the number of lines indicated in the format definition
section of the report definition.
When “Individual or Combined” is set to Individual the first title line will automatically
contain the individual location name regardless of what is entered here.
When the option to automatically generate the titles is chosen, this field is not
editable. The text is compiled based on the options chosen in the filtering section of
the report definition.
When Custom Titles is chosen, the construction of the title is left to the user.
However, this can be quickly entered by using the drop-down list in the field. For
Period by Row reports, this menu displays by a right-clicking.
For example the title can be constructed in much the same way as building an expression.
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The above title will translate to:
Variable Description
Value The value you wish to include in the report. Some of these values are built into MineSched and some
are user values which are populated automatically.
Locations For each individual code you can constrain the report to only the locations of interest.
Materials The material or materials to contribute towards the value of the code being reported.
Resources Optionally you may constrain the report to only the quantities worked by specific resources.
Movement The movement of material when reporting stockpiles or processes. You can choose to report how
much material was added to the stockpile, how much material was removed from the stockpile, or
what the remaining balance of the stockpile is.
Factor The multiplier used on the reported value. This is useful for converting percentages or changing grams
to ounces.
Gaps After The number of blank rows or columns after the current row or column by placing a number in this field.
Task: Create a report for the schedule

A report that combines both a summary of all mining locations and the detail of each individual location
can be very useful for analysing results. To create this, you simply need to create two groups in the lower
section of the report definition.
In this way, you can define a report body showing a COMBINED report to summarise all locations
included with an INDIVIDUAL report summarising each individual location. Below is an example. There
can be any number of groups within a single report.
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1. You can get MineSched to automatically create the template interface by adding the name of the
template into the field the press the Create template button. The template is created and will be
used when the report is viewed.
2. There are two groups in this report definition. The first group is defined to report the four options
that you require for analysis of the schedule. The first title refers to All Stopes because this is the
summary information for all of the combined stopes in a single cell for the period.
3. The second group is identical to the first group; however, the option to Report locations individually
has been selected. This group can be quickly created by right-clicking the tab for Group 1 and
choosing to copy the group. Then Select the check box to report the locations individually. The
value of Title 1 has been changed to reflect the individual stope name that will be written to this
field. Whatever exists in this first title field will be replaced by the location name.
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4. To create the report, click the Create reports button at the top of this section. This will create all of
the defined reports that have been marked as Active.
To view the created report, you can either click the View Reports button at the top of this section
which will open all of the defined reports (and any defined templates), or you can click the View
Report button which will open only the defined report that is highlighted (and any defined
template). The report will be opened in Microsoft Excel.
Task: Edit the template for this report

1. Make sure the stope report is open with its template. Ensure that window you are actively editing is
the TEMPLATE_report_stopes.xlsx window.
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2. In this new document, format the report how you would like to view it. For information on formatting
Excel documents, refer to Microsoft Help.
3. Save this template (e.g. TEMPLATE_report_stopes.xls).

4. The report can be opened with the template.
You can incorporate links, formulas, and charts in templates as needed.
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Publish results Block model
Block model
The period that a block was mined can be written back to the block model if required. This is useful for
reporting and display purposes.
To write the periods back to the block model, type the name of the attribute to create and populate. You
can also filter based on location. Then click the Update Block Models button.
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Analyse the schedule Block model
Analyse the schedule

Now that you have some results you to review, you can identify major issues with the schedule. Analysis
shows that the tonnages and grades are being reported correctly; however, there is an problem with
timing.
Task: Identify the problems in the schedule

Look at the various results of the schedule. What issues do you need to address to make the schedule
more practical? Check your answers with those given below.
Answers
• All of the stopes are being mined at the same time.
• Equipment maintenance schedules or holidays have not been considered.
• The Stopes begin mining on day one but they shouldn’t start until the development allows them to
be available.
You will deal with these issues one at a time.
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Add calendars to resources Block model
Add calendars to resources

Calendars in MineSched exist as three different types:
• Global calendars that apply to all resources

• Resource-specific holiday calendars that define the periods of time the resources do not work
• Resource-specific working calendars that define the periods of time the resources do work.
Task: Define calendars for the schedule

