Gemcoms PC-BC for Block Caving

An update
April, 2007

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Overview of PC-BC
Introducuction and history
Basics
Draw points
Slice file construction
Best HOD
Production scheduler
Template Mixing
Related tools
CMS
Convergence monitoring
Geology tools
Footprint Finder

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Background of PC-BC
History
Developed in 1988
First production scheduler 1992
Upgraded mixing and graphics in 1994 (Northparkes Lift 1)
Windows conversion 1996
CMS development 2002
SQL upgrade 2003
Template mixing 2006
Leader in Block Cave Industry for Planning and scheduling

The real strength of PC-BC is the integration

with a mature General purpose planning
package (GEMS) and the underlying SQL
database

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 PC-BC locations - worldwide Prospects
Sites

Bingham
Resolution
McIntosh Molycorp
NOLA
ENFI
Philex
Atlas

Argyle
RioTinto OTX
Salvador Palabora
Teniente Finsch
Andina Northparkes

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 PC-BC for feasibility studies

Footprint Finder
Initial estimate for RL
Draw point location
Elevation and single vs multiple lifts
Flat vs inclined
Lateral extent / pillars etc
Effect of maximum HOD
Schedules
Rate for draw point development
Sequence of development
Draw strategy
Tunnel capacity / hang up vs development vs production
Cash flow calculations
Updating models as resource is upgraded
Benefit from integration into GEMS!
Sometimes, block models are updates 5-10 times or more!
Multiple ore zones
Scheduling of multiple zones

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 How PC-BC and CMS fit in GEMS
GEMS
Graphics tools

PC-BC Block models

Project set up
and Best HOD
Surfaces
Production scheduler
CMS daily
draw order Input processor Solids

Geology model Tons engine QP/LP / Lindo Database

tools functions

Depletion engine Slice file

CAD functions
Geotech /
convergence Results processor Excel Polygons
tools

Bucket lists Geology and Profiles:

Draw points and Slice file Various
workspaces traverses parameters

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Typical project process
Footprint Finder to get elevation Z
Generate draw points X, Y
Construct slice file Set up
Run Best HOD Grade
Production scheduling Time
Advanced schedules Optimize

Operating mine set up Operate

CMS
Convergence monitoring
Geological monitoring
LSQ and grade reconcilation

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Footprint Finder
Block based optimization
Flat or inclined base surface
Incorporates simple vertical mixing on the fly
Vertical discounting
Summary results to Excel for fast analaysis

Tons Dollar value

800 2,000

700 1,800
1,600

Millions
Millions
600
1,400
500 1,200

400 1,000

Dollar
Tons
300 800
600
200
400
100 200
- -
Elevation

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Set up draw points
Import from CSV
Generate using Layout Generation tool
Name, X,Y,Z (ie very simple)

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Construction of draw column reserves

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

Contents:

+ = Tons
Grades
Dollar value
Fracture Freq
% Fines
% Ore
Overlapping draw Resulting draw % Unique

cones columns
Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007
 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

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Basic types of mixing

Toppling
At surface

Cross mixing
between draw points
(Never very successful)

Vertical mixing
Basic mixing process

Extract tons
here
Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007
 Example dilution curves

100 ORIGINAL ORE ORIGINAL DILUTION

90
80
% of Dilution

70
60
50
MH=300
40
MH=200 MH=50
30
MH=150 MH=75
20
MH=100
10
0
150
170
190
210
230
250
270
290
310
330
350
370

490
130

390
410
430
450
470
10
30
50
70
90
110

Height of Draw

Note the wide variety of results available by changing just one parameter

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Rilling

Material moves at broken/solid interface

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Toppling example - steps
Step 0 Step 1 Step 2

Note how some

dilution material
quickly travels
to centre
Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

Note the two slope

angles for broken
and intact rock

Step 6 Step 7 No Toppling

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Best HOD : Footprint and Column heights

Revenues for $1.10 Revenues to $1.00

Footprint sensitivity to price

300
250
200 Draw points
150 Total tons
100 Net Revenue

50
0
Revenues for $0.90 $1.10 $1.00 $0.90 $0.80
Revenues for $0.80

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Production Scheduling

Undercut Sequence
Production Targets
Step Period Days/period Method TONS New SHUT
Run Inputs
1 Yr1 1 AUTO 183,050 3 7.7 TONSLOAD1 cero
2 Yr2 1 AUTO 183,050 2 7.7 TONSLOAD2 TOPO
3 Yr3 1 AUTO 183,050 2 7.6
4 Yr4 1 AUTO 183,050 2 7.6 TONSLOAD3 MINBT
5 Yr5 1 AUTO 183,050 1 7.7 !SEQUENCE 2
DPT_SEQ

