Surface Mine Reserves

This command calculates quantities and qualities from drillholes or predefined grid or block models. Strip ratios can also be calculated as the volume of non-key strata divided by the tons of key strata. Key strata are intended to be the target ore, and non-key strata are intended to be the overburden, interburden and parting strata. Within the drillholes or Geologic Model file, each strata has a field that specifies whether the strata is key or non-key. Volumes can be stored in the pits for scheduling with this command. There are many options for reserve calculation and they are detailed in order of appearance below.

• Modeling Method: The surface reserves can be generated on-the-fly from the selected drillholes or read from stored grid files put into a Geologic Model file. The on-the-fly modeling method can be either Triangulation, Inverse Distance, Kriging, Polynomial or Linear Least Squares. An explanation of these different methods is found under Make Strata Grid Files. The Block Model option creates a BLK block model file and calculates reserves "on-the-fly". The stored grid file method is the Geologic or Mining Model options. The Geologic and Mining Model methods use prepared grid files that represent the bottom elevation or thickness and quality attributes (i.e. BTU) of the strata. The grid files associated with each strata and the ground surface are set in the Define Geologic Model or Define Mining Model commands. The difference with the models is that the Geologic Model has the strata elevation grids unadjusted for mining methods from the Surface Mine Reserves settings such as Recovery Percent. The strata elevation grids in the Mining Model already have these adjustments applied. So when the Mining Model method is selected the adjustment parameters like Recover Percent are disabled in the dialog because they have already been applied in the model.
  
• Source of Top Surface Model...: Surface Mine Reserves works from the top strata down to the bottom. The ground surface is modeled from either the Screen using selected surface entities, the surface grid found in the Geologic Model file, a separate grid file (something different than the surface grid in the Geologic Model, such as a top of bench grid) or an elevation. This elevation could be the elevation of a flat bench that represents the top of the reserve calculation interval. In the Screen method, the program builds a grid model from the selected entities (contour polylines, points and 3D entities). See the Make 3D Grid File command for a description of creating a grid file. The "Source of Top Surface Model" option sets this ground surface method. Each strata structure is modeled as the bottom elevation of that strata. The strata volume is figured by comparing the strata bottom elevation model with the previous strata. The first strata bottom elevation is compared with the ground surface grid. Each strata grid clips to the grid above so that the strata grid does not rise above the previous grid which includes the ground surface. The result is that the program will find strata outcrops if any.
• Top Elev: When using the Elevation method in the Source of Top Surface Model, this is the elevation that controls the top of the structure or reserve block. Enter in any elevation.
• Source of Bottom Surface Model...: Carlson can either calculate quantities straight down from the inclusion polylines ("Cookie-Cutter") or apply side slopes. There are two methods for modeling the side slopes: using a bottom surface grid or highwall slopes (explained below). Without either of these methods, the program will calculate the strata quantities straight down vertically from the inclusion perimeter. In all cases, the strata quantities are limited by the ground surface grid or elevation which effects the top strata and outcrops any other strata. The Strata Model option will calculate down to the lowest grid in the Geologic Model, or the lowest grid in the Selected Strata option, if that is used. The Grid File method will go down to this grid for reserve calculations. It can have any number of benches and slopes in it. This method will prompt you for a grid file which should represent the bottom of pit surface including the side slopes. This grid file should have the same position and resolution as the surface grid. Keep in mind that the grid resolution should be small enough to model the pit side slopes. For example, a 100 ft grid interval would not work well for modeling side slopes that are 30 ft wide. Instead, use a grid resolution that is smaller than the side slopes width (i.e. 10 ft in this example). There are many routines for preparing the pit bottom grid including the Design Bench Pit routine and Make 3D Grid File. Typically the inclusion perimeters should start from the daylight line where the pit bottom grid intersects the surface grid. The program will calculate the strata quantities between the surface grid or elevation and the pit bottom grids. The last option is Elevation. It allows for entering an elevation to represent the base of the reserve "block". If using Elevation for the Top Surface Model, and Elevation for the Bottom Surface Model, it will calculate the various quantities within the two elevations that could represent benches. Shown below is an example of the Source of Bottom Surface Model as a Grid File.
  

