Intelligent Mining Software “Solutions” IMS - Model Export

Copyright © 2013 by William Seldon Mart and Geoff Markey. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

EXPOTING A MODEL

The Stratigraphy Page

The Region Page

The Restrictions Page

The Output Page

APPENDIX A: OUTPUT FILE FORMAT

APPENDIX B: OUTPUT FORMAT EXAMPLES

Example 1: Values exported with no range criteria

Example 2: Values exported using a minimum value of 0 for each assay

APPENDIX C: MASSAGING MODEL DATA IN MICROSOFT ACCESS

INTRODUCTION

IMS can export a model to an ASCII file so that it can be imported into other systems. E.g. the ASCII file can be imported into aspreadsheet or database where various algorithms and selection criteria can be applied to massage model quality values.The resulting file can then be imported back into the same model.

EXPOTINGA MODEL

  1. Load the required model into the 3D View Pane.
  1. Select the <Model<Import/ Export Cells<Export...> menu item (Figure 1)to display the first page of the model export parameters wizard.

Figure 1: Selecting the import/export option.

The Stratigraphy Page

Figure 2: Selecting the stratigraphies to export.

  1. Enter the name of the output file. IMSautomatically appends an extension (ASD) if one is not specified.
  1. Select the stratigraphic units (benches) that must be exported Use the selection buttons to the right of the stratigraphies list for quick selections of ore, etc. For example, if you want to select everything but stratigraphy 520 then:
  2. Press the <Select None> button to clear the list.
  3. Select stratigraphy 520.
  4. Press the <Reverse> button to reverse the selection.

The Region Page

Figure 3: Selecting the region of interest.

  1. Enter the starting and ending rows and columns to define the region of interest in the model.
  1. If a CAD layer is loaded then you can further restrict the cells to those that are inside a solid in that CAD layer.

The Restrictions Page

Figure 4: Selecting the qualities to export.

  1. Select the qualities to export.
  1. To restrict the range of values for the selected quality:
  2. Select the row containing the assay.
  3. Press the <Edit> button to display the Assay Range dialog box(Figure 5).

Figure 5: The assay range dialog box.

  1. Enter the minimum and maximum value of the range.
  1. Select which cells should be exported with respect to the qualities. This is either:
  2. cells which satisfy any of the range criteria, or
  3. cells which satisfy all of the range criteria.
  1. If cells that satisfy any of the range criteria are exported then values that are outside the range can be:
  2. written unmodified
  3. blanked out (not written).

NOTE:The flagged-out value for any cell (i.e. a cell which has been mined out or does not have a value inserted in the cell) is treated as a completely separate case and is assigned the value-999.

The Output Page

Figure 6: Output property page

  1. Select how the cell coordinates are written. The coordinates are one of the following:
  2. Row, column and stratigraphy numbers. Use this format if you plan to import the file into IMS later.
  3. Easting, northing and elevation of the cell centre. Use this format to import into other systems.
  1. If you want a header in the ASCII file then select the Header check box. The header describes the columns in the file.
  1. Select the Data for the roof of the topmost strat unitcheck box if you require that information.
  1. Select the Stratigraphy names check box to write the name of the stratigraphic unit along with the other information.
  1. Select theRemove blanks from each line check box if a smaller file size is more important than readability. An example of this option follows:

16,33,37,235.000,29.317,3.071,25.535,With blanks

16,33,37,235.000,29.317,3.071,25.535,Without blanks

APPENDIX A: OUTPUT FILE FORMAT

An IMS model is a stack of horizontal matrices each representing a two-dimensional grid of cells on a single seam or bench. When this model is exported as cell numbers the cells are written as follows:

z,y,x,elev,qual1,qual2,qual3,...

where

z=matrix number (strat unit/bench)

y=row number

x=column number

elev=elevation of the floor of this cell

qual1=1st quality/assay value

qual2=2nd quality/assay value

qual3=3rd quality/assay value

NOTE:

  1. The base point of anIMS model is located at the bottom right corner (southeast corner).
  1. The rows and columns are numbered starting with 1 at the base point, rows (Y) count from bottom to top and columns (X) count from right to left.
  1. Stratigraphic unit 0 refers to the structure of the roof of the top strat unit in the model.This stratigraphic unit has no assay values.
  1. Stratigraphic unit 1 corresponds to the top stratigraphic unit in the model.
  1. Assays are stored on the floor matrix of each stratigraphic unit. Assays for the first strat unit are in matrix # 1, assays for the second strat unit are in matrix # 2, etc.
  1. The elevation parameter is the same for all cells of the same matrix for an unmined block model (i.e. a model that has not undergone any volume calculations). When surface topography or a mine plan is extracted from the model using the mined out model will have its elevations (structure) changed for cells that have undergone partial mining.

APPENDIX B: OUTPUT FORMAT EXAMPLES

Example 1: Values exported with no range criteria

16,33,37,235.000,29.317,3.071,25.535,

16,33,38,235.000,-1.000,-1.000,-1.000,

16,33,39,235.000,-1.000,-1.000,-1.000,

16,33,40,235.000,-1.000,-1.000,-1.000,

17,31,20,230.000,31.813,6.259,24.734,

17,31,21,230.000,29.700,2.662,23.770,

17,31,22,230.000,-999.000,3.689,22.674,

Example 2: Values exported using a minimum value of 0 for each assay

16,33,37,235.000,29.317,3.071,25.535,

17,31,20,230.000,31.813,6.259,24.734,

17,31,21,230.000,29.700,2.662,23.770,

17,31,22,230.000,-999.000,3.689,22.674,

APPENDIX C: MASSAGING MODEL DATA IN MICROSOFT ACCESS

1. Export the model data to an ASCII file using <Model<Import/Export Cells<Export...>.

2.Create or open a database in Microsoft Access.

3.Read the ASCII file from step 1into the database as a comma delimited text file (CSV).

4.In Microsoft Access create the required queries to massage the data.

5.Create a new empty block model in IMS (<File<New<Model...> and <Model<Block Model Operations<Build Empty Block Model...>).

6. Update the empty model with the selectively dumped output from the database using the <Model<Import/Export Cells<Import...> menu item to produce a new model.

This process leverages the comprehensive power of a database query language to produce a modified model.

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