Tips&Tricks

Polyline Snap : Using Snap on polylines to scan sections automatically. Did you know that MinePlan 3D (MP3D) has a feature that allows you to use Snap on polylines and take advantage of existing objects? The Polyline Snap option allows using the points belonging to an existing polyline or polygon to guide the creation of new elements. This snap can be enabled through the Snap menu or using the keyboard shortcut number 4. When drawing a new polyline or polygon, just click on a starting point and an ending point of an existing element. The shorter segment, located between these two points, will then be digitized in the created element, being highlighted in Highlight with a greater thickness, as shown in the following figure. When pressing the Delete or Backspace keys right after placing the point…

Model Calculation Tool: Performing calculations on the block model using information from a secondary model. Did you know that MinePlan 3D (MP3D) has a feature that allows you to perform calculations with two models simultaneously? The Model Calculation Tool (MCT), located in the Model menu, allows the user to quickly and conveniently perform calculations on MinePlan models (3DBM, GSM and GSF). It is common to need to cross information between different models, and through the Use Two Models option, located on the Advanced Options tab in the MCT, it is possible to map a secondary model. The secondary model can be in 3DBM, GSM or GSF formats, as long as it is contained in the same PCF (10.dat file) as the primary model. Figure 1: Model Calculation Tool with secondary model. Activating this functionality, on the Item Selection tab of the MCT, it is possible to select the variables to be…

Model Calculation Tool : Using information from surrounding blocks in model calculations. Did you know that MinePlan 3D (MP3D) has a feature that allows you to access information from adjacent blocks, while performing calculations on the block model? The Model Calculation Tool (MCT), located in the Model menu, allows the user to quickly and conveniently perform calculations on MinePlan models (3DBM, GSM and GSF). Using the MCT to manipulate 3D block models applies the instructions configured in each block of your model. However, it is also possible to enable information from surrounding blocks to be used in calculations. This functionality opens up opportunities for routines to have geometric dependencies and manage to add more information, such as dilution, reconciliation, operability evaluation, among others. To enable this functionality, just access the Advanced Options tab and, in Calculation Mode,…

General Gridder Tool: Creating regular grid points on any triangular surface. Did you know that MinePlan 3D (MP3D) has functionality that allows you to create regularly spaced points on any surface? Located in the Points Menu, the General Gridder tool allows the creation of regularly spaced points on any triangular surface (Geometric Objects, Views of Geometric Objects and Large Gridded Objects – LGO's), storing the elevation of the surface at each grid point. The only input data requested by the tool is the surface where the points will be created, and in a complementary way, polygons can be used to limit the area. Furthermore, an Edit Grid can be used for the orientation of the points, and the minimum and maximum limits in each direction can be set manually. Figure 01 shows a preview of the points to be generated,…

Selection Filter: Using filters to select elements. Did you know that MinePlan 3D (MP3D) has a feature that allows you to filter elements for selection in xViewer? When using the Selection menu in MP3D, there is an option to create filters for the selection of elements directly by xViewer (Selection > Configure Selection Filter). These filters can cover one or more types of elements: Points, Polygons, Polylines, Surfaces, Labels and Directional Labels. Furthermore, additional options can be set for more detailed selection: selection of 2D and/or 3D data; selection guided by planes (Planar, East-West or North-South) with the application of a range; selection from the Element Name or Material Name of the elements; and geometric selections, based on the length, area or volume of the element. Figure 01: Selection Menu (on the left); Selection Filter tool (right);…

Did you know that it is possible to quickly generate drilling holes using directional and geological parameters in MinePlan 3D? In this article, we will explore how the Drillhole Design Tool can facilitate the planning of drillhole trajectories, optimizing processes and results. What is the Drillhole Design Tool? The Drillhole Design Tool, located in the Geo Tools menu of MinePlan 3D, is a powerful tool that allows you to plan the trajectory of a drill hole using previously established polylines. You can enter data directly into xViewer or by defining coordinates, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Drillhole Design Tool Configuration Modes When opening the Drillhole Design Tool, you must define a name for the hole and choose one of the available configuration modes: Use existing polylines: allows you to select polylines already drawn in xViewer. The option…

Object Contents Browser: Identifying and editing geometric objects. Did you know that it is possible to identify the contents of geometric objects and edit them through the Object Contents Browser tool? The Object Contents Browser allows selecting data for editing from a dialog box, with the possibility to load them in the Viewer or not. The tool simplifies selecting data for editing, resulting in significant reductions in memory overhead and improved performance. The Object Contents Browser can also be used to highlight, target and query the object, or just browse to determine its content. The tool is accessed from the Utilities menu, or by right-clicking the desired geometric object in the Data Manager. It can be minimized and if you try to use the tool for another object, the minimized window will be restored showing the contents of that…

MinePlan Torque | Extended Capability: Improved MPTorque performance and added new features in MinePlan 2022 Release 4. Did you know that the new version of MinePlan, MinePlan 2022 Release 4, has improved MPTorque performance as well as added new features? MinePlan users have stored sample and geological borehole data in the integrated database manager, MinePlan Torque, for years. New enhancements in MinePlan 2022 Release 4 increase the flexibility of the system, making it possible to store even larger databases in a custom way, which allows users to work with their data more efficiently. MPTorque has always supported an unlimited number of tables and attributes, but in the new version, the attributes of each table can be customized in a unique and independent way, allowing the storage of data from…

Activity Scheduler | Performance Improvement: Improved Activity Scheduler performance in MinePlan 2022 Release 4. Did you know that the new version of MinePlan, MinePlan 2022 Release 4, has improved Activity Scheduler performance through a change in data storage? The latest update to MinePlan, MinePlan 2022 Release 4, includes a change to the way data is stored in Activity Scheduler and Planner. This change will allow users to more efficiently access and store data, which in turn will lead to performance improvements for loading and editing project data. Hexagon has seen how the Activity Scheduler (MPAS) is applied in many areas and commodities, where each mine has numerous challenges and unique characteristics. The sequencing solutions developed in MPAS evolve as MinePlan users understand…