• Bottom Elev: When using the Elevation method in the Source of Bottom Surface Model, this is the elevation that controls the bottom of the structure or reserve block. Enter in any elevation.
• Use Auto-Run: This option will prompt for the SMR auto-run file so that all of the benches, strata and elevations are predefined beforehand, and all benches can be run at one time and stored in the pits for scheduling and reporting.
  
• Output Elevation Grids: Turning this option on will create grid files for the bottom of each strata found in the drillholes. Each grid needs to be named separately. The command Make Strata Grids is a better way to create these grids.
• Output Thickness Grids: Turning this option on will create thickness grids of the strata calculated for the current bench. It will prompt to create an overburden thickness grid, a key thickness grid and a key tons grid (tons/sq ft. or m). These grids will also be stored in the pits, if Store Results in Pits is activated. The difference is that timing using the actual numbers will average the quantities over pit area while the grids will model the thickness within the pit so that timing through a shallow end of the pit will be faster than the deep end. Within Output Thickness Grids, there is an option to divide the bench by thickness. This option will split the non-key volume at the specified thickness into two benches. For example, if you have 50 feet of overburden and one piece of equipment will remove the first 10 feet while a second removes the rest, then set the divide value at 10 feet and it will divide the first overburden into two benches.
• Use Surface History: This option will use the series of grids stored in a grid sequence file (.GSQ) for bench volume calculations. The first grid in the file is used as the starting surface grid and the second grid is used as the bottom grid. The program calculates the strata quantities and qualities using these two grids. Then the program repeats this time using the second grid as the surface grid and the third grid as the bottom grid. Again the strata values are calculated using the next two grids. This process repeats until the last pair of grids in the sequence file. The purpose of this routine is to calculate the strata values at different mining stages or benches. These benches are reported separately in the final report. One routine that prepares the grid sequence file is Design Bench Pit. If the Store Results in Pits is selected, these benches are automatically assigned to the pits for timing.
• Merge Bench Quantities Percent: This option is active when using the Surface History File. If there are quantities less than the entered tolerance percent, then they are merged into the associated bench. This eliminates the error where a grid cell is crossing over from one bench to another.
  
• Use Highwall Slopes:  This method applies the side slopes on-the-fly. The slopes to use are specified under the Set Slopes button. In this method, the inclusion perimeters should go around the base of the pit. The program will apply the side slopes from the inclusion perimeter up to the surface starting at the elevation of the bottom strata. The daylight perimeter and any bench lines are drawn as 3D polylines. This will only use depths up from the bottom for changing slope, and is used when just reserving for one total bench. If more complex benching is needed, then the Use Surface History is the preferred method, created with Design Bench Pit. 
• Grid Subdivision Precision: This controls how much the program subdivides grid cells during calculations at borders like the pit inclusion perimeter. Set this to High for most accuracy. Set this to Low for speed on rough calculations.
  
• Set Slopes: When using the Highwall Slopes option, this button brings up the Highwall Slopes dialog. Slope can be entered in as Percent or Ratio. The Smooth Slope Transitions is "all or nothing". using the slopes shown, if the depth was 60, then the entire slope would be 1.5:1. The Slopes in Series option is more for benching. Using the slopes shown below, 0-50 will always be 1:1. Once the depth gets above 50, it will switch to a 1.5:1 and so on. Using Slopes in Series will allow for Repeat Slopes, until it gets up to the surface. There are only 5 different rows available to enter in the slope template.