1. Define calendars for the schedule such that there is no mining on Christmas day and during Lunar
New Year celebrations. Also, the resource will be unavailable every Sunday for half a day due to
servicing.
2. First you need a way to verify the changes in the calendar are being honoured. Based on the
current mining rate, the capacity of the resource is 5,000 tonnes per day which equates to 35,000
tonnes per week.
♦ If the resource is unavailable every Sunday for half a day, then the weekly capacity will
32,500 tonnes.
♦ The schedule runs for more than a year, so Christmas will affect the schedule.
♦ The Lunar New year will need to be entered as this will affect the schedule. The Lunar New
Year changes each year and is as follows: 2011 Feb 3, 2012 Jan 23, 2013 Feb 10, 2014 Jan
31. Because of this, you will need to put in a specific entry for each year.
3. In the Setup Schedule step, go to the Calendars section.
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4. To add a calendar, click the add button in the panel on the top left. Calendars can be working or
holiday type calendars and can be specified as globally or resource-specific. First, add the
resource specific maintenance schedule calendar.
5. As defined, above the STOPE_CREW_Service calendar repeats weekly and it is a holiday

calendar where no mining can take place with the resource on Sunday for 0.5 days. The frequency
is 1 in 1 which means the holiday occurs every one week in every one week.
This can be useful for specifying fortnightly calendars which may be one in two weeks or fosters
such as a five-day holiday for every 14 day period. This calendar lasts from the start of the
schedule to the end of the schedule.
6. To assign the calendar to the resource, click and drag the calendar from the toolbox on the left and
to the specific resource to which it applies.
7. Now add the Christmas Holiday Calendar. This will be a global calendar that recurs annually on
25/12 each year.
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8. This is a global calendar and when the global option is selected, the calendar is automatically
added to all of the available resources.
9. Finally, add the Lunar New Year calendar using the dates provided in step 1.
10. The length of the holiday varies in different Asian cultures. You can adjust this using the duration
field. Again, this is a global calendar and should be applied to all resources.
11. You will not use working calendars in this tutorial; however, here is an example. The resource does
not work for the full 24 hours in a day that can be modeled by using a working calendar. For
example, 1 hour may be lost during a shift change each day.
The resource rate will be adjusted accordingly during scheduling. In this tutorial, the resource
capacity defined is inclusive of the time lost during shift change. This is the suggested method of
setting up your scheduling parameters since it will result in less processing and, therefore, better
scheduling performance.
12. Delete the Working Time Calendar if you created one.
13. Run the schedule again, and look at the results in the dashboard.
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The results indicate that the resources are now producing the correct tonnes. The weekly
production has been decreased to 32,500 tonnes. In period 5 ,the production is 27,500 tonnes
because it is during this period that the Lunar New Year is observed.
Now that the correct production is being honoured, you can address the sequencing of the stopes.
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Sequence the stopes Starting the stopes using precedences from headings
Sequence the stopes

The sequencing of the stopes is two separate problems.
• First there is the triggering of the stopes. That is, the stopes are starting immediately, but they
should not start until the development has reached them.
• Second the panels within each level are not being sequenced correctly. They are simply mining
from the westerly most stope to the easterly most stope, but in reality the cross-cut needs to be
maintained, and the stopes should be mined from the outer ones towards the cross-cuts.
Starting the stopes using precedences from headings

In MineSched, you need to define which development drives must be finished before the stopes can start.
This is done by defining a precedence for the stope, or more specifically, defining which heading or
headings must be completed before the MAX_RATE can start in the stope.
Task: Integrate the production with development

1. Go to Setup Schedule > Production section, and go to the Production Rates data grid.
The stopes on each level cannot be started until all of the ore drives for the level have been
completed.
2. The timing of each rule is governed by the Date/event field. The rule can start at a given date, or it
can start after a given event. For example, it can’t start until after a heading has been completed.
Dates are entered using the calendar button in the field and events are entered using the ellipsis
(…) button. Click the ellipsis in the 1_LEVEL_PANELS row to add an event.
There are many options for events that can be used to govern when the MAX_RATE rule can start.
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Sequence the stopes Starting the stopes using precedences from headings
3. In this case, the rules can be started after a heading is completed. For 1_LEVEL_PANELS, select
the 1_LEVEL_THOR_EAST heading.
4. You also need to wait for the 1_LEVEL_THOR_WEST heading to be completed. To add a
secondary precedence, in the events table click the Copy button to create another row. Then edit it
to have the correct heading.
5. When you have added the two events, click OK, and the information will be added to the
Date/event field.
6. Repeat the steps above to add the correct headings for the remaining levels. Note that on some
levels there are more than two ore drives, so don't forget to look out for the ODIN and LOKI ore
drives.
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Sequence the stopes Sequencing stoping panels
When complete, the data grid should look similar to the one below. You can use spreadsheet views
to enter the information, which may be faster because formulas can be used.
7. Create the schedule again, and look at the dashboard and graphical results to ensure the levels'
stopes are being initiated at the correct times.
The stopes are now triggering at the correct time; however, the sequence of the individual panels
in each level is still incorrect.
Sequencing stoping panels

