Micromine. Micromine Overview

47 Pages·5.493 MB·English

MICROMINE Overview

Document Version 3.1. February 2007

Copyright © Micromine
MICROMINE Overview
Licence Agreement

The use of the software described in this document is subject to a licence agreement
with Micromine Pty Ltd. The software may only be used or copied in accordance with the
terms and conditions of that agreement.

Disclaimer

Micromine Pty Ltd will not accept any liability arising from the use of the software or any
other software product mentioned in this document; nor for any technical or editorial
errors or omissions made in this document.
The mention of any other computer software product within this document does not
imply any endorsement of such product by Micromine Pty Ltd.
Copyright

Micromine Pty Ltd is the owner of the software, and of all icons and logos within the
software, together with all soft and hardcopy documentation. This document contains
information protected by copyright. No part of this document may be photocopied or
reproduced in any form without prior written consent from Micromine Pty Ltd.
@ Copyright, September 2007 Micromine Pty Ltd.

Trademark Acknowledgment
MICROMINE is a trademark of Micromine Pty Ltd. Other brands and product names
mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
owners.

Micromine Pty Ltd
174 Hampden Rd
Nedlands WA 6009
Perth
Australia
Tel: + 61 8 9423 9000
Fax:+ 61 8 9423 9001
Email:[email protected]
www:http://www.micromine.com

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MICROMINE Overview
Table of Contents
MICROMINE Overview..........................................................................5
User Interface.........................................................................................................5
Form Sets..........................................................................................................5
File Editor...........................................................................................................6
Filters................................................................................................................7
Colour files.........................................................................................................8
Hatch files..........................................................................................................9
Symbols.............................................................................................................9
Vizex...............................................................................................................10
Online Help.......................................................................................................11
Data Input and Export.............................................................................................12
Keyboard.........................................................................................................12
Text Files.........................................................................................................12
ODBC..............................................................................................................13
Digitising..........................................................................................................13
DXF.................................................................................................................13
Other...............................................................................................................13
Data Validation......................................................................................................13
Look Up Tables..................................................................................................14
Validate Field Content.........................................................................................14
Drill Hole Validation............................................................................................15
3D Viewer........................................................................................................15
Data Processing.................................................................................................15
File Calculations................................................................................................16
Merging...........................................................................................................16
Gridding...........................................................................................................16
Drill Holes........................................................................................................17
Digital Terrain Model (DTM).................................................................................17
Coordinate Transformation..................................................................................18
Assigning.........................................................................................................18
Strings.............................................................................................................18
Data Visualisation..................................................................................................19
Points..............................................................................................................19
Strings.............................................................................................................21
Outlines...........................................................................................................22
Drill Holes........................................................................................................23
Grids...............................................................................................................26
OBMs...............................................................................................................27
Wireframes.......................................................................................................29
Data Presentation..................................................................................................30
Images............................................................................................................30
Hardcopy.........................................................................................................30
PDF.................................................................................................................31
VRML...............................................................................................................31
Fly Through......................................................................................................32
Surveying............................................................................................................32
Download Data Recorders...................................................................................32
Calculations......................................................................................................32
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MICROMINE Overview
String Edit........................................................................................................33
Volumes...........................................................................................................33
Statistics.............................................................................................................33
Quality Control..................................................................................................34
Distribution.......................................................................................................34
Decomposition..................................................................................................34
Geostatistics........................................................................................................35
Semi Variograms...............................................................................................35
Trend Surface Analysis.......................................................................................36
Cross Validation................................................................................................36
Variogram Surfaces............................................................................................36
Modelling.............................................................................................................37
Polygonal.........................................................................................................37
Build and Edit Wireframes...................................................................................37
Block...............................................................................................................38
Seam..............................................................................................................39
Pit Optimisation.................................................................................................40
Model Reporting................................................................................................40
Grade Control.......................................................................................................40
Blast Hole Patterns............................................................................................41
Mine Design.........................................................................................................42
Pit Design.........................................................................................................42
Underground Design..........................................................................................43
Ring Design......................................................................................................44
Macros................................................................................................................45
How Macros Work..............................................................................................45
Toolbox............................................................................................................47