DPT_INPUT
Draw Method
Tons Remaining Reserves

Production Rate Prodtons.xls Draw Rate Feasible Area

0 .7
S e c o n d a ry ro c k Closed Active New Idle Planned
0 .6
Draw Rate (t/m2_day)

0 .5 Draw Point Sequence

P rim a ry ro c k
Number
0 .4 Draw function
0 .3

0 .2

0 .1

0
0% 12% 30% 50% 80% 100% 500%
% Draw

Production Schedule Schedule

Bhod
Dpts
UCUT
Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007
 Scheduling methods

AUTO Basic method for panel advance

SMOOTH Modified AUTO to reduce idle draw points

EVEN Basic method for Block caves

COMBO EVEN combined with PRC constraints

PAST Depletion of historic tonnages

LINDO Optimizes draw point column values using Linear Programming

QP Follows a given surface also with production block (tonnage) constraints

POINTS Adapted for AUTO method to place emphasis on draw bell tonnages

DILUTE Limits incremental and cumulative dilution

Various others

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Production scheduling example

Step Period Days Plan Active Closed New Current To_Date Draw %Dil Cu_Eq
Area
1 YR1_q1_25k 91 682 12 - 12 141,536 141,536 3,389 - 1.19
2 YR1_q2 91 670 24 - 12 277,965 419,501 6,655 6 1.22
3 YR1_q3 92 658 36 - 12 417,104 836,605 9,877 4 1.58
4 YR1_q4 91 646 48 - 12 551,597 1,388,202 13,206 11 1.60
5 YR2_q1 91 634 60 - 12 692,760 2,080,962 16,586 9 1.78
6 YR2_q2 91 622 72 - 12 826,953 2,907,915 19,798 10 1.81
7 YR2_q3 92 610 84 - 12 981,113 3,889,028 23,234 11 1.71
8 YR2_q4 91 598 96 - 12 1,110,897 4,999,926 26,596 12 1.59
9 YR3_q1 91 586 107 1 12 1,241,577 6,241,502 29,588 14 1.49
10 YR3_q2 91 574 118 2 12 1,373,127 7,614,629 32,752 15 1.37
11 YR3_q3 92 562 128 4 12 1,511,393 9,126,022 35,521 17 1.26
12 YR3_q4 91 550 138 6 12 1,606,201 10,732,222 38,270 18 1.19
13 YR4 365 502 178 14 48 8,375,535 19,107,758 49,263 22 1.06
14 YR5 365 454 209 31 48 10,174,755 29,282,512 57,884 30 0.99
15 YR6 365 406 211 77 48 11,010,763 40,293,276 58,487 35 0.95
16 YR7 365 358 186 150 48 10,419,301 50,712,576 51,913 36 1.11
17 YR8 365 310 197 187 48 10,114,511 60,827,088 55,113 34 1.32
18 YR9 365 262 209 223 48 10,581,640 71,408,727 58,239 35 1.20
19 YR10 365 214 235 245 48 11,597,834 83,006,561 65,155 37 1.02
20 YR11 365 166 229 299 48 11,806,629 94,813,190 63,438 35 0.95
21 YR12 365 118 228 348 48 11,550,682 106,363,872 62,976 28 0.83
22 YR13 365 70 234 390 48 11,723,011 118,086,883 64,570 20 0.72
23 YR14 365 22 241 431 48 11,869,713 129,956,596 66,314 14 0.72
24 YR15 365 - 215 479 22 11,156,732 141,113,328 59,345 23 0.76
25 YR16 365 - 145 549 - 8,413,639 149,526,967 40,104 33 0.81
26 YR17 365 - 89 605 - 5,228,258 154,755,226 24,805 36 0.82
27 YR18 365 - 54 640 - 3,353,031 158,108,257 15,053 42 0.78
28 YR19 365 - 20 674 - 1,698,856 159,807,113 5,674 52 0.82
29 YR20 365 - - 694 - 497,658 160,304,771 - 70 0.96

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Example of NPV Maximization
7
237 Million tons @ 0.98 %Cu
1219 draw points
6
Mine capacity 12 million/year
5