Currently, the stopes are sequenced in the order of their object number. In other words, object 1 is mined
first then object 2, then object 3, and so on. This does not offer a correct method for scheduling the
stopes in their sequence as you need to retreat the stopes towards the cross-cuts.
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Task: Sequence each stoping panel within each level

1. The sequence of the stoping panels is done in the location definition. Choose the Setup Schedule
> Locations section, and click the 1_LEVEL_PANELS location.
2. The sequencing is done by adding an object range to the properties of the location. An object
range can be entered like any range in Surpac.
<blank> All values in ascending order
1,5 1 then 2 then 3 then 4 then 5
1,5,2 1 then 3 then 5
1;4;5 1 then 4 then 5
3. For the location 1_LEVEL_PANELS, the solids file (..\Stopes\level_1_panels_1.dtm) contains the
objects 1, 2, and 3. To sequence the objects (stopes) in this file, simply add a range to the Object
range field (e.g. 3;2;1).
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4. Alternatively, you can graphically select the objects to define a range. To do this, click the Choose
Graphically button. This will open the objects in Surpac and allow you to select the objects for
scheduling. First, a form will be presented to determine how to handle the selection.
Field Description
Change View Rotate the graphical display of the solids to facilitate selection.
Zoom All Return the view of the solids to the starting state.
Shaded Solids Show the unselected solids in a shade of blue and when solids are selected they will
be coloured in a shade of red.
Wireframe Solids Show as wireframes only. In other words, no triangle faces will be shown.
Note: With no faces to select, the selection will rely on the string data associated
with the solid so the string number must be the same as the object number to use this
option.
Shaded Unselected Solids Show the solids displayed in a shade of blue and as each solid is selected, that solid
will disappear. This is very useful when the solids have very close geometry and to be
able to select some solids, means that overlying solids should not be shown.
Continue Sequencing Start selecting solids.
Apply Sequence Take the current selected sequence and apply it to the Object range field for the
location in MineSched.
Cancel Sequencing Discard the selected sequence and return to MineSched.
5. Using your desired display method, click Continue Sequencing and click the sequence of solids
from left to right to select it. If you selected an object incorrectly, you can click it again to deselect it
if your display mode is Shaded Solids. If you are using the display mode Shaded Unselected
Solids, you must return to the form to delete the current graphical sequence. You can return to the
form at any time by pressing ESC.
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6. After you have selected your sequence, press ESC, and click Apply Sequence.
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7. Repeat this process for the remaining levels. Use a stope sequence that retreats the stopes back
towards the cross-cuts. You can drag the design file into Graphics before starting the graphical
sequencer from MineSched. You can choose a sequence that either mines all of the one side then
the other on a level, or choose a sequence that mines from both ends at the same time.
For the remainder of this tutorial, the following sequences were used for each stope. You may
choose to mine the stopes in a different sequence.
Stope Object Sequence
1_LEVEL_PANELS 1;2;3
2_LEVEL_PANELS 5;6;8;7
3_LEVEL_PANELS 9;10;15;13;11;12
4_LEVEL_PANELS 16;24;23;22;21;17;20;19;18
5_LEVEL_PANELS 27;28;33;32;31;29;30
6_LEVEL_PANELS 34;35;36;41;40;37;38;39
7_LEVEL_PANELS 42;43;51;50;49;44;45;48;47;46
8_LEVEL_PANELS 61;60;63;62;52;53;54;59;55;58;56;57
9_LEVEL_PANELS 76;75;74;73;66;67;68;72;71;69;70
10_LEVEL_PANELS 87;86;85;84;77;78;83;82;81
11_LEVEL_PANELS 98;97;96;95;88;89;93;92;90;91
12_LEVEL_PANELS 108;107;106;99;100;105;104;101;103;102
13_LEVEL_PANELS 109;114;113;110;112;111
14_LEVEL_PANELS 115;120;119;116;118;117
15_LEVEL_PANELS 121;126;125;122;124;123
16_LEVEL_PANELS 128;131;130;129
17_LEVEL_PANELS 132;134;133
18_LEVEL_PANELS 135;136;139;140;137;138
8. After the sequences have been added, run the schedule again, and view the dashboard and the
graphical results.
Looking at the results (both in the dashboard and the graphical results), you can see that the schedule is
almost ready but there is still one major issue regarding the sequencing of the stopes, as well as a few
other timing issues.
The main issue is that the stopes on 10_LEVEL are finished mining before the stopes on 8_LEVEL and
9_LEVEL. This is because there are no restrictions on the resources mining the stopes except for when
they become available based on the ore drives being mined. There are a number of ways this can be
addressed depending on how you wish to perform the mining.
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Task: Update the mining sequence to remove the timing issues

