BLOCK MODELLING

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OBJECTIVES
 To become familiar with Surpac’s Block Modelling module and the concept of
block modelling.
 To learn to fill a block model from drillhole data in a geological database.
 To learn to constrain a block model to filter out specific blocks.
 To learn report volume, tonnage, & grade from a block model.

FILES USED
Files used in this lab exercise are found in the following folder:

C:\BLOCK_MODELLING.LAB\

DISCUSSION
The Block Model is a form of spatially-referenced database that provides a means for modelling a
3-D body from point and interval data such as drillhole sample data. It is a method of estimating
volume, tonnage, and average grade of a 3-D body from sparse drill data.

Blocks and Attributes

Records in the Block Model are related to blocks. These are cuboid partitions of the
modeled space and are created dynamically according to the operations performed on
the Block Model. Each block contains attributes for each of the properties to be
modeled. The properties or attributes may contain numeric or character string values.
Every block is defined by its geometric centroid and it’s dimensions in each axis. Blocks
may be of varying size defined by the user once the block model is created.

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 Figure 1: Block model of oil sands coloured by attribute values (bitumen).

Constraints
All Block Model functions may be performed with constraints. A constraint is a logical
combination of one or more spatial objects on selected blocks. Objects that may be used
in constraints are plane surfaces, DTM’s, Solids, closed strings and block attribute
values. Constraints may be saved to a file for rapid re-use and may themselves be used
as components of other constraints.

Blocks meet a constraint (e.g.: below a DTM as in the figures below) if its centroid meets
that constraint. This is true even if part of the block is above the DTM.

Figure 2: Unconstrained block model in relation to a DTM surface.

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 Figure 3: Same block model as in Figure 2 but constrained by topography (DTM).

Estimation
Once a Block Model is created and all attributes defined, they must be filled by some
estimation method. This is achieved by estimating and assigning attribute values from
sample data which has X Y Z coordinates and the attribute values of interest. The
estimation methods that may be used are:

Nearest Neighbour Assign the value of the closest sample point to a block

Inverse Distance Assign block values using an Inverse Distance estimator

Assign Value Assign an explicit value to blocks in the model

Ordinary Kriging Assign block values using Kriging with Variogram parameters developed from a
Geostatistical study

Indicator Kriging Functions concerned with a probabilistic block grade distribution derived from the
kriging of indicators

Assign from String Assign data from the description fields of closed segments to attribute values of
blocks that are contained within those segments extended in the direction of one
of the principal axes (X, Y or Z)

Import Centroids Assign block values from data in a delimited or fixed format text file

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ASSIGNMENT
1. Add the attribute “gold_nn” to the block model.
2. Add the attribute “sg” to the block model.
3. Fill the “sg” attribute with the Assign Value method. Assign a specific gravity of 2.5 to all
blocks below the topography “topo1.dtm”.
4. Fill the “sg” attribute with the Assign Value method. Assign a specific gravity of 2.9 to all
block in the solid ore body “ore_real1.dtm”.
5. Fill the “gold_nn” attribute with Nearest Neighbour estimation method. Use the following
estimation parameters:
I. Composite file = samples1.str
II. Maximum search radius = 500m
III. Maximum vertical search distance = 9999
IV. Bearing of major axis = 0
V. Plunge of major axis = 0
VI. Dip of semi-major axis = 0
VII. Anisotropy Ratios
i. major / semi-major = 1
ii. major / minor = 1
VIII. Constraints: Inside 3DM (ore_real1.dtm)
6. Create a Block Model Report and report the following:
I. Average weighted gold grade
II. Average weighted specific gravity
III. Tonnage (multiplication factor = 11)
IV. Organized by bench (0,250,10)
V. Choose one of the available formats (.csv; .not; .htm; .rtf; .pdf)
VI. Constraints: Inside 3DM (ore1.dtm)

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USEFUL TOOLBAR ICONS
BLOCK MODELLING
Open Block Model
Close Block Model
Display Block Model
Add New Graphical Constraint
Remove Last Graphical Constraint
Remove All Graphical Constraint
Edit Block Model Constraint

Block Edge and Face Visibility

Add Slicing Plane Constraint
Remove Slicing Plane Constraint
Colour Model by Attribute
Remove Block Colours
Add Block Model Attribute
Delete Block Model Attribute
Edit Block Model Attribute
Block Maths
Identify Block Values
Block Model Report

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PROCEDURE
1. Add the attribute “gold_nn” to the block model.
a. Make sure you’re connected to the block model first. From the Navigator, click
and drag the block model “block_model.mdl” into the view port to connect to it.
Notice the special icon and name of the block model that appears in the status
bar.
b. From the Block Model menu, choose Attribute, New.
c. Fill the subsequent form as follows:

2. Add the attribute “sg” to the block model.

a. From the Block Model menu, choose Attribute, New.
b. Fill the subsequent form as follows:

3. Fill the “sg” attribute with the Assign Value method. Assign a specific gravity of
2.5 to all blocks below the topography “topo1.dtm”.
a. From the Block Model menu, choose Estimation, Assign value.
b. Fill the subsequent forms as follows:

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4. Fill the “sg” attribute with the Assign Value method. Assign a specific gravity of
2.9 to all block in the solid ore body “ore1.dtm”.
a. From the Block Model menu, choose Estimation, Assign value.
b. Fill the subsequent forms as follows:

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5. Fill the “gold_nn” attribute with Nearest Neighbour estimation method. Use the
following estimation parameters:
I. Composite file = samples1.str
II. Maximum search radius = 500m
III. Maximum vertical search distance = 9999
IV. Bearing of major axis = 0
V. Plunge of major axis = 0
VI. Dip of semi-major axis = 0
VII. Anisotropy Ratios
i. major / semi-major = 1
ii. major / minor = 1

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 VIII. Constraints: Inside 3DM (ore1.dtm)

a. From the Block Model menu, choose Estimation, Nearest neighbour.

b. Fill the subsequent forms as follows:

Please note that the above form specifies source data. In this case the gold grades are
contained in the file samples1.str in the second description field (D2). Feel free to open this string
file and from the Inquire menu use Point Properties to view the description information contained
in the D fields of each sample point.

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6. Create a Block Model Report and report the following:
I. Average weighted gold grade
II. Average weighted specific gravity
III. Tonnage (multiplication factor = sg)
IV. Organized by bench (0,250,10)
V. Choose one of the available formats (.csv; .not; .htm; .rtf; .pdf)
VI. Constrain the report to all block within the solid “ore1.dtm”.

a. From the Block Model menu, choose Block model, Report.

b. Fill the subsequent forms as follows:

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