J. Cent. South Univ. Technol.

(2007)02022505
DOI: 10.1007/s1177100700459

Deposit 3D modeling and application

LUO Zhou-quan(), LIU Xiao-ming(), SU Jia-hong(),
WU Ya-bin(), LIU Wang-ping()
School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Abstract: By the aid of the international mining software SURPAC, a geologic database for a multi-metal mine was established, 3D
models of the surface, geologic fault, ore body, cavity and the underground openings were built, and the volume of the cavity of the
mine based on the cavity 3D model was calculated. In order to compute the reserves, a grade block model was built and each metal
element grade was estimated using Ordinary Kriging. Then, the reserve of each metal element and every sublevel of the mine was
worked out. Finally, the calculated result of each metal reserve to its actual prospecting reserve was compared, and the results show
that they are all almost equal to each other. The absolute errors of Sn, Pb, and Zn reserves are only 1.45%, 1.59% and 1.62%,
respectively. Obviously, the built models are reliable and the calculated results of reserves are correct. They can be used to assist the
geologic and mining engineers of the mine to do research work of reserves estimation, mining design, plan making and so on.
Key words: geologic database; deposit model; cavity; reserves; SURPAC software

1 Introduction
The deposit three-dimensional model is the numeric
token of the deposit. Some international mining
corporations, such as Canadian VOISEYS Nickel
International and BHP-BILLITON Mining Multinational Corporation, applied the mining software to
build the 3D deposit model to realize the dynamic
management of the production and the reasonable using
of the resources, reduce the cost of resource exploration
and mining, and improve the benefit of the company[14].
Surpac Version is a kind of large-scale mining
engineering software produced by Australian Surpac
software International Pty Ltd. The software has been
licensed to 4 000 users in more than 91 countries, and
widely used in exploration, survey, mining design and
reclamation[56]. In this paper, the Surpac software was
used to establish a geologic database for a multi-metal
mine, the 3D models of the digging surface, geologic
fault, ore body, cavity and underground openings were

built, the volume of the mining cavity was calculated.

As well, a grade block model was constructed and the
Ordinary Kriging was used to estimate the metal
element grade, the reserves of the mine were worked
out according to each metal element and every sublevel
respectively. Finally, the calculated reserves to the
actual prospecting reserves of the mine were compared.

2 Establishment of geologic database

In order to establish the geologic database, we
collected almost all the prospecting data of the mine, and
chose the main elements, including Sn, Pb and Zn, as the
territorial variables. Then, we used the Surpac Version
5.0-K and the collected data to establish the mines
geologic database. The datasheet structure of the
geologic database is shown in Table1.
Geologic database is the foundation of 3D modeling.
It is necessary for building 3D model of ore body,
analyzing the borehole data, estimating the metal element
grade and calculating reserves[710]. The geologic database

Table 1 Datasheet structure of geologic database

Table name

Field

Collar

Borehole name

Y coordinate

X coordinate

Z coordinate

Survey

Borehole name

Distance

Obliquity

Azimuth angle

Geology

Borehole name

Sample start point

Sample end point

Rock type

Sample

Borehole name

Sample start point

Sample end point

Sn grade

Foundation item: Project(50490274) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
Received date: 20060424; Accepted date: 20060627
Corresponding author: LUO Zhou-quanProfessorPhDTel: +86-731-2239239E-mail: lzq505@hotmail.com

Borehole depth

Pb grade

Zn grade

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226

has powerful post-processing functions, which can be

used to edit, inquire, update, analyze and display the data
visually. Fig.1 shows the 3D displaying of the spatial
location of the boreholes.

borehole data. We should choose the proper method

according to the aim of modeling. Generally, we should
use several methods synthetically to build the ore body
model in order to show the ore body shape exactly. Here,
we chose method 2 synthetically to build the ore body
3D model. Figs.4 and 5 show the 3D model of the ore
body and the mixed rock within the ore body.

Fig.1 3D displaying of spatial location of boreholes

3 3D modeling

Fig.3 3D model of geologic fault

3.1 Surface 3D model

Building the surface 3D model is to figure clearly
the spatial location relationship between the surface and
other spatial bodies, such as ore body and underground
openings. 3D model of the surface generated from the
mine surface contour map is shown in Fig.2.