The timing of the stopes can be resolved by assigning priorities to the resource rules for mining the
stopes or by defining block lag precedences between the levels. Both ways will resolve the issue but will
result in different results overall. First, you will look at priorities.
1. Choose the Setup Schedule > Production section and change the priorities of the rules in the
production rates grid. The upper levels will be a higher priority than the lower levels. When it comes
to assigning priorities the lower the number the higher the priority.
2. Create the schedule, and view the dashboard and graphical results.
The dashboard shows and the graphical results confirm that the stopes are now sequenced
correctly. Using this method, the resources are allocated to the upper levels as a preference even if
the levels below become available. Because of this, the stopes in one level must be completed
before the stopes in the next level can start.
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Sequence the stopes VERTICAL_LAG
3. Set the priorities of the production rate rules back to 100. This can be done quickly by highlighting
all the rows and changing the priority of a single rule and this change will be propagated to all of
the rows.
Next, you will look at controlling the timing of the stopes based on when blocks have been mined in
the stopes above. This is known as lags between levels.
4. Choose the Setup Schedule > Precedences section and add a
VERTICAL_LAG_ALL_DIRECTIONS for the stoping locations.
5. You must now define a spatial relationship between the levels to make the lag take effect. Add
each level to the spatial relationships data grid as follows:
VERTICAL_LAG
Valid Values – zero or any number greater than zero. The number is in the same units in which
Surpac is defined. If Surpac is working in imperial units then 100 will be 100 feet. If Surpac is
working in metric units 100 will be 100 metres.
Vertical lag controls the distance that the stope face in the stopes above must be away from the
face on the next stopes below. In other words, before a block on one stope can be mined, how
many blocks on the stope above must be mined before the block is available.
6. Create the schedule, and view the dashboard and graphical results.
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Sequence the stopes VERTICAL_LAG
Using this method, the timing of the stopes is also resolved. Additionally, more than one stoping
level can be mined at a time.
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Where to next? VERTICAL_LAG
Where to next?
This concludes a basic overview of underground scheduling in MineSched. Further tutorials will be
released providing examples of shorter term scheduling and will also cover some of the functionality of
MineSched not covered in these two tutorials.
Page 98 of 98

08 Underground Scheduling Production With Development V70 PDF

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UNDERGROUND SCHEDULING:

INCORPORATING PRODUCTION WITH

Gemcom Software International Inc. Tel +1 604.684.6550

Block model material classes ................................................................................................ 14

MineSched scenario management ........................................................................................ 19

Navigating the scenario .........................................................................................................20

Geological model data ........................................................................................................... 26

Setup schedule .......................................................................................................................38

Resource definition and assignment ...................................................................................................... 60

Create schedule ......................................................................................................................64

Publish results ........................................................................................................................72

Analyse the schedule ............................................................................................................. 83

Add calendars to resources................................................................................................... 84

Sequence the stopes .............................................................................................................. 88

• Surpac V6.1 or higher installed on your computer.

Data storage and familiarisation

Task: Setup data management hierarchy

The Surpac Production interface

Task: Set your working folder

The MineSched Production interface

The block model contains many attributes.

Ag Grade of silver in g/t

4. Cancel the form when finished.

Block model material classes

Material Class Value Description

Waste 0 aueq <= 0

MineSched scenario management

Navigating the scenario

Geological model data

Task: Open the existing scenario file

Defining geological models

• Configuring the model

Task: Add the model for scheduling

Select the material attribute from the newly generated list.

Optional Task: Assign material classes for the schedule in MineSched

5. Define the material class values as shown below.

Task: Continue configuring the model for scheduling

Task: Check the model for errors

Setup Schedule step

Define mining locations

Task: Discover the functionality of the Canvas

Task: Define the stopes for scheduling

A description of these fields is as follows:

Task: Investigate the spreadsheet view

Evaluate mining locations

Task: Evaluate the defined locations

Tips regarding location definition

Use constraint files

Use larger mining blocks

Task: Save your scenario

Task: Become familiar with the resources section

The production section is divided into three parts.

The MineSched timeline

Task: Define a timeline for the schedule

2. To change the timeline, click the Change Periods button.

Create the Schedule

Task: Create the schedule

Task: Add a report to the dashboard

Task: Add a chart to the dashboard

Task: Arrange the Dashboard

• Graphical outputs can be published and animated in Surpac.

Create graphical results

Task: Create the graphical results