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MICROMINE Overview
MICROMINE Overview
MICROMINE was developed in 1987 as a software package for exploration geologists,
and was one of the first products of its kind to run on a personal computer. For the first
time, geologists were able to analyse the data they had collected in the field.
By the early 1990s, MICROMINE was recognised as a technological leader and regarded
as an easy to use, functional and robust package. A commitment to continuous
improvement has meant that it has now become a total mining package, with
capabilities ranging from data import to mine design.
The real strength of MICROMINE is its ability to convert raw data into information. Not
all data is valuable, often it is out of date or irrelevant. MICROMINE combines an
extensive range of data validation and processing tools, with the data modelling and
visualisation tools needed to identify and present relevant information.
When that information is used to improve an organisation's existing knowledge and
understanding of its mineral resources, such as helping someone to understand where
to find the next major discovery, or providing the know-how to beat sliding metal
prices, a real high yield return can be achieved.
MICROMINE's functionality is arranged around a suite of modules, enabling users to
tailor a package to suit their specific needs. The core module is an application in its own
right, with import, data entry, editing, validation, processing, visualisation, presentation
and export capabilities.
MICROMINE is a fully integrated system, and not a cluster of separate utilities. You can
extend the power of your system at any time by adding new modules.
User Interface
The success of a product like MICROMINE depends on its ease-of-use. MICROMINE's
powerful yet intuitive interface enables users to produce results efficiently and easily .
Given the transient nature of the workforce in the resources sector, usability contributes
greatly to MICROMINE's low Total Cost of Ownership. Here are some of the features that
make the MICROMINE user interface the best in the business:
Form Sets
Most functions require the user to define a set of control parameters in af orm. In
MICROMINE this is done using form sets. Parameters are usually selected from a valid
list of options and default values are provided. For example, when a new file is selected,
default field names are presented to the user.
These and other timesaving features have been built into each form. When opened, a
form defaults to the last values used. The contents of a form can be saved as a form set
for later re-use.
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MICROMINE Overview

Typically, users will share the same local or global form sets, but may also have their
own personal form sets. Once the concept of forms and form Sets is understood, a user
has effectively learnt how to run most of the functions in MICROMINE .
File Editor
The MICROMINE File Editor uses a spreadsheet-style interface to create and maintain
MICROMINE Data Files. In addition to the editing facilities found in many databases, it is
optimised for geological and field data entry, and includes many powerful functions.
MICROMINE Data Files are ASCII (text) files with a simple header followed by equal
length data records. The uncomplicated format of these files has meant that they have
become a de facto standard in the industry.
As well as providing standard editing functions (Cut, Paste, Insert, Delete, Sort, Find,
Replace) the MICROMINE File Editor also provides the following features:
(cid:159) A colour file can be applied to a field
(cid:159) A set of nested look-up tables can be attached to a field
(cid:159) Calculation functions can be used to change the content of specific cells
(cid:159) Data from another file can be merged or appended
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MICROMINE Overview

Filters
Whenever a function reads data, a filter can be attached to the input file. Previously
saved filters can be selected, or it is a simple matter to set up a new one.
Filters combine a group of conditional statements to determine which records the
process will use. Selection criteria can be combined so that a filter can be set to process
only those records where Tenement = E62/99 and Date Drilled > 19920819 (see
example below).
This allows a wide range of data manipulations to be carried out easily and efficiently.

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MICROMINE Overview

Colour files
The effective use of Colour is an important aid to visualisation. In MICROMINE you can
easily associate numeric ranges or text values with particular colours. Once defined, a
Colour Set can be used by any display function.

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MICROMINE Overview
Hatch files
Hatching (of polygons or alongside a drill hole trace) is another way to make your data
more meaningful. Hatch Sets work in the same way as Colour Sets (see above) and
because the hatch patterns are based on True Type Fonts, they are fast and flexible.
MICROMINE comes with a complete set of geological hatch patterns based on the AGSO
and USGS standards. New patterns can be added on request.

Symbols
Like Hatching, Symbols use True Type Font technology to give maximum control over
colour, style and size. On a display, symbols are plotted at point locations and can also
be used to display such things as North points and logos.

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MICROMINE Overview
A huge range of symbols is bundled with MICROMINE. New symbols can be added on
request.
Vizex
The Visual Explorer (Vizex) graphical interface provides an efficient and fully interactive
way to display all types of data from points to images.
Each object that is loaded into the display can be controlled using theO bject Manager.
The Object Manager can be used to arrange the data sets you want to see in a layered
display. Each layer in the display can be edited interactively using the Vizex Graphic
Editor.

Multiple datasets can be viewed simultaneously, in plan and section view, simply by
opening a new window.
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