Fig.4 3D model of ore body

Fig.2 3D model of surface

3.2 Fault 3D model

In order to realize the spatial relationship between
the geologic fault and the ore body, and comprehend the
impact led by the fault on the ore body during the period
of mining, it is necessary to build the geologic fault 3D
model based on 22 sheets of prospecting cross-section
plane, shown in Fig.3.
3.3 Ore body 3D model
Usually, there are two methods for ore body 3D
modeling[1116]. Method 1 is to build the ore body 3D
model using the prospecting cross-section plane. Method
2 is to build the ore body 3D model based on the

Fig.5 3D model of mixed rock

3.4 Opening 3D model

For the sake of reflecting the spatial relationship
between the ore body and openings, and also providing
the basis for other new opening design, we built opening
3D models. All drifts 3D models of 6 sublevels are built
based on the sublevel ichnography, other openings
models, such as ramp and raise, are built based on their
midline and actual cross-section size. Fig.6 shows the
opening 3D model of sublevel 355.
Fig.7 shows the compound model of surface,

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227

decomposed. The spherical variation function model was

used, the variation function was analyzed separately
along the ore body extend direction, proneness and the
thickness in three directions. Then main parameters of
theoretical variation function were educed, and the
reliability of the variation function curve was checked by
using cross-validate. In view of various elements
personal status distribution characteristic in the mining
area, the Ordinary Kriging was used to estimate each
main metal element grade[1720].

Fig.6 Opening model of sublevel 355

Fig.8 Distribution of cavities in sublevels

Fig.7 Compound model of surface, geologic fault, underground

opening and ore body

geologic fault, underground openings and ore body.

4 Cavity 3D modeling and its volume

calculation
Cavity 3D modeling is to realize the basic shape,
location, volume of the cavities, and the spatial
relationship between cavities and underground openings,
simultaneously to assist the following mining design
according to the three-dimensional configuration and the
position of cavity, and also to settle the foundation for
cavity stability numerical simulation. In order to build
the cavity model well, we accomplished the cavity 3D
model based on 22 sheets of actual surveying maps.
Fig.8 shows the distribution of cavities in all sublevels,
and Fig.9 shows the volume distribution of cavities in
different mining districts and classified by the situation
whether the cavity has been filled or not.

Fig.9 Distribution of cavity volume in different mining districts

Each metal reserve based on the grade block model

was calculated and the gradetonnage curve for each
metal was generated, as shown in Figs.10, 11 and 12.

5 Reserve calculation
In the interest of calculating reserves of the deposit,
we built the grade block model. Personal status model
unit block size for 20 m15 m10 m was definited and
the smallest unit block size for 5 m5 m2.5 m was

Fig.10 Gradetonnage curve of Sn

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J. Cent. South Univ. Technol. 2007, 14(2)

As well, every metal reserve in each sublevel was

calculated and subleveltonnage curve was created, as
shown in Fig.13.

Fig.14 Calculated reserves vs actual prospecting reserves

Fig.11 Gradetonnage curve of Pb

Fig.12 Gradetonnage curve of Zn

6 Conclusions
1) Surpac Version is a kind of practical large-scale
mining engineering software. With the help of it, the
geologic database of a mine is established and 3D
models of the surface, geologic fault, ore body, cavity
and underground openings are built.
2) Cavity volume based on the cavity 3D model is
calculated. A grade block model of the deposit is
constructed and the reserve of each metal and every
sublevel is worked out respectively.
3) Each calculated metal reserve to its actual
prospecting reserves of the mine is compared. The
absolute errors of Sn, Pb, and Zn reserves are only 1.45%,
1.59% and 1.62%, respectively. The results show that the
models are reliable and the calculated reserves are
correct. They can be used to assist the geologic and
mining engineers of the mine to do research work of
reserves estimation, mine design and plan making.

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Fig.13 Subleveltonnage curve of each metal

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The results of comparing each metals calculated

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shown in Fig.14. It is obvious that the calculated reserve
of each metal is almost equal to its actual prospecting
reserve. The absolute errors of Sn, Pb, and Zn reserves
are only 1.45%, 1.59% and 1.62%, respectively.

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