• Use Drillhole Elevations in Surface: This option only applies if one of the modeling methods are chosen and not Geologic or Mining Model. The drillhole surface elevations should be used if they enhance the surface topo, but if they differ from the surface contours or points, then they should not be used.
• Ignore Zero Elevations: This option only applies when using the entities on screen to create the surface. Unless the mine is down near sea-level, zero elevations should normally be ignored.
• Use Triangulation Subdivision:  This option only applies to the modeling methods of Triangulation and Polynomial. It subdivides the triangles to create smoother surfaces and ensure that contours do not cross.
• Use Global Trend Extrapolation: This also applies only to Triangulation and Polynomial. This option finds the average slope and direction of the existing data and applies this slope to extrapolating where there is not surface data. .
• Recovery Percent: This window defines the percentage of Key strata volume that was recovered in mining and to include in the volume and strip ratio reporting. The non-recovered key strata is added to the NonKey volume. The recovery percent in the Surface Mine Reserves dialog applies to all the Key strata. Enter in as 100 or 95.4 or 92, etc. 
• Use Strata Definitions (for Recovery): To have different recoveries for each Key strata, use Define Strata to create a strata definition for each Key strata with the appropriate recovery percent. Then run Surface Mine Reserves and click on Use Strata Definitions.
• Use Attribute (for Recovery): Another recovery method is to have a strata attribute for recovery. This allows for different recovery percents at different drillholes. Then the recovery is modeled for the area. The name of the recovery attribute is specified in the dialog. This attribute will need to appear in the drillholes for modeling on the fly, or in the Geologic Model as a strata attribute, with the name spelled as it appears in the Name window to the right.
• Name (Attribute): This is the name of the recovery attribute that will be referenced when using the Use Attribute option for recovery percentage.
• Min Key Thickness To Use:  This option adds key strata to the nonkey strata above, in areas that have thickness less than the specified minimum thickness. Also areas with thickness less than the minimum are not counted in the reported strata area. 
• Use Density Attribute: The strata density can be defined at different levels from general to specific and the program will use the most specific density that is found for the strata. The most general density setting comes from the current drillhole definition file (.ch) as set with the Define Drillhole command. The next level is the density setting that is stored in each drillhole. To check a drillhole density, use the Edit Drillhole command, the Key density is displayed in the bottom of the dialog. The next level is strata specific density that can be assigned with the Define Strata command. The most specific level of density definition is the "Use Density Attribute" option shown here in Surface Mine Reserves. This option models the strata density using the strata attribute with the user-specified name for density (i.e.. "Density"). Not only does this method use the modeled strata density when averaging the strata quantities with other strata, but the modeled density is used within the strata to weight average that strata qualities. For example, if the strata is more dense in one area, then the qualities such as BTU in this area with be weighted more heavily. This can be changed if desired, under Attribute Options in the Report Formatter.
• Name (Density): This is the name of the Density attribute that will be referenced when using the Use Density Attribute option for recovery percentage.  This must be spelled exactly as it appears in the drillholes or Geologic Model file.
• Min Minable Parting Thickness: This setting will add the non-key parting quantities with the key quantities when the non-key parting  thickness is less than the specified amount. For example, if the Min Minable Parting is set to 0.5, then a non-key strata between two key strata would be combined with the key in areas where the non-key thickness is less than 0.5 feet. In areas where the thickness is greater than 0.5, the non-key quantities are not adjusted. Combining the non-key quantities to the key will add to the total key tons and affect the strip ratio. If the non-key strata has qualities (i.e. ASH, Sulfur), then these non-key qualities will be composited by nonkey tons with the key tons for the portion of non-key that is less than the minimum parting. This will dilute the key qualities.
• Min Depth To Use: The Minimum Depth to Use option adds key strata to the overburden in areas that have depth less than the specified minimum depth. For example, if any Key strata are closer than 10 feet to the surface, then they can be considered "weathered" and reported with the NonKey waste material.
• Non-Key Thickness To Add To Key: Above Key/Below Key: These fields allow you to specify the amount of non-key thickness above and/or below the key strata that will be combined with the key (roof and floor dilution) This amount will be taken from the non-key quantities and added to the key. Similar to the Min Minable Parting Thickness, the non-key quantities will increase the total key tons which affects the strip ratio and key volume mined. Also any non-key strata qualities will be combined by thickness, weighted by NonKey density, and added to the key which dilutes the key qualities. For example, if you estimate that 0.25 feet on average of the overburden is taken with the coal, then you could set the Non-Key to Add to Key for Above to 0.25.
• Which Strata To Include...: This determines what will be calculated for the reserve. If All is chosen, then all strata in the drillholes or Geologic Model file will be calculated and reported. If Selected is chosen, then the next window to appear is where one or multiple strata can be selected. This can be used for multiple reserve runs, selecting different strata to represent each bench.
• Skip Running Totals:  This option skips the running total quantities and strip ratios for the strata. If it is not selected, then the total for each pit is added to the next for a "running total" quantity. If it is checked, then the pits are totaled separately, and with a grand total at the end of the report.
• One Row Per Strata: This is the standard format that comes up. It put each strata on its own row in the report.
  

