MICROMINE steps up mine design offering with Micromine 2020

From intuitive charting and 3D visualizations to rapid geological modelling and precision planning, MICROMINE has all areas of mine design and planning covered in its new software release, Micromine 2020, which hits the market today.

Micromine 2020 builds on MICROMINE's already popular 3D mine design and planning solution, which is used in overin 90 countries, with new value-add features and optimised workflow and functionality.

"Micromine 2020 offers intuitive, feature-rich solutions that meet our clients' needs and delivers superior functionality across the entire mining value chain," said Micromine Technical Product Manager, Gordon Thomas.

"Geologists, engineers, mine planners and production schedulers can all benefit from the enhanced speed, efficiency, tools and features of MICROMINE's new software."

One of the most compelling added features in Micromine 2020 is the new stope optimisation tool.

"The underground equivalent of Micromine's existing pit optimiser module, stope optimiser gives mine planners the means to generate optimal stope outlines to meet design and economic parameters," Mr Thomas said.

"For open pit miners, the stope optimiser enables the generation of most appropriate diglines for minimum mining width."

The addition of new implicit modelling tools for geological modelling is another key upgrade promising to make Micromine 2020 users' workflows even more efficient and reliable.

"Micromine 2020's implicit modelling module can speed up the domain modelling process by 100 times, when compared to manual sectional modeling, while ensuring an accurate result," added Mr Thomas.

"Conveniently integrated into geologists' workflow, Micromine 2020 ensures all mining exploration and modelling activities can be done in one place, rather than switching between products and systems."

Upgrades and new functionalities incorporated into Micromine's existing scheduler tool also means that planning engineers can access the best scheduling tools on the market.

"Micromine 2020's scheduling tool accepts sets of tasks with properties presented in wireframes with attributes and criteria specific to each task - and provides facilities for sequencing the tasks to suit requirements," continued Mr Thomas.

"The tasks are then displayed in a Gantt chart, with the option of creating 3D animations and reports. The updated scheduling tool integrates seamlessly with other Micromine functions and supports both the new expression editor and unit conversion facilities.

"Planners, can be rest assured they will have the means to satisfy specified objectives, maximise net present value and achieve production targets."

With Micromine's charts being an integral part of its workflow, the addition of a range of new statistical chart and analysis functionalities in Micromine 2020 gives geologists the means to set up charts according to specific requirements, rather than configuring generic chart options.

The additional charting tools include Multivariate Histogram Analysis, Ternary Diagram, Top Cut Graph, Boundary Analysis, Swath Plot, Search Neighbourhood, Quantitative Kriging Neighbourhood Analysis (QKNA), and Grade Tonnage Curve.

"Each chart is dedicated to a specific geological or geostatistical scenario. Together, in an interactive and visual way, they help geologists make informed decisions where there is no clear-cut answer," added Mr Thomas.

Another key function coming to life in Micromine 2020 is the ring design tool for underground engineers, which enables planning engineers to precisely define the size and shape of rigs used on mines.

"The tool allows users to apply constraints, in accordance with rig specifications. This ensures the range and coverage limits of booms are not inadvertently exceeded during the design process," Mr Thomas explained. "Rings can be created, viewed, edited, mirrored, copied and replicated using the ring design tool, with feedback provided throughout the design process."

Other noteworthy new additions in Micromine 2020 include:

• user-friendly import and export options for omf files, from or to, other gmps; and
• an import option for ioGas files.

 Enhancements made to the existing Micromine product include:

• faster block model reporting;
• faster wireframe assign functionality;
• enhanced draping and visualizing images in Vizex;
• improved block model regularisation features;
• data selection functionality using a new lasso tool in Vizex;
• improved wireframe management tools;
• improved drillhole creation workflow; and
• major improvements in the creation and management of python scripts.

 "A lot of effort has gone into incorporating improvements and additions that will truly add value to our clients throughout the mining value chain - simplifying and speeding up processes, and helping clients deliver the very best results," concluded Mr Thomas.