PCBC GEMS

Guillermo Uribe.

Marzo 2017
 2

What is PCBC?
Planning and scheduling tool for Block Cave mines
– 100% specifically developed for Block (and panel) cave projects
Broad application with tools for initial concept studies
Operational tools for production management and reconciliation
Key inputs
– Block model of grades and rock types
– Draw point coordinates
– Mixing parameters
– Economic information
Key outputs
– Block cave footprint delineation
–
300,000 1.40000

Mineable reserve estimate 250,000

1.20000

1.00000

–
200,000

Production schedules 150,000

0.80000

0.60000

– Detailed planning reports 100,000

50,000
0.40000

0.20000

0 0.00000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
 3

Background to PCBC
First developed in 1987
Gemcom Software International
Currently most widely used software for
planning and scheduling of block cave
mines
– Freeport
Diering (2000)
– Rio Tinto
– Newcrest
– De Beers
– Codelco
– Consultants (3) and
– Other companies
 Production scheduling vs Development 5

scheduling
Development Production Schedules
Schedules

Draw point development

Rates of tunnel sequence (undercut shape)
development
Vertical mining rate
Allocation of PCBC DOES do this
(Production rate curves)
development crews
Application of constraints
and equipment
such as per tunnel limits
Timing to access
Give maximum tons per
production mining
mining period with material
blocks
qualitiy information
PCBC does NOT do this
(tunnels, orepasses etc) PCBC works above the draw points
 6
Where/When in project life cycle?

PCBC (Stand alone / GEMS)

Footprint Finder
Production Schedule optimization
CMS
LSQ

Block Cave Project life cycle (simplified)

Pre/Feasibility to Operational to
Implementation  Completion / Closure 
 7

Components of PCBC
Tons Dollar value

Footprint Finder 1,000

900
800
9,000
8,000
7,000

Dollar Value (M$)

700

Tonnage (Mt)
6,000

– Concept studies 600

500
400
5,000
4,000
300 3,000

– Best elevation 200

100
-
2,000
1,000
-

– Potential of block caving

2560
2620
2680
2740
2800
2860
2920
2980
3040
3100
3160
3220
3280
3340
3400
3460
3520
3580
3640
Elevation

Best Height of Draw

– Detailed footprint definition
– Mineable reserve (diluted)
Production scheduling
– Tons, grades per period for life of mine
Cave Management System (CMS)
– Daily or shift Tons / draw point
Operations tools
– Tools for assay and draw point observation
analysis
 8

Project Workflow – Step 1: GEMS Setup

Surfaces/Solids
1. Topo
2. Lith
Draw Points
Block Model 1.Type
1. Grade Names [Map] • Cones (XY)
2. Rock Types [Grade Names] 2. PRC (XY)
3. Colour Profiles 3. Display Profile

Prod Blocks

Copyright 2007, Gemcom Software International Inc.

 9

Project Workflow – Step 2: GEMS Setup …

Surfaces/Solids
1. Topo
2. Lith
Draw Points
Block Model 1.Type
1. Grade Names [Map] • Cones (XY)
2. Rock Types [Grade Names] 2. PRC (XY)
3. Colour Profiles 3. Display Profile

Block Caving Prod Blocks

1. Area
• Footprint
 Points WS
 Blist WS
 General Settings
 Economic Settings [Grade Names]
 Mixing Settings Generate / Import Advance Profiles
Draw Points
Copyright 2007, Gemcom Software International Inc.
 10

Foot Print Application

Clipping Level Mixing After Mixing Best height
polygon evaluated Process Process of draw

Block model Tons Dollar value

1,000 9,000
$, Dens, grades etc 900 8,000
800 7,000
Development Cost

Dollar Value (M$)

700

Tonnage (Mt)
6,000
600
5,000
500
4,000
400
3,000
One column 300
200 2,000
from Block 100
-
1,000
-
model 2560
2620
2680
2740
2800
2860
2920
2980
3040
3100
3160
3220
3280
3340
3400
3460
3520
3580
3640
Elevation
 Footprint application…

Tonnage (Mt) Tonnage (Mt)

-

-
50
100
250

150
200

100
200
300
400
500
600
700

2680 2320
2725 2380
2770 2440
2815 2500
2560
2860
2620
2905
2680
2950
2740
2995
2800
Tons

Tons

3040
2860
Elevation
Elevation

3085 2920
3130 2980
$val
$val

3175 3040
3220 3100
3265 3160
3310 3220
3355 3280
3400 3340
-
-

500
200
400
600
800

1,000
1,500
3,000
3,500
4,000

2,000
2,500
1,000
1,400
1,800

1,200
1,600

Dollar Value (M$) Dollar Value (M$)

11
Working with PCBC

 Draw point location- Draw point spacing

 Economic Information
 Draw column geometry
 Block model preparation
 Slice file construction
 Mixing Models
 Run Best Height of Draw (BHOD)
 Generate Sequence
 Production Schedule
Block Cave Area
Economic Information

• PCBC - Project- Economic Information

•Mining and Procesing Cost

•Cost Economic Surplus

•Grade Element: Revenue factor=

net price metal*unit factor *
Metallurgic Recovery
Draw Cone Geometry – Example1
 Create layout Draw Points
1. Create a clipping polygon
2. Define a advanced profile
3. Use to create the layout
PCBC  Draw Points  Draw Point Utilities  Generate layout in CSV
file