• All Strata on Same Row: This option puts all the strata quantities and qualities for each pit polyline on one row. This format is best suited for only a few strata and for printing landscape on a page. If it is not selected, then each strata will appear on a separate row.
• Group Key/NonKey Pairs: This option will put an overburden/interburden strata on the same row as the key seam. It looks for similar naming in the Geologic Model file. Example that will group them together are: C1_OB and C1_KEY, or C2_TOP and C2_KEY. All of the attributes for that grouping, as well as discard will be put on the row also.
  

• Calculate Strata Qualities: This toggle will report the average qualities for strata attributes such as BTU and sulfur. Otherwise the program skips calculating qualities to save time. Besides reporting the qualities for each strata individually, the program can also report the total averaged qualities. By default, the qualities are weight averaged by tons which are calculated by using the strata volume and density.
• Breakout Quantities By Attributes:  This feature works in conjunction with the Block Modeling and Grade Parameter file.  Once the BLK file has been created, and the grade parameter file defined, they are used in this reserve routine to calculate the volume of material falling in certain ranges.  For example, Surface Reserves will report tons of ore with calcium of 80-90, tons of ore with calcium 90-100, etc.
• Fixed Non-Key Qualities: This option will prompt to enter one value for each strata quality found in the drillholes or Geologic Model to use for all non-key strata. This option is useful in the case for calculating the composite key strata qualities when there is key strata dilution from non-key strata due to Min Minable Parting. Prompts will look like:
• Non-Key value for BTU: 1000
  Non-Key value for MOIST: 35
  Non-Key value for SUL: 7
  Non-Key value for ASH: 50
  Non-Key value for DENSITY <80.00>: 155
  
• Use Named Pit Areas: The area for calculating quantities defaults to the limits of the selected surface entities and drillholes if no inclusion perimeters are selected. To control the calculation area, multiple closed polylines for areas to include and/or exclude can be selected. An unnamed pit polyline will limit the area of calculations. Also, areas can be labeled with site and pit names (i.e. Site 1, Pits 101, 102, ...). Surface Mine Reserves will then calculate the strip ratios and volumes for each site and pit area. To use site and pit names, there are several commands for creating named pit polylines in the Boundary menu of Surface Mining. If this is selected, then it will look just for named pit polylines, ignoring anything else.
• Store Results In Pits: This option is available when named pit polylines are used. This option will store the total non-key volume, key volume and key tons and all quality attributes for each pit polyline as extended entity data to the pit polylines. These quantities can then be used by the Surface Equipment Timing command. Besides the quantity and quality values, a Bench number is also stored with the quantities for sequencing each bench. For example, if you have two key and nonkey seams that you are going to mine in two passes, then use the Which Strata to Include: Selected option and choose the first pair of NonKey/Key strata with the Bench# set to 1. Then run Surface Mine Reserves a second time with the second pair of NonKey/Key strata and the Bench# set to 2. The quantities calculated can be stored either as values or as thickness grids for scheduling. The grid option is activated by the Output Thickness Grids option, otherwise it will store the values in the pits. The difference is that timing using the actual numbers will average the quantities over pit area while the grids will model the thickness within the pit so that timing through a shallow end of the pit will be faster than the deep end. Within Output Thickness Grids, there is an option to divide the bench by thickness. This option will split the non-key volume at the specified thickness into two benches. For example, if you have 50 feet of overburden and one piece of equipment will remove the first 10 feet while a second removes the rest, then set the divide value at 10 feet and it will divide the first overburden into two benches.
• Bench#: Enter in the Bench number to assign for this "run" of Surface Reserves. Usually Selected Strata is used with this, to select the strata to assign for each bench number reserve run.
• Use Property Boundaries: Property boundaries can be used to break up the reserve by owner and property. The commands for laying out property boundaries are in the Boundary menu. Essentially, property boundaries are closed polylines with owner and property ID names. The property polylines do not need to be clipped with the calculation inclusion perimeter or pit polylines. The program will internally clip the properties with the calculation areas and report the amounts by property within each pit area. If a pit or inclusion polyline is not covered by a property, the property name used for these quantities is "unknown". To activate property boundaries, click on the Use Property Boundaries toggle and the program will search and find them automatically.
• Use Reserve Classification: Using this option will prompt for an RSV file created with the separate command Reserve Classification under Grids in the Geology Module. This will separate the reserve into Measured, Indicated, Inferred and Hypothetical, based on what is entered in the RSV file.
  
