Underground Schedule Playback in GEOVIA Minex

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In today’s tip, I’ll be discussing how to easily replay an existing underground schedule in GEOVIA Minex. Simulating a mine’s schedule is vital to uncovering bottlenecks and correcting issues before they become reported problems. Utilizing Minex’s schedule playback feature, engineers are able to visually compare many iterations of schedules to ensure optimal mining.

Before we start, please ensure that:

  • Your Underground Project (*.ugpr) is open
  • Your Geometry (*.GM3) files is open

In this example, we are using a mine design that begins with a drift, and utilizes development, pillar, and longwall mining methods. In just a few steps we are able to access an existing schedule and simulate the operation.

1. You can access the Schedule Playback feature via the menu bar as shown below, or via the shortcut icon that can be located on the toolbar.

2. On the Playback Settings tab, select the pit or mine area you would like to display.

3. Once we select the mining area, we can edit the period that we want to simulate by selecting Playback Settings > Edit.
Minex also allows you to use a date control file (.ctl) which is useful when you want to use time periods of unequal length in the schedule. In this example below, we will run the schedule from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2051 using a playback period length of one (1) month increments. Select Save to return to Schedule Playback form.

4. We can also adjust the Display Parameters using the second tab. This allows us to visually differentiate the different mining methods being used (Development, Longwall, and Pillar). Minex also enables us to select the size and color for the panel annotation.

5. Once you have selected your Display Parameters, click on OK and the mine simulation begins. If you would like to stop the schedule playback at any time, simply click on the Stop icon at the bottom right of Minex.
During the schedule playback, we are able to visualize if there are any bottlenecks in our schedule or issues that need to be addressed.

Such features like schedule playback in Minex allow engineers to simulate the operation before committing to a schedule. This also enables many schedules against the same mine plan to be quickly simulated and compared to optimize the schedule for the operation.

Stay tuned for the next update which will show how to take this schedule and create snapshots to be presented and shared with management.

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Ryan Blackwell

Ryan Blackwell

Technical Specialist, GEOVIA at Dassault Systèmes
Ryan is GEOVIA Services Director, North America with over 13 years of experience in the mining industry. He provides consultative selling expertise to enterprise mining clients, with a focus on 3D applications, Mine production management, and business process transformation. Based in Ohio, USA, Ryan specializes in GEOVIA Minex and InSite and enjoys playing ice hockey in his spare time.