AYUDANTÍA PCBC

“DISEÑO Y EVALUACION DE PROYECTOS

MINEROS”

Ayudante: Luis Flores S. Valparaíso | 2019

Contenido

Objetivo general
Objetivos específicos
FootPrint Finder
Parametros Pcbc
Cinetica del movimiento de material
Conclusiones
INTRODUCCIÓN

 PCBC es un complemento del software GEMS mediante el cual se

puede escoger un piso (footprint) para estudios de diferentes
Niveles de Hundimientos a distintas elevaciones, antes de
determinar el nivel de Hundimiento con los puntos de extracción
explícitamente ubicados dentro de PC-BC.

 Dos métodos para planificar a través de la dilución:

Método Slice File ( plan detallado)
Foot Print Finder ( plan preliminar )

 Es utilizado para método masivos de hundimiento, tal como su

nombre lo indica: Panel Caving y Block Caving.
OBJETIVO

• Lo que se busca obtener finalmente

es un programa de producción de la
mina
 Footprint Finder
• Mediante la simulación con Footprint Finder
(FF), se obtiene un archivo excel con los valores
de: Tonelaje a extraer, área a explotar y el VAN
asociado. Estos resultados son entregados para
los distintos niveles, de manera que,
dependiendo de los factores a considerar, se
pueda escoger aquel piso que cumpla con los
requerimientos.
 Footprint Finder
• Algunos parámetros geomecánicos
operacionales a considerar (inputs):
▫ Altura de Columna
▫ VMR (Vertical Mining Rate)
▫ Altura de Interacción
▫ Costo de desarrollo por unidad de área
▫ Tasa de Descuento
▫ PED
 Footprint Finder
• Se obtiene un gráfico como el siguiente:
Footprint Finder
• Como criterio, se buscará a priori aquel
escenario que no sólo presente un buen
VAN, sino que también aquel que
considere un área no muy grande, ya que
así la preparación es menor.
Footprint Finder
• Isométrico:

Cota en Z = 440 [m]

VPN = 10,920 [MUS$]
Área = 1,082,400 [m2]
Parámetros de PCBC

 Crear variable de finos, la cual indica el

porcentaje de los bloques que es material
fino.
 Mezclar la columna de mineral: mixing.
 Crear parámetro económico: Costo mina y
RF.
 Dar forma a columna de extracción.
 Configuración del tipo de roca.
 Creación de Layout y de Columnas de
Extracción

• Se crea una malla sobre la cual se importarán los

puntos de extracción, los cuales se dispondrán
dependiendo de los parámetros de la malla.
• Posteriormente, se genera la columna
correspondiente a cada punto, para lo cual se
considera la fracción de cada bloque que queda
dentro de la geometría de la columna
 BHOD

• Es importante realizar una revisión preliminar

de las alturas de columna del footprint escogido,
ya que es necesario que entre columnas
adyacentes, no existan grandes diferencias en
altura debido a que esto puede traer como
consecuencia la extracción de material diluyente
(tiraje parejo).
• Para esto existe la herramienta BHOD (Best
Height of Draw).
 BHOD

• Los resultados obtenidos son la superficie

generada por BHOD y un reporte en Excel. En
él, se puede observar la altura de columna,
tonelaje, ley, dilución, entre otros, todo esto para
cada punto de extracción efectivo y activo, ya
que existirán algunos puntos que no son viables
de extraer de acuerdo a los parámetros
considerados.
Creación de Secuencia
• Se crea secuencia de una
determinada forma
dispuesta por el usuario.
• Se pinta de distintos
colores cada uno de los
periodos en los que se
extraerá el nivel.
Creación de Secuencia
• Vista en planta
 Plan de Producción

• Finalmente, se obtiene el plan expresado en un

gráfico tonelaje/ley por periodo.
 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
–
3 0 0 ,0 0 0 1 .4 0 0 0 0

Mineable reserve estimate 2 5 0 ,0 0 0

1 .2 0 0 0 0

–
1 .0 0 0 0 0

Production schedules
2 0 0 ,0 0 0

0 .8 0 0 0 0
1 5 0 ,0 0 0
0 .6 0 0 0 0

– Detailed planning reports 1 0 0 ,0 0 0

5 0 ,0 0 0
0 .4 0 0 0 0

0 .2 0 0 0 0

0 0 .0 0 0 0 0
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
 5

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 Dollarvalue

Footprint Finder 1,000

900
800
9,000
8,000
7,000

Dollar Value (M$)

700 6,000

– Concept studies

Tonnage (Mt)
600 5,000
500 4,000
400 3,000

– Best elevation
300 2,000
200 1,000
100 -
-

– 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 Dollarvalue

$, Dens, grades etc

1,000 9,000
900 8,000
800 7,000
Development Cost

Dollar Value (M$)

700 6,000

Tonnage (Mt)
600 5,000
500
4,000
400
3,000
One column 300
200 2,000

from Block 100 1,000

-
-
model

3040
2560
2620
2680
2740
2800
2860
2920
2980

3100
3160
3220
3280
3340
3400
3460
3520
3580
3640
Elevation
 Footprint application…

Tonnage (Mt) Tonnage (Mt)

-

-
50
100
150
200
250

100
200
300
400
600
500
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
2,000
2,500
3,000
4,000
3,500
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800

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
C Chimneying MATERIAL

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 Quater2001
Jan2000 Second Quater 2001
Feb2000 Third Quater2001
Mar 2000 Fourth Quater 2001
Apr 2000 First Quater2002
May2000 Second Quater 2002
21a 21 20a 20 19a 19 18a Jun 2000 Third Quater2002
18
17a Jul 2000 Fourth Quater 2002
17 Aug 2000
16a First Quater2001
16 Sep2000
15a Oct 2000 Second Quater 2003
15 Third Quater 2003
14a Nov 2000
14
13a Dec 2000
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 3a 3
4
10 5 4a
9a 6 5a
9 6a
8a 7a 7
8

Palabora (A. Moss Geotechical symposium 2007)

 Production Scheduling
Opening Sequence Production Targets (Table)
Run Inputs
Step Period D a y s/ p e r i o d Method TONS New

1,460,000
1 Yr1 365 COMBO
2,190,000
48
TONSLOAD1 cero
2 Yr2 365 COMBO 48
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 ri m a ry ro c k
0.4

0.3 Production Schedule 3 0 0 ,0 0 0 1 .4 0 0 0 0

0.2

Schedule
1 .2 0 0 0 0
2 5 0 ,0 0 0
0.1

1 .0 0 0 0 0
0
2 0 0 ,0 0 0
0% 12% 30% 50%
% Draw
80% 100% 500%

Bhod 1 5 0 ,0 0 0
0 .8 0 0 0 0

0 .6 0 0 0 0

PRC_INPUT Dpts 1 0 0 ,0 0 0
0 .4 0 0 0 0

Psinfo 50,000

0
0 .2 0 0 0 0

0 .0 0 0 0 0

UCUT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 17
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 !