• Output Spoil File: This option gives the option to create a spoil file. There are 3 options, Off, Nonkey Only and All Strata. Normally, the spoil would include just the Nonkey waste material. This creates a spoil placement file (*.SPO) that is used for the timing of the spoil routines under the Spoil Menu of Surface Mining.
  
• Strip Ratio Output: The Draw Contours option will contour the total strip ratios of all the processed strata (NonKey volume : Key tons). The program will create the contours from a grid file of the calculated strip ratio values. If you just want the grid file and not the contours, choose the Grid File toggle and the program will prompt for a grid file name to create.
  
• Type of Strip Ratio Output: There are two methods for making the strip ratio grid and contours. The Instantaneous option will calculate the strip ratio using the strata thicknesses of the vertical strata column at each grid corner. The Accumulative method will start with the lowest strip ratio in the calculation area and keep adding the next best strip ratio areas, basically an accumulative strip ratio of the selected areas of the mine site. The grid file is assigned the running strip ratio as the program adds these areas.

The Report Formatter Options dialog is the final step of the Surface Reserves routine. It is documented elsewhere in the Help manual for more details on its operation.

• Parent/Child Strata Split Quantities: If there are two children seams in the Geologic Model file, and they come together with no parting, then the program will automatically report them as the parent seam name. This splitting must first be defined in the Define Strata command (SDF File). The same names for the split defined there, must also be used in the Geologic Model file for strata names. 
• Adjust Pits Manager: This option docks a manager dialog at the bottom of the drawing. This dialog shows the reserve results. You can then make edits to the pit perimeters using any CAD function like move or grip edit. Then use the Process button to recalculate the quantities and update the results. Use the Report button to output the results or to change the format for the report in the dialog.
  

Prompts

Surface Mine Reserves dialog
Select surface entities and at least 3 drillholes. (Unless using a Geologic Model File PRE.)
Select objects: select the drillhole symbols and surface entities. Surface entities can include points, lines, and polylines.
Select the Inclusion perimeter polylines and ENTER for none:
Select objects: select the polylines or named pit polylines. The area within these polylines will be included in the calculations. They must be closed polylines.
Select the Exclusion perimeter polylines and ENTER for none:
Select objects: select the polylines. The area within these polylines will be excluded from the calculations. They must be closed polylines.
Make Grid File Set grid resolution
Triangulating points ... 49
Pass> 6 NULL Z values left> 0
Processing cell 2500 ...
Finished strata Y2
The above four steps are repeated for each strata.
Report Formatter

Pulldown Menu Location: StrataCalc or Reserves/Timing
Keyboard Command: mtntop