Offset

Brow

Minor

Major
Construction of Slice File Resources

+ +
Block models
Draw point locations
Note zones unique
or shared between
draw points
Draw cones

Contents:

+ = Resulting draw
Tons
Grades
Dollar value
Fracture Freq
% Fines
columns % Ore
% Unique
Overlapping draw cones
Slice File Construction
Slice file Example
 Different forms of material movement

T O
Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined

Caved Solid
T Toppling I F
R Rilling
Mixing horizon
O Open pit failure R
F Fines migration
C
C Chimneying V H
F Frozen E F
E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

BEFORE AFTER
Vertical Vertical
Legend Mixing Mixing

V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined

T Toppling SOLID

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration
CAVED
MATERIAL
C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined SOLID
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Different forms of material movement

Legend
V Vertical mix

H Horizontal

I Inclined CAVED
MATERIAL
T Toppling

R Rilling
Mixing
O Open pit failure Horizon

F Fines migration

C Chimneying

F Frozen

E Erosion
 Run Best HOD : Define Mining Reserves

Best HOD profile if Material too high to Best HOD profile

no limiting HOD consider as ore due to large when limiting HOD
is used underlying dilution zone is used

Limiting HOD profile

set to 300m in this case
Mining sequence
Boart Drill and Blast Schedule
End 1999 First Quater 2001
Jan 2000 Second Quater 2001
Feb 2000 Third Quater 2001
Mar 2000 Fourth Quater 2001
Apr 2000
May 2000 First Quater 2002
Second Quater 2002
21a 21 20a 20 19a 19 18a Jun 2000
18 Third Quater 2002
Jul 2000
17a Fourth Quater 2002
17 Aug 2000
16a Sep 2000 First Quater 2001
16 Oct 2000 Second Quater 2003
15a
15 Nov 2000 Third Quater 2003
14a Dec 2000
14
13a
13
12a
12
11a
11
10a 10 9a 9 8a 8 7a 7 6a 6 5a 5 4a 4 3a 3 2a 2 1a 1

21a
21
20a
19a
19 18a 18 17a 17
16a
16
15a
15
14a
14
13a
13
12a
12
11a 1
2 1a
11 2a
10a 3
4 3a
10 5 4a
9a 6 5a
9 6a
8a 7
8 7a

Palabora (A. Moss Geotechical symposium 2007)

 Production Scheduling
Opening Sequence Production Targets (Table)
Run Inputs
Step Period Days/period Method TONS New

1 Yr1 365 COMBO 1,460,000 48

2 Yr2 365 COMBO 2,190,000 48
TONSLOAD1 cero
3 Yr3 365 COMBO 2,920,000 48 TONSLOAD2 TOPO
4 Yr4 365 COMBO 3,650,000 48
TONSLOAD3 MINBT
5 Yr5 365 COMBO 4,380,000 48
6 Yr6 365 COMBO 4,380,000 48 !SEQUENCE 2
7 Yr7 365 COMBO 4,380,000 10 DPT_SEQ
8 Yr8 365 COMBO 4,380,000
9 Yr9 365 COMBO 4,380,000
10 Yr10 365 COMBO 4,380,000
Input
11 Yr11 365 COMBO 4,380,000
12 Yr12 365 COMBO 4,380,000
13 Yr13 365 COMBO 4,380,000
14 Yr14 365 COMBO 4,380,000
DPT_INPUT END 54,020,000 298 Draw Function

Tons Remaining Reserves

Prodtons.xlsx Draw Rate Feasible Area

Production Rate Closed Active New Idle Planned

Draw Point Sequence

Number
0 .7
Draw function
S e c o n d a ry ro c k
0 .6
Draw Rate (t/m2_day)

0 .5 Table
P rim a ry ro c k
0 .4

0 .3 Production Schedule 300,000 1.40000

0 .2
1.20000
0 .1

0
Schedule 250,000

200,000
1.00000

Bhod
0% 12% 30% 50% 80% 100% 500%
% Draw 0.80000
150,000
0.60000

PRC_INPUT Dpts 100,000

0.40000

Psinfo
50,000
0.20000

0 0.00000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

UCUT
Other Applications
 CMS. This is essentially a daily draw order production system. It monitors
daily actual tonnages and status per draw point and uses this to produce daily
draw orders which can be fed to an LHD dispatch system

 LSQ. This is a Least Squares draw point sample analysis tool which enables
calibration of draw columns against actual measured sample grades.

 A very practical interface with Microsoft Excel which allows concurrent

analysis of results in Excel

 Geological and Geotechnical tools especially generated for Block caving

mines.
 36

Concluding remarks
Mature product
– > 20 years experience
Small niche market
– Vital to have close working relationship with key customers
Proven to be effective
– High market acceptance
– Numerous validations and calibrations
Our task
– Keep product current with latest trends
– Provide top level user support
– Maintain lead position in the industry!
Acknowledgements
– Freeport, Rio Tinto, De Beers, Codelco
• Assistance with Custom Development projects
– Gemcom Software International – ongoing support !