NPV increased19% !
4
8

1
Mining reserves are reduced
2
by 12%
9
Mine life shortened by about
10
3 2.5 years

Optimized
Item Base Case Case
NPV 219,486,71 261,428,012
Net DV costs 44,055,822 37,775,780
Cu 0.9800 1.0007
Mo 0.0292 0.0291
Pb 0.0016 0.0016
wi 16.0461 16.0022
Reserves 237,007,056 208,440,656
Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007
 Scheduling results
Schedule Basic results per time period includes cash flow

Production block summary Summaries (eg per tunnel)

Sector summary Summaries (eg per lift or major sector)

Primary/overdraw summaries Allows categorization based on HOD (over or

under)
Draw point detail Full tons and grade per dpt per period

Draw point detail in table format (up to 25 sheets) Full details including PRC per drt per period

HOD results HOD per period per draw point

Dynamic Best HOD results Best HOD results per draw point per period

Undercut results Undercut tonnage and grade summaries

Various others

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Template mixing
A new depletion engine for PC-BC
Allows new flow mechanisms

A Hybrid approach
Best bits and experience from previous PC-BC
Some stochastic components
Some flow elements (macro scale)
Built right into production scheduler of PC-BC

Currently advanced prototype stage

Calibration is underway

Note
As with the previous mixing in PC-BC, template mixing is NOT a gravity flow
simulation or geomechanical tool.

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Template mixing Early 2D prototype

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Other Template mixing examples (2D)

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Material flow / movement mechanisms

Mechanism Previous Latest Direction Example

Version version
Vertical mixing Yes Yes Vertical Different velocities for broken
Horizontal mixing minimal Yes Horizontal material
Near pillars and cones and between
(diffusion?) major mining boundaries
Toppling Yes Yes Horizontal At cave surface
Rilling No Yes Horizontal At broken/solid rock interface
Regional lateral Yes Yes Horizontal Mostly at distinct interfaces (Eg
movement kimberlite pipe sides)
Cone erosion No Yes Vertical Variable (increasing) cone radius
Compaction No No Vertical Variable (decreasing) cone radius
Piping No No Vertical? Small direct path for fines migration
Mud rush No No Both Fluid flow within rock matrix?
Open pit failures Some Yes Vertical Sudden major failure in a given
Variable cave back No Yes Vertical period
Incremental changes to cave back as
with time it moves upwards

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Template mixing test (Section)

Previously caved Dilution Lower grade at base allows effects of variable

zone
Low grade cone radius to be studied
High fines
High fines zone simulates a previous lift
Variable grades sideways allows horizontal
movements to be studied
0.3
Toppling at surface can be seen
Options to have a variable cave back can be
0.0 1.0 1.8 1.0 0.0
added

Ore zone

0.8
Draw points

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Block model and draw points : Template mixing

Grades Fines zone Rock flags Draw columns

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Some results for TM
Erosion of draw cone Rilling
300,000 1.40000 300,000 1.60000

1.40000
1.20000 250,000
250,000
1.20000
1.00000
200,000 200,000
1.00000
Current tons Current tons
0.80000
Base tons Base tons
150,000 150,000 0.80000
CU
CU
0.60000 Base Cu
Base Cu 0.60000
100,000
100,000
0.40000 0.40000

50,000
50,000 0.20000
0.20000

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

Variable fines
300,000 1.40000
Cone base has short term effect
1.20000
250,000

200,000
1.00000 Rilling is mid-term
Current tons
0.80000 Base tons
150,000 CU Dilution entry is longer term (end of
0.60000 Run 7

100,000
0.40000 life of draw points)
50,000
0.20000

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

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Template mixing examples

Toppling

Rilling

DOZ 1

Draw
points

Sandbox with Rilling 1

DOZ 2
Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007
 Advantages of Template mixing
Fast (up to 1000 times faster than Rebop?)
Versatile.
Easy to put different properties into different regions
Ability to model different mechanisms (Eg rilling, toppling, mixing)
Integrated. Was able to be developed right inside the current PC-
BC/GEMS system
Independent from previous mixing in PC-BC, so provides an independent
evaluation
Components separated
Can study rilling, toppling, mixing as separate entities
Could work with either regular or irregular elements (Eg blocks, cubes or
draw column increments (or rings in SLC?))
Scalable.
Has potential to be developed for more detailed models

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007

 Thank you

Copyright Gemcom Software International